1 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: Hi guys, and welcome back to another new episode of 2 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: You Need Therapy. If my name is Kat and I 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: am so glad you are here and you have chosen 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: to be here today. As always, before we get started, 5 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,280 Speaker 1: I want to make a little note. I give you 6 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: an update of my life. So last week my office 7 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: was broken into, very scary, very frustrating, and in the 8 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: break in, not a lot was taken because there's not 9 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,319 Speaker 1: a lot in there for anybody else that wants to 10 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: break in. There's nothing left to take. But they took 11 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 1: my podcast equipment. So that's why last Wednesday and today 12 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: the audio sounds a little different because I'm recording it 13 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: on my computer, so thank god I have an option. 14 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: Although many friends have offered their equipment this week, so 15 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: I appreciate it. I actually thought I was going to 16 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: have my new stuff today, so I said no, thank you, 17 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: and then my stuff didn't come in. So here we 18 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:13,120 Speaker 1: are recording on zoom. It's fine. It's honestly, it doesn't 19 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: sound that different, but I just wanted to let you 20 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: guys know why it did sound different, and also be 21 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: careful out there people, and also to the man who 22 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: stole my stuff. I'm upset with you. Um, we actually 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: got it on camera, but I don't ever see him 24 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: getting caught, which is fine because it's stuff and it 25 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: gives a lot of perspective of it that could have 26 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: been worse. And now we know that we need to 27 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: be way more careful at the office, and we're getting 28 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: a whole new security system, all new locks, and all 29 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: new ways to keep people out. So if all that 30 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: was lost was my podcast equipment, and all that was 31 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: gained was the ability to keep myself, the people that 32 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: work with me, and my clients safer, then that's worth it, 33 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: I believe. So there is that. Now for today, we 34 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: are going to talk about something I am very passionate about. 35 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: Speaking of passion last week, today we're talking about one 36 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: of my passions, and it's exercise. And obviously we know 37 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: that exercise is something that is extremely beneficial to our health, 38 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: right and yeah, it's great for our physical health, and 39 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: it also is great for our mental health. And so 40 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: today I'm gonna take some time to talk about this 41 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: because this can be a touchy subject. In my world, 42 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: I personally had struggled with an eating disorder, as most 43 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: of you guys know, and in that I also developed 44 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: an exercise addiction. And I am somebody now who not 45 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: only works with eating disorders. I am a fitness instructor, 46 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: and I've been a fitness instructor for I think about 47 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 1: four and half five years. So today it's gonna be 48 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: all me again, and I'm just going to talk to 49 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: you about this stuff. We're going to talk about the 50 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: benefits of movement and exercise. We're going to talk about 51 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: what exercise addiction is and what to do with it. 52 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: So let's get right into it. I've said this before, 53 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 1: but when it comes to eating disorders, or really any 54 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: kind of process addiction, the work can be more challenging 55 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 1: because we are essentially trying to teach someone how to 56 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: responsibly use their drug of choice. Like imagine if we 57 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: were trying to teach someone how to responsibly use cocaine. 58 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: It just when it makes sense, all addictions hard. This 59 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: is a different kind of hard. Now, what is a 60 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: process addiction? Um? I just used that word flippantly, and 61 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:22,800 Speaker 1: some of you may know what that means, and some 62 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: of you are like, what does that? A process addiction 63 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 1: is also known as a behavioral addiction. It's addiction that's 64 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: characterized by a very strong impulse to engage in a 65 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: specific behavior, and someone with a process addiction will engage 66 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: in this behavior, whatever that behavior is, even when the 67 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: results that they get from engaging in that are harmful 68 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: and they have harmful consequences and to their emotional self, 69 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: their relationships, their physical being, any of that. So process 70 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: addictions don't involve drugs or alcohol. They're just their behaviors. 71 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: And some examples are gambling, sex and love addiction, internet exercise, 72 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: which we're gonna be talking about, shopping, work, porn, video games, 73 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: your phone, Instagram. So the truth is we have to 74 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: eat right. We also need to be able to move 75 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: our bodies and care for them well. So the truth is, 76 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: when it comes to a lot of things that encapsulate 77 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: the process addiction realm, we can't just choose sobriety. We 78 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: can't just choose abstinence from those things, which makes it 79 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,040 Speaker 1: a little bit more difficult. Like I said, so, there 80 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: are obviously tons of mental health benefits to exercise. We're 81 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: not going to talk about the so much the physical 82 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,920 Speaker 1: benefits today. That is a podcast for another professional, not me. Um, 83 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: there are tons of mental health benefits to exercise, and honestly, 84 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: a healthy relationship to movement, which you'll hear me use 85 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: those words working out, exercise, and movement interchangeably. Those are 86 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: all the same things. But a healthy relationship to movement 87 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: helps eating disorder and body image work because it allows 88 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: us to create kind and loving relationships with our bodies. 