Mindful or joyful movement is an approach to exercise that focuses on moving your body in  ways that feel good and are fun! Changing your overall mindset to view exercise in a positive light can be a game changer, for creating healthy, consistent habits with movement. We know that exercise provides benefits to your health! Specifically, exercise provides benefits such as promoting positive mental health and mood, balancing blood sugars, reducing risk of heart disease, strengthening bones, improving sleep, and increases in overall longevity and quality of life.  By changing your mindset and focusing on movement that feels good, rather than burning calories or viewing exercise in a “I have to do it” manner, you’re more likely to find things you enjoy doing. Not only will this help you move because it’s fun, but it will promote your overall wellbeing in the future! In turn, this will also make it more likely for you to build the habit into your life! When one creates habits — whether it’s the food you eat, the way you move, or any other practice — that feel enjoyable, you’re going to look forward to making that choice for yourself regularly.

The very first step in the process of creating your joyful movement practice is to identify the types of movement that feel best for you.

When thinking about this, it can be helpful to think about what type of exercise you like! Some different types of exercise are:

• Activity: such as team sports, walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, exercise class, etc.
• Aerobic: such as dance running,, trampoline, riding your bike, jump roping.
• Strength: such as yoga, barre, lifting, etc.

Start by trying each one of these and see if there’s anything that feels particularly good for you! Remember, try to have fun with it!

-Dietitian Kelsey