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Have you ever said… "My right knee is my bad knee." "My left shoulder is the problem." "My good hip is doing all the work." I hear comments like this all the time. And I understand what people mean. They're talking about the side that hurts. The side that feels stiff. The side they don't trust anymore. The side that doesn't seem to cooperate. And every time I hear someone describe their body this way, I find myself thinking the same thing: What if we're missing the point? Because while one side may be painful, weaker, or more limited than the other, our bodies don't operate as separate parts. They operate as a system. The "good" side doesn't stop communicating with the "bad" side. In fact, it may be helping more than we realize. Recently, I attended a presentation highlighting the updated American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on resistance training. One of the concepts discussed was something called cross-education. It's a fascinating idea. Researchers have found that when you strengthen one side of your body, the opposite side can become stronger too—even when it isn't being trained directly. Read that again. If your left leg is limited because of pain, strengthening your right leg may still provide benefits. If your right shoulder isn't functioning the way you'd like, training the left side may still help. The exact details are still being studied, but we know this isn't just a muscle story. It's a nervous system story. Your brain is paying attention. Your nervous system is learning. Your body is constantly sharing information from one side to the other. And honestly, I see versions of this every day. Someone comes in with a sore knee. We don't only look at the knee. Someone comes in with a painful shoulder. We don't only look at the shoulder. Someone comes in with hip arthritis. We don't only look at the hip. Because the body is always looking for ways to adapt. Always looking for ways to help itself. Always looking for opportunities to keep moving forward. So maybe we need to stop thinking about good sides and bad sides. Maybe we need to start thinking about helping sides and supported sides. Because sometimes the side that feels strongest is doing exactly what it can to help the side that needs it most. If this idea has you thinking differently about the side of your body that feels strongest, I have a practical resource for you. In this video, I share 9 isometric wall exercises designed to help build strength using your own body weight. Several of the exercises can be performed one side at a time, making them a useful option when one side of the body feels more capable, confident, or comfortable than the other. The goal isn't to ignore the side that hurts. It's to continue finding ways to move, build strength, and support your body where you can.
And I think there's something hopeful in that. Not because it means the painful side will instantly feel better. But because it reminds us that our bodies are remarkably connected. That even when one part is struggling, there may still be opportunities to build strength, confidence, and capacity elsewhere. Sometimes that's exactly where progress begins. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa
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 When you learn how to use the poles effectively, your entire walking pattern begins to change. People often notice improved stability, longer stride length, increased rhythm, and more confidence moving outdoors. Instead of simply walking through your environment, you begin interacting with it differently. And honestly, this fits beautifully with what we’re doing inside The MedFit Movement Studio this June. This month, our community is participating in 26 Ways to Move Through June — a movement challenge designed around small, approachable movement moments throughout the month. Many of the movement moments pair perfectly with Nordic walking: walking outdoors, exploring new routes, moving socially, connecting with nature, and building movement into everyday life in sustainable ways. Because movement doesn’t need to be dramatic to matter. One walk still counts. One movement moment still counts. One small step still counts. Edmonton Friends We still have a few spots available in the Nordic Walking workshop series beginning June 3. Not in Edmonton? You can still join us virtually inside the 26 Ways to Move Through June challenge through The MedFit Movement Studio. The challenge is flexible, supportive, and designed to help you build more movement into your everyday life — wherever you live. And if you’ve taken the Nordic walking workshop before and are thinking, “I should really start using my poles again…” — hit reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you. Every season invites a different kind of movement. Maybe this June is your season to step outside again. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. Nordic walking is even more fun with other people. If you have a friend who’s interested in joining but doesn’t own poles yet, I do have a limited number of loaner poles available for the workshop series This past week, a client sent me an email that absolutely made my day. She had just returned from the lake where a truckload of firewood needed unloading — 150 logs in total. But instead of simply powering through, she caught herself applying the movement strategies we’ve been practicing and discussing together. She hinged through her hips. Used her squat. Lifted and turned with intention. Paused every 10 logs to breathe and recheck her alignment before continuing again. And by the end? No pain. No medication. Just a great feeling of realizing her body could handle a demanding real-life task differently than