Reader,

I’ve been there before.

For what felt like an eternity.

I binged and overate on the weekends or holidays (like Thanksgiving). I was swallowed by a wave of shame and guilt in the aftermath. And restricting myself or torturing myself through hours of cardio felt like my only ways out.

But those options weren’t my lifesaver.

They didn’t pull me out of the depths of shame and guilt. They only perpetuated it.

It wasn’t until I did something different that I found my way out. It wasn’t until I finally created habits and practices and ways of doing and thinking that softened the blow.

I’m happy to report that I did find ways to prevent the wave from crashing down in the first place. I DID find ways to avoid the shame and guilt in all the wreckage.

And I’m here to help you do the same.

Today I decided to go on a run. I typically hate running, but I’ve decided that my dislike for it has come from the fact that I:

• Usually only turned to it to burn calories or compensate for overeating
• Had pressure on myself to run at least 3 miles at 10 minutes/mile
• Generally associated cardio with filling the void that low self worth left in me
• Kept telling myself that “I’m not a runner” and “Running is miserable”

No wonder I hate running, right?

But I decided to take a new approach.

Today I went on a trail run and I surprised myself and went for 5.5 miles. 5.5 miles!!!! As someone who hated running, I impressed myself, even if I did walk a decent amount.

I didn’t focus on the calories I was burning, my pace, my mileage, the distance I was or was not running.

I focused on being present, having fun, listening to my body, going at a pace that was enjoyable, and not imposing any unnecessary pressure on myself to preform in a specific way.

The goal was to move my body in nature and enjoy it through an activity I resented like two seconds ago, and I succeeded.

This new approach made all the difference.

By removing unnecessary pressure and negative motivators (like burning calories, feeling guilty, etc.) and instead emphasizing enjoyment, I actually liked running. And now I'm much more likely to stick with it and make it a consistent habit. In fact, I'm already excited for the next time I can get out on the trails.

I'm convinced that's the key - finding ways to move your body that you genuinely enjoy (or, if you dislike all forms of movement, what you dislike less, but this is a topic for another day) so you are more likely to take action, to show up again and again, and to turn to movement to improve your life.

Whether it's strength training, hiking, running, biking, pilates, skiing, yoga, swimming, or something else entirely, the key is to find activities that make you feel good, both physically and mentally.

When exercise feels like a chore, it's hard to maintain. When you do it because you ate too much or you're not good enough or you're not skinny enough or you need to burn more calories, it's misery.

But when it's something you look forward to, it becomes a natural part of your lifestyle. It becomes something you can turn to again and again and again, and something that makes you and your entire life better.

Can you imagine that?

By focusing on enjoyment and self-care rather than punishment or deprivation, you can create healthy habits that last. And that's the true path to feeling strong, confident, and at home in your own skin.

I hope your December is off to a great start, friend. See you next week,

💕 Morgan