How Joyful Movement Can Improve Your Body Image

I can remember when exercise became shame-riddled. I was twelve years old, beginning to see myself through other people’s eyes. As pubescent hormones coursed through my body, I began comparing myself to other girls and women. Suddenly how I looked mattered, A LOT. The fact that it took me until age twelve to begin noticing our body obsessed culture was a gift. Yup…I see this as a positive because so many people begin the tortured experience of comparison and body-obsession even younger. With fat phobia everywhere, so many folks experience bullying about their bodies so young. In a world saturated with filtered selfies, fitness influencers, and diet trends, it’s easy to fall into the trap of negative body image earlier and earlier in our lives. I understand this trap. I still fall into it, decades after overcoming an eating disorder that was the result of trying to squeeze myself into rigid social standards. 

I say all of this as someone with a socially acceptable body. I have to own my position of privilege in this discussion. I do not have a large body but I see how people with large bodies are treated (again, we need to confront fat phobia). It’s horrific. I am tried of living in that world. I am tried of living in a world that shames and blames the body. I want to live in a world the celebrates ALL bodies. I want to see my family members, friends, and clients thrive in an inclusive, body-ecstatic world. How do we create this world? There are many perspectives and ideas required; one of mine is that we need to reclaim movement. 

What if I told you that movement can be healing, empowering, and even fun? That it can help improve your body image not by changing how you look, but by changing how you feel about your body? Let’s talk about what it really means to move for pleasure—not shame and punishment—and how it can help you build a healthier, more compassionate relationship with your body.

How Exercise Got Tied to Shame

Many of us grew up hearing that we had to exercise to “make up” for what we ate, or to shrink our bodies into something more socially acceptable. From gym class weigh-ins to harmful fitness culture on social media, we learned to associate movement with guilt, shame, and control instead of health and self-love. This is fat phobia in action. 

This mindset does so much damage. It can:

• Increase mood issues, like anxiety and depression

• Lead to overexercising or movement avoidance

• Disconnect us from our body's signals and wisdom

• Contribute to disordered eating 

Movement Can Heal—If You Let It

When we shift our mindset away from guilt, shame, and punishment we can welcome pleasure, presence, and possibility; movement transforms into something we actually want to do—not something we force ourselves to do.

This is the heart of joyful movement: choosing activities that feel good, energize you, and allow you to appreciate what your body can do—not just how it looks. With this shift, you can tap into a profound resource that supports both physical and mental health, which are inextricably linked. Movement can be used to resource yourself in times of challenge by both managing stress AND helping shift your mood. 

What Moving for Joy Looks Like

Joyful movement is different for everyone. It doesn’t have to be high-intensity or “Instagram-worthy.” It just has to feel good in your body.

Here are a few examples:

• Taking a slow, mindful walk while listening to music or a podcast

• Dancing around your kitchen to your favorite song

• Doing yoga, stretching, or gentle movement in the morning

• Playing with your kids, your dog, or just playing—period

• Gardening, swimming, roller skating, or riding a bike

• Strength training because it makes you feel powerful—not because you “should”

There’s no right or wrong way to move joyfully. If it connects you to your body, brings you pleasure or energy, or simply makes you smile—it counts.

How Joyful Movement Supports Body Image

When you move for joy, you stop seeing your body as a project to fix. Our bodies are often consider “things” in diet culture. Joyful movement helps you understand your body is a living, vital process. It is very much alive. With this approach to the body, you start seeing it as a partner—something that works with you, not against you. Over time, this can:

• Build gratitude for your body’s abilities

• Increase body awareness, self trust, and self intimacy 

• Reduce shame and comparison

• Shift the focus from appearance to experience

Instead of asking “How do I look?” you begin to ask, “How do I feel?” And that’s a powerful shift.

Tips for Reclaiming Movement

Ready to redefine exercise for yourself? Consider starting here:

1. Reflect on Your Why
   Ask yourself: Am I moving to punish myself—or to care for myself?

2. Start Small
   You don’t need a 60-minute workout to make it count. Even 5 minutes of mindful movement or stretching is ideal. Small and consistent gets you a long way.

3. Ditch the Metrics
   Skip the scale, calorie trackers, and fitness apps—unless they genuinely help you feel good.

4. Honor Your Body’s Needs
   Some days, movement means rest. Listening to your body is part of joyful movement too.

5. Try Something New
   Explore different forms of movement until you find what sparks joy. That could be aerial yoga, swimming, or even hula hooping!

Resources to Support Joyful Movement

• Podcast: The Power in Motion Podcast – hosted by Kim Hagle, exploring body-positive fitness

• Book: The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal – explores the science and soul of physical activity

• YouTube: Yoga With Adriene – inclusive and mindful yoga for all levels

• App: Curvy Yoga Studio – body-positive yoga for all sizes and abilities

Final Thoughts

As someone who has worked with body image issues personally and professionally, I can tell you that shame, guilt, and punishment get people nowhere. If these psychological mechanisms were going to help you, they would have by now. It’s time to consider a new relationship with your body. That relationship begins by allowing yourself to move in ways that are nourishing, freeing, and joyful—right now, exactly as you are.

Exercise doesn’t have to be about transformation. Sometimes, it can just be about honoring your body, honoring you.

So ask yourself: What would it feel like to move your body today—not because you have to, but because you want to?