By: Holly Shah - Master’s Level Intern
In our culture, exercise is often encouraged and celebrated as the ultimate healthy habit. But what happens when it crosses the line into excess? Over-exercising can look different for everyone, but it’s often driven by the desire to change one’s body. It might mean pushing yourself beyond your body’s ability to recover, working out when you’re not properly nourished, or using exercise to “burn off” calories. It can also show up as prioritizing exercise over all other responsibilities or working out at inappropriate times. If you're navigating eating disorder recovery, making peace with movement may be part of your journey. If so, I hope to offer you the tools and support to help you build a healthier, more balanced relationship with exercise. Making peace with movement is possible!
So, how do we begin to make peace with movement? It starts by exploring our beliefs about movement and letting go of those that no longer serve us in recovery. You might ask yourself:
● What is my reason for incorporating movement into my day?
● What does movement look like to me? What do I consider movement?
● If I skipped movement today, would I feel guilty?
● How has movement made me feel in the past—physically, mentally, and emotionally?
Did it bring me joy?
● What do I want my relationship with movement to look like moving forward?
Making peace with movement might also mean stepping away from it for a while. Movement is only beneficial when it serves us. If you truly listen to your body, it might be telling you that rest is what it needs right now—and that’s just as important as mindful movement. Taking a break can be an essential part of healing, and working with your treatment team can help ensure that movement is right for you at this stage. Sometimes, strengthening your relationship with movement is more valuable than the movement itself. Asking yourself the questions above can be a great way to start exploring this balance.
If, after consulting with your treatment team, you feel ready to reintroduce movement as part of your self-care, consider checking in with yourself first:
● Do I have the energy for movement today, or would rest be more beneficial?
● Have I properly nourished my body to engage in movement that feels good?
● What type of movement would bring me joy and feel good for both my body and mind
today?
● Am I moving because it feels good, or am I doing it to change my body?
Movement should never be a form of punishment. Instead, it should be something that brings joy, enhances your well-being, and feels good for both your body and mind.
Finding movement that truly supports you might take some trial and error—and that’s okay. Your body has an incredible ability to communicate its needs, and learning to listen is a powerful part of making peace with movement. Pain and exhaustion might be signals that a certain type of movement isn’t right for you, while feelings of energy, happiness, and excitement can tell you when you’ve found something that works.
And remember, movement isn’t just about lifting weights at the gym or going for a run. It can be anything that brings joy and fits naturally into your life—walking outside with friends, trying a new sport, playing with your kids, or dancing to your favorite music. The goal of joyful movement isn’t to change your body; it’s to support your mental and physical health in a way that feels intuitive, safe, and right for you.
Just as recovery isn’t a straight path, your relationship with movement won’t be either. Some days, movement might fit naturally into your routine, while on other days, it might not—and that’s okay. Embracing this flexibility and balance is key to finding peace with movement. Being open and honest with ourselves about what our bodies truly need allows us to heal our relationship with movement in a compassionate and kind way.
Finding peace with movement in eating disorder recovery is possible! It takes courage and strength to challenge old beliefs about over-exercising, the meaning of exercise, and its true purpose. By questioning these outdated ideas, you create space for new beliefs that truly serve you. Movement can be playful, joyful, and a way to support both your mental and physical health—when approached with intention and care.
If you are interested in learning more about making peace with movement, you might want to check out:
Other Mental Health Services Offered in PA, NJ, DE, SC, MD, CT, VT, and FL
We offer a wide variety of services related to eating disorder recovery including trauma therapy! We offer Weekly Support Groups, Nutrition Services, and Family and Parent Therapy as well as Coaching, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual. We offer our services for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and Orthorexia as well as Maternal Mental Health, and eating disorder therapy for athletes online in New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Vermont, and Connecticut! We are here to offer our support and understanding in a safe and non-judgmental environment.
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Recovered and Restored is an eating disorder therapy center founded by Gabrielle Morreale, LPC. We specialize in helping teens and young women heal from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, and binge eating disorder and treat disordered eating, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. We provide eating disorder therapy in the towns of Horsham, Upper Gwynedd, Lower Gwynedd, North Wales, Lansdale, Hatfield, Blue Bell, Doylestown, and nearby towns with eating disorder therapy. Also providing virtual eating disorder therapy in New Jersey, Delaware, and Florida. Some towns served virtually but are not limited to Pittsburg, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Center City, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Mount Laurel, Cape May, Avalon, Brick, Dover, New Castle, Bethany Beach, Marydel, and Oceanview
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