“I really tried to pay attention to the messages my body was giving me in terms of my foot’s recovery, and honor every stage of recovery I was at.”
Slowing down your exercise can bring up a surprising amount of anxiety, guilt, and fear, especially when we’ve been taught by diet culture to believe that movement is something we need to do to earn or make up for what we eat. After breaking my foot and unexpectedly needing to pause my workouts, I realized this experience felt completely different than it would have before I healed from my own food and exercise struggles.
Years ago, an injury like this would have completely unraveled me. I would have been terrified of eating how I normally do, anxious about losing my fitness and counting down the days until I could exercise again so I could feel better about my eating. But this time was different. I knew I would miss my usual workouts, but I also felt at peace knowing that I could listen to my body and give myself the rest I needed. As I’ve reflected on why this experience felt so different than it would have years ago, I realized there are five mindset shifts that really helped me get to the place I’m at now, where I can navigate periods of rest and recovery without spiraling.
This episode is a reminder that healing our relationship with food and exercise isn’t just about how we navigate predictable seasons of life. It’s also about learning to trust ourselves when an injury, illness, pregnancy, busy season, or other unexpected change alters what our bodies need. The goal is to build skills and confidence now while life is predictable so that we can navigate seasons of unexpected change with confidence.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why understanding metabolism can help us feel more comfortable fueling our bodies when our activity levels change
- How finding the positives in rest can shift our perspective when we’re unable to exercise
- What body attunement can teach us about when to slow down, ease back into movement, and respond to our bodies’ signals
- How building our capacity to tolerate difficult emotions can help us cope without relying on restrictive or disconnected eating behaviors
- Why trusting our hunger, fullness, and how food makes us feel can create more confidence around eating
- How a healthy relationship with food and exercise can help us navigate unexpected changes without returning to old diet culture patterns
If resting from exercise makes you feel guilty or anxious about food, this episode is a reminder that your body still deserves nourishment and care when your activity changes. Learning to listen to our bodies, honor what they need, and adapt to different seasons of life can help us find more freedom with food, movement, and rest.
Resources:
- Grab the Hunger & Fullness Scale Guide at DietCultureRebel.com/hungerfullnessscale and take your next step toward building trust with your body and food
- Episode 218: What Decades of Overexercising Taught Me About Rest
- Connect with me over on Instagram at @diet.culture.rebel
Struggling with food, but not sure where to start?
You don’t have to feel 100% ready to get support. If you’re tired of obsessing over food or feeling stuck in the diet cycle, my team of Registered Dietitians is here to help. We offer one-on-one nutrition counseling—and we accept insurance! Spots are limited, so head to https://dietculturerebel.com/insurance to see if we’re covered in your state and learn how to get started.
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