89 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: And if you struggle with an eating disorder, sometimes you 90 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,359 Speaker 1: can become an over exerciser, or you can become what 91 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 1: I like to call movement interrexic, meaning you avoid it 92 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: and don't do it at all. This is partly because 93 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 1: often when it comes to eating disorders, we want to 94 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 1: separate ourselves from our bodies. Therefore, it can be somewhat 95 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: of an enemy. Right. If we want to separate ourselves 96 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: from our bodies, we don't connect with it, it becomes 97 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 1: an enemy and the stories that we create about our 98 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: bodies become very big and true. So people don't want 99 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 1: to be in touch with their bodies because it's the enemy. 100 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: Movement can force us to be in touch and that 101 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,359 Speaker 1: doesn't feel very good if that's an enemy. And depending 102 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: on your behavior, it can also be a way to 103 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 1: punish or be cruel to yourself. And this is kind 104 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: of tricky to talk about because someone who's in recovery 105 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: from an eating disorder, can they can very slightly use 106 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: exercise as a way to not fully engage or give 107 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: up their eating disorder. So this is tough to talk 108 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: about because I could spend an hour just talking about 109 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: the different ways exercises of aoided or used, and why 110 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: we're not going to do that today, because like I said, 111 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 1: it could be an hour. Exercise has the ability to 112 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: be mass as a healthy behavior. It's not as black 113 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: as in white as a lot of other things in 114 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 1: our world, such as drug addiction, which also isn't that 115 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: black and white. But you know what I mean, here's 116 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 1: Catherine talking in circles. That's what happens when I talk 117 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: about things that I'm passionate about. But anyway, so what 118 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: is very true and important when it comes to movement 119 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: is that if we spend time being kind and loving, 120 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,160 Speaker 1: we will start to think different things about our bodies. 121 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: And so it's something that is not just meant for 122 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: our physical health, but it helps us in our recovery process. 123 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: When we're I'm working with clients on body image or 124 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,239 Speaker 1: if you're working on stuff to be kinder to your body, 125 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: movement can be something that is very, very kind and loving. 126 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 1: That is the point I'm trying to make now. Movement 127 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: is also supposed to be something that you enjoy, right, 128 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: This gets confused sometimes it doesn't have to look a 129 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: certain white. Movement does not have to look a certain 130 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: way to achieve the health benefits of moving your body. 131 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: You don't have to do things that you hate doing. 132 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 1: And I hear a lot of the same things when 133 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: I talk to people about their distaste towards movement and exercise, 134 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: and I think it's because we look at it as 135 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: just like going to the gym and doing the elliptical 136 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: or this crazy boot camp or what stuff like that, 137 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: when those are not our only options. There are about 138 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: five different ways to move our bodies. So before you 139 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: decide that you hate movement you just don't like it, 140 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: I want you to ask yourself, why why do you 141 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 1: hate it? If it's because of what I talked about before, 142 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: the connection to your body, that's one thing, right, So 143 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: that's the whole thing, And then there's also a lot 144 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: of other things that I hear from people. I don't 145 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: like it because it's hard, I don't like it because 146 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: it's intimidating, or I don't like it because I'm not 147 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: good at it, and I could poke holes through all 148 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: of those arguments. And if it's because it's hard, that 149 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: doesn't really mean that you don't like movement or exercise. 150 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: It means that you're probably stuck, because if you don't 151 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: like doing hard things, you're going to be very stale 152 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: in your life. We have to do hard things, so 153 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: that would not be why we hate something. I think 154 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: that has to do with a bigger issue when it 155 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: comes to you engaging in things and what difficult or 156 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: what something being hard means to you. If you don't 157 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: like exercise because it's intimidating, right, I think you're hanging 158 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: out with the wrong crowd. There are definitely some people 159 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: in places that don't foster a supportive environment to do 160 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: things that you might be quote unquote good at. But 161 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: there are also places that welcome people and create spaces 162 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: where it's okay to look like you don't have it 163 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: all together, right. There are plenty of places and environments 164 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: where you can engage in a movement type, whether that 165 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: be weight