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Independence matters. But so does connection. This week I shared a short video on Instagram (and Youtube) about how movement changes when we share it with someone else.  Watch it here: https://youtube.com/shorts/cq99k9CvKEs?feature=share When we move in community, we build more than strength. We build accountability. Confidence. Momentum. And that’s exactly what happens inside Mindful Movement. Let me be clear about what it is — and what it isn’t. Mindful Movement isn’t another workout. It’s not a high-energy fitness class. And it’s not just sitting still in meditation. It’s a 30-minute reset for body and mind. Each session gently blends: Mindful breathing Subtle, accessible movement Guided reflection The goal isn’t performance. It’s presence. You can practice from a chair, a couch, a mat — even lying down. You can close your eyes and wear your pyjamas the entire time if you want. This is about reconnecting your body, breath, and mind. Over time, you’ll notice: Less stiffness and tension Greater ease in how you move A calmer, more centered start (or end) to your day A consistent, nurturing routine that fits real life Live sessions happen weekly — and if you can’t attend, you have access to a growing library of recordings (over 70!). And you do it inside a supportive community — not alone. That’s why, for Valentine’s week, I’m offering: Buy One, Bring One Free Join Mindful Movement and invite someone to experience this reset with you. Because calm builds confidence. And connection builds consistency. This BOGO offer is available through Valentine’s Day only. If your body has been asking for attention… if your mind has been craving stillness… if your heart has been waiting for permission to slow down… This is that moment. Let’s return to calm — together. With care, Lisa P.S. If you’ve ever felt like traditional fitness is too intense, or meditation alone feels incomplete, Mindful Movement bridges the two. It’s structured enough to feel guided, gentle enough to feel safe, and simple enough to sustain. 
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GLP-1s (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) are being talked about everywhere right now — often as a way to speed up results. If you’re like me, you may be noticing more and more conversations about GLP-1s in your media feed, your social circles, and even major advertising campaigns. These medications—originally developed for diabetes and metabolic health—are now part of mainstream culture. And lately, they’re being framed less as a medical treatment and more as a strategy. A shortcut. A tool. A fitness “accelerator.” That framing caught my attention. So I slowed things down and took a closer look at the research, specifically asking: What role does exercise actually play when someone is using GLP-1 therapy? What I found was both reassuring and clarifying. GLP-1 medications are highly effective at reducing appetite and supporting weight loss. In many cases, they outperform lifestyle interventions alone—at least in the short term. But weight loss isn’t the same as physical fitness. GLP-1s are not designed to build muscle, improve strength, increase cardiovascular capacity, or enhance movement quality. They influence appetite and metabolism—not physical function. This is where exercise becomes essential. When weight is lost, some muscle loss almost always follows. Muscle is not just about aesthetics—it’s what allows us to move with confidence, maintain balance, protect joints, and stay independent over time. Strength-focused exercise gives the body a reason to preserve muscle during weight loss. It also plays a critical role in long-term maintenance, especially when GLP-1 therapy is adjusted or discontinued. The research consistently shows that people who include regular movement—particularly resistance training—tend to maintain their results more successfully over time. GLP-1s may help open the door. Exercise helps you stay there. And this is where I think we need to pause and reframe the conversation. A more helpful question might be: How do we support the body while it’s changing? The issue isn’t the medication itself. It’s how it’s framed. GLP-1s become hype when they’re positioned as a replacement for movement or a guarantee of long-term success. Rapid weight loss without attention to strength, recovery, and fuelling can actually undermine function rather than enhance it. Exercise does something medication can’t. It builds capacity. It supports confidence. It helps people trust their bodies again—especially during periods of change. That’s why muscle health matters so much in this conversation.  If you or someone you know is navigating GLP-1 therapy and want support that prioritizes strength, function, and long-term health, Movement Momentum is my 1:1 program where we focus on preserving muscle, supporting strength, and adapting exercise to your body—right where it is today. We work with the body, not against it. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa PS: GLP-1 medications change appetite. Exercise protects muscle. Both matter—but they do different jobs. One morning, the right ankle began to hurt.
