What's in a word?
When most people hear the word exercise, they picture gym memberships, intense workouts, or guilt-trips from their fitness tracker. But what if we reframed it?
What if we looked at exercise as simply…movement. And what if movement wasn't about shrinking or punishing your body, but about partnering with it…to feel stronger, more energetic, more present, and more alive?
Healthy movement isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” prescription. It’s a relationship. It’s how we engage with the body God created for us to live in…honoring its strength, limitations, and potential.
It’s a form of stewardship and gratitude. And yes, it's part of living whole.
Why Movement Matters (Way Beyond the Mirror)
Here’s what we really get when we move regularly:
- Energy that sustains us through the day (without the 3 PM crash).
- Mental clarity that helps us focus, solve problems, and stay grounded.
- Emotional resilience, thanks to feel-good brain chemicals like endorphins and dopamine.
- Confidence in our body, and the joyful awareness that it’s capable…not just ornamental.
- Better sleep, because movement helps regulate our natural rhythms.
- Brain longevity, because consistent physical activity is linked to slower cognitive decline.
So, this isn’t about punishing your body into submission. Oh no, my friend. This is about moving with purpose and pleasure.
Movement Is More Than a Workout
Let’s flip the script, as they say, for a starting place. Exercise isn't just about burning calories or getting six-pack abs. It's about:
- Capability: Being able to carry groceries, climb stairs without gasping, or playing (chasing!) after your kids or grandkids without needing a recovery nap. 🛏
- Confidence: Feeling strong, steady, and in control of your body. 💪🏽
- Consistency: Finding ways to move that fit into your unique lifestyle, not someone else’s highlight reel. Oopsie! 🤭
And when exercise is viewed as movement, and movement becomes something you want to do instead of something you have to do? That’s when the awesomeness happens.
What Counts as Healthy Movement?
Let’s keep it simple: Any physical activity that supports your body’s natural rhythm, respects its limits, and brings a sense of satisfaction = healthy movement.
Here are four simple categories:
- Daily Life Movement: Walking, gardening, cleaning, playing with your kids.
- Intentional Exercise: A workout, a run, or a fitness class.
- Restorative Movement: Stretching, yoga, or mobility work.
- Play: Dancing in the kitchen, trying a cartwheel, tossing a frisbee.
Healthy movement isn’t about what burns the most calories. It’s about what keeps you in motion. It’s about moving intentionally…consistently, without dread, shame, or pain. And yes…it goes deeper than what’s reflected in the mirror.
Tips to Make Movement a Lifestyle (Not Just a Phase)
You don’t need a perfect plan. You need permission to start where you are.
- Anchor Movement to Something You Already Do
- Walk while you're on a call.
- Stretch while the coffee brews.
- Do squats or calf raises while brushing your teeth.
- Make it Social
- Invite a friend for a walk.
- Join a (beginner’s) class with a buddy.
- Start a "movement challenge" in your church group or community. No competition! 😉 Okay. Maybe healthy competition. LOL
- Think “More Often,” Not “Harder”It’s better to move your body a little every day, than to crush one big workout once a week. That’s exhausting and…dangerous.
- Have a "Minimum Movement Standard"This is your non-negotiable baseline. Even on the busiest or hardest days, you do something: 10 minutes of walking, 5 minutes stretching before bed, etc. Just be intentional.
Last Word: Move Like You Were Made To
Movement isn’t just about fitness. It’s about reclaiming your agency. Your strength. Your joy. It’s about moving (no pun, but a great analogy!) in the direction of your purpose…body, mind, and spirit.
This is more than sweat, kale, and water bottles. Movement reflects gratitude.
Start small. Stay consistent. Move with meaning.
Now…having said ALL of that…if you’d like a great bodyweight routine that you can count as exercise movement (see there!)…let me know. It’s yours for the asking.
Keep walking!
I believe:
- you were uniquely created by God
- your identity is key to everything you do in life
- you are here to make an impact...on purpose
- your impact has a ripple impact forward
- life and all of it's transitions, are best viewed from a bridge perspective
- life is better when you orchestrate it, vs trying to balance it
- you can live a healthy, whole life
- you can live a JOY-filled life
- I'm here to help
If you love this information, please leave a comment. 👏🏽🙌🏽
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