Intuitive exercise… Do you do it? ?♀️
When I was living in a strong diet mentality I exercised daily with brute force.
I’d wake up super early, go for a 3-5 mile run before work and take a cardio class or strength training class after work.
I’d find every excuse to move my body and claim to “be healthy” because I exercised so much.
I exercised to burn calories, increase muscle mass ?, and decrease fat mass.
I exercised to purge the big dinner I ate the night before…
I exercised from a place of punishment and I felt utterly exhausted as a result.
Undereating and overexercising began to take a toll on my body…
BUT, I continued to push harder in the name of HEALTH.
From a clinical perspective, I had HPA axis dysfunction (also known as Adrenal Fatigue on the internet) which increased cortisol and insulin in my body on a chronic level leading to weight loss resistance, thinning hair, and deep fatigue/sadness.
Instead of losing weight, I gained it.
The more I burned, the more I gained…
I was terrified of backing off my exercise routine but it saved me along with trusting my body with food again…
Through my Peace with Food & Soul process I started eating more (because I was actually hungry) and exercising less and it changed everything…
I stopped punishing and started doing movement I loved which included hiking, yoga, pilates, and stopped beating myself up with daily HIIT workouts, 60+ minute spinning classes, etc.
My energy returned, I got my hair?back (which I don’t have a ton of in the first place), and I actually LOST weight (naturally) and returned to the weight my body feels it’s healthiest at.
Is everyone’s journey ?going to go this way? Absolutely not.
Some of us will find that eating less and exercising more is the way… some will find eating less and exercising less is the way…. some will find eating more and exercising more is the way…
Some will realize they need to give themselves a break and some will need to push a little harder.
Some will take a vacation from it all.
There is no ONE way. There is only YOUR way?.
YOU are unique and so is your journey.
What’s your TRUTH when it comes to intuitive exercise?