Remember the feeling of spinning around as a kid until you got dizzy and collapsed in a fit of giggles? Or splashing wildly in a puddle just for the sheer fun of it? Somewhere along the line, for many of us, movement became less about play and more about obligation. It got tangled up with numbers on a scale, calories burned, miles logged, and expectations shaped by glossy magazines and filtered social media feeds. Especially if you live in a larger body, the world often sends a loud, clear message: move to shrink, move to fit in, move because you ‘should’.
But what if we could untangle that knot? What if movement could simply be about feeling good, right now, in the body you have today? Finding joy in moving your body has absolutely nothing to do with its size or shape, and everything to do with reconnecting to the simple pleasure of being alive and capable of motion.
Reclaiming Movement as Play
Think back to those childhood moments. The motivation wasn’t fitness or weight management; it was curiosity, expression, and pure, unadulterated fun. We can tap back into that. The first step is often consciously shifting your mindset away from exercise as punishment or a chore, and towards movement as an opportunity for exploration and enjoyment.
Instead of focusing on how long you move or how intensely, try focusing on how it feels. Does the stretch feel releasing? Does the rhythm of walking feel calming? Does dancing to your favourite song make you smile? Tuning into the physical sensations can transform a routine into a mindful, pleasurable experience. Forget the metrics for a while. No heart rate monitors, no calorie counters, no distance trackers unless you genuinely find them motivating in a positive way. The goal isn’t performance; it’s presence and pleasure.
Explore Your Options Endlessly
The fitness industry often promotes a narrow range of activities, but the world of movement is vast! If the gym environment feels intimidating or unwelcoming, know that it’s far from your only option. Consider things like:
- Dancing: Put on music in your living room and just let go. No choreography needed unless you want it. Follow online tutorials for fun, try Zumba (online or in person if you find a welcoming class), or just freestyle.
- Walking or Rolling: Explore your neighbourhood, a local park, or a nature trail. Focus on the sights, sounds, and smells around you rather than the pace or distance. A gentle stroll is still movement.
- Stretching or Yoga: Gentle stretching, chair yoga, or beginner flows focused on flexibility and body awareness can feel incredibly nourishing. Look for classes or videos specifically labelled as gentle, beginner-friendly, or body-positive.
- Water Activities: Swimming or even just walking or floating in a pool can feel incredibly freeing. The water supports your body, reducing impact on joints.
- Gardening: Digging, planting, weeding – it all involves bending, lifting, and moving your body in functional ways. Plus, you get the added bonus of connecting with nature.
- Play: Throwing a frisbee, kicking a ball around, playing tag with kids (or other adults!), flying a kite. Anything that feels like play counts!
The key is to find something, or several things, that genuinely spark your interest and feel good for your body. Don’t force yourself into activities you dread just because someone else says they are ‘good for you’.
Listening To Your Body, Not the Noise
Our bodies are incredibly wise. They send us signals all the time – signals of fatigue, signals of pain, signals of pleasure, signals of energy. Learning to listen to these signals, especially when engaging in movement, is crucial. This is particularly important if you’ve had negative experiences with exercise in the past, perhaps pushing too hard or feeling pressured to ignore discomfort.
Start gently. There’s no prize for going from zero to sixty overnight. A five-minute walk, a few gentle stretches, or dancing to one song is a fantastic starting point. Consistency built on enjoyment is far more sustainable than intensity fueled by obligation.
Respect your limits. Some days you’ll have more energy than others. Honour that. Pushing through sharp pain is rarely beneficial. Learn the difference between the discomfort of muscle fatigue (often a dull ache) and the sharp signal of pain that means you should stop or modify.
Focus on function and feeling. Celebrate what your body can do. Maybe it can carry you up a flight of stairs. Maybe it can reach high to grab something off a shelf. Maybe it allows you to sway to music. Movement can be a way to appreciate these capabilities, regardless of how they compare to others or to societal ideals.
Be mindful of the comparison trap, especially online. People often only share their highlight reels. Your movement journey is uniquely yours; focus on how it makes you feel, not how it measures up against someone else’s filtered reality or performance metrics. Honour your own pace and progress.
Creating Your Supportive Bubble
Your environment matters. If possible, seek out spaces and people that feel genuinely supportive and non-judgmental. This might mean:
- Moving solo: Sometimes, the most comfortable space is your own home or a quiet spot in nature, free from external observation.
- Finding size-inclusive communities: Look for online groups or local classes explicitly advertised as body-positive, size-inclusive, or Health At Every Size (HAES)-aligned.
- Moving with supportive friends: Share walks or activities with friends who focus on fun and connection rather than competition or critique.
- Wearing comfortable clothing: You don’t need expensive athletic wear. Choose clothes that feel good on your skin, allow you to move freely, and make you feel confident, whatever that means to you.
Ditch anything that makes you feel self-conscious or uncomfortable. The goal is to remove barriers to enjoyment, not add more.
Movement as Self-Care, Not Self-Punishment
Let’s be honest: society puts immense pressure on people in larger bodies. Internalized weight stigma is real, and it can create significant mental hurdles to enjoying movement. You might feel self-conscious, worry about judgment, or believe you don’t ‘belong’ in fitness spaces. These feelings are valid, shaped by external biases, but they don’t have to dictate your experience.
Approaching movement as an act of self-care can help shift this perspective. You are moving because it feels good, because it helps you connect with your body, because it relieves stress, because it brings you moments of peace or exhilaration. It’s a gift you give yourself, not a tax you pay for existing in your body.
Start small, be patient with yourself, and celebrate every little step that feels good. Finding joy in movement isn’t about achieving a certain look or hitting arbitrary targets. It’s about reclaiming your right to move your body in ways that feel good, nourishing, and fun, purely for the sake of the experience itself. It’s about finding freedom and delight in motion, right here, right now, regardless of your size.
