Hello Warriors! I’ve got the fourth installment of my Intuitive Exercise Series for you today. (You can read the intro here and part one here.) Since I am using the principles of Intuitive Eating as my blueprint, the fourth one is to Challenge the Food Police. For us in movement land, we want to Challenge the Exercise Police. So let’s talk about how we might do that.
Just as in Nutrition World certain foods are labelled “good” and “bad” based on Diet Culture, so it is in Exercise Land. And in case you don’t know how I feel about the “good” and “bad” labels, you can read about it here. So, this is where we need to start. We need to identify and recognize the biases we have that label certain types of exercise or movement as better or worse.
For example: why do we believe that HIIT workouts are “good?” Well, it’s because research tells us that we can pack in an intense workout with lots of benefits in a short amount of time. It’s because the research tells us that the post workout calorie burn lasts longer with this type of workout. It’s because we feel more accomplished when we are dripping with sweat and our muscles are shaking with exhaustion.
But let’s really question those assumptions. Why is an intense workout better? An intense workout can offer certain training benefits. But if you aren’t seeking the training benefits provided, is the workout actually better for you? Why is a short workout ideal? This one is easier to answer, but there are many other types of exercise that can be done in shorter bouts.
Why is a bigger calorie burn better? Every form of movement will burn calories. Is it necessary that you burn the most you can every workout? What happens when that isn’t “good” enough and you are seeking a bigger burn? What amount of calorie burn is enough? You can see how this one can quickly spiral in disordered habits.
Why is pushing to exhaustion better? Is it necessary to be on the verge of collapse at the end of a workout? A sense of accomplishment walks a fine line between comparing yourself to someone else and their abilities and being proud of what your own body has done for you.
Hopefully, you can see that once you start to Challenge the Exercise Police, things break down pretty quickly. In our rush to determine which exercise or workouts are “good” we stopped trying to figure out which ones were right for us in the present moment.
See, all types of movement and exercise are good. Everything from yoga to HIIT will provide tons of Physical and Mental Health Dimension benefits. A session that lasts 10 minutes can be just as advantageous as one that goes for 90 minutes.
As soon as you start to question, a few really amazing things happen. First, you start to key in on what you really want from physical activity. If you have true training goals, you can start to mete out which workouts are necessary to match with your goals and where and when you have room for fun things. If you have more modest goals, you can lock in on making exercise a regular habit. Which is actually how you reap the most rewards.
Second, you free yourself up to try other things. Why are you running if you hate it? Probably because the Exercise Police told you that it burns a ton of calories. Or is the best way to get your cardiovascular system “in shape” (whatever that means). Well, I got news: there is more than one way to skin a cat, even if weight loss or increased cardiovascular endurance are goals of yours. And if they aren’t, then for heaven’s sake, please try something else!
Third, you free up mental energy. How much energy does it waste to think/worry/stress about a workout you dread? What else could you be doing with that mental space if you were excited about the movement you had planned for the day? How much more likely would you be to try something new (see above) or make movement habitual (also see above) if you liked what you were doing?
Fourth, you learn to appreciate all types of movement. You’ll be better able to see the value in the short walk around the block that gives you a pause during a busy day. You’ll be able to have the mental and physical fortitude to push yourself when you choose to do so. And you’ll value the rest and recovery that your body needs (and might be asking for).
Lastly, you’ll be able to break out of rigidly controlled schedules and routines. Again, if you have specific training goals, this will only somewhat apply. But if you fall in with the masses, you will be able to modify things on the fly. After all, you are a whole person with varying degrees of motivation and commitments on any given day. (If you are interested to read about how I manage a flexible exercise routine and still move most days of the week, you can check it out here.)
I really encourage you to Challenge the Exercise Police. They have told you for years that there is one way from point A to point B. But try to adopt a moderation mindset. Movement and exercise should be a flowing continuum. Some days you will rock a kick butt HIIT routine like it was nuthin’ and other days you will have a hard time motivating yourself to take a walk. Both are okay as long as neither becomes your predominant mindset. Walk a different path to point B and learn to enjoy the journey.
Until next time, be well friends!
