How to Fall in Love with Exercise & Your Body Part 2: Get Real

OK, so in Part 1 we got back to basics. We've ditched the scales, we're tuning into our bodies and we're creating an intention to care for ourselves. Brilliant. Today we are going to break it down and get real girlfriend (or boyfriend - lads have body gripes too, I know).

I'll be honest with you. I used to complain about my body constantly. What I hated, what I wanted to change and how I was going to do it. I'd write up unrealistic detox plans and crazy exercise schedules with the of aim losing some silly amount of weight from places my body just isn't designed to lose weight from.

But of course these schemes don't work. I was being completely unrealistic about what my body was capable of, my limitations, my potential, my needs and desires. I'd usually become annoyed that the scales hadn't changed and I'd give up. Or if they had changed, I was generally so exhausted from living off carrot sticks and green tea and living part-time at the gym, that I'd burn out and binge and the cycle would repeat once more.

Do you relate to this? If so, it's time to get real sweetheart.

I want you to get ultra honest with yourself as you read through this post. Where do you deny yourself your birth right to really dig yo' fine self, love your body, exercise from a place of love and feel really, really good?

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Accept your Body

So I'm female. Holy shit. And you know what that means? I have boobs, hips and a bum. And I don't have rock hard abs, nor will I most likely ever have, no matter how many pilates classes I do.My legs are shorter than Miranda Kerr's and I have a funny shoulder so there's some yoga poses I find really difficult. You might find them easy. And no matter how many kms I clock up, I'm never going to be size 6. News flash right there sister. It's about accepting your body for what it is.

It's also about accepting what you really enjoy and what you don't. I find swimming laps to be the most mundane thing on planet earth, so I don't do it. I'm also terrible at team sports, so I just don't go there either. However, I love yoga and running, but they might bore the bejeezus out of you! See what I'm getting at?

Become aware and curious and explore your body. See what it can do. Accept what it won't. Yours is like no one else's, so don't compare. Just accept yours for the banging' beautiful bod that it is. Which will mean that you choose to exercise in ways that YOUR body thrives in. Which will be a good thing. A very, very good thing.

Repeat after me. I accept the potential as well as the limitations within my body. I exercise in ways that make my body sing.

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If it hurts, STOP

Sounds simple, but I had to learn this one the hard way. Let me tell you a story. Last year I decided I wanted to run a half marathon. I was training hard. Running every other day, with strength work at the gym, boot camp, sprints and intense sessions of bikram yoga thrown in to 'balance it out'.

It didn't take long before I started developing serious shin splints, niggly knees and a persistent cold that wouldn't go away. I was racking up a giant bill at the osteopath and limping around my apartment. It had stopped being fun. I was following my training schedule to the tee but completely ignoring what my body was trying to tell me; slow down baby.

One morning I woke up feeling really sick and tired but went out for my run anyway, even though my mind was urging me to stay in bed. Remember what I told you in Part 1 about listening to your body? Well I didn't. And I tripped and fell HARD on my knees.Not only was it totally embarrassing (naturally I landed right in front of a bunch of construction workers), but I destroyed my brand new skins and my knees and hands were bruised, bloody and sore for weeks.

I wouldn't listen to my body and back off, so it forced me to stop. Which I did. I didn't run the half marathon and even now, 8 months later, my knees still feel niggly after about 5km. So I stop. And walk. Injuries are not fun. Listen. Learn. Love.

Repeat after me. No pain no gain need not apply. If it hurts, I stop.

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How does it make you feel?

How does exercise make you FEEL? Energised, healthy, happy, calm, exhilarated, present and amazing or do you feel exhausted, sore, irritated, burnt out and sluggish?

I'm channelling the insatiable Danielle La Porte on this one and I want you to look at the bigger picture; how do you want to feel in your life? What are the feelings that YOU want to incorporate into YOUR life?

My core desired feelings are open, organic, radiant, sovereign, free and love. Everyday I try to do something that makes me feel some or all of these feelings and I find exercise is such an easy way to incorporate these desired feelings into my life on a daily basis.

For example, I like exercising on my own, which helps me feel sovereign and independent. I feel open and organic when I practice yoga. Running evokes freedom. When I used to dance, I'd feel radiant and loved. Note to self: Do more dancing.

Maybe you like to feel strong, so the gym works for you. Maybe you like to feel like you belong, so the community at netball helps. Your morning walk in nature allows you to to feel inspired. Cycling to and from work helps you to find clarity. Or maybe you like to feel challenged, so SUP boarding and rock climbing really turns you on.

Really zone in on this. Establish your core desired feelings and experiment with different types of exercise to really get your body humming with love.

Repeat after me. Exercise makes me feel GOOD.

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I challenge you to get really honest with yourself. Take some time to really accept your physical being for what it is, which includes your limitations and potential. Stop when it hurts. And contemplate how it is you really want to feel in your life, then channel that into your exercise regime.Next we finish up the series with Part 3: BE AMAZED where I'm talking about exercising for creativity, mental clarity and physical potential.Let me know in the comments below which one of these ideas you are going to try this week and if you think someone else might enjoy this post, please share it around!