Be Gentle With Your Body

I was working out recently and was a bit disappointed that I haven't made the strides I would have liked in my fitness journey. At that moment I realized that this was much greater than fat loss, feeling good naked or getting my summer body... This was Generational Curse breaking, Mental Health healing, Life changing behavior that I wouldn't necessarily see happen quickly.

I started having this change of heart one day at the gym. I was trying to abide by the plan I'd received from the trainer and was disappointed because I was so distracted and unmotivated. I realized I didn't want to do the plan. I felt uncomfortable, unsure of myself and the energy in the gym just wasn't for me. I realized I didn't necessarily like being in the gym but I knew I wanted to lose weight so, what to do next?

I began working out at home but I felt myself becoming inconsistent and not pushing myself as hard as I could. This is when the real work began. In February 2024 I began running. I started a Nike Run Club 5k (3.1 Miles) plan. This plan gave me the consistency of running 3 days a week. Throughout this consistency I began to love my body again and by paying attention to my body I learned something.

Everything I have been through my body has been through it too! Any trauma, abandonment, rejection, fear that I’ve mentally or emotionally experienced has also affected my body. From grieving my father to going through a divorce my body has experienced the grief, abandonment, trauma and loss just as I have and I can't beat my body into submission. I must love this body back into balance.

For example,

Whenever I got mad I used to go to ice cream. This was my coping mechanism. However, this does not serve my greater goals of being fit and healthy. I am working to teach myself that I don’t have to run to food to suppress my feelings. This means that when I get angry, irritated or hurt I have to sit with those emotions and teach myself that I have the capacity to work through these feelings.

Whatever you have done to cope or get through your own personal trauma will take awhile to process. It will take time to teach your nervous system to respond in a more healthy manner. It will take time to teach your body that it no longer needs to hold onto those negative responses and instead can process emotions and heal. It will take time, but you can do it !