Howdy Wellness Warriors! Today I’ve got the sixth installment of my Intuitive Exercise Series for you. If you are just tuning in, I’ve been using the ten Intuitive Eating Principles to outline how Exercise Culture traps us in unproductive habits and thought patterns. (You can read the intro here and part one here.) The sixth principle of Intuitive Eating is to Find the Satisfaction Factor.
For eating, finding the satisfaction factor should make a lot of sense. Many of us are consuming things that Diet Culture tells us are “better” (which in itself is subject to change at a moment’s notice) but that leave us feeling unsatisfied in some way. And we are largely doing the same thing with our workouts.
We are engaging in some sort of physical activity that Exercise Culture deems as “better.” Typically because the ability to burn more calories through said workout is increased, but there are exceptions. Exercise Culture, as I’ve said before, is the flip side of the Diet Culture coin. In Western society the job of both is to convince you that your body is not worthy and you must change it. Control what you consume and how much you burn. Increase your protein consumption and go hard or lift heavy.
And of course there is the famous exercise adage: You’ll only regret the workout you don’t do. There are tons of variations on this, but the basic theme is the same. Pump up that motivation and power through so you can feel “good” about what you’ve done.
How many times have we paused post exercise and actually asked if we feel satisfied by our workouts, though? There is certainly a sense of accomplishment after a tough strength day when your legs are shaking or after a more intense cardio bout when you are drenched in sweat. The sense of pride in our physical bodies when they have done something difficult is awesome and should be celebrated. IF the workout itself is a source of satisfaction.
If, however, you are done with a workout – any workout – and you are feeling drained, exhausted, frustrated, or ambivalent, you’ve missed out on something important. Again, if you are training for something (a 10K, to increase your deadlift PR, whatever) there will be some workouts that you just need to buckle down and do. But those workouts should at least leave a general positive feeling of moving you in the direction of your goals. If they don’t, perhaps you should re-evaluate what you are training for and why.
But I am talking about how those sensations affect your Mental Health Dimension as well. When workout after workout leaves feelings of frustration in their wake, we are more likely to associate exercise with something we don’t want to do. Which, in turn, blunts our motivation for the next session. So now we are left in a fabulous little downward spiral that is just going to have us bugging out completely.
Different abilities aside, the human body is designed to move. And including those with different abilities, the human body wants to move. We straight up feel better, physically and mentally, when we move. Funnily enough, the body and mind both feel better when we move in ways we find satisfying.
A hike with friends or a bike ride with family might not offer the most calorie burn to our bodies. Yoga or a walk may be lower intensity than those things that Exercise Culture reveres. Really connecting with the muscle as you concentrate on push up form isn’t as showy as bench pressing big weight. But there is no denying that our minds feel good after activity like this.
There is something freeing about being able to enjoy your workout for the just the sake of knowing you took the time to move your body. If you are in training, including that one exercise that just puts you at ease is so gratifying. Not every workout is going to be a total home run. But there should at least be parts of what you are doing that are mentally rewarding, even if they aren’t as much from a physical standpoint.
Finding those satisfaction factors will create a much more useful mental feedback loop. You’ll be more inspired to keep moving, even when motivation is low. Finding satisfaction is a key factor is finding consistency. In addition, seeking out satisfaction can be important when it comes to goal setting. When you are repeatedly unfulfilled with exercise, it can signal that your goals may be out of alignment with who you are, what your body wants, or with what you need. And re-evaluating appropriately will hopefully lead to that consistency.
Consistency is what moves us forward towards our goals. Consistency is what keeps our bodies (and minds) healthy for the long haul. So, despite what Exercise Culture wants you to believe, finding internal satisfaction with your exercise and workouts is what will lead you to actual lasting change.
Tell us in the comments, what type of workout or part of the workout do you find the most satisfying? (I’m betting you can guess what I would say!)
