Is My Relationship With Movement Healthy?

By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator

The relationship that a person has with movement and physical activity is important!  Doctors, friends, and family may constantly be telling us about the benefits of movement.  And yes, there are benefits to movement.  Moving your body can release serotonin, the “happy hormone” in your brain.  This can help people who may be feeling anxious or depressed.  Movement can also help us connect with other people (or pets too)!  It can be a good way to decompress after a long day at school or work.

There is a side of movement though that may not be considered healthy.  Imagine someone who is at the gym for multiple hours a day, fixated on the way that their body looks.  Or the person who can’t take a day off from their swimming routine during their family vacation.  This rigidity in thinking is expressed in the way that we are controlling the movement of our bodies.  Oftentimes, this can lead to someone getting stuck in an endless cycle of anxiety, compulsive movement, and body image distress.

And it can be so so tough to get out of that cycle!

If you are reading this blog post, you may be questioning your relationship with movement.  You may also be concerned about a friend’s relationship with movement.  Either way, we are glad that you are here exploring this topic with us, it’s an important one!

Here are some questions to think about as you explore your relationship with movement:

• What is my intention/goal around movement?
  • Some intentions may be to lose weight, hang out with friends, get outside, change the way that my body looks, etc.
• Am I medically allowed to engage in movement?
  • If you have a chronic health condition, you may have limitations to the amount or type of physical activity that you can do.  Always remember to check with your doctor before engaging in anything that could be harmful.
• Do I have fun when I move my body?
  • Movement can be fun!  How can you make it enjoyable?  Can you move with friends?  Can you play music or a podcast while you move?
• What type of movement feels good to my body?
  • It is important to work WITH your body to find types of movement that work for you.  This may be running, walking, dancing, jump roping, yoga, or ice skating.
• Do I know some warning signs of an unhealthy relationship with movement?    
  • Early intervention is key!  Some warning signs of an unhealthy relationship with movement may include a fixation on body image or weight, not spending time with friends or family because you are working out, and not being able to be flexible about movement or miss a day if the weather is bad or something comes up at work.
• If I notice that some warning signs of an unhealthy relationship with movement, who will I turn to?  Who is in my support system?
  • This could include a friend, family member, or a therapist.  The therapists and coaches at The Eating Disorder Center have extensive training in working with people in recovery from unhealthy relationships to movement.  We can help!

The Bottom Line: Just as humans are complex individuals, so is our relationship to movement.  There may be no cut and dry answer as to if your relationship to movement is healthy, and it may be an ongoing assessment of seeing how you are feeling while you move your body for awhile.

No matter where you think your relationship to movement falls, you are deserving of a fulfilling and nurturing relationship to movement; whatever that looks like to you.

The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California, serving those in cities including Palo Alto, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Jose, and Beverly Hills. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com