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Finding the Joy in Movement

by Melissa Freer-Smith, RD, CD, ACE-CPT
February 11 2010

Before starting my private practice, I had a desk job at a hospital clinic. Although I had a great view from my office, it was difficult for me to stay inside for over eight hours a day. As a result, I rallied up a group of co-workers to take a pre-lunch walk. It was only 15-20 minutes away from work, but we always came back energized. It didn’t take long for this habit to become well established since we all looked forward to these refreshing breaks.

For many, exercise has become one side of the “eat less/move more” diet equation. However, when exercise is tied to weight loss or weight maintenance, it typically fails to become a regular and enjoyable habit. Our bodies are designed to move - and therefore need to move - regardless of size.

Ask yourself:

How does my body feel when I am not moving? Are there aches and pains in certain areas?
What changes do I experience as my body moves?
How does my body feel after movement? Has my mood been affected? Am I more alert?
What types of movement are most enjoyable to me?
How does my body respond to cardiovascular exercise, compared to strength training or stretching?
Does my environment affect my experience? Do I prefer to be active outdoors or indoors?
Do I like exercising in solitude, or with others? Does this change depending on my day?

Answers to these questions can help you identify some of your immediate benefits to movement, independent of burning calories. You may find some of these benefits listed below, along with other long-term benefits associated with regular activity. Note that excessive and/or compulsive exercise has detrimental effects on the body and mind.

Body

~ Enhanced bodily awareness
~ More energy
~ Better sleep quality
~ Reduced muscle and joint stiffness
~ Strengthened immune system
~ Improved aging process
~ Increased strength
~ Improved flexibility
~ Increased strength and efficiency of the heart muscle
~ Improved blood flow to all areas of the body
~ Lowered resting blood pressure and pulse
~ Increased energy metabolism
~ Improved blood lipids (increased healthy HDL, lowered LDL, lowered triglycerides)
~ Increased insulin sensitivity and better controlled blood sugar levels
~ Decreased risk of certain types of cancer
~ Increased bone mineral density

Mind

~ Improved mood and feelings of pleasure, decreased depression
~ Reduced stress hormones and anxiety levels
~ Improved ability to relax
~ Decreased mental and nervous tension
~ Improved alertness and concentration
~ Decreased hyperactivity
~ Increased confidence and self-esteem
~ Improved self-care
~ Developed sense of self-mastery, accomplishment
~ Increased sense of connection (if exercising with others, and/or in nature)
~ Improved response to hunger, appetite, and satiety cues

It is always best to consult with a physician prior to starting a new exercise program. If you are unsure where to begin, ask for a referral to an Exercise Physiologist, Physical Therapist, or Certified Personal Trainer.

I’d love to hear from you: what are your motivations to move?

Melissa is a Registered Dietitian, Certified Personal Trainer, and Intrinsic Coach(TM), and is the owner of Well Being--Nutrition & Wellness Services, LLC. Melissa uses HAES principles in working with all clients, and primarily works with clients recovering from eating disorders and disordered eating patterns. To learn more, please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Comments

• nycivan | posted February 11, 2010

  Melissa,  thanks for opening up this conversation.  the only kind of movement i like to do is going to a drum circle and pounding on my drum.  it is fun, there is community and connection, i can sit (standing for extended periods of time is difficult for me)

  I am feeling very guilty for not moving enough.  I just can’t seem to find my inspiration.  I even joined the local Y for the pool eleven days ago and have yet to get there.  I am hoping get there today just to try it…  (I just want to walk laps in the pool or maybe take a water aerobics class)

  I am feeling very blocked around movement lately and I refuse to do exercise that is not joyous!!!  joy must be part of the formula which is why I love the drum circle thing.

  Cheers,

  Ivan

• Lori | posted February 11, 2010

  I hated to exercise until I started doing it for my mental health, rather than weight loss.  I have panic disorder, and I finally gave aerobic exercise a try as a means of managing it about eight years ago, and I fell in love with exercise as a result.  I felt so relaxed and empowered and just generally good after a workout (at least once I got past my initial resistance).  Just thinking about how much better I feel when I’m exercising regularly is motivation for me.

  It’s still hard for me not to feel guilty when I’m not doing “enough,” though, because it’s so easy for me to turn exercise from an “I want to!” into an “I should…”  I’m in my 35th week of pregnancy right now, and I sometimes find myself beating myself up because, for about three weeks now, I’ve reduced my walking to one 15-minute mile, and will sometimes take a day off.  But, I just try to remember that movement is about feeling good, and listening to my body, and if my body wants more rest, then that’s what it needs more than movement right now.  I also need to continually remind myself that something, when it comes to movement, is better than nothing.  I tend to get very all-or-nothing about exercise, and need to remind myself that that 15-minute mile in the morning, while it might not seem like much to me or hit the recommended guidelines for daily exercise (which I shouldn’t even be holding myself to anyway!), makes me feel good, gives me an energy lift in the morning, and helps me sleep better at night.  At some point soon I’m guessing my body is going to tell me to drop the faster walks altogether, and maybe just stick with a couple of gentle laps around the block with a friend, and I’m trying to learn to just listen to my body (instead of giving myself a schedule I must stick to) and give it what it needs.

• disgruntledpenguin | posted February 13, 2010

  “I’d love to hear from you: what are your motivations to move?”

  Obligation or strong desire to be in a place other than the place where I am now (e.g. going to class because otherwise I would be absent, going to the store where they sell food so that I don’t starve).

  Sure it feels crappy if I sit in the same position for several hours.  This can be solved by changing position, or taking a break to do something else in another part of the house.  It doesn’t require me to do something depressing and unpleasant, such as exercise.  Everyone promises all these benefits—endorphins!!!—but they just are not able to overcome the punishment and failure that exercise is when I do it.  (Not punishment for being fat; punishment for not exercising.)  And most of them are only applicable when you do it regularly, which makes it a chore.  If I were good at keeping up with chores I hate, the sink would not be full of dirty dishes today.  I need clean dishes more than I need to comply with an unrealistic exercise regime (and they all are, unless they are something like “walk a half hour every weekday” that I just can’t avoid doing).

• Melissa Freer-Smith, RD, CD, ACE-CPT | posted February 15, 2010

  Thank you, Ivan, Lori, and DP for your great comments!

  Ivan, I love that you are involved in a drumming circle, and that this is so positive for you. I think this is a perfect example of an “outside the box” form of enjoyable movement. Did you get that chance to try out the pool?

  Lori, I am 36 weeks along myself, and am just coming off a self-imposed 4 week activity restriction. My body was sending very clear messages that I needed to slow down, and so I did. I’m getting back to activity just this week, and it feels great. Congrats for keeping up with your walks, and please continue to listen to your body! Remember that, during pregnancy, you have more blood circulating, which increases the workload of the heart, and the position of your baby can affect your lung capacity—both of which require a decrease in exercise intensity. Best wishes to you!

  And, Disgruntled Penguin, I am hopeful that you will find movement that is enjoyable for you. “Exercise” tends to have negative connotations for many, whereas “movement” focuses more on doing something, which does include washing the dishes.

  Warmly, Melissa