In the Movement Lab there is one rule that I always enforce: no negative self-talk. It’s easy to fall into a spiral of negativity toward our bodies when we aren’t in the place that we want to be. Whether we have weight-loss or movement goals, it is a challenge to accept our bodies for where they are now. In the month of February, some could say the season of love, I challenge you to practice body neutrality and even a little bit of love. 

Our bodies have engineered a system to keep us alive that is nothing short of a miracle. Everything down to our internal temperature and pH levels are specifically designed to regulate the functioning of our systems. Our nervous system gives us the ability to react to the world around us, our immune system keeps us safe from illness and our endocrine system releases hormones that control everything from our mood to our metabolism. Our heart pumps around 100,000 times a day to keep us alive and our skin cells turn over every 28 days. By the end of February you have a new set of skin cells and your heart has pumped 2,800,000 times. 

While it may seem like nothing, the fact that our bodies get us up and moving everyday is amazing. It is incredibly frustrating when we experience chronic pains, fatigue and don’t reach our goals as quickly as we want to. At FOHC, a core piece of our mission is recognizing which “hospital” our patients are in. When we experience pain, our bodies resort to protection as a safety mechanism. They are signaling to us that something is wrong, and we need to address that issue. Whether that is a biomechanical, chemical or psychological flare up, we aim to correct the root issue.

We also believe that incorporating and reintroducing movement is essential to the success of our patients. In doing so, though, we are demanding that our bodies do something that is uncomfortable. I have seen time and again what it looks like to live in this discomfort, and everyday I am so proud of our patients for taking on the challenge even when it may feel overwhelming. We are here for support, but we are also here to reinforce that while things may feel sticky, we have so much to be grateful for with our bodies. 

However you currently feel about your body, there are a few strategies to increase neutrality: 

• Shift your focus from appearance to function. Ask yourself: what are three things that I have done today that I am proud of? How has my body helped me accomplish these things? Even if it is walking your dog, so many systems are engaging to make that happen. 

• Practice mindfulness. Sitting in silence, connecting with our breath and noticing how our body reacts is key in being neutral. We can recognize how our body is feeling, and how different activities impact it. 

• Reframe how you speak about your body. It is easy to pinpoint areas of our bodies that we don’t like or would want to change, but we can reframe that for what they do for us. For example “I don’t like my thighs” can be “my thighs help me move with my family” 

• Set boundaries around body talk. Not only can you set boundaries with yourself, but with those around you. The more that you get in the habit of reframing thoughts the easier it becomes to counteract them. Not letting others influence those thoughts is especially important. 

We are our harshest critics. We are also the only ones who are capable of changing our thought processes. It has to be an active choice each day to mitigate the negative self-thoughts and talk. Remembering the tools above and how much it takes to simply exist is the first step in changing these thought patterns. 

At the end of the day, our bodies are our lifelong companions, carrying us through every challenge and triumph. While it’s natural to feel frustrated at times, embracing body neutrality and even moments of appreciation can transform our relationship with ourselves. Progress isn’t just measured in physical achievements but in the mindset shifts that allow us to move forward with compassion. As we continue to challenge ourselves in the Movement Lab, let’s also commit to showing gratitude for all that our bodies do. All of our daily activities are a commitment to this challenge. 

= Alex