At CMC we are committed to helping people develop better relationships with their bodies as changing any destructive behavior pattern requires that you “take better care” of yourself!
Exercise of course is key to taking better care of your body. Maybe you are just starting to think about adding exercise into your life and don’t know how to begin? Maybe you work out but are bored and not really seeing much progress? Maybe you are intimidated by the gym? Maybe you don’t like to sweat? Maybe you feel worse after you try working out? There are all sorts of reasons people hesitate, resist, or get overwhelmed when thinking about adding exercise to their routine.
If you find yourself struggling or even failing to add exercise into your life in spite of your good intentions, it might be worth thinking through the things that get in your way. Are the obstacles structural (having enough time, a place to go, the proper gear)? Are the obstacles emotional (“I’m too clumsy”, “I don’t think it will help, it’s too late for me to lose weight”)? Are the obstacles physical (“I’m always too sore the next day”, “my back really hurts”)?
If the variables that get in your way are structural you can go about problem solving solutions. For example, going to bed 30 minutes earlier might really help you get up and out for a quick jog in the morning. Or allow you to walk to work instead of jumping in a cab. Put $15 a week (the price of a pack of cigs or a couple of drinks) in the cookie jar and in a month you will have enough for a new pair of running shoes or a cute new yoga outfit.
If the obstacles are emotional, you might want to ask for some support or help getting you started. Asking a friend to go with you might help you not feel so awkward as you find you way around the gym. Talking with your therapist about your negative beliefs/thoughts, may help you unwind them and find enough optimism to get started.
If the problem feels physical, it can be helpful to get a one time professional assessment. Gray Cooks in his Functional Movement Series tells us, “Lets move better, before we move more.” A professional can help you assess your everyday movement patterns and educate you on how your body moves and how it should move in order to be most healthy. This information can be an incredible tool toward taking wellness into your own hands. Think of it like this, if a car is out of alignment, we understand that we have to take steps to fix it, in order for it to drive straight. If not, it can be dangerous, perhaps the tires will wear unevenly, and cause further damage. Our bodies are no different, simple misalignments in structure can create further damage down the road. However, if we learn to diagnose and assess simple imbalances, our focus can then shift to correcting it. A professional can also teach you techniques that make your workout more effective and enjoyable! To find out more about assessing movement visit www.functionalmovement.com or schedule a one on one with a personal trainer.