Intuitive Movement

Intuitive movement is the practice of doing movement our body wants and needs that day, not the type of movement or exercise, we think we "should" do. We are continuously bombarded with societal and media messages of the exercises we "have" to do, what our bodies "should" look like, and so on and so forth. Methods of intuitive movement help us become more aligned with what our bodies need and want, which varies from day to day. Exercise has countless benefits that are not associated with weight loss. Exercise can help improve your mood, decrease risk of chronic disease, like diabetes, improve energy, help you feel more focused, and less stressed. Ask yourself what you like about the exercise you are doing. Do you love it or hate it? Do you only do it because you are trying to lose weight? If we can slowly shift from the "burning calories" mentality to craving the benefits we internally feel when moving, we will start to WANT to exercise! This in turn, will help many of us who struggle with sticking to a frequent exercise plan, because now we actually like it.

As a dancer and fitness instructor, I’ve always loved dance fitness as my choice of exercise. There was a time in my life where I also enjoyed being in the gym and doing a lot of strength training. After opening the dance studio and having my son, being in the gym wasn’t as fun. I found a Mommy & Me exercise class that I liked more. I felt guilty that I wasn’t back at the gym like I would be some time prior. Then I realized we each have different seasons in life and what we enjoy and want to do, does and will change. The same goes for exercise as well.

Society's messaging around exercise can be so confusing, leaving us feeling like we're doing the "wrong" type of exercise. When we think of getting stronger, our minds think of lifting weights, not bodyweight exercise, or even yoga. Finding the type of exercise you enjoy is key so that you actually want to do it regularly.

So I’d love for you to think to yourself what type of movement do you love and how can you add it into your life more often?

Elena Toumaras-Kampouris