It wasn’t dramatic. It hadn’t been an issue for quite some time. And there was no clear explanation for why it suddenly decided to speak up. Nothing obvious had happened the day before. No misstep. No injury that stood out. And yet, there it was—a familiar signal radiating through the ankle, carrying a message that felt both subtle and insistent. The sensation wasn’t new. Years ago—many years ago—this same ankle had shared something similar. The quality of the pain was recognizable. The essence of it was the same. But this time, there was something different. Something deeper. The muscles along the outside of the ankle felt involved, as though they were trying to do a job that wasn’t entirely theirs. Imaging followed. X-rays. Bone scans. Ultrasounds. Eventually, it was confirmed: a soft tissue injury. A tear in the tendon. How long it had been there wasn’t clear. What became clearer, though, was that this wasn’t the full story. There was more. The ankle lacked support—not because of weakness or lack of effort, but because a ligament was no longer doing its job. In fact, it was completely torn. The structure that once held the lower leg bone securely to the ankle bone was no longer present in the way it was designed to be. The joint itself had changed. And the foot was doing what bodies do best when something is off—it was sending signals. Looking back, there had been clues. Multiple falls over the past 18 months. A sense of instability that didn’t fully register as a structural issue at the time. Those moments didn’t immediately translate into understanding. It took time for the message to become clear. This ankle had been injured before—back in the early 2000s—and it had healed. Life went on. Movement returned to normal. But this was different. Even after months of doing “all the right things,” the pain lingered. Eventually, it became clear: this joint would not return to the way it once was. And that realization brought something unexpected—not fear, but clarity. What mattered most wasn’t the diagnosis itself. It was learning how to listen. To notice what my ankle was sharing in real time:
The right hip is tight. The right low back is holding tension. One kinetic chain. One conversation. This is a skill that can be cultivated: learning to hear the whispers so we don’t have to listen to the screams. And while I don’t always get it right—there was a time with my ankle when I couldn’t walk, and I didn’t listen—this practice of awareness is exactly what I teach my clients. Whether in one-on-one Movement Momentum sessions or in Movement Rx, the work is the same: learning to tune into sensation, recognize what matters, and build confidence from that knowing. So am I worried about my right ankle? Not really. Because I’m listening now. Are you ready to listen to what your body is telling you? Join me in Movement Rx starting February 3. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. Movement Rx is capped at 12 people. If you’ve been considering it, now is the time to join. This week, I had the pleasure of teaching one of my live Move Smart, Feel Better signature webinars, where we explored something many of us live with every day — pain — and more importantly, how to understand it differently so it no longer runs the show. Pain isn’t just something to “push through” or shut down. It’s information. A signal. And when we learn how to listen to it — instead of reacting to it — things begin to shift. In the webinar, I shared three key ways to better understand and reduce pain, without overwhelm or complicated strategies: 1. Learn your pain’s language 🗣️ Pain isn’t one single experience. Sharp. Dull. Tight. Throbbing. Burning. Heavy. When we only say “it hurts,” we miss valuable information. Expanding the language around how pain feels is often the first step toward changing our relationship with it. 2. Notice patterns, not just flare-ups 📊 Pain rarely comes out of nowhere. It follows patterns — showing up during certain activities, times of day, or life stresses. When we zoom out and see the bigger picture, we can begin to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting automatically. 3. Understand what’s influencing your pain 🔑 Movement load, mental load, emotional load — they all matter. Pain is shaped not just by what you do, but by how much you’re carrying and how your nervous system interprets it all. I didn’t share everything in the replay — on purpose 😉 Because the real power is in seeing these ideas applied, and in recognizing yourself somewhere in the process. 🎥You can watch the full webinar replay here: https://www.lisaworkman.com/movementrx If this way of approaching pain resonates with you, I’d love to invite you to take the next step. Movement Rx begins Tuesday February 3rd, 2026. This program is where we slow things down, get curious, and apply these concepts in a supportive, guided way — so you’re not left trying to figure it all out on your own. If pain has been keeping you stuck, this is your invitation to move forward — more informed, more confident, and more connected to your body. As always, I’m so glad you’re here. Be well and happy moving, Lisa P.S., The sooner you join Movement Rx, the sooner you start! Don’t miss your chance to access the bonus weeks on Tuesday January 20th and Tuesday January 27th at 9:00 a.m. MST—available only if you register now! One more thing...watch this too... A New Way to Look At Making Changes That Stick  This YouTube Short is worth the watch. Take a look →
Have you ever felt pain that just wouldn’t go away, no matter what you tried? It could be after getting out of bed, lifting a bag of groceries, or even just sitting at your desk. You stretch, rest, maybe push through… and yet, the discomfort lingers. Frustrating, isn’t it? In my work with one-on-one clients, I see this happen time and time again. We start thinking the problem is here… but the body has a funny way of surprising us.