before. Honestly, that deserves a standing ovation. Because that’s what I mean when I talk about Real Moves for Real Life. Movement practice isn’t only about exercises done perfectly during a class or program. It’s about building awareness, confidence, and capacity so your body can support you in everyday life — whether that’s unloading firewood, gardening, carrying groceries, getting up off the floor, or simply moving through your day with a little more ease. And truthfully? I’ve been thinking about this myself while cleaning up the flower beds at home lately. I keep catching myself practicing my own hip hinge while moving dirt, lifting pots, and bending toward the garden beds. These little movement moments matter. In fact, earlier this week on Instagram, I shared a short clip of me practicing my own hip hinge while cleaning out the flower beds at home. Not in a gym. Not in a perfect setup. Just real-life movement in real time. Because this is where movement patterns actually begin to matter; in the everyday tasks we repeat over and over again. If you saw the post, I hope it encouraged you to notice your own movement patterns a little differently this week, too. If you haven’t watched the “A Better Way to Bend Forward (Garden Edition)” video yet, you can still catch it. And speaking of movement moments… This June, I’m inviting our community to take part in something simple, approachable, and fun inside The MedFit Movement Studio: 26 Movement Moments The idea is simple: 26 ways to move during the month of June in celebration of the year 2026. No perfection required. No “all or nothing” mindset. Just opportunities to move your body in ways that support your life. Every movement counts. Some days might involve stretching. Some might involve walking. Some might involve gardening, dancing in the kitchen, practicing a squat, or taking a few mindful breaths before moving again. The official challenge launches May 26th inside The MedFit Movement Studio and will run from June 1-30. But because you’re part of this email community, I wanted to open the doors a little early and invite you to join us now with complimentary early access through the Move Now level of the Studio. This is a chance to explore the community, ease into the challenge, and start collecting your own movement moments before June even begins. And honestly? The firewood story above is exactly what this challenge is about. Not perfect movement in exercise machines. Not intense gym workouts. Real life. Real bodies. Real movement moments that slowly build confidence, awareness, and capacity over time. Sometimes the biggest changes don’t come from dramatic workouts or intense programs. Sometimes they begin with noticing: “Oh… my body handled that differently today.” And that matters. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you’ve had one of those “real life movement wins” lately — big or small — I’d genuinely love to hear about it. Those stories inspire me more than you know. Drop a comment below. The past three weeks have been a lot of fun. I was invited to teach at the Edmonton Lifelong Learners Association spring session at the University of Alberta, and some of you reading this today may have been in class with me there. If that’s you — I’m so glad you’re here now as part of this email community. I hope to continue sharing resources that support your physical activity, movement, exercise, and therapeutic yoga practices in ways that feel practical and sustainable for real life. Over the past few weeks in class, we spent quite a bit of time exploring hip hinging and bending strategies — not just for yoga, but for everyday movements too. And honestly, this feels like the perfect time to talk about it. Gardening season is coming. This week’s new Real Moves for Real Life video focuses on: A Better Way to Bend Forward. This isn’t really about posture. It’s about strategy. Many people get nervous about gardening season because they already know what tends to happen: They spend a few hours outside, and suddenly the back starts “talking back.” But bending itself is not the problem. What’s important is how the movement load is being distributed throughout the body. In this video, we explore a simple movement strategy called the hip hinge — helping the hips and pelvis contribute more effectively so the back doesn’t feel like it has to do all the work. We talk about:
And this applies to so much more than gardening: lifting groceries, loading laundry, reaching into cupboards, picking things up from the floor. These are movements we do every single day — often without thinking about them. So let’s take a different approach. Instead of trying to “fix” posture, we can become more aware of how we move and where the work is happening in the body. One small adjustment can sometimes make a surprisingly big difference. (And yes… Mr. Indiana Bones makes an appearance in this one too.) Watch the video here: And if this topic resonates with you, June has a few upcoming opportunities to continue exploring movement together: Take Your Walk to the Next Level: Intro to Nordic Walking A three-week in-person workshop series starting June 3 in Edmonton. We’ll explore walking mechanics, posture, pole use, and how to make walking feel more supportive and efficient. It’s Not Just Tight Hips A virtual workshop happening June 12 focused on understanding hip tension, movement patterns, and what may actually be contributing to discomfort and stiffness. This workshop will be hosted inside The MedFit Movement Studio and includes complimentary access through the Move Now membership level. As always, if this video was helpful, I’d love if you shared it with someone else, gave it a thumbs up, or leave a comment. It truly helps these resources reach more people who may need them.