training, running, rowing, cycling, swimming in a way 166 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: that it is like somewhat scary because you might not 167 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: know what you're doing, but also it's welcoming and fun 168 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,439 Speaker 1: and exciting and again loving and kind. So you might 169 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: need to find a new place because I know for 170 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: me there are so in places that I will go, 171 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 1: and there are certain places I will not go. Specifically 172 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,720 Speaker 1: in Nashville, and I've talked about it before, but Full 173 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: Ride for me, which is where I teach cycling, is 174 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: one of those places that I get why the idea 175 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: of going could be scary because and intimiiting, because a 176 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: lot of people that go there have been going there 177 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: for a long time and they do it regularly and 178 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: it's something they've practiced. In all of that, but also 179 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 1: we don't care, like as an instructor, I don't care 180 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: if you do everything correctly, like safety wise, yes, but 181 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: like if you hit every move or if you have 182 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,679 Speaker 1: the most resistance on class. First of all, nobody knows 183 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 1: what you're doing. But it's in this dark environment where 184 00:09:36,640 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: you get to focus on yourself and be with yourself 185 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: and just have fun. There's a lot of funness in it. 186 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: I don't have funness is a word, but there are 187 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: other places like that in the world. So if it's 188 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:48,439 Speaker 1: the fact that it's intimidating. I encourage you to go 189 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: to a place that fosters an environment where they really 190 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:55,440 Speaker 1: just want to create an experience that you enjoy, rather 191 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: than force you to look and do a certain thing. 192 00:09:57,600 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 1: It's not like a mean girls, you can't stay with 193 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: us type. Okay, So if it's because I kind of 194 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: talked about this, but if if you're a reason for 195 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 1: not liking exercises because you're not good at it, well, 196 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: nobody is just automatically good at things, and this is 197 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: one of the best parts of exercise and movement anyway. 198 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: No one is usually just automatically good at things when 199 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: they start them. And first of all, I would like 200 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: to just remove the like I'm good versus I'm bad 201 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 1: out of the whole discussion, because I think that when 202 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 1: it comes to things specifically like for me, cycling and 203 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: yoga and running, and it's like, it's not that you're 204 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: good or bad, it just is what it is. It's 205 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: your own experience and you get to define that. But 206 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 1: the other part is, I don't know why as adults 207 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,559 Speaker 1: we start to think that if we aren't a hundred 208 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: percent good at something, we can't do it, But as kids, 209 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 1: we don't think that way. When a four year old 210 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: signs up for soccer, they usually are not very good 211 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: at playing soccer, right, So why can kids go do 212 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: things and we don't expect them to be good right 213 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:54,439 Speaker 1: away and they don't expect themselves to be good right 214 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: away because they've never done it before. Why can't we 215 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,120 Speaker 1: apply that to adults? And so my question for you 216 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 1: guys out there is like, what things? Maybe not even 217 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: just when it comes to exercise, but what would you 218 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: be doing if you only had to be let's say 219 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: sixt good at something, what would you be doing? I 220 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: want to take a second and talk about some of 221 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: the reasons I do love movement and why it's something 222 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: that is so helpful and wonderful when it comes to 223 00:11:17,920 --> 00:11:19,959 Speaker 1: mental health and it can be a really awesome healing 224 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 1: agement agent before we get into the addiction side. So 225 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,959 Speaker 1: I have just a couple benefits of movement that I 226 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: really stand on and I think are really cool because 227 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: we think about all the physical health benefits, but we 228 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: don't think about this as much. So moving our bodies 229 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 1: actually helps fight depression and it's actually been found as 230 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: just as helpful as medication in some studies. And the 231 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: cool thing is you don't have then the side effects 232 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: of the medication. And there's a study done at Harvard 233 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 1: that found that specifically running for fifteen minutes a day 234 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: or walking for an hour reduced the risk of major 235 00:11:54,920 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 1: depression by and in addition to relieving depression symptoms. Current 236 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: research also shows that maintaining a schedule, a movement schedule, 237 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: regular schedule can help prevent you from relapsing into that depression. 238 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: And this is kind of tough because you have to 239 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: incorporate that like fake it to and make it strategy, right, 240 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: because somebody who's depressed doesn't really want to exercise or move, 241 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: So we have to use this thing called behavioral activation. 242 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 1: It's basically you just do the behavior that's good for you, 243 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: knowing that it's going to be good for you until 244 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: you start to change how you view it right, then 245 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:34,240 Speaker 1: eventually you'll start to enjoy it. Exercise also can control 246 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: stress and boost the body's ability to deal with existing anxiety. 