Episode 31: Positive Movement, with Haley Melchert
Full transparency here: I'm not one for exercise.
I used to be. I've enjoyed working with trainers in the past, I hung around a karate studio long enough to earn a black belt, and I took tennis lessons for awhile earlier this year.
But since having a kid and then becoming a single mom when she was young, I just haven't stuck with any form of exercise that I've started. And to some degree, that's because I tend to think about exercise in a really negative, unhelpful way. Meaning, I tend to see exercise as something I have to do, not something that I want to do. Or that it has to be a certain thing or it doesn't count. Or even that I have to do it for a certain amount of time or it's useless.
And all of that has sounded awful for the past few years. So I just haven't done it.
But then I learned about Intuitive Eating (IE). And IE sees movement as being a big piece of tuning into and honoring your body. Which makes a lot of sense! But IE looks at movement in a much more gentle, open way than diet culture does.
First of all, IE refers to movement, not exercise. That already feels better, doesn't it? And IE talks about moving in ways that are joyful to you and that you like doing. Movement that doesn't have to be a certain level of rigor or last a certain amount of time. Movement can be weeding your garden, cleaning your house, or dancing around your kitchen when your favorite song comes on.
In other words, IE really encourages movement that's Self-led. Movement that works for you and that makes your body feel good. Not movement that is imposed on your that your parts rebel against.
Now that's movement I can do.
But hey--I'm not a trainer and can't really give you much advice on this. So I reached out to two trainers that I trust and had them both on the podcast. On this week's episode, I talk with Haley Melchert, a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and weight neutral health & fitness coach. She's also the host of the "Give 'Em the Bird" podcast (don't you love that title??) where she talks about the damage of diet culture and what it really means to be healthy and fit. Haley and I have a great conversation about approaching movement from a positive place. Her advice? "Check your motivation."
What does that mean? It means to really ask yourself why you're engaging in this form of movement. Is it for fun? Is it because you enjoy it and your body is craving it? Or is it because you need to burn some calories. Or you feel you need to lose weight.
Haley talks about her history with exercise (spoiler alert: it's just like everyone else's) and her "oh shit" moment when she realized that things needed to change. And she gives some great advice for getting started with movement, if you're someone who isn't doing much right now (like yours truly). She suggests:
Getting clear on your motivation
Finding movement you enjoy
Expanding what counts as movement
Focusing on how movement makes you feel
I truly enjoyed chatting with Haley, as you'll notice given how much I was laughing. Her excitement about movement is really infectious and has gotten me to look at it in a much more positive way.
How to find Haley:
Click below to listen!