Movement Is About So Much More Than Exercise
The world teaches us to compare. Her body. Her strength. Her energy. Her discipline. Her before and after.
With so many comparisons, it’s natural to learn to look at our own bodies through the lens of where we should be rather than where we actually are.
But what if we were taught something different? What if we were taught to simply be where we are?
Think about calling an Uber. Before the app can figure out how to get you where you want to go, it needs one very important piece of information:
Where are you right now?
Not where you were ten years ago, or where you think you should be, and certainly not where the woman next to you is.
It needs to know your current location. Only then can the route begin.
Maybe our health deserves the same kindness of information.
Where Are You Right Now?
For many women in midlife and beyond, movement can carry a lot of baggage.
Maybe you used to exercise regularly and then life happened.
A demanding job, raising children or grandchildren. Caring for aging parents. Illness. Injury. Menopause. Grief. Overwhelm. Or a season when simply getting through the day required everything you had.
Maybe you have spent years caring for everyone else and realized that somewhere along the way, your own body and soul slipped toward the bottom of the list.
Or maybe movement has never felt like something you were particularly good at, or were interested in.
None of these things disqualifies you from beginning.
Beginning requires knowing where you are.
Knowing where you are today, is a step closer to where you want to go.
Can you walk comfortably for ten minutes? Wonderful. That's where you are.
Haven't lifted a weight in twenty years? Great! That's where you are.
Feeling strong and noticing your balance isn't what it used to be? That's useful information too.
Hear all the workout jargon on socials and have no idea what they mean? Cool! It’s where you are.
This isn't judgment.
It's your starting point.
Letting Go of the Ego
Sometimes coming back is harder than beginning for the first time.
We remember what we used to be able to do. The weight we could lift. The miles we could walk. The classes we could finish. The body we once inhabited.
And there can be fear in discovering that our bodies have changed.
What if starting over isn't something to be ashamed of? What if starting over is actually a beautiful place to be?
There are no records to break. No younger version of yourself to beat. No expectations about what your body is supposed to look like or what it should be able to do.
There is simply curiosity.
What can my body do today?
And perhaps even more importantly:
How can I care for her from here?
Movement Is About So Much More Than Exercise
Research continues to reinforce the importance of physical activity as we age. Regular movement, including both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening, supports cardiovascular health, metabolic health, physical function, independence and overall well-being.¹
Strength training becomes especially meaningful for women in midlife and beyond because aging and menopause can accelerate changes in muscle mass, strength and bone health. Resistance exercise is one of the most powerful tools we have to support muscle, physical function and healthy aging.²
And I believe movement gives us something else too.
A relationship with ourselves.
Every time we move our bodies with kindness instead of punishment, we practice gentle listening.
Every time we choose a weight that meets us where we are, we practice respect.
Every time we rest when we need rest and challenge ourselves when we are ready for challenge, we practice trust.
Choose Your Direction
Health is not an exact science.
And it certainly isn't a destination we finally reach and declare, There. I'm healthy now.
Health is a journey.
Bodies change. Lives change. Priorities change. We experience seasons of strength and seasons when we need tenderness. Sometimes we move forward and sometimes we pause. And, sometimes we begin again.
The beautiful part? You get to decide the direction you want to go.
This is the heart of My Movement Mission.
It’s not about becoming someone else's version of fit. And not trying to reclaim the body you had at 30, and certainly, not punishing yourself for what you haven't done.
Your movement, in your body, with your starting place, and your mission.
You don't need to already be strong to begin getting stronger.
You don't need to be confident before you walk through the door.
You simply need to locate yourself, in the now.
And from right where you are, we will begin.
xo Nicole
References
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2018.
Fragala MS, Cadore EL, Dorgo S, et al. Resistance Training for Older Adults: Position Statement From the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2019;33(8):2019–2052.