247 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: So this can be anything. It doesn't have to be 248 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 1: any it can be any kind of movement, anything that 249 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: keeps your body going. Something with that is you're going 250 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: to get a bigger benefit from this if you actually 251 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: pay attention to what you're doing versus zoning. Now, so 252 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 1: I know a lot of people talk about, oh, I 253 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: go on a run and I just zone out, or 254 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: I do this and I zone out, And I say 255 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 1: in my classes all the time, we're not here to 256 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: zone out, We're here to zone in, right, We're here 257 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: to pay more attention to our life rather than less 258 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: attention to our life. Because noticing how your body feels 259 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: and paying attention to what it's doing can one help 260 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: you find space to stop worrying. Plus, exercise increases concentrations 261 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:21,079 Speaker 1: of something called neuropephrine, which is a chemical that helps 262 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: moderate the brain's response to stress. Also, this one is 263 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 1: so cool, guys, This is so cool. Certain types of 264 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 1: exercise like running or rhythmic cycling, like the cycling that 265 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: I do, we do it to the beat of music, 266 00:13:33,800 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: so there's rhythm involved. It helps you process emotions and 267 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,599 Speaker 1: feelings attached to events easier. So running, we'll stick with. 268 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: Running is a form of bilateral stimulation, and bilateral stimulation 269 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: is stimuli which occur in rhythmic left right patterns, and 270 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: it is one of the key components of the top 271 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: evidence based therapy for trauma E. M. D R. And 272 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 1: while we're not going to get into trauma therapy and 273 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: Andy R, I'm going to tell you what bilateral stimulation does. 274 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: It creates a relaxation effect, which decreases physiological arousal in 275 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: your body, and it increases attentional flexibility, meaning that your 276 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: thoughts become less stuck on whatever was or is bothering you. 277 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: It also creates a distancing effect, meaning that the problems 278 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: that you're surrounded by or feeling will start to seem 279 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: smaller and further away. And then overall this just decreases 280 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:30,400 Speaker 1: our worry, which decreases our anxiety. Something else that movement 281 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: helps with is it prevents cognitive decline and it doesn't 282 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: cure Alzheimers, but it does help boost the brain's ability 283 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: to minimize and slow cognitive decline that begins specifically after 284 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: the age of forty five, and working out specifically and 285 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: especially between the ages of forty five boost the chemicals 286 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: in the brain that support and prevent the degeneration of 287 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: the hippocampus, which is an important part of the brain 288 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 1: from memory and learning. And then my last thing is 289 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: movement helps create a sense of self and this is 290 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: different than self esteem. We need hobbies. And that was 291 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: one of the best pieces of advice that a therapist 292 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 1: gave me a long time ago, was Katherine, you need 293 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: a hobby, and you have to be careful with this 294 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: when I'll get into because this can't be your only 295 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 1: source of who you are. I am not a cycling insrupter, 296 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 1: I am not a runner. I am I'm a person 297 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 1: who teaches cycling and a person who runs. But this 298 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: does help create a sense of self. As I started 299 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: engaging in a healthy movement relationship, I was able to 300 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: also pay attention to what I like, what I don't like, 301 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: what brings me joy, and it helped me identify more 302 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: about who I was. Now let's talk about the other 303 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 1: part of this. Let's talk about the scary part where 304 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: the benefits are being overshadowed by the negative consequences of 305 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: whatever movement you're engaging in. This has a lot to 306 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: do with the power of addictive behaviors. So, like I said, 307 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: working out a movement exercise can be howm A process 308 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:04,000 Speaker 1: addiction and a process addiction is a behavioral addiction, an 309 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: addiction that is characterized by a strong impulse to partake 310 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: in a specific behavior and there's not a specific universally 311 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: accepted definition of exercise addiction, and it's not listed in 312 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: the d s M. The latest d s M d 313 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 1: s M five. They're the characteristics and symptoms of behavioral 314 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: addictions under which exercise addiction likely falls are described in 315 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: the d s M, but there's not like a code 316 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: for it. Essentially, I think that will change rather soon. 317 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: What we know is that the brain doesn't care where 318 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: it gets it's feel good feelings things stuff from, and 319 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: by that I mean dopamine. You can become dependent on 320 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: anything that activates the brain's dopamine receptors, especially when we're 321 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: working with those who have already struggled with an addiction 322 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: or addictive patterns any in all process, addictions kind of 323 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: need to be monitored because of that, And what can 324 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: happen is this sort of whackable type thing where we're 325 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 1: just substituting one addiction for the other because we're still 326 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 1: looking for that dopamine release. Right, We're still looking for 327 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: that feel good and we can since we can get 328 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 1: it from multiple places, we'll just move from we can't 329 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: do this anymore, Okay, I'll do this, and so then 330 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 1: the real issues never get process and they never get healed. 