And I’m curious: Are you practicing your hip hinge before the grass turns completely green? Have a great week ahead! Be well and happy moving, Lisa Hello! This week’s new Real Moves for Real Life video is about something we often don’t practice enough: Getting up off the ground. It sounds simple — until it suddenly doesn’t feel simple anymore. And with gardening season upon us, this movement pattern becomes even more important. Whether you’re planting flowers, pulling weeds, playing with grandchildren, or simply sitting on the grass for a few moments, confidence getting down and back up again matters. Here’s what I see all the time from a movement perspective: Over the years, I’ve watched clients develop many different ways of getting up and down off the floor. Some strategies are quick. Some are cautious. Some involve furniture nearby. Some involve rolling, crawling, or carefully negotiating stiff knees, hips, wrists, or balance challenges. And honestly? That adaptability is part of being human. We work with the body we have today. But what’s also important to understand is this: If we never practice these transitions, they can slowly start to feel unfamiliar, awkward, or even intimidating. Confidence decreases long before strength necessarily disappears. This video walks through the strategy I personally use with clients to help them get up off the ground, along with some of the key movement concepts that can make the process feel more manageable and supported. Together, we’ll explore a simple framework: Create your base Shift your weight Drive through the hips You don’t have to move perfectly. You don’t have to force yourself onto the floor if that doesn’t feel accessible right now. But it is worth staying curious about how your body moves through these everyday transitions — because these are real-life movements that support independence, confidence, and participation in the activities you enjoy. If this resonates, the new video is now available.  Also — if you’re looking to build more confidence and support your walking this spring, registration is now open for my upcoming Take Your Walk to the Next Level: Intro to Nordic Walking workshop series starting June 3. We’ll explore how poles can help with posture, balance, upper body engagement, and walking efficiency — all while getting outside and moving together. Have a wonderful week!
Lisa P.S. One small step still counts. Sometimes practicing getting up off the ground once or twice is enough to begin rebuilding confidence again. So I sat down with the guide… Better Movement Starts with Better Questions …and I ran through it myself. Not as the person who created it. But as someone willing to be a little curious. Because here’s the thing: It’s one thing to read the questions. It’s another thing to actually answer them. I used AI as a tool—just like I suggest in the guide. And I’ll be honest… There were a few moments where I had to pause. Some of the responses were what I expected. But some of them weren’t. Things like: • patterns I hadn’t really named before • assumptions I didn’t realize I was making • small gaps between what I teach… and what I actually do Nothing dramatic. But definitely insightful. And that’s really the point of this. Not to get perfect answers. But to see your body—and your habits—a little more clearly. If you want to see what this actually looks like in real time, I recorded the whole process. If you haven’t downloaded the guide yet, you can grab it here:  Take your time with it.
