2729: [Part 1] Body Image and Exercise: Healing a Troubled Relationship by Rachel Trotta on Healthy Mindset

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[00:00:26] [SPEAKER_00]: Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.

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[00:01:05] [SPEAKER_00]: This is Optimal Health Daily. Body image and exercise. Healing a troubled relationship. Part 1 by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com. And I'm Dr. Neil, your host and narrator.

[00:01:17] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to another edition of Optimal Health Daily, where I read some of the best blogs covering health and fitness, just like an audiobook. And don't forget, we have a bunch of shows where we do this. Just search for Optimal Living Daily to find all of them.

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_00]: Now, today's post is a bit longer than what I typically narrate. So, whenever that happens, I'll read the first half today and then finish it up for you tomorrow.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_00]: So, for now, let's get right to it as we optimize your life.

[00:01:49] [SPEAKER_00]: Body image and exercise. Healing a troubled relationship. Part 1 by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com.

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_00]: When less than 25% of Americans meet basic exercise and movement standards, and when almost 75% of Americans are overweight or obese, the reality is that most of us do need to exercise more.

[00:02:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Exercise leads to tremendous benefits. Increasing physical activity improves health outcomes ranging from improved insulin sensitivity to lower triglycerides, independent of weight loss.

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_00]: And that's not to mention the mental health benefits of exercise, including the fact that more movement helps to manage appetite better.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_00]: These benefits often roll over into sleep, nutrition, and stress improvements that boost quality of life overall, including, yes, weight loss.

[00:02:39] [SPEAKER_00]: But most people, sadly, don't realize this.

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_00]: There's a huge cultural misunderstanding about the value of exercise, that it's only connected with weight loss.

[00:02:49] [SPEAKER_00]: This tends to have two effects.

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Problem 1. People only exercise when they feel bad about themselves, or when they're trying to lose weight.

[00:02:58] [SPEAKER_00]: Exercise becomes a punishment, and a rollercoaster relationship with exercise develops.

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER_00]: And problem 2. People over-exercise to manage body weight, under-fueling themselves to make the calorie subtraction more effective.

[00:03:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Both of these problems can lead to a negative relationship with exercise, over-conflating movement with body image, weight, control, and worth.

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_00]: In my work with clients, I coach 5 mental strategies to cultivate a healthier relationship with exercise,

[00:03:28] [SPEAKER_00]: reap the positive benefits of regular movement, and stay more consistent with workouts and goals overall.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_00]: Strategy 1. Distinguish between healthy exercise habits and exercise dependency.

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_00]: As I mentioned before, most people need to exercise more.

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_00]: This is not a feel-good post to enable a sedentary lifestyle, but there can be a very fine line between being consistent with exercise

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_00]: and being obsessively exercise-dependent.

[00:03:56] [SPEAKER_00]: Here are a few clues to think about.

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you feel stressed and depressed if you cannot exercise every single day?

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you beat yourself up if your workout is cut short by 10 minutes?

[00:04:08] [SPEAKER_00]: Do you track your numbers on your watch and sacrifice time with friends and family to make sure that you're hitting targets?

[00:04:15] [SPEAKER_00]: It's a fine line because our culture is sedentary,

[00:04:18] [SPEAKER_00]: and can sometimes make active people feel off-balance just because they're outside the norm.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_00]: But it can be very healthy to cultivate a mindset that absorbs sedentary days into the bigger picture.

[00:04:30] [SPEAKER_00]: If there are days when you can't hit your fitness goals or complete a workout,

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER_00]: this is a normal part of life, and you can always try again tomorrow.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_00]: Exercise dependency, on the other hand, tells you that this is not okay,

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_00]: and that, at all costs, you have to make it happen.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_00]: This is coming from a place of anxiety, that things will not be okay if you do not meet your goals.

[00:04:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Strategy 2.

[00:04:55] [SPEAKER_00]: Unfollow fitness and wellness accounts that trigger negative self-comparison.