331 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: And well, I'm gonna do here is I'm gonna share 332 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 1: a little bit of my story because if you don't 333 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: deal with this, then it's hard to conceptualize, and if 334 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,240 Speaker 1: you do, you may not realize it because, like I said, 335 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: working out supposed to be a healthy behavior, and you'll 336 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: hear and what I I didn't know that I struggled 337 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: with this for a while because I thought I was 338 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: being healthy. This is gonna be a very condensed part 339 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,120 Speaker 1: of my story, and I'm gonna leave out a lot 340 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: of the details of my eating disorder because one time 341 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 1: and too I've probably talked about it before, and also 342 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: I really just want to focus on the exercise part today. 343 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 1: So in my eating disorder, I did not have a 344 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,639 Speaker 1: clue I had a problem with anything. I literally thought 345 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: I was living this awesome, healthy lifestyle and I thought 346 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,320 Speaker 1: I was honestly doing great. I had tons of consequences, 347 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 1: but I didn't even realize that those consequences were there 348 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: or that they were serious. And at this point the 349 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: part that I'm looking that there wasn't a lot of 350 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 1: defensiveness coming up around my behaviors. I really it was 351 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: like pure ignorance. I really just didn't know. So I 352 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: had nothing to be defensive above because I didn't know 353 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: there's problem. So I started my movement journey just working 354 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,120 Speaker 1: out like thirty minutes a day on the elliptical. When 355 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 1: I decided that I wanted to, you know, live a 356 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: healthier lifestyle, which was the beginning of my eighteen disorder, 357 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: and it was no big deal. I was just trying 358 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: to get quote unquote healthy and this was part of that. 359 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,960 Speaker 1: And I grew up as an athlete, and so I 360 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 1: never really had to think about working out because it 361 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: was just part of my lifestyle. And when I stopped 362 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: playing sports, I didn't think about the fact that, oh 363 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: I have to still take care of my body because 364 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 1: it was never something I had to think about before. 365 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: And so when I started working out, it was like 366 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:45,440 Speaker 1: a new thing for me, essentially. So I started doing 367 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: like thirty minutes a day and a big deal. But 368 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 1: then what happened is I eventually stopped taking days off 369 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: like there will be no rest day, which is sign one, right, 370 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,879 Speaker 1: and then I picked up other things like I started running, 371 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: and I started running three miles and then moles turned 372 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 1: to five, and then five turned to six, and six 373 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 1: turned to eight, and eight turned into eight half marathons 374 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: in a year, and half marathons turned into me sign 375 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: up for a marathon. And then I started working at GEMS. 376 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: And it's part of the culture when you work at 377 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: a gym, sometimes to work out a lot, depending on 378 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: what gym you're at. And honestly, at this point, I 379 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 1: still saw myself as someone who was just healthy and 380 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: was into fitness. But you can easily see, as I 381 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: just said, the progression from something I did to start 382 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: taking care of myself to a compulsion that was taking 383 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: over my life. Now. As I let go slowly of 384 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,439 Speaker 1: some of my rigid food rules, as I started to 385 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 1: work on my eating disorder, I started compensating with more exercise, 386 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,879 Speaker 1: so that was happening. And then this started happening, and 387 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 1: I would do things like wake up at five am 388 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: or go to a five am workout class, then go 389 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: to work, then go to school, and then go back 390 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: to the gym at night. Like I was starting to 391 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: work out more than once a day. I would do 392 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,439 Speaker 1: double classes at the gym I was working out at 393 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 1: and again not taking days off. And I was also 394 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 1: continually getting a lot of running injuries, but refusing to rest. 395 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 1: I would work out every day on vacations like I 396 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 1: didn't go on probably certain vacations because I wouldn't be 397 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 1: able to exercise, And I'd go to social events because 398 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: I needed to wake up early that next morning or 399 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: it would mess up my schedule of working out. And 400 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,679 Speaker 1: in college, I've mentioned this before, I skipped my very 401 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: last date party to drive home and run a half marathon. 