Here’s the thing: pain isn’t always about “doing more” or “pushing harder.” Often, it’s your body sending signals and subtle clues that tell a story about what’s really going on beneath the surface. Next week, I’m hosting a live webinar to help you decode these signals and get ahead of pain, not just react to it.  We’ll explore:
There will be interactive activities and even a few prizes to make it fun—and you’ll walk away with practical steps you can start using immediately. Reserve your spot now and gain the tools to start moving smarter, feeling better, and taking control of your pain. Can’t make it live? Sign up anyway and get the replay! Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Thanks to Katrina for joining us in the last post — wasn’t the conversation and her guide intriguing? It sparked so many thoughtful reflections, and I wanted to share something related with you today. The start of a new year often brings renewed motivation. You may feel ready—again—to move more, feel stronger, and reconnect with your body. But for many people, January also brings frustration especially if you’ve started before, stopped, and wondered why things never seem to go the way you hoped. I see this often in my work. One client would begin a movement routine feeling optimistic. For a few weeks, things felt manageable. Sometimes even good. Then something would change and pain would flare, energy would dip, or life would simply get busy. Progress didn’t look the way they expected. Frustration followed quickly: “I must be doing this wrong.” “Other people don’t struggle like this.” “Maybe my body just can’t do this anymore.” And so, they stopped. Months later—often around the New Year—they would start again. The cycle repeated, not because of a lack of motivation, but because they believed that if movement didn’t feel better quickly, something must be wrong with them. What stood out wasn’t failure, it was belief. At one point, the client said, “I think it’s safer to want things to be better than to try and be disappointed again.” That insight changed everything. We stopped treating each pause as failure and started seeing it as information. Instead of asking, “Why can’t I stick with this?” we asked, “What does my body need right now?” Movement became smaller. Expectations softened. Some days it was gentle stretching in bed. Other days it was a short walk or light strength work with plenty of rest. The stops didn’t disappear but the frustration did. If this new year finds you tired of starting over, let me offer this reminder: It is never too late. And it never has to look the way it once did. Your best life isn’t built on perfection or consistency without interruption. It’s built on your willingness to return—again and again. If this resonates, I’d love to invite you to join me for my upcoming webinar on January 13: Move Smart, Feel Better Webinar: The Three Keys to Understanding and Reducing Your Pain In this webinar, we’ll explore why pain can linger even when you’re “doing all the right things,” and how common beliefs about movement and pain can quietly keep you stuck. I’ll walk you through three key shifts that can help you better understand what your body is communicating—and how to respond in a way that feels supportive, not overwhelming. This isn’t about pushing through discomfort or forcing change. It’s about learning how to move with more confidence, clarity, and trust in your body—especially if pain has made you hesitant to begin again. This year, perhaps the resolution isn’t to never stop—but to begin again with kindness. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa I’m so happy to welcome Katrina Readman, Registered Dietitian and the expert behind The Food Relationship Solution, to our blog community today! Katrina supports women who feel stuck in a stressful or toxic relationship with food—helping them stop overeating and find peace with food without rules, restriction, or deprivation. She’ll also be hosting an upcoming webinar titled The Food Relationship Masterclass: 3 Simple Strategies To Stop Overeating and Stressing Over Food & Your Body, Without Any Rules or Restrictions on Monday January 12, 2026 at 7pm MT, and as a heartfelt