Intuitive eating your way to a movement love affair

You have an amazing freedom: the ability to move your body. Even if you have a limited ability to move certain parts of your body, reading these words requires that you move, your eyes at the very minimum. Do you take the awesome capacity to move your body for granted?  

Every non-intuitive eating plan (i.e., dieting) encourages its followers to exercise regularly. You've seen what happens first-hand or observed the results of the well-planned exercise regiment. While most people begin an exercise program with the best laid intentions, they soon find themselves skipping the gym or not going out for that morning walk. Most people tend to blame themselves for not being able to keep up a consistent exercise routine and may feel like a hopeless case when it comes to exercising. Other people have learned to "hate" or resist exercise because of its association with the lows of the dieting lifestyle.

Taking the time to understand and to feel the benefits that moving your body brings to your life is a core tenet of intuitive eating. Practicing intuitive eating will help you make the important shift from the futile "I should exercise" mentality to the joys of intentionally moving your body. If you're in a bad relationship with "exercise" and it does not help you feel good about yourself, then simply throw that word out of your vocabulary. 

Why is the call to move your body, as a part of intuitive eating, so much more effective in the short and the long-term? Here are just a few of the reasons why intuitive eating will help you discover sustainable and joyful ways to regularly move your body.

1. Intuitive eating ensures that your body is well fed. In contrast, dieting approaches typically require that you restrict your food intact, which creates a starvation state in the body. What person feels truly motivated to keep moving their bodies when it's in a low energy state due to the lack of food or when certain types of foods like carbs are limited?

2. Intuitive eating encourages you to experiment and to discover the foods you truly love and like and reveals the foods that lack appeal for you. The practice of experimenting with different foods also invites you to begin exploring different ways of moving your body. As you notice how foods affect your bodyk, you can use those same observation skills to learn how different activities appeal or hold no interest for you. Ultimately, you optimize the sense of wellbeing, fun, and ease in your life by focusing on the foods and the activities that you enjoy.

3. Intuitive eating challenges you to learn to respect your body. In the process of committing to taking care of yourself through eating intuitively, you become more open to all the ways in which you can support the optimal functioning of your body, including regular movement.

Well fed. = Well moved.

As we celebrate America's independence this month, it's a great opportunity to appreciate all of the freedoms that we enjoy. Take advantage of the phenomenal freedom to move your body in all of the ways possible to you. Take the time to answer the question: How can I move my body joyfully? Then ask yourself: How will I move my body joyfully today?

Raleigh offers a wide variety of activities to enjoy the act of moving your body all year long:

• Check out a greenway trail near you.
• Visit one of the local scenic lakes (e.g., Shelley Lake, Lake Lynn) or recreational parks to walk, run or bike.
• Enjoy the local tennis and sand volleyball courts at community centers in the area.
• Does swimming float your boat? Check out the city swimming pools.

The options are plentiful to help you develop a life-long love affair with movement.

Eat intuitively. Move Joyfully. Love Your Body.

Images courtesy of Microsoft Clipart Gallery.