Reframing and how it can help with your consistency in perimenopause…
Reframing is an evidence-based counselling strategy used to help individuals evaluate the evidence for and against their biased and negative thoughts.
Exercise-related cognitive errors are a negative lens that distorts individuals’ view of exercise. Such thinking can inhibit individuals’ behaviour change efforts.
The good news is we can change how our brains work and think about exercise due to their neuro plasticity. We can train ourselves to think in a particular way is the way we currently think is unhelpful. How cool is that!
One key reframe I use with clients initially on the MMH Method is understanding that all movement is exercise - not just in the gym/ running/ anything you need to get your lycra on for! If a walk in the park doesn’t ‘count’… well what’s the point, they might think. BUT, this is exactly the kind of thinking that keeps my clients stuck in an all or nothing cycle!
This shift has been absolutely CRUCIAL for my own consistency during my perimenopause. Using this technique has allowed me to improve my consistency and elevate my Health and fitness like never before!
An all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to physical activity isn’t doing you any favours. Reframing “exercise” as “movement.” Instead of setting a daily goal to “exercise for 30 minutes straight” or “crush a high-intensity workout,” for example, you might aim to simply “get in some movement,” whether it be a walk outside for 20 minutes, a few gentle stretches, or a swim. Though simple, this tweak to your internal dialogue can make fitness much more accessible, achievable and enjoyable.
To be clear, those demanding workouts can be beneficial for your health, and there’s nothing wrong with including them in your routine if that feels satisfying to you. Indeed, I always recommend my clients learn to resistance train (lift weights 2-2 times a week for health purposes) … BUT,t everyday activities — such as mowing the lawn, walking errands, and walking your dog — can also help you get fitter and stronger, or maintain some of the strength and fitness you have.
Research suggests that shifting your focus away from “gruelling exercise” and toward “joyful movement” can have significant positive effects on your mental health and motivation.
Learning to understand that ‘all movement is good movement’ will keep you motivated in lots of ways…
It increases confidence - when you can’t meet the expectations of the traditional fitness industry you might feel like you’ve failed. This gives you other ways to succeed, because you feel more capable of completing a task.
It becomes less time and energy consuming. Realising the exercise doesn’t have to absolutely utterly exhaust you can make you realise how much you’re already moving. It becomes part of your every day life, rather than something that is ‘extra’ on your to-do list.
It makes fitness enjoyable not punishing. Be seeing exercise as movement you’ll start to see it as something you enjoy, which is partiurlary helpful if you’ve been someone who’s had a negative or all or nothing relationship with it in the past.
Realising that movement doesn’t have to be intense, gruelling, or painful will likely take some time and effort, so be patient. There are so many ways you can use this reframe! The most important thing to do is choose an activity you love to do. From there, try to put the following tips into action to start making that mental switch….
Remember movement is about feeling good, not about being good!
(You don’t have to exercise to be good, you ARE good just because of who you are) Thanks to Diet Culture for the negative cultural conditioning on this one!
Forget about the numbers and focus on the experience.
Stop thinking about calories burnt and start just trying to be present with your movements. Focusing on outcomes (eg calories burnt ) can lead to a judgemental and negative mindset. We want to find enjoyment the experience itself.
Think of movement on a scale, instead of being just high intensity or NOT intensity.
A rainbow of movement can be a helpful analogy, and also encourage you to experience new types!
The conclusion…
Reframing ‘exercise’ as ‘movement’ can help you realise it doesn’t have to be intense or long-lasting to “count.”
Whether you stretched, walked your dog, or attended a dance class, you moved your body. That’s great! Don’t downplay that. Instead, focus on doing what you can and having fun so movement can become an enjoyable, sustainable, healthy part of your life!
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