Exercise. Just say the word and notice what feelings and thoughts come up for you. If the word exercise is accompanied by a lot of negativity, you aren't alone. In addition to my role as nutrition therapist, I am also a certified personal trainer. And I have learned quite a bit while helping many people re-construct and find their own happy place with both food and exercise.

The reality is that our bodies, minds, and spirits need and crave movement. But many of you are battling busy schedules and damaged relationships with your bodies. How many times has an over-zealous exercise regimen been accompanied by a rigid/restrictive diet?  And you wonder why you hate it?!

If you would like to work on mending your relationship with exercise, the Weightless blog is a wonderful place to start. Margarita offers some pearls of wisdom, along with practical advice. Here are a few of my own suggestions to get you started:

* We take best care of the things we love. Appreciating and showing kindness to your body are the first steps to taking better care of it.

* Choose activities which are fun and make you feel good. Your friend may love the challenge of running a 5K but chasing your kids around the playground may be a much better option for you.

* It's ok to be selfish with your "me time." Making time for a little exercise often means other things (and other people!) may have to wait...and that's ok.

Have you mended your relationship with exercise? If yes, I'd love to hear what you learned. Send your thoughts my way: marci at marci rd dot com.

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