What I needed to hear today

CW: This post discusses disordered eating and mental health.

I have posted earlier about some of my favourite at home movement channels.

Today I am feeling super grateful that I subscribed to Sydney Cumming’s movement channel.

I have a few channels and instructors I follow regularly.

But hands down this is the one I use daily.

Anyone that has met me will know that I love exercise, and I really enjoy challenging my body. Taking time each day for this is a big part of managing my anxiety and mental health.

A lot of my anxiety at the moment in my life centres around my self image. As many of you know, My weight changing was not a linear or easy process of suddenly getting the “dream”.

I am constantly a work in progress, and having to challenge those learned behaviours.

These are exacerbated ten fold in the holidays, where food and drink is consumed and the structure around what I eat isn’t in place.

This is equally exacerbated in the midst of a pandemic, uncertainty and fear - and I am a creature that craves stability and steadiness in my life!

To say that I needed to hear some wisdom when I loaded YouTube for my workout the other day is an understatement.

I love Sydney’s Channel for the movement it offers - but mostly for its absence of diet culture. No beach body talk here. Instead I was reminded by a professional that:

• It’s a privilege to be able to move my body

• Doing something is amazing

• I exercise because it is important to me - not to “earn” food

• Exercise isn’t a punishment

I am sharing these wise words in case you also needed this. To me it felt like the hug I needed.

If you struggle in the holidays then I share this sentiment with you and hope it helps you reframe your brain too.