Reclaiming Your Relationship With Movement (#1 of ”x”)

The ability to move our bodies is a gift. It is a gift that not everyone has in the same capacity. Unfortunately, movement in our society is often labeled by the word “exercise”, where success is often measured in numbers or aesthetics. Stepping away from that definition and moving toward reclaiming a relationship that works for you and your body is exciting… and an incredibly difficult journey. As we move through this series of blogs, we’ll look at the roles that movement serves. we’ll explore our bodies needs, and what it means to listen and provide for our body.

Perhaps as we begin, we can look at how movement was perceived from the beginning of the human existence. Humans moved to survive. They hunted, gathered food, planted crops, and moved from place to place to find a water and favorable conditions. Movement served a utilitarian purpose. Those who could do it- did. And those who were unable to move due disability likely didn’t live very long. In some parts of the world, that is still the case. Moving is the way to survive.

But it’s interesting to think how our experience of movement is no longer about survival. Groceries can be delivered to our door. Cars bring us to favorable conditions. In many ways, being able to move our bodies is no longer required to survive. This has many advantages for the disabled community. But it also changes the role of movement in our lives because in many ways.. being able to move is optional for survival.

But the fitness and medical communities would disagree, and our ears and eyes are overwhelmed with messages of how much our bodies need to move- how many minutes, how much intensity, and how many calories we should burn. It can be hard to sift through those messages and wonder what they mean. How does our movement or lack of it put us at risk for conditions often associated with inactivity - such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, and how much does too much movement put us at risk for eating disorders, obsessive exercise, amenorrhea and osteoporosis.

Determining those answers involves listening to our bodies. Reconnecting to them and listening to what they truly need. This blog series explores the holistic purposes of movement, the needs of our bodies, and how we can begin to listen to our bodies.