Start with one question. And just notice what comes up. You might see something you expected… Or something you didn’t. Either way—that’s where things start to shift. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S., If you do try it, I’d be curious what stood out for you. Comment below and let me know! Last week, I shared a small moment from the grocery store… Seeing AI show up in a Reader’s Digest, right there in the checkout aisle. It felt like a shift. From something distant… to something becoming part of everyday life. So let’s come back to that for a moment. Because this is where people often get stuck. Not because they’re not interested. But because they’re not sure how to begin. From a movement perspective, AI isn’t here to replace your body, your experience, or your intuition. But it can be a tool. A way to ask better questions. A way to reflect on what you’re feeling. A way to explore when you’re not sure what to do next. So I created something simple to help with that: Better Movement Starts with Better Questions This is also where AI can become useful. Not as something complicated or overwhelming. It becomes a tool to help you reflect on your body in a more structured way. This guide shows you how to do that—step by step. Inside, you’ll find a simple way to: • Understand how your body is moving right now • Identify what might be helping (and what’s not) • Find your next safe, realistic step These are the same types of questions I ask my clients when we’re working together. The difference here is that you can start exploring them on your own. Nothing complicated. Nothing technical. Just a place to begin. Because this is something I see all the time… People try to do more. More exercise. More intensity. More effort. But often, what actually helps is asking a better question. You’re not broken. Your body is giving you information. This is just a different way to start listening. If this feels like something you’re ready to explore, you can download the guide here: Next, I’m going to walk through this guide myself—and show you exactly how I’d use it. Not perfectly. Just honestly. More on that soon. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you’re not sure where to start, begin with Question #1. There’s no need to go through the whole guide. One question is often enough to notice something new. Hi there, So let’s start here… I was standing in the grocery store the other day—right at the checkout. You know that moment where you’re waiting in line, half-looking at the magazines, half-thinking about what you forgot to buy. And there it was. A Reader’s Digest issue… talking about AI. It caught my attention. Not because AI is new. But because of where it showed up. Right there. Next to recipes, health tips, and everyday life. It made me pause for a moment. Because over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about how technology has shaped the way we move. From Walkmans… to tracking steps… to measuring more and more of what our bodies do… And now—this. This is something I hear a lot: “I’m not sure about it.” “I don’t really trust it.” “I wouldn’t even know where to start.” And honestly, that makes sense. We’ve seen this before. New technology shows up… and there’s a period of uncertainty before it starts to feel normal.  I ended up reading the article, and what I appreciated most is how it approached AI. Not as something you have to jump into… But something you can understand—and use—within your own comfort zone. From a movement perspective…this is where I think things get interesting. Because AI isn’t about replacing your body or your experience. It’s another tool. A way to ask better questions. A way to explore when you feel stuck. A way to look at things from a slightly different angle. But here’s the key: You don’t have to go all in. You don’t have to figure everything out. You can stay right where you are and simply be curious. So let me ask you this: What if AI wasn’t something to master but something to experiment with? Next week, I’m going to share something I’ve been working on. It’s simple. It’s practical. And it’s designed to help you use this kind of technology in a way that supports your movement—not overwhelms it. For now, if you’re curious, take a few minutes to read the article. And just notice what stands out. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Over the past few weeks we’ve taken a little journey through the history of exercise technology. We started about 150 years ago with some of the earliest tools that changed how people moved — bicycles, spring resistance machines, and some fascinating home exercise inventions. Then we moved into the era when music made movement more personal. Walkmans, Discman, iPods, and eventually the playlists many of us carry on our phones today. We visited the pool, where a training tool helped synchronized swimmers stay connected to rhythm and timing. And most recently, we looked at wearable devices — the watches and trackers that measure our steps, heart rate, sleep, and other pieces of information about our bodies. Every generation has its version of cutting-edge technology. But if there’s one thing this series has reminded me of, it’s this: Technology changes. But the body still speaks the same language. Your body still responds to rhythm. It still adapts gradually to movement. And it still gives you information about what it needs. Technology can support that process. It can make movement more accessible. It can provide helpful feedback. It can even motivate us to move a little more. But technology doesn’t replace awareness. From a movement perspective, one of the most powerful skills we can develop is learning how to notice what our bodies are telling us. Sometimes the most important signals aren’t the ones on a screen. They’re the ones we feel.  