For decades, the fitness and diet industries have sold us a very specific, very narrow story of what exercise is supposed to be. We’re told it has to be grueling, that it has to happen in a gym for at least an hour, and—most damaging of all—that its primary purpose is to shrink our bodies.
As an Inclusive Weight Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Consultant, I see the consequences of this narrative every day. Many of us have a fraught relationship with physical activity. We think of it as a chore, a punishment for what we ate, or a mandatory transaction to earn rest — or food.
When movement is combined with weight loss and body manipulation, it loses its joy. And when we don’t meet the rigid, often unrealistic standards set by diet culture—we don’t exercise enough, hard enough, intensely enough—we end up feeling defeated, eventually giving up on exercise altogether.
(I often quote a former client who angrily told me one day that she did a 6-week bootcamp class and didn’t lose any weight, so she saw no reason to exercise anymore… at all.)
But what if we could rewrite this narrative? What if we could decouple physical activity from the pursuit of weight loss and instead embrace it movement as a tool for health, mental clarity and genuine well-being? We can, with the intuitive movement and its extremely accessible companion, exercise snacks.
What is Intuitive Movement?
Intuitive Movement is the physical counterpart of Intuitive Eating. It’s the practice of shifting your focus away from external rules—like tracking calories burned or completing a required number of steps—and turning your attention inward. It’s about listening to your body, understanding its signals, and responding with compassion and respect.
At its core, intuitive movement is rooted introspective awareness. Interface it is our ability to perceive physical sensations within the body. (I write this knowing that some people, whether due to neurodivergence or other reasons, have trouble perceiving their inner states.)
Food culture teaches us to ignore our internal cues—to push through pain, ignore fatigue, and silence our body’s requests for rest. The intuitive move asks us to do the exact opposite. It asks us to check in before, during and after physical activity.
- Before: “What does my body need today? Do I have pent-up energy that calls for an intense release, or am I physically tired and in need of gentle, restorative stretches?”
- During: “How does this activity feel on my joints and muscles? Am I pushing myself in a way that feels empowering…or am I crossing the line into energy depletion and pain?”
- After: “Do I feel energized and carefree or tired and irritable?”
When we remove the expectation of weight loss from the equation, we open ourselves up to a more inclusive definition of what “counts” as exercise. You begin to feel that the shock of vibration does not need to be suffered for the movement to be valid and beneficial. Amazing!
Enter “Gym Snack”
If you’re healing your relationship with your body, the idea of committing to a structured 60-minute workout can seem incredibly daunting or even overwhelming if it reminds you of past punishing workouts. This is where the “workout snack” can serve as a liberating tool.
Exercise snack It simply refers to breaking up your movement into short bursts throughout the day, rather than doing it all in one continuous session.
Research shows consistently that these micro-instances of activity—even just three to ten minutes at a time—accumulate over the course of a day to provide profound health benefits. Physiologically, short periods of movement help they regulate blood sugar, improve cardiovascular indicators, enhance circulationand reduce stiffness that comes from prolonged sitting.
From a psychological and emotional perspective, exercise snacking lowers the barrier to entry. Finding an hour to exercise can be difficult at best, but finding five minutes? This is usually possible. Even better, being intentional about sprinkling in some gym snacks in our days helps break the all-or-nothing mentality that plagues so many of us. (A mindset often represented by thinking, “If I can’t exercise for at least 30/45/60 minutes, then it’s not worth doing at all.”)
How to practice intuitive movement and practice snacking
Shifting from a rigid exercise mindset takes time and practice. Here’s how you can start incorporating intuitive exercise snacking into your life, prioritizing wellness over weight manipulation:
1. Broaden the definition of movement
Throw out the idea that movement only happens with exercise equipment. Many of our everyday, joyful activities are great forms of physical exercise. Have you ever spent an afternoon tending to a garden? This is the move and you probably weren’t wearing spandex.
Digging in the dirt, pulling weeds and carrying watering cans offers a variety of movement while allowing you to connect deeply with nature. Or maybe today’s movement looks like a spontaneous ten-minute dance party in the kitchen with your kids (or, hell, yourself) while dinner’s in the oven. Maybe it’s taking the dog for a slow, meandering walk after work or after dinner where you stop to smell the neighborhood flowers. All of these count and all of these support your health.
2. Create a “Motion Menu”
When you have a few minutes for an exercise snack, it helps to have options ready. Create a mental (or physical) menu of micro-movements categorized by how they feel.
- Potential: A brisk walk around the block, a few minutes of jumping jacks, dancing to two of your favorite upbeat songs, or going up and down the stairs a few times. I have a mini trampoline in my office that I like to use when I need a quick energy boost.
- Grounding / restoration: Gentle yoga, stretching your neck and shoulders at your desk, lying on the floor with your feet up the wall, or doing a few minutes of deep breathing.
3. Anchor your snacks to existing habits
To make fitness snacking seamless, try tying these micro-moves into habits you already do every day. This is known as stacking habit. For example, you could do a few calf raises while you brush your teeth, or take a five-minute stretch break every time you finish an important task.
4. Honor your rest
This is perhaps the most critical component of intuitive movement. Sometimes, the most beneficial thing you can do for your body is… nothing at all. If you check in with your body and feel deeply tired, choosing to rest on the sofa with a good book is a win. It’s a sign that you’re listening to and respecting your body’s limits. (I know from experience how difficult this can be if you’ve had a dysfunctional relationship with exercise… when I broke my ankle many years ago I cried bitter tears not so much because I broke a bone, but because I wouldn’t be able to exercise!)
Reclaiming your body
Choosing to exercise for health and wellness in a thinness-obsessed culture is an act of quiet rebellion. It is a statement that your body is not a project to be endlessly stabilized or mitigated, but an organ to be experienced and cared for.
Even if you’ve already practiced intuitive eating and are breaking away from diet culture, making the switch to exercise for wellness instead of weight can be weird and uncertain, especially if you’re not 100% sure WHY you have the urge to exercise and fear that there’s some hidden subconscious desire/belief that it will shrink your body.
But by listening to your body and embracing gym snacks, you can rebuild confidence with your body. You can discover the unique, joyful ways your body likes to move and experience the profound physical and mental benefits of being active—on your own terms, on your own time, and with total self-compassion.
Disclaimer: All information provided here is general in nature and provided for educational purposes only. This information should not be taken as medical or other health advice related to an individual’s specific health or medical condition. You agree that use of this information is at your own risk.
Hi, I’m Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, a weight that includes registered dietitian, nutritionist and body image consultant. I offer compassionate, personalized care to adolescent adults of all ages, shapes, sizes and genders who want to heal eating disorder, disordered eating or years of dietingthey cultivate an accepting, respectful relationship with their bodies and gain the freedom to live an authentic, meaningful life without obsessing over food.
Need 1-on-1 help with your nutrition, food or body image concerns? Learn how to get started. I am in network with Regence BCBS, FirstChoice Health, Providence of Oregon Health Plan and United Healthcare and can bill Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield insurance in many states. If I don’t get your insurance, I can help you claim compensation yourself. To learn more, explore our insurance and service areas page.
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