[00:05:00] [SPEAKER_00]: Unfortunately, social media doesn't always help with cultivating balance.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_00]: Instead, you might be exposed to a lot of content that dogmatically pushes you to question your

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_00]: excuses, isolate yourself socially, and hit your goals no matter what.

[00:05:14] [SPEAKER_00]: It's important to remember that many wellness influencers might be struggling with their own

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_00]: body image and mental health demons.

[00:05:22] [SPEAKER_00]: What you're seeing on Instagram or TikTok may not actually represent something healthy.

[00:05:27] [SPEAKER_00]: It may be rigidity, or even a disordered relationship with food and exercise.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Obsession can look a lot like commitment or drive or high performance.

[00:05:37] [SPEAKER_00]: If you feel that certain social media accounts encourage an unhealthy,

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_00]: all-or-nothing approach to fitness,

[00:05:43] [SPEAKER_00]: my suggestion would be to unfollow those accounts and find ones instead that promote mental balance

[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_00]: and flexibility, or at least relatable and realistic standards to strive for.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_00]: The no-excuses vibes just don't work for most people with full lives.

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_00]: Strategy 3.

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Stick with a plan through motivational ups and downs.

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_00]: On the other hand, I sometimes feel that we only use the word balance when we're referring to taking a rest day,

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_00]: or not needing to be perfect.

[00:06:15] [SPEAKER_00]: But balance goes in the other direction too.

[00:06:18] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, sticking with an exercise routine even when motivation is low,

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_00]: and not only exercising in order to lose weight.

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_00]: Motivation comes and goes, and it can be a real mistake because of the physical and mental health benefits of exercise

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_00]: to only exercise when we feel like it, or when we're having a body image meltdown.

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_00]: Consistency is the most important aspect of how we move our bodies.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_00]: Sticking with a habit through the ups and downs of life can be incredibly impactful.

[00:06:48] [SPEAKER_00]: Plus, because of the mental health benefits of exercise,

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_00]: we often feel better about our bodies when we're exercising consistently.

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_00]: To be continued.

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_00]: You just listened to part one of the post titled,

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_00]: Body Image and Exercise, Healing a Troubled Relationship,

[00:07:08] [SPEAKER_00]: by Rachel Trotta of racheltrotta.com,

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_00]: and I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Dr. Neil here for my commentary.

[00:07:16] [SPEAKER_00]: Today's author, Rachel, mentioned the mental health benefits of exercise.

[00:07:21] [SPEAKER_00]: This made me want to take a deeper dive into this idea of how our mental health may improve when we exercise.

[00:07:27] [SPEAKER_00]: For example, is any form of exercise helpful?

[00:07:30] [SPEAKER_00]: And do we experience the mental health benefits right away?

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Or are these benefits delayed?

[00:07:36] [SPEAKER_00]: Well, the great news is the answer to those first two questions is yes.

[00:07:41] [SPEAKER_00]: Meaning, any form of exercise can improve mental health.

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_00]: And we are likely to experience those benefits right away.

[00:07:48] [SPEAKER_00]: A recently published study found that even just one exercise session can reduce anxiety and improve mood.

[00:07:54] [SPEAKER_00]: And when we exercise regularly,

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_00]: we experience less depression, less anxiety, and less stress.

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And at the same time, regular exercise improves our self-esteem

[00:08:04] [SPEAKER_00]: and the brain's ability to think and process information.

[00:08:08] [SPEAKER_00]: So, if we're experiencing that lack of motivation,

[00:08:11] [SPEAKER_00]: it may be helpful to remind ourselves that

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_00]: even just a little movement may be enough to rekindle our motivation

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_00]: and improve our mental health at the same time.

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Alright, that'll do it for today.

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for listening today and every day.

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_00]: And I'll be back here tomorrow to finish up this post.

[00:08:29] [SPEAKER_00]: So, I'll see you there where your optimal life awaits.

[00:08:32] [SPEAKER_00]: Let's see you there.