You Don't Have to, "Work It Off."
You are under no obligation to, "work off," whatever you've eaten.
I know many of us entered the realm of exercise by way of a promise to be able to, "eat whatever you want, as long as you burn it off." I was an athlete starting at age 6, went to school for health & exercise science, began working as a trainer, and I held this mentality through my mid-20s.
I suffered through a lot of exercise I hated. I agonized over every fold of clothing, making sure it laid flat on my body before anyone snapped a photo. I derided every stretch mark and dimple of cellulite, constantly paying penance on the treadmill hoping that, eventually, I’d, "work it off." You, too? You're not alone.
The thing about this, though, is that it robs fitness of all that it can be.
When we're in the throes of the calories-in-calories-out-maybe-I'll-try-keto-gotta-squeeze-into-a-bikini-and-look-tanned-and-toned-and-tiny-while-doing-it torment, we don't see what movement is, really:
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☆ a tool for expansion, exploration, and empowerment ("can I do that?", "what if we tried this?",
and "could I see what happens if I move this way?" are all powerful questions I've heard from the
humans I coach.)
☆ a source of shifts in our bodies and in our lives (feeling stuck, lethargic, drained, trapped? Go for a walk, pick up a weight, stretch/shake/shimmy it out; moving your body moves your energy.)
☆ an artist of joy (being IN your body, and out of your thinking head, is quite a delight, as is accomplishing a feat you never have before, and weren't sure you could)
☆ a form of resistance (womxn are, "supposed to be," small, submissive, and silent. Here's some news: we don't have to be, and, "taking up space," can begin with picking up a dumbbell.)
☆ a patch of peace (life can be so stressful, can't it? Taking a few moments for yourself, in silence,
in motion, in sweat, can offer a fountain of healing.)
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Movement can be so much more than we've been conditioned to believe. It’s time to divorce our fitness from our morality, and really get down to the business of creating a movement practice — and a life — that serves us.
If you're ready to dive in, I've opened up a few one-on-one slots for my 12-week coaching program, The Bold Body Initiative. Do you want to learn how to feel energized by your fitness routine, think less about every bite of food you take, and feel more like yourself again?
Learn more and sign up at strongbysteph.com/bold-body-initiative/
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