Diet culture doesn’t get to choose how we move! We do!!

So if you read one of my previous posts ‘The dreaded E word’ you will know that I don‘t like the word exercise (if you haven’t read it go and check it out). I hate the word, I hate how when that word is used it has the ability to feel most of us with dread and I hate that diet culture dictates the amount of ‘exercise’ we should do and that it should always be this fast paced cardio, body crippling, feeling like you are going to pass out after 5 minutes workout! This form of exercise is not for me and there is nothing wrong with that. I now refer to anything I do as movement and I no longer let diet culture dictate to me what I need to do!

The 9th Principal of Intuitive Eating is-Exercise and feel the difference. If you have read through what this principle means you will know it is finding a form of movement that works for you and not something that you despise or have to force yourself to do. We are encouraged to move regularly but by listening to our bodies, moving not to burn off calories but instead for enjoyment. Having no targets, no set amount of exercise you want to achieve every week. Trusting our bodies will tell us when they want us to move and when they don’t. In doing so recognising and acknowledging how different that feels, compared to putting ourselves through a gruelling regime.

For each one us this movement will be totally different. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the intense workouts as long as your really listening to your body and not over exercising. Some of you will feel comfortable with the more strenuous exercises and some of you not so much. As you will know from my previous post the movement I enjoy and do a lot of is walking. I do not set myself targets, I do not force myself to go for a walk everyday, I do not ensure I walk a certain distance, I just walk when I want to and I enjoy it.

Recently though my body has been telling me it needs some more movement. Something in addition to walking and not because it wants me to burn calories or change the shape of my body, it’s telling me to do something extra to help my mobility. I suffer with my back, 10 years ago it was really bad which is something I would like to avoid happening again and as I edge closer to 40, joints are starting to creak and crack! I can not be doing with it so I have looked into my options and I have decided I am going to start doing some Yoga.

After looking into what benefits Yoga has on your health and body, I feel its definitely what I need. I started it a week ago and I am really enjoying it. I’ve started slow and because we are still in lockdown I am doing yoga for beginners on You Tube. Whats lovely is that my son sometimes does it with me, its really nice to have found something we can do together as he is not a big fan of walking. Again I don’t do it everyday, I don’t have set days of the week to do it. I do it when I want to and if I don’t want to, I don’t force myself.

I am in such a good place now with my movement, I’ve listened and I’ve added what my body needs and this is what I will continue to because I trust my body way more than I trust diet culture!

Thank you for reading, stay safe and happy eating.