Exercise, like eating, should be intuitive. If changing your body is the ultimate motivator to exercise, and that does not happen, you will be much less likely to continue exercising for the long haul. Sure, we all have days where getting started is hard, but ultimately, once you begin, it should not bring you pain or be a punishment for what you ate last night. Movement should feel good in your body and bring you joy (for the most part!). 

As I've gotten older, my relationship with movement has dramatically changed. I grew up playing team sports and always found the camaraderie and training exhilarating. I loved the idea of working together toward a common goal, the friendships that developed, and how strong my body felt from the physical activity. After college, I often associated exercise with a means to either change my body shape and size or as a way to maintain it. 

When I became an intuitive eater and began working on my relationship with not only food but my body, I also had to realign my values with exercise. Exercise can certainly be a form of self-care, but not if ridden with guilt, pain, and dread. I learned I needed to enjoy it, and most importantly, I had to decouple it with the idea of changing my body. 

One day I realized I didn't particularly like exercising in the gym, but I enjoyed being outside - even in cold weather. I liked biking and walking with my dog. I also realized I like running, which is funny because I always thought I strongly disliked it. It brought memories of running certain distances for training or following a rigid schedule. But once I gave myself permission to try it at my own pace, and to walk if and when I wanted to, it opened up an entirely new experience for me. 

I have no desire to compete in races or anything, but a few times a week, I really like it. I like the time to be with my thoughts or listen to music and be with myself. It's just me, a pair of sneakers, and a trail I enjoy. And on days when childcare and my job allow for it, it brings me great joy to go out for a run. But when it doesn't feel good, I let myself walk or take a rest day because this is just as important.

How can you incorporate joyful movement into your life?

• Experiment - take a class, ask a friend or family member to join you, and see what brings you joy. 

• Be flexible - there are some weeks when you may be too tired, or you cannot move your body as much as you like, and that is okay. 

• Seek new motivators for movement - think about the many ways you take care of yourself when you exercise, such as the benefits to your mental health and cardiovascular system and keeping your muscles and bones strong. 

• Remember there are many, many ways to move your body. You do not need to sweat a certain amount, raise your heart rate to a certain level, or hit a certain amount of time for it to count.  

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