Exercise for Those Who Hate It: Why Creating a Movement Practice is Easier Than You Think

A couple of yeas ago, if you’d asked anyone who knows me if I was “athletic”, I guarantee they would have laughed. Audibly. I have never been known for my coordination or athletic abilities. I simply did not grow up with any real examples of regular exercise, and after attending schools that were all lacking in the sports department, I became an adult who occasionally began spurts of regular exercise that felt like a chore, were wrapped up in self-hatred, and never stuck. 

Today, I move my body almost every day.

It is one of my top priorities and something I shape my day around. And this is no short spurt for some unattainable goal, I’ve been doing this for close to two years now. I want to share with you how it changed for me, the least athletic person I know. 

For many, the term “exercise” is synonymous with weight loss goals and “fitness”, both of which are steeped in oppression of many types (sexism, ableism, and racism to name a few). When our impetus for any activity is delivered through shame, we tend not to succeed. Shame is, whatever Instagram may tell you, a horrible motivator. 

From here on out I’d like to start using the term “movement” instead of exercise. One, because it’s more accurate to what I’m talking about, and two, because I want to try to take away all those negative associations and start fresh with you. 

Incorporating regular movement into our lives can feel impossible. I know it did for me. I didn’t have time for that. I didn’t enjoy it. I couldn’t do it. I truly believed it just wasn’t for me. That’s because I was thinking of “exercising” and whenever I did, all those shameful associations popped up alongside it. Shame makes us tired, unmotivated, and self-doubting. Those emotions don’t exactly help us start something new and different. 

I didn’t start moving my body because the goal was to exercise, I started regular movement because the goal was to feel joy and to reduce my stress and anxiety. I asked myself, how can I move my body in a way that will bring me joy every day?

For me, this was an easy question to answer: I love to dance, and I love to be outside in nature. Those two activities bring me joy. In order to increase the joy in my life, I started doing both regularly. 

The more I did them, the more joy I felt, and the more I wanted to keep it going. After a while, my regular movement practices became essential to my wellbeing. Sometimes, because of illness or injury, they had to change. For a while, yoga was a part of my practice, but I injured my wrist and hand to change how I moved.  

There are no rules. There is no goal other than joy. 

 So, rather than thinking about how you can start exercising, think about how you like to move your body. What kind of body movement brings you joy? What type of movement works for your body and your life?

Once you have the answer to that, ask yourself the following questions:

·      How will I feel when I incorporate a joyful movement practice into my life?

Think about what it will feel like when you are living your life with regular, joyful movement. Take the time to really picture what that will look like for you. Sometimes visualizing our goal helps us feel more motivated toward it. 

·      When can I practice this movement?

This is where we do some logistics: you’ve maybe said “I don’t have time to exercise” a million times. But we have time for what we make time for. You don’t have to start big. Perhaps you start with 15 minutes per day. Everyone has 15 minutes. Look at your schedule and find not only a time when you can get moving, but when the movement will be most beneficial for you. For example, I can only do movement in the first half of the day. Otherwise, I end up too tired and it’s less likely that I’ll follow through. For me, waking up earlier to fit in my movement practice has allowed me to incorporate it every day. 

·      What are the obstacles between me and a movement practice?

Think about it. What are the things you say to yourself about why you “can’t” move regularly? List them out and attack them one by one.

·      What can I do to overcome these obstacles?

Now you take those obstacles, one by one, and question them. See how you could get around them or work through them. Ask yourself, “is that true?” If it isn’t true and it’s just a limiting belief, acknowledge that. If it’s a real obstacle, ask yourself, “how can I work through this so I can make movement work for me?” There is a way, it just takes a little planning sometimes. 

·      When will I try one kind of movement?

You’ve pictured the joy of movement, you’ve planned for your schedule, and you’ve addressed your obstacles. Now it’s time to schedule your first movement practice! What will the movement be? When will you do it? Get excited, it’s time to have fun!

·      Who will I share this new step with?

The research shows that sharing the changes we want to make with others helps us to actually make that change. So, with whom in your life can you share this new goal? Who will be supportive and offer you gentle accountability? A coach is an excellent choice here, but it can be anyone in your life who you trust to help give you that extra bit of support as you step into something new. 

Alright, it’s time to get moving! I’m excited for you. As someone who went from being generally sedentary to someone who can’t stand a day without movement, I promise you that you have everything you need to take this next step. I’m over here cheering you on! You’ve got this. 

Want some support in making changes in your life? Coaching could be right for you! Schedule a FREE call with me to learn more!