thank-you for this collaboration, she’s sharing her Food Relationship Reset Guide with you today. Yay! “How do I stop obsessing over every single thing I eat? It's exhausting. I want to be able to eat food and feel good”. The women I work with in my practice have been yo-yoing for the last decade and struggle with their relationship to food. They're consumed by it. And don't want to be but they don't know how to break the cycle. It's like that voice in their head won't stop. They can’t stop calculating every single thing they eat in the day to know how long they need to spend at the gym so they can be in a smaller body and like the way they look. They’re constantly wondering if they should or shouldn’t eat because it’s past 8pm and they can't understand why they are still hungry. And when they mess up with their eating, they run to the scale to see how much damage was done. They can’t live their life because they're constantly stressing about food and their body. I get it. I experienced the same thing until I figured out how to break the cycle and reset my relationship with food and my body. It wasn't a quick fix, been there, done that. But I did discover that there are 3 strategies that help with resetting your relationship to food and your body. Because having a good relationship with food and your body isn't about getting more willpower or more control, it's the opposite actually. I know that sounds counterintuitive to what you've been doing. That's why I put these strategies into a brand new guide and am giving it to you for free. It’s called, 3 Simple Strategies To Reset Your Relationship To Food & Your Body. If you’re struggling in your relationship with food I’d love to give you access. Because I want you to experience how having a nourishing relationship with food can change your life. Go here to access it >>> https://pages.nutritionwithkatrina.ca/free-guide-1 A big thank-you to Katrina for sharing her work and this generous resource with our community. I loved collaborating on this and how aligned our approaches are—moving away from guilt, pressure, and rigid “shoulds,” and toward trust, awareness, and self-compassion. If this topic resonated with you, be sure to explore Katrina’s work and watch for more details about her upcoming webinar. And this coming Wednesday, I’ll be sharing my own perspective and reflections on this topic—especially how it connects to New Year’s resolutions and the way we choose to move forward. Stay tuned! Be well and happy moving, Lisa This week — the space between Christmas and New Year’s — often feels a little strange. The rush has slowed. The calendar is quieter. And yet, there’s a hum of what’s next in the background. New plans. Fresh goals. A sense that something should change. Before you jump ahead, I’d like to offer a simple but powerful reminder: You can’t plan where you’re going if you don’t know where you are. And I don’t mean where you wish you were. Or where you used to be. Or where you think you should be. I mean where your body is right now. A December Gift, as the Month Comes to a Close Throughout December, I’ve been sharing small, meaningful gifts such as simple practices, reflections, and tools to support you during a busy and often demanding season. As we close this month of giving, I want to share one more — and it’s one of my favourites. Not because it’s flashy or complicated, but because it brings clarity. And clarity is something we rarely gift ourselves. This Isn’t About Judgment — It’s About Clarity When it comes to physical activity, many people head into the New Year with motivation but very little information. We set goals without understanding our current capacity, habits, or barriers. Then we wonder why those plans fade by February. Clarity changes that. Being honest about your current physical activity level isn’t about criticism or guilt. It’s about giving yourself a realistic starting point — one that respects your life, your energy, and your body as it is today. Because meaningful change doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from starting smarter. Why This Week Is the Perfect TimeThis in-between week isn’t ideal for big overhauls. But it is perfect for noticing.