402 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: And I told myself that I just enjoy running, and 403 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 1: I like this is my lifestyle, and I like this 404 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,399 Speaker 1: more than partying. In reality, I would do anything to 405 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: go back and have one more college date party. But 406 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: the thing that was happening was I was letting go 407 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:36,560 Speaker 1: of some of my food rules. As this progressed more 408 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 1: and more, But I never did the work to uncover 409 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: why my eating disorder was even there and what the 410 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: eating disorder was initially trying to help me overcome. Therefore, 411 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 1: the whackamle situation came into play like I mentioned, and 412 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: I just substitute substituted exercise for my eating disorder behaviors. Now, 413 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: exercise gave me an identity, just like my eating disorder 414 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: once did. It definitely helped me relieve some of my 415 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: stress from eating dude, but it also gave me a 416 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 1: thing that I felt like I was really good at. 417 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: I was the fitness workout girl. I was super strong, 418 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 1: I was committed, I was fast. I was all these 419 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: things that I really thought mattered. Now, I also was neurotic. 420 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 1: I say it in a joking way, but I say 421 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: that in a serious way too, Like I was constantly 422 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: worrying about my next workout. Running stopped being fun. It 423 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,639 Speaker 1: was a chore, and I lost a lot of my personality. 424 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 1: I wasn't the fun, exciting cat that you guys know now, 425 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,640 Speaker 1: I hope you know. I was worried a lot. And yes, 426 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: I'm generally anxious, and I'm an anxious person, but it 427 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: was a different kind of anxiousness and a different kind 428 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 1: of worry. I was very irritable. I wasn't a good friend. 429 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 1: I wasn't a good daughter, I wasn't a good sister. 430 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 1: And I was also very judgmental of others and their 431 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: lifestyle choices. However, in reality, my judgmentalness was really jealousy, 432 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 1: and I was jealous that everybody else got to live 433 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 1: their lives. And I felt like I was locked in 434 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: a jail cell, but I honestly was the one that 435 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 1: was keeping the door locked. And something that was always 436 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: tough to understand was the amount of praise and validation 437 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 1: that I got from my exercise addiction. I say this 438 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: to encourage all of us to make sure that we 439 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: know what we are complimenting when we give someone a 440 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: compliment or praise. Working out for five hours a day 441 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,400 Speaker 1: isn't an accomplishment. It's dangerous and it's risky behavior. It's 442 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: also a cry for help. Taking multiple workout classes in 443 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 1: a day consistently does not show me power or dedication. 444 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: I see a lot of fear in that, and I've 445 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: seen an inability to cope with life and an inability 446 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,919 Speaker 1: to live fully. And if this sounds like you, I 447 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: want you to know that if movement feels like this 448 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: to you, it doesn't have to. I have a beautiful 449 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: relationship with exercise, and you know, fitness is a part 450 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 1: of who I am, it isn't who I am. I 451 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: love working out. I generally do enjoy it, but that 452 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 1: is why I do it now, Because I enjoy it 453 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: because of the things that it brings me. The good, healthy, 454 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,959 Speaker 1: honest things that it brings me. I also do with boundaries. 455 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,160 Speaker 1: I know I could get sucked back into my eating 456 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: disorder and exercise addiction in two seconds if I allowed myself. 457 00:22:56,520 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: That is, I have that kind of personality. However, I 458 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 1: have created a lot of accountability and structure and support 459 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,199 Speaker 1: around me that keeps me right where I need to be. 460 00:23:05,400 --> 00:23:08,239 Speaker 1: And these days I move not because I need an 461 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:11,199 Speaker 1: identity or it's the only way I can escape or 462 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: relief stress, or because I hate my body. I do 463 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: it because I love my body. This does not mean 464 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: that I love what I look like. And let me 465 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 1: be very clear about this body image work is not 466 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:25,400 Speaker 1: about loving what you look like. Some days I love 467 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: what I look like. Yes, some days I don't care, 468 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,359 Speaker 1: and some days I cannot stand my body. They're fewer 469 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: than they were before, but it still happens. The difference 470 00:23:35,560 --> 00:23:38,160 Speaker 1: is even on those days, I still love and care 471 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 1: for myself, and my body is part of myself. And 472 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: what I will say and validate here is that this 473 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: work is really fucking hard. It is not that easy 474 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: to get out of the shower every day and see 475 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,639 Speaker 1: something that the majority of the world at times would 476 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,680 Speaker 1: find imperfection in. And let you know about It's also 477 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: not easy to live in a world where there is 478 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: a billion dollar industry designed to make you want to 479 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,919 Speaker 1: change things about what you look like. I'm not going 480 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: to sit here and tell you this beautiful story about 481 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: how I used to struggle with things and now my 482 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,520 Speaker 1: life is perfect. I would be lying if I said that. 483 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: But what is harder than all of the things that 484 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 1: I just mentioned is waking up every day trying to 485 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: change myself. And the pain of a green with cultural 486 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:23,120 Speaker 1: and societal expectations of my body is way worse than 487 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:26,640 Speaker 1: the pain of disagreeing. So here I am disagreeing with that. 488 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: And I also want to add that in my recovery, 489 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: I only consistently do things that movement wise that I like. 490 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,199 Speaker 1: I find cycling fun. I love it. It's fun. It 491 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: doesn't feel like a quote unquote work out to me, 492 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: which is kind of like how soccer was growing up. 493 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: It was a game, a hobby, It wasn't just a 494 00:24:44,200 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: calorie burner. And I also was able to come back 495 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: to running and learn to enjoy that too. I did 496 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,239 Speaker 1: take a break, and now instead of feeling like I 497 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: have to run a certain amount of miles each week 498 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:56,359 Speaker 1: at a certain pace, I run what I want to, 499 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: and I usually run with friends now and some weeks 500 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 1: I don't run at all because I don't feel like 501 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,640 Speaker 1: I have to. I will also say I don't really 502 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: love weight training. That's not like, that's not a passion 503 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 1: of mine. But I also have found ways to do 504 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 1: it that are fun. And there's a difference in doing 505 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: it at home, workout in your basement by yourself, and 506 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: enjoying your time with people. And so one of the 507 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: ways that I have learned to really love weight training 508 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 1: is doing it with people I enjoy and one of 509 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 1: those people um is my good friend and trainer Derek Billips. 510 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 1: He is amazing, He's awesome. You guys need to follow him. 511 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: You can follow him on Instagram at at body by Billups, 512 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: and then you can follow his company his fitness company 513 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:41,920 Speaker 1: at City Fit Concierge, and he actually does a free 514 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: workout on Sundays. I think that's up and running again. 515 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: So if you're interested in just like engaging in something 516 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: that's fun movement wise, or trying something new that's free, 517 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,119 Speaker 1: go follow his page and you'll see information on it 518 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: when he does it. But all not to say I 519 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,360 Speaker 1: want you guys to know that, like, there are ways 520 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,359 Speaker 1: and there there's a possibility for you to engage in 521 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 1: movement in a way that doesn't feel and shouldn't feel 522 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: like a punishment to you. Okay, So I want to 523 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:11,880 Speaker 1: also talk about some of the signs of exercise addiction 524 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 1: and what it looks like, because it doesn't always look 525 00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 1: like just my story and I didn't really give you 526 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 1: that many details, So let's just talk a little bit 527 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: more about exercise addiction in general. So, people with exercise 528 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,879 Speaker 1: addiction are driven by, like I said, the persistent compulsion 529 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:28,159 Speaker 1: to work out. These are people that are going to 530 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 1: feel unable to resist doing it, and this can actually 531 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: leave them to develop a tolerance and needing more, which 532 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: is why in my story it got worse and worse 533 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: and worse, and like I upped and I upped and 534 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: I upped it because you're gonna need more to get 535 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: that same desired physical or mental effects. And this is 536 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,479 Speaker 1: the same for any addiction. Right, So our tolerance changes 537 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,719 Speaker 1: and it it turns from just smoking weed every now 538 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: and then to smoking every day, to doing different drugs, 539 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: doing more drugs, to doing you know what I mean. 540 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: And so this is for me, It went from the elliptical, 541 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: to running into this, to running marathons, to work you 542 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,639 Speaker 1: out four times a day like, that's what it turned into. 543 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 1: And these people also can't cut back if they try, 544 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: they can't cut back. It's they fail. And when exercise 545 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:13,400 Speaker 1: addiction comes into play, a person's exercise regimen, their schedule 546 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 1: has negative consequences that they overlook or they rationalize. I 547 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: did a lot of overlooking and then later rationalize them. 548 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: This means that something that was once helpful is now 549 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 1: harming them, but they ignore it or they justify it. 550 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,239 Speaker 1: And the largest indicator of exercise becoming an addiction is 551 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: your inability to stop or reduce the amount that you're 552 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:35,360 Speaker 1: doing despite the fact that you're now experiencing negative consequences. 553 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 1: And then negative consequences can be anything. They can be physical, mental, social, 554 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: any of that. Exercise addiction will also interfere with normal 555 00:27:44,359 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 1: and essential functioning of your life. So this can be 556 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 1: their inability to perform basic responsibilities or I mean just 557 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 1: not being able to take care of their physical health. 558 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: So over exercise isn't taking care of your physical health. 559 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:00,040 Speaker 1: And if your exercise or movement either the time and 560 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,440 Speaker 1: you're spending doing it or the consequences of it, whether 561 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: it's injuries or fatigue, or drowsy, nous or irritability, those 562 00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,639 Speaker 1: all also will interfere in your ability to live a 563 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,480 Speaker 1: normal life and function and and and be social and 564 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:15,159 Speaker 1: go to work and do all the things. People that 565 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: struggle with this will also tend to lose a lot 566 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 1: of sleep, and not just because they can't sleep, it's 567 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: because they will get up at crazy hours to go 568 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: to the gym or go to the gym super late. 569 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,399 Speaker 1: You'll also alienate friends and family because, like I said 570 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: in my story, social events are less important than