Why Do We Exercise?

Before we dive into joyful movement, let’s first talk about why we exercise.

In today’s society, joyful movement isn’t a common practice. Many people have a confusing, and sometimes harmful, relationship with exercise. It can be hard to identify the real reason we choose to exercise. Is it for our health? Is it to lose weight? Is it to shrink our bodies to fit society’s mold? Is it to increase our endurance? What is it?

In order to develop and maintain a healthy, enjoyable relationship with exercise, it’s important to identify the reasons we choose to exercise and shift the focus when necessary.

Red Flags

  • Exercising as a type of punishment
  • Exercising for weight loss or to change your physique to fit a certain societal standard
  • Over-exercising or little to no rest days
  • Exercising on an empty stomach or in a fasting state 
  • Exercising to meet an arbitrary goal, such as calories burnt, step goals, etc.
  • Exercising because you feel you HAVE to
  • Exercising in order to earn food or calories
  • Exercising to compensate for eating
  • Refusing to take a break from exercise, even if the body needs it or life is busy
  • Missing out on time with family and/or friends in order to get a workout in 

Green Flags

  • Exercising to take care of your body
  • Exercising to celebrate what the body can do
  • Participating in physical activity that you enjoy and/or find fun?
  • Exercising because you WANT to
  • Taking a break from exercise when your body (physical and/or mental) needs it
  • Using exercise as a form of stress relief
  • Properly prioritizing tasks before exercise when life gets busy
  • Capable of missing a workout for life events, such as time with spouse, children, other family members, and friends.

Shifting the Focus of Exercise

Diet culture has warped the way we view exercise. Due to the influence of wellness culture, exercise revolves around weight loss and aesthetics. However, exercising for the purpose of weight loss undermines the real importance of movement.

Choosing to focus on joyful movement and the benefits of exercise is the perfect way to shift the viewpoint.

Finding Joyful Movement

What is Joyful Movement?

Joyful movement is an approach to exercise that involves finding ways to move the body that are enjoyable. It focuses on forgetting the thought that exercise is only meant for burning calories and losing weight. Instead, it focuses on finding activities that bring joy and make movement fun.

Joyful movement can look different for everybody. Below are some examples but the options are limitless!

Examples of Joyful Movement

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Walks at the park
  • Dog walks
  • Skating / rollerblading
  • Kayaking / canoeing
  • Skateboarding
  • Paddleboarding
  • Trail running
  • Yard work
  • Yoga
  • Housework
  • Rock climbing
  • Gardening
  • Frisbee
  • Dancing
  • Recreational sports
  • Yard games like Spike Ball or Kan Jam
  • Pickleball
  • and so much more!

When we discover what joyful movement looks like for us, we can begin to develop a healthy relationship with exercise. We start exercising because we want to, not because we have to. We exercise because we enjoy it, not because we feel obligated. Exercise becomes fulfilling and satisfying, instead of punishing and grueling.

This healthy relationship with exercise allows us to discover the many benefits of exercise.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise can increase

  • Bone density
  • Blood levels of good cholesterol (HDL)
  • Heart strength
  • Lung strength
  • Metabolism

Exercise can reduce

  • Chronic and acute stress
  • Blood pressure
  • Total cholesterol (TC) levels
  • Risk of heart disease
  • Risk of diabetes (T2DM)
  • Risk of certain types of cancer
  • Risk of osteoporosis
  • Risk of stroke
  • Risk of cognitive decline

Exercise can improve

  • Insulin effectiveness
  • Sleep quality
  • Mood
  • Satiety cues
  • Appetite regulation
  • Memory
  • Learning capabilities

and much more!

Quick Summary

In today’s society, exercise focuses on weight loss, burning calories, and earning food. Joyful movement flips that script.

Joyful movement focuses on discovering exercises that are enjoyable and fun. Finding this type of movement helps us develop a healthy relationship with exercise.

This looks different for everyone. One person will like to hike while others like to dance and another likes yoga. That’s the beauty of joyful movement!

Once we’ve developed a healthy relationship, we start to exercise because we want to, not because we feel we have. Exercise becomes satisfying and fulfilling, instead of punishing and grueling.

This healthy relationship helps us enjoy the many benefits of exercise such as a reduced risk of heart disease, improved blood cholesterol, and higher sleep quality.

Movement Mondays

If joyful movement sounds like the right thing for you, join me on Instagram @thoughtfulnutrition for Movement Mondays, where I encourage you to practice joyful movement each week!

Thanks for reading!

Rachel Beiler, MHS, RD, LDN