When it Comes to Movement, Less Really is MORE
Over and over again I have seen that intentional movement every day, for ANY amount of time is far superior to doing nothing at all, or even doing one super strenuous thing one day a week. What we want is to train our bodies and minds to maintain, and maybe even expand, functional ability over our lifespans. It is the long game we are after. Also, we want to figure out the incredibly difficult conundrum of making enough time and space in our lives to nurture our bodies and minds. Everything about our modern lives fights this and so trying to just make room for movement in any way is a big win all on its own.
Change Your Movement Mindset to Exploration
We often say that movement is medicine. But physical activity might not feel very therapeutic if in the past it has been associated with pain. In order to get back to a place of confidence and comfort with movement, we have to first change our mindset to one of exploration. This is an essential part of the Movement Remedies approach when working with chronic pain clients who want to get active again but don't know where to start.
Does Dieting Increase the Risk of Chronic Pain?
Even if you manage to free yourself from the grip of diet culture, the time spent pursuing a smaller body will likely have resulted in complete neglect of your physical sensations for so long that it becomes a conditioned behavior. Many people with long term dysregulated relationships with food will have completely compartmentalized their emotional selves from their physical selves, such that they are virtually numb.