It’s crucial for several reasons that our daily or weekly routines include a consistent source of joyful, civilised activity! As there are numerous connections between our physical and mental health, we are aware that when we take care of both, a positive cycle is created in which our good physical health can help us keep good mental health, and so on. The thought of starting a new routine, though, could be a little unsettling if you’ve previously struggled with disordered eating, disordered exercise habits, or just a tough relationship with your body in general. Here are 5 suggestions for incorporating mild movement into your routine in a way that is comfortable for you if that describes you.
#1 Keep in mind why you are moving gently
Not for the reasons we frequently hear about in intense fitness environments, where fitness is more of a sport focused on pushing your body to extremes, but rather because our body and our brain feel better when we find ways to incorporate movement into our routines, gentle movement or moving our bodies in some way that feels good is important for our health. When looking for a mild movement programme, keep the goal of feeling good at the forefront; if it starts to feel forced or punishing, it’s time to find something else.
And keep in mind that you don’t require it every day. There are days when you are more physically active than others, therefore adding a movement routine to such days is unnecessary redundant and restricting because it forces you to follow a rule without a good reason, which is more like a punishment. You can skip your workout because your body has already been taken care of if you spend the day at the park with your niece.
#2 Keep the following sentences in mind
Starting a new exercise regimen may seem difficult if you’ve previously struggled with unhealthful exercise habits (pushing your body past its limitations, skipping out on hobbies or social gatherings in order to adhere to an intensive, regimented workout routine, etc.). Establishing a new pattern could make you feel like you’re going against what you should be doing, particularly if a rigid schedule was a contributing factor in your behaviours being so unbalanced.
It can be useful to be aware of the words or thoughts you may need to watch out for in order to be conscious of how your mentality surrounding your movement routine is doing if you’re concerned that your objective of developing a healthy habit of moderate movement will lead you back to harmful patterns. You can work on this with your therapist so that you can recognise past warning signs, unfavourable thought patterns, and what to do immediately if you notice those old unfavourable thoughts returning.
#3 Make fun a priority
If you’re pushing yourself to exercise in a method that you don’t enjoy, it’s only going to seem like a punishment. And all it will teach you is that you deserve to feel uncomfortable or unpleasant in your body, or that being “healthy” entails experiencing these emotions. Your movement need not constitute exercise in the traditional sense. You are not required to join a gym or go for a brisk walk around the block.
Consider your favourite activities that will get you off your couch or desk. Who or what are these things? Do you enjoy playing with your pets? Do you enjoy dancing to any music? Is there anything you could do for your neighbourhood? If giving back to your community is something you value, there are definitely a lot of clubs or organisations nearby that are looking for volunteers. Many of them probably require help with tasks that don’t entail working at a desk. Do you have a friend with whom you seldom ever get a chance to catch up?
Can you arrange a routine phone conversation with them (or a meeting if they live nearby) so you can spend that time going for a walk and catching up with your friend? Don’t forget to be imaginative!
#4 Embracing your inner child
Embracing your inner child is another method to come up with original ways to meet this urge for yourself. What was something you did as a youngster that made you feel good before there were unjustified expectations or standards you thought you could never fulfil that governed your connection with your body? Did you enjoy going for rides on your bike or rollerblades through the woods? Consider your “play” activities and what you most enjoyed doing. Does anything still sound enjoyable? Could you find a way to fit it into your adult life so that you can satisfy your inner child and give yourself a fun opportunity to get more exercise?
#5 Set boundaries with yourself
This is something you should explore with your therapist, but it’s critical to recognize when your behaviours have crossed the line from a routine that is beneficial to your health to a compulsion that may really be harmful to it. When you build a new routine to assist you steer yourself away from those harmful habits, work with your therapist or a professional they recommend to identify your warning signs and behaviours, how you can manage them, and what preventative actions you can take or limits you can place on yourself.