Your Body Called. It Wants to Move
We know. We know. Eat your vegetables, drink your water, get enough sleep, and — yes — exercise. It can feel like a broken record, another item on an already overwhelming to-do list, another way we are somehow falling short. If you rolled your eyes a little just now, that's fair. But stay with me, because this conversation is going to look a little different.
The United States is one of the most sedentary nations in the world. According to the CDC, only about 24% of American adults meet the recommended guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity (CDC, 2023). And yet, we are more aware of the benefits of exercise than ever before. So what's the disconnect? Part of it, I'd argue, is the word "exercise" itself.
Exercise sounds like work. It sounds like a gym membership you guilt yourself into using, a 5 a.m. alarm, or a high-intensity class that leaves you feeling more defeated than accomplished. Movement, on the other hand, is something your body already knows how to do. The shift from "I need to exercise" to "I want to move" is not just semantic — it genuinely changes your relationship with your body. Movement can be a walk with your dog, dancing in your kitchen, or stretching while your coffee brews. Nothing will stick if it isn't enjoyable, and not every form of movement will resonate with every person, and that is completely okay. The goal isn't to find the "best" workout. The goal is to find what feels good to you and do more of that.
So what actually counts as movement? More than most people think. Yes, there's the obvious: walking, running, cycling, swimming, weightlifting, yoga, and group fitness classes. But movement also includes dance — from Zumba to your living room — gardening, tai chi, qigong, chair yoga, seated stretching, and desk stretches for those whose jobs keep them largely stationary. An entire world of adaptive fitness exists for differently-abled individuals that often goes unacknowledged, and every bit of it counts. Movement is not one-size-fits-all, and it shouldn't be. Your version of movement is valid regardless of what it looks like compared to someone else's.
Here's something the "hustle harder" crowd won't always tell you: overdoing movement is just as real a concern as underdoing it. Overtraining can lead to fatigue, injury, hormonal disruption, and burnout — physically and mentally. Rest days are not laziness. They are when your body actually repairs and strengthens itself. Balance in movement means listening to your body, honoring what it needs, and recognizing that more is not always better.
Now, the part that doesn't get talked about nearly enough — what movement does for your mind. We have long known that movement benefits the body: cardiovascular health, bone density, reduced risk of chronic disease. But the research on movement and mental health is where things get genuinely compelling. Exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, sometimes rivaling the effectiveness of medication for mild to moderate cases (Blumenthal et al., 2007). When you move your body, your brain releases endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine — the same neurotransmitters targeted by antidepressants. Regular physical activity has also been linked to improved sleep, reduced cortisol levels, and better emotional regulation (Mikkelsen et al., 2017). The mind-body connection here is not abstract — it is biological. When the body feels better, the mind follows. When the mind feels clearer, movement becomes easier. It is a cycle, and the entry point can be as small as a ten-minute walk. Research published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that people who exercised reported 1.5 fewer days of poor mental health per month compared to those who did not, with team sports, cycling, and aerobics showing the strongest associations (Chekroud et al., 2018). That is not a small finding.
One of the most underrated strategies for building a movement habit is combining it with something you already enjoy. Moving outside with friends, for example, checks multiple boxes at once: social connection, fresh air, and physical activity — all of which independently benefit mental health. Research consistently shows that exercising in natural environments reduces stress and improves mood more than indoor exercise alone (Thompson Coon et al., 2011). Seek out parks, trails, and greenways when you can. And for those in smaller towns where fitness classes simply aren't accessible — creativity counts. YouTube has thousands of free workout videos, community centers often offer low-cost options, and a few resistance bands with a clear floor can go a long way. Movement does not require a zip code with boutique fitness studios.
Affordability and accessibility are legitimate obstacles, and it would be dismissive to gloss over them. Not everyone has time, money, or a body that cooperates. No time? Desk yoga, a ten-minute walk on your lunch break, or stretching while watching TV all count. No money? Free apps, YouTube, walking outside, and bodyweight exercises at home are all real options. Physical limitations? Chair yoga, water therapy, and adaptive movement exist for a reason — talk to your provider about what's safe for you. No motivation? Start with two minutes. Seriously. The hardest part is starting, and momentum builds from there.
Movement is not punishment for what you ate or a prerequisite for being worthy of rest. It is one of the most accessible tools we have for feeling better — mentally, emotionally, and physically. You don't have to love it right away. You just have to start somewhere. And somewhere can be pretty small.
If you're looking for support in building healthier habits or working through what's keeping you stuck, fill out the contact form on this website and I will be in touch.
References
Blumenthal, J. A., Babyak, M. A., Doraiswamy, P. M., Watkins, L., Hoffman, B. M., Barbour, K. A., ... & Sherwood, A. (2007). Exercise and pharmacotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Psychosomatic Medicine, 69(7), 587–596.https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e318148c19a
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Physical activity facts.https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/facts.htm
Chekroud, S. R., Gueorguieva, R., Zheutlin, A. B., Paulus, M., Krumholz, H. M., Krystal, J. H., & Chekroud, A. M. (2018). Association between physical exercise and mental health in 1·2 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(9), 739–746.https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30227-X
Mikkelsen, K., Stojanovska, L., Polenakovic, M., Bosevski, M., & Apostolopoulos, V. (2017). Exercise and mental health. Maturitas, 106, 48–56.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003
Thompson Coon, J., Boddy, K., Stein, K., Whear, R., Barton, J., & Depledge, M. H. (2011). Does participating in physical activity in outdoor natural environments have a greater effect on physical and mental wellbeing than physical activity indoors? Environmental Science & Technology, 45(5), 1761–1772.https://doi.org/10.1021/es102947t