your movement, 571 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,200 Speaker 1: and you'll end up doing things like limit your vacations 572 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 1: or limit your vacations to certain places where you will 573 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: be guaranteed the ability to work out. These people also 574 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: cannot take days off or they work out even when 575 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: they're sick or injured. And if you do take a 576 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: day off, missing a workout will make you more irritable 577 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: or anxious or depressed. A lot of times, when we're 578 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:57,080 Speaker 1: working with an exercise addiction, the people with that believe 579 00:28:57,200 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 1: that expers is the only thing that can help them. 580 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: And this is a big one because exercise is allowed 581 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: to be a stress reliever in a coping mechanism, because 582 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: I did give you all those reasons why it's helpful, 583 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 1: but it can't be the only thing you do. When 584 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 1: your mood or happiness is solely dictated by the outcome 585 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: of the ability to work out, or how your workout went, 586 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: or how your body looks at day, or how fit 587 00:29:21,200 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: you are, how fast you ran, when that it becomes 588 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: your source of true happiness, and that's what makes you 589 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: feel good. It's the only thing that's an issue because 590 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 1: like I said, exercise needs to be fun. It shouldn't 591 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: be viewed as a chore or I have to do thing. 592 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: It's something that you shouldn't be doing if if you 593 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:39,440 Speaker 1: don't want to do it, or if you don't feel 594 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:41,520 Speaker 1: up to it, you can take a day off. And 595 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: with all of these and there's there's more. I could 596 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:48,280 Speaker 1: talk about the signs for hours, but it's really important 597 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: also for me to say that all of these things 598 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: don't necessarily mean somebody is addicted to exercise. These are 599 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: just examples of things that do happen and what it 600 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,680 Speaker 1: can look like. So it can be an indicator that 601 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: a problem exists. So if you see this in someone 602 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: or you see this in yourself. This is just something 603 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: that I would really encourage you to check in about 604 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 1: and then what right, So then what do we do? 605 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: How do we heal from this? How did I heal 606 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: from this? And well, it's a little more complicated than 607 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: something I can just tell you over a podcast. But 608 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: I truly believe that the opposite of addiction is connection, 609 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: and our addictive patterns push us towards escaping the realness 610 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 1: of life because we're missing something truly valuable. We're missing 611 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: caring and loving relationships with ourselves, God and other people. 612 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: So if you're asking what the cure for exercise addiction is, 613 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: I can't a hundred percent tell you that, But I 614 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: believe a big part of it is being in your 615 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,960 Speaker 1: life because when we allow ourselves to be seen and 616 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 1: heard within healthy communities, when we allow ourselves to experience 617 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: love and belonging even in the messiness of our imperfections, 618 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: when we become open to this, we can see the truth, 619 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: the truth about life and who are and we can 620 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: see that we don't need to run or hide from 621 00:31:02,600 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 1: the parts of life that feel out of control or scary. 622 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: We just might need help being held in those parts 623 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 1: held by relationships and when we have a system in 624 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,400 Speaker 1: place that allows us to connect with the world ourselves 625 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:18,880 Speaker 1: and God, you won't want to run away or skip 626 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: that party. You'll probably want to be there fully present. 627 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:26,240 Speaker 1: So that kind of wraps up today's episode. And I 628 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 1: know we kind of went all over the place. We 629 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:30,960 Speaker 1: talked about what an experis, addiction is, why it's harmful, 630 00:31:31,040 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 1: and why exper is helpful, and and my hope is 631 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: that we can all work on creating healthier relationships with movement. 632 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: My hope is that by having conversations like this, we 633 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: are open up to the idea that movement shouldn't be 634 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: a punishment. It doesn't have to be, and if it is, 635 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 1: that's a red flag. So as always, I love you guys, 636 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 1: thanks for tuning in. If you have any questions against 637 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: send them to me, Send them to Catherine at You 638 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:00,600 Speaker 1: Need Therapy podcast dot com, and I will do my 639 00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 1: very best to try to answer them on a couch 640 00:32:03,360 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: Talk episode. If I am able to answer the question 641 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 1: that you have, again, follow me at cat dot de 642 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: fata and at You Need Therapy Podcast, and also keep 643 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:16,720 Speaker 1: on sending in those ratings. Guys. I love every time 644 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: when I see that there's a new one. I really 645 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:20,719 Speaker 1: appreciate it. So if you can score to the bottom 646 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: and give us a rating in a review and follow 647 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: the podcast, because that means a lot to us as well. 648 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:27,440 Speaker 1: So I hope you have the day you need to 649 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:30,240 Speaker 1: have and um the movement you need to have for 650 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:32,480 Speaker 1: the movement you don't need to have today, And I 651 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:33,960 Speaker 1: will talk to you guys on Wednesday.