Often, people don’t struggle because they lack motivation. They struggle because they don’t yet see the full picture. Sometimes we don’t even know what we could be doing until we slow down long enough to look. A Simple First Step (No Workouts Required) That’s exactly why I created my Physical Activity Assessment. This is my final December gift to you. It’s not a fitness test. It’s not about performance. And it won’t tell you what you “should” be doing. Instead, it helps you:
Think of it as a baseline — a place to stand before you take your next step. If You Want Your Plans to Have Meaning…This is a gentle, grounded place to begin. I’m sharing this a little early so you can approach the New Year prepared, not pressured. Take the Physical Activity Assessment here. No rush. No judgment. Just honest information and a clearer path forward. Because awareness isn’t the end goal. It’s the beginning. Be well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. Our next Move Smart, Feel Better webinar is just around the corner. Will you join me on January 13? Studio members attend free, and if you’re not yet part of The MedFit Movement Studio, you can join at no cost — giving you a complimentary seat at the webinar and access to the growing library of supportive resources inside the Studio. As the calendar inches closer to the heart of the festive season, routines soften, schedules stretch, and attention gets pulled in many directions. There’s a saying you may have heard before: where attention goes, energy flows. And this time of year, our attention often goes outward—toward gatherings, preparation, travel, and making sure everyone else is taken care of. What can quietly slip through the cracks is you. Your body. Your breath. Your inner signals. And yet, your body is always communicating—sometimes gently, sometimes insistently—hoping you’ll notice. For today’s December gift, I’m offering you something simple and supportive: a five-minute guided body scan. Nothing elaborate. No equipment. Just five minutes to pause and tune in. If you’re not regularly bringing awareness to your body, you may not realize how much it’s asking for your attention. A body scan helps you notice sensation without judgment—tightness, ease, warmth, fatigue—whatever is present. And in doing so, something surprising often happens: the nervous system begins to soften, and relaxation follows naturally. The days ahead may feel fuller than usual. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, both, or simply navigating the end-of-year swirl, this is a moment where self-connection matters more than ever. Think of this five minutes as a symbolic pause—an intentional check-in with yourself. One that you can return to over the coming days or even carry with you into the new year. Not a “practice.” More like a personal ritual of listening. This short guided body scan is my invitation for you to reconnect—to notice how you’re really feeling, and to let that awareness guide what you need during this busy close to 2025 and gentle entry into 2026. You might be surprised by how powerful five quiet minutes can be. Try the 5-minute body scan here. This is your time. A small, meaningful gift—just for you. Be well and Happy Holidays, Lisa December has a way of changing how we move. The ground feels different under our feet. Sidewalks get icy. Snow piles up where we least expect it. And suddenly, something we don’t usually think much about—our ankles—becomes very important. This time of year, I notice two things happening:
Not something fancy. Not something time-consuming. Just a simple way to reconnect with your ankles and support how you walk during this winter season. Why the Ankles Matter (Especially Right Now)Your ankles are constantly adapting—helping you balance, adjust to uneven surfaces, and respond when the ground surprises you (hello, black ice). But here’s the thing: When we lose awareness or mobility around the ankle, the rest of the body has to compensate. That’s when slips feel scarier, steps feel uncertain, and confidence drops. A little attention goes a long way. A Simple At-Home Trick (All You Need Is a Tennis Ball)I just released a new Real Moves for Real Life YouTube video where I walk you through a very simple technique using… a tennis ball. That’s it. In the video, I guide you through:
It’s about waking up the system—especially the parts that help keep you steady when the ground is cold, icy, and unpredictable. Many people are surprised by how much lighter or more connected their ankle feels afterward. Think of This as Seasonal Self-CareJust like we bundle up with scarves and boots, our movement needs a little extra care this time of year too. Consider this:
Watch the YouTube video now and try it out at home. (You don’t need to do it perfectly—just do it with curiosity.) This ankle awareness work is similar in spirit to what I’ll be exploring more deeply in my upcoming Move Smart, Feel Better webinar on Tuesday, January 13 at 9:00 am MST. In that live session we’ll uncover the three keys to understanding and reducing persistent pain — so you can move with greater confidence, clarity, and ease in your body. You’ll learn how to: Decode what your body’s signals really mean — so pain isn’t a mystery anymore Spot patterns that may be contributing to flare-ups Make simple movement adjustments that actually help you feel better Gain tools that support smarter movement (not harder movement) … and walk into 2026 feeling more confident and grounded in your body. I designed this webinar especially for people who are tired of guessing, tired of confusion, and ready to move with intention — whether it’s navigating icy sidewalks or everyday life with less fear. Save your spot here: https://www.lisaworkman.com/webinars.html Investment: $19.97 CAD (low-cost, high-impact support); Complimentary for members of The MedFit Movement Studio (join today!) It’s a perfect next step if you enjoyed today’s Real Move — and a way to give your movement even more meaning in the New Year. Take good care of your ankles… they’re carrying you through a lot right now. Be well and happy moving, Lisa |
Letters From LisaMissed my most recent newsletter? Don't worry, I've got your back. Find all my exclusive letters here on this blog. ~Lisa Archives
February 2026
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