Movement as Medicine — Reclaiming Your Body Through Adaptive Training
Movement used to be punishment. Now it’s my anchor.
Movement used to be punishment. Now it’s my anchor.
As someone living with chronic illness, I’ve had to rebuild my relationship with my body from the ground up. Not just physically, but emotionally. Because when you hurt every day, the last thing you want to do is move. The very last thing. But movement isn’t the enemy — toxic fitness culture is. One of my favorite things to remind my clients is: your body doesn’t know where the movement happened. Whether you went to the gym, did a stretch session at home, pulled weeds, walked the dog — it all counts. Your nervous system doesn’t care if it was a "workout" — it just knows you moved. Toxic fitness culture spots the difference. Your body doesn’t. And that’s why I prefer calling it movement instead of exercise. If all you did today was get out of bed — that’s movement. If you happen to hit the gym later — that’s just a bonus.
From Swole to Adaptive
I used to train like a freak — I loved weightlifting. Chasing PRs, slamming pre-workout, pushing my limits just to see how far I could go. That intensity lit me up. But when chronic illness entered the chat, all of it came crashing down. I grieved. Hard. For the body I had, the goals I lost, and the version of me I thought I was supposed to be. It took a lot of trial and error to learn how to love movement again. How to even want to go to the gym again. So I started experimenting. Moving slower. Breathing deeper. Lifting differently. Stretching with intention. Doing it all with intention. And most importantly — listening instead of overriding.
That’s when everything changed.
What Adaptive Training Really Means
Simply put, it means:
Meeting your body where it is, not where you wish it was
Modifying without shame
Creating strength on your terms, not Instagram's
Choosing breath over burnout
It means honoring your energy and capacity each day, and knowing rest is part of the process.
3 Things I Teach All My Clients:
Progress isn’t linear — and that’s OKAY
Your body is not a problem to solve — it’s not broken, defective, or less worthy. It’s navigating survival in a world that wasn’t built for it.
Movement is a celebration, not a punishment
How to Start Moving With Compassion
Try my Low Spoon Flare Day Routine — it’s designed to meet you exactly where you are, no pressure or high performance required.
Incorporate breathwork throughout your day. I recommend Box Breathing — one of my go-to techniques (you’ll find it in my Mini Routine Workbook).
Take movement breaks, not just structured workouts. Movement is cumulative — every little bit counts.
Track how movement makes you feel, not just what you did. Reflecting on your body’s response is more valuable than checking boxes.
Pro tip: I recommend the Wave app — it’s a great tool for connecting the dots between symptoms, energy, and routines.
Need help moving again? My premade guides and personalized programs are built for your body, not someone else's.
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