110. How’s your Mind & Heart around Exercise? Is it Serving you or Guilting you? 12 Mindset Shifts to Maintain Fitness Without all the Stress, Anxiety, Pressure or Shame

Oh sister, we’re getting vulnerable & going deep here.

The tough truth is that it doesn't matter how fit we are, or how much fitness we're able to maintain, if we're imprisoned by it.

For those of us who want to maintain our health & fitness and take pride in it, it can be hard to find the right balance.

The holidays are a time when society speaks very harshly & judgmentally about food & exercise. The narratives & opinions out there are filled with a bunch of really harmful messages & associations that can drive a ton of anxiety, guilt, shame, & pressure. Everything from making “healthier versions” of our favorite treats, to avoiding them altogether, indulging in “treats”, saving up for or making up for extra calories, cheating, letting go, being “bad” or “good”, and all the “shoulds” in the air.

I was VERY trapped in these painful cycles for years, and in early motherhood before God brought me through so much healing. Both personally, and as a coach in the holistic health & fitness space, I’ve sought to create more distinction between all these pressures & triggers to protect my peace & help the women I work with find more freedom, joy & appreciation for movement, food, & heal their body image and concept of their self worth. In these last couple years of motherhood and military service, I’ve come a long way on this journey but the holidays can still reopen some wounds.

My prayer is that these 12 Tips are a healing balm for your heart & mind as you navigate these societal messages, so that you can fully enjoy the holidays, and reclaim the joy around your experience of fitness & food to celebrate with your loved ones, but WITHOUT all the guilt & shame.

(This series on fitness and food was recorded last year. So many of you loved these and found them really helpful, so I wanted to share them again!)

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