Working out is a term used to describe some sort of exercise form or routine at some fitness level. As someone who has a history around body acceptance and the push and pull of trying to fit in, into the shape of what diet culture dictates for women; the concept of working out makes me cringe a bit. It makes me feel constricted and punished. Like it is something I have to do whether I like it or not.
Of course there are tons of benefits to "working out". Physiologically it helps promote a healthy cardiovascular system, expands our lungs capacity, strengthens our muscles and increases our flexibility. Emotionally it helps to release stress, releases feel good hormones and energizes us.
On my journey reconnecting with my body and building a relationship of love and trust with her (my body) I had to redefine the term "working out" first by changing the language around it.
My new words are movement, physical activity, play. When I use them in that context instead of working out I start working IN. Because now movement becomes something that is fun, playful and experimental. I don't push and pull my body around. I listen to my body and how far she wants to go. That is how we start to understand and get to know each other. I follow my body into the next adventure, I think that is how I've been able to complete 4 half marathons.
When I started to listen, trust and flow with my body everything became so much easier, and my body started to reshape, strengthen and become more flexible without me pushing into effort cranky mode. It allowed me to discover and explore different modalities of movement and challenges that we agree on, like long distance running ( my happy place is 10k ) Yoga, Dance, primal movement, stretching.
When I work IN, I'm moving from a place of harmony, curiosity, playfulness creating a full connection with my physical and emotional body. It is me moving with my body, not against it. When we move like that, we feel more energized, more alive, we see changes beyond the physical and create a nourished, healthy, happy relationship with our bodies and our inner self.
I invite you to go out and play! Discover how it feels to work IN instead of working OUT.
Have fun doing YOU!