TRUST YOUR INTUITION
Hollywood child actress Rachel Hurd-wood swapped the red carpet for a yoga mat in her new life as a Pilates teacher and mum of two
Some people enjoy getting a sweat on through running, team sports or yoga. Others drag their reluctant Lululemon-ed selves to the gym and push through a punitive workout, because it’s what they think they ‘should’ be doing. Or flap about on the cross-trainer while swiping ferociously through their socials, totally disengaged.
I used to fall firmly into the punitive/ checked-out camp. My career, combined with a natural disposition towards extremes, meant disordered eating haunted me throughout my teens and early 20s. Moderation in any form evaded me, with my fluctuating weight dependent on how ‘in control’ I was with food. Exercise was a loathed activity, undertaken as self-imposed punishment.
Fast forward to now and I’m a Pilates teacher who loves being active and helping others feel the same way. So, what changed? I healed my relationship with food and body image and, subsequently, found forms of movement I truly enjoy.
Intuitive movement is being able to connect with your body and listen to its internal cues: from what type of exercise, how long for, how gentle or intense. There’s no right or wrong. No rigid structure or rules. The focus is on how it makes you feel, rather than look. By removing the emphasis on the external, we can tune into what our body actually needs on any given day. In turn, this is way more likely to foster a positive relationship with exercise. Best yet, there’s a much greater likelihood you’ll find longevity in your *Gwyneth Paltrow voice* movement journey, as you won’t have burned out in a New Year’s Resolution bootcamp frenzy.
Maybe one day you’re feeling fierce and in need of an up-tempo HIIT workout, maybe the next a calming Yin yoga class is more your speed. Maybe you need the sofa and the company of Ben and Jerry. Your energy, both mental and physical, ebbs and flows; by tuning into your body and respecting what it needs, choosing how and when to move is so much easier and freer.