LOVE all of this and completely agree with everything. Other things that have helped me: Get rid of the scale completely and (women+) give yourself compassion during your cycle as your energy levels will drastically change.
Learning to unlink exercise and weight loss was HUGELY freeing for me. It helped me realize that I do enjoy different kinds of movement and now that I exercise because I like how I feel when/after I do it, I am so much more consistent! Still struggling with food/body image but one thing at a time!
Thank you so much for this article! I had never thought about how this pressure to have the "ideal" body is such a great part of why I struggle so much with exercise. And as you said - its a lose/lose process, in which or do we get frustrated nothing is happening or anxious for more to happen in the "lose weight area". I really do think consider exercise from the light you wrote can truly help achieve a healthier relationship with exercise and movement, in its multiple ways. <3
I can have an extremely toxic relationship with exercise and food and my body which I have been working on for years in therapy. It all is tightly wrapped up with my relationship with my parents, my childhood, being conditioned as a woman in society, so it is so complex and not simple to solve.
It once really stuck me how when I was binge eating my mind was blank and I was not thinking negative, self loathing thoughts. Paradoxically, when exercising I was constantly being mean to myself and picking apart my body.
I’m really trying to work on completely removing the concept of exercise from the way my body looks. Trying to find movement that gives me joy. Trying to be very kind to myself when my body feels out of breath, take a break whenever I feel like it, and acknowle that all of the experience is morally neutral.
LOVE all of this and completely agree with everything. Other things that have helped me: Get rid of the scale completely and (women+) give yourself compassion during your cycle as your energy levels will drastically change.
Haven't been on a scale in months (except when the doctor made me haha)! Thanks so much for sharing!! xoxo A
Learning to unlink exercise and weight loss was HUGELY freeing for me. It helped me realize that I do enjoy different kinds of movement and now that I exercise because I like how I feel when/after I do it, I am so much more consistent! Still struggling with food/body image but one thing at a time!
Exactly!! Separating the two/three has been so helpful to me too!
Thank you so much for this article! I had never thought about how this pressure to have the "ideal" body is such a great part of why I struggle so much with exercise. And as you said - its a lose/lose process, in which or do we get frustrated nothing is happening or anxious for more to happen in the "lose weight area". I really do think consider exercise from the light you wrote can truly help achieve a healthier relationship with exercise and movement, in its multiple ways. <3
So glad to hear it was helpful! The shift has been huge for me! xoxo
I can have an extremely toxic relationship with exercise and food and my body which I have been working on for years in therapy. It all is tightly wrapped up with my relationship with my parents, my childhood, being conditioned as a woman in society, so it is so complex and not simple to solve.
It once really stuck me how when I was binge eating my mind was blank and I was not thinking negative, self loathing thoughts. Paradoxically, when exercising I was constantly being mean to myself and picking apart my body.
I’m really trying to work on completely removing the concept of exercise from the way my body looks. Trying to find movement that gives me joy. Trying to be very kind to myself when my body feels out of breath, take a break whenever I feel like it, and acknowle that all of the experience is morally neutral.
Thank you so much for sharing this! So proud of all the work you're doing even though it can't be easy xoxo A