Ways To Move That Don't Involve Going To The Gym

I'm going to be very honest. Ever since my episode of disordered eating, I have despised setting foot into a gym. The atmosphere is often too intense, the focus is on changing your body, and I simply don't feel at home. Don't get me wrong, this is just my personal experience. I know many people who enjoy going to the gym - and that's wonderful for them! 

Since this hatred for the gym developed, I've had to reframe how I see exercise. There was a time in my life where movement only counted if it was planned, intense and sweat-inducing. I realize now this doesn't have to be the case. I often tell my clients your body appreciates every small bit of movement. You don't need to run a marathon to reap the benefits of moving your body. In fact, you risk causing more harm than good if you are exercising in a way that makes you miserable.

To help you get inspired to move with pleasure, I asked my wonderful colleagues to share what their favourite forms of joyful movement are.

Moving with Family and Kids

• Playing outside with my daughter- in the winter I pull her around on her sled, and in the warmer months we go for walks! Oh and of course we take the dog! - Kori Kostka, RD
• Playing in the park with my daughter - lifting, running, swinging, climbing! - Kathryn Hawkins, ADP 
•  I love playing tag with my kids! - Paige Smathers, RDN
• Playing basketball, tennis or pickle ball with my kids. So so fun and a great way to spend time with them. - Emily Fonnesbeck, RD
• My kids and I love to "make" parkour courses in our yard and take turns racing through them. - Courtney Simons, LMFTA, MHP, DMHS

Aerobics and Cardio

• I love running. I truly do get the mythical "runner's high"! I also enjoy teaching Zumba classes - there's something about the music and the group setting that just releases plenty of endorphins! I truly believe that there is some form of exercise out there for everyone - they just need to find it. For example, I do not enjoy kickboxing classes or martial arts at all, whereas I know plenty of people who enjoy those! For me, a Zumba, step, or aquafit class makes me feel amazing, or else a simple run, either on my own or with a partner. - Christine Mills, Certified Group Fitness Instructor, MPH, RD, ZIN

Yoga and Pilates

• Doing a Youtube Pilates or Yoga session, going for a run with my friends or what I have coined as "Caitlin Dancing", which is basically dancing like no one is watching! - 
• Yoga! - Carlia Lozo, APD & HAES Professional

Dancing

• I've just started salsa dancing and loving it! It's social, physical and uses your brain power with learning and remembering! - Zoe Nicholson, figureate dietitian & director of The Moderation Movement
• I like putting on music and dancing around the kitchen while cooking! - Brianne Bell, RD
• Spontaneous dance parties with my 3 daughters. We blast some fun pop music and shake our tail feathers! - Maria Paredes, PhD, LPCS, CEDS
• Dancing with abandon in my lounge room, usually to songs I would have listened to in high school.  - Jacqueline Tyler, Dietitian at Rethink Nutrition
• Dancing in the kitchen with my kids during dinner. It was something that happened all of the time when they were little, but now I cherish it when it happens (they are teens!) So much fun! - Beth Rosen, MS, RD, CDN
• Dancing in the living room to my favorite Zumba routines... which turns into dancing with my dogs! They LOVE it. - Michelle Kuster, RD, LD, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor
• Dancing to music alone in my home! That way I don't care how silly my dance moves are and I do what feels good. - Jacynthe Boudreau RD

Enjoying Nature

• I live in the north in Canada so one of my favourite joyful movement activities is snowshoeing! It allows me to get outside and enjoy nature as long as I'm bundled up enough! - Kathleen Hernder, RD, CDE
• I have a love hate relationship with weeding! ;) - Mun Cho, RD
• Going outside for a walk or jog and noticing the flowers, trees, birds, etc. I like to count all the different varieties as I go. - Mary Dye, MPH, RD, CEDRD, LD/N
• Hiking or bushwalking as we tend to refer to it in Australia! Can walk for hours without tiring in a beautiful place! - Kylie Walton, Student Dietitian
• Cross country skiing with the whole family up closed canyon roads in the winter. - Paige Smathers, RDN
•  love listening to my favourite podcast on a walk around my neighbourhood first thing in the morning - Amanda Holler MSW RSW
• Skating on a perfectly frozen lake! By "perfectly" I mean even and SAFE! - Jasmine Montreuil, MA, RD, CDE
• I love taking walks when the weather is nice and listening to podcasts. - Jennifer Rollins, MSW, LCSW-C

Sports

• I love hitting forehands when I'm playing tennis. - Martin Vera, MSW, RSW

Swimming

• Swimming - not like laps! Just treading water, playing around and enjoying the feeling of being in the water! Ocean and pool swimming is so relaxing, and when you put your head underwater it's incredibly freeing and calming. - Sumner Brooks, RD
• I love swimming in the ocean! - Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN
• I love jumping into a pool all the way to the bottom and pushing myself back to the top of the water - Jessica Zupan, RD, CDE 🐳

Thank you to all my colleagues who contributed their wisdom!

How do you move your body joyfully?