Fitness: What it means to MOVE

Kelley Wolf Food & Fitness 3 Comments

Kelley Bike@2x

How many of you find that you can change the trajectory of your day by simply… MOVING?
Come on people… you KNOW it’s TRUE!

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make the biggest difference, and yet our stubborn human nature resists them. WHY???

Listen, I struggle with this too, but for me, living with EDS (Ehlors Danlo Syndrome) makes the need to move NON-NEGOTIABLE. You’ll never find me participating in hardcore workouts like crossfit, weightlifting, or even skiing, because my joints are overly flexible, my connective tissue has a mind of its own, and I experience pain regularly.

BUT… what I’ve learned through the diagnosis of EDS is that movement isn’t an ALL or NOTHING proposition. I don’t have to throw in the sweaty towel just because I can’t ski or do crossfit. Instead I need to find the graceful, slow movement that clears my head, leaves room for slowing down and breathing in… and keeps my body performing at it’s highest potential. For me that’s walking… Every. Damn. Day. Without compromise or exception. If our goal here is to FIND LOVE OVER WORRY, we can only do that if we are in a proper headspace. In order to be in the proper headspace we have to MOVE OUR BODIES.

For you, the movement will likely be different than mine, and my encouragement to you is to FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU… don’t look at what the girl next to you (or on your Instagram feed) is doing. Find what works for you and make it NON-NEGOTIABLE.

Here are a few tips, tricks and lessons I’ve learned along the way:

  • Movement stimulates blood flow and creativity while also quieting the mind.
  • Hiking boosts brain power and problem-solving skills. I am fortunate to have world-class hiking trails out my back door. The sights and sounds and smells and twists and turns of these trails have become my friends. They listen to words of my heart and hear my children’s laughter. They’ve seen me through a lot.
  • Making your movement non-negotiable removes the excuses and re-routes your brains’ wiring to become habit. No more of… “the weather isn’t good” or “I have an extra meeting today and can’t make it”. It just becomes what you do… like eating or breathing.
  • When I shifted my approach to moving, I found more creativity in finding ways to move that inspire me and allow my spirit to soar. A beautiful example is the fact that I recently recovered my ability to bicycle. Instead of throwing in that sweaty towel and lamenting the fact that I can’t ride bikes with my kids, I was detrmined to find a creative solution… and surprise, surprise, the universe offered up my brand new, magical electric bike. WOOHOO! Back on the road with my kiddos. Problem solved! When you run into a roadblock, STOP… BREATHE… OBSERVE… and then get out your chainsaw, turn that roadblock into a door and walk right through.
  • I must take care of myself in order to be whole and present. I must be whole and present in order to take care of others and fulfill my calling. This is what “fitness” means to me.

What I teach and live isn’t extreme. Fitness can be simple. Just move your body. Make it a priority. Do what feels best to you. Because nothing can FLOW without movement.

As always, I want to learn from you… and want us all to learn from each other. What are your tips and tricks? What are your NON-NEGOTIABLES? Comment below to get the conversation started.

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Debbie Guzzello
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Debbie Guzzello
4 years ago

First let me begin by saying how blessed I feel that I recently discovered you, not even sure how but you were what my life was missing..I mentioned in a previous post that my life has become consumed with “worry” and I was looking for some kind of mediation if you will to help me get the control back (I also tend to be a bit of a control freak). Anyway to answer your question, my non-negotiable is walking also..I have been doing the treadmill, walking at a slow pace daily and discovered it has given me a “high” after… Read more »

Siobhán
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Siobhán
4 years ago

You have a way of articulating words Kelley that I would love to master! Everything you say / write always resonates with me and I love your positivity ? thank you for this article x

Patricia
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Patricia
4 years ago

My 3 beasts, floofers, angels of fluff force me to move. Every single day. Even if that means crawling on all fours from bed to the back door. Chronic pain is a monster I named Fred. I have fearsome weapons such as my spinal stimulator, a lot of titanium, my mind, my heart. Good days we do 3-5 miles, bad days we crawl. But I always win, as no matter how small the movement, I am not still, concreted, superglued to one spot. I move. I win. We (Jackson, Fatty G, Batgirl & I) win. ? Love you, Kel ?