Lately I’ve been wondering what happens when technology doesn’t just track movement — but helps us think about it differently. Next week I’m going to share something I’ve been working on that explores exactly that idea — using AI as a tool to ask better questions about exercise and movement. More on that soon. Before we head there, I’m curious about one last thing. Looking back over the technologies we talked about these past few weeks, which one has influenced your movement the most? A bicycle? Music or headphones? Home exercise equipment? A wearable tracker? Or maybe something else entirely. If a memory comes to mind, comment below and tell me. I always enjoy hearing your stories. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you’re celebrating this weekend, Happy Easter . I hope it brings a little rest, renewal, and maybe even a walk outside. Over the past few weeks we’ve been exploring how technology has shaped exercise over time. We started about 150 years ago with some of the earliest tools that changed how people moved — bicycles, spring resistance machines, and some fascinating home exercise inventions. Then we moved into the era when music made movement personal. Walkmans, Discmen, iPods, and eventually the playlists many of us carry on our phones today. Last week I shared a story from my synchronized swimming days, when a new piece of training technology changed how we practiced and stayed connected to the rhythm of the routine. Each of those moments reflected a shift in how technology interacted with movement. But in the past 15–20 years, something different has happened. Technology stopped just surrounding our movement. It started measuring it. ✔ Step counters. ✔ Heart rate monitors. ✔ Sleep tracking. ✔ GPS watches  Suddenly movement wasn’t just something we experienced. It was something we could track. Devices like Fitbit and the Apple Watch made it possible to see how many steps we take in a day, how our heart rate responds to exercise, and even how well we sleep at night. For many people, this information has been incredibly motivating. It can bring awareness to patterns we might not otherwise notice. But here’s something I see often from a movement perspective. More information doesn’t always mean more clarity. Sometimes people end up with lots of data but aren’t quite sure what to do with it. Your watch might tell you your heart rate. Your phone might tell you your step count. But neither one can fully answer a very personal question:  Your body has always been giving you information. Technology has simply given us new ways to notice it. And that’s where this story of exercise technology gets even more interesting. For most of human history, technology helped us move. Now it’s starting to help us understand how we move. More on that next week. --- Before we get there, I’m curious about one more thing. Have you ever used a fitness tracker or wearable device? A Fitbit? An Apple Watch? A GPS running watch? Did you find the data helpful, motivating, confusing… or a bit of all three? If a thought comes to mind, comment below and let me know. I always enjoy hearing your perspectives. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been exploring how technology has shaped exercise over time. First we looked at early equipment — bicycles, spring resistance machines, and some fascinating home fitness inventions. Last week we talked about when exercise became more personal, especially when music became portable through things like the Walkman, Discman, and eventually the phones we carry today. But today I want to share a story from much earlier in my life. From my synchronized swimming days. At the time, I thought we had the most high-tech training setup imaginable. And honestly, it felt like the future. Synchronized swimming requires athletes to move in perfect timing with both the music and each other. But here’s the challenge. Much of the routine happens underwater.  Which means for years, swimmers often had to rely on counting in their heads and watching their teammates carefully to stay synchronized with the music.
Then a new piece of training technology arrived at our pool. Underwater speakers. For the first time, we could hear the music clearly while we were underwater. It changed everything about how we practiced. We could feel the rhythm more easily. We could match the timing of the choreography more precisely. And we could stay connected to the music throughout the entire routine. Looking back now, it might not seem like a huge technological breakthrough. But at the time, it completely transformed the training experience. From a movement perspective, rhythm and timing play a much bigger role than we often realize. Your nervous system responds to rhythm. Your muscles coordinate around timing. And when people move together — whether in a sport, a fitness class, or even a group walk — rhythm helps create connection. Technology didn’t replace the skill. But it gave us better information while we were training. And that’s something we see again and again in the evolution of exercise. Technology rarely replaces the body. But it can help us notice things we couldn’t see, hear, or feel before. So I’m curious again this week. What’s a piece of training technology that changed how you practiced a sport or activity? Maybe it was music. Maybe it was a heart-rate monitor. Maybe it was the first time you followed an exercise video at home. If a memory comes to mind, comment below and tell me. I always enjoy hearing these stories. Next week we’ll jump forward again — into the era of wearable trackers, exercise apps, and the explosion of data that many of us now carry on our wrists. Technology has moved from machines around us… to information about us. And that shift has changed exercise in ways we’re still figuring out. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Before we jump into today’s topic, I want to say thank you to those of you who replied to last week’s post. I asked about the first piece of exercise technology you remember… and your responses were fantastic. There was such a variety of memories. Some of you mentioned the Total Gym, others remembered Weider gold plates for barbells at home. And a few of you introduced me to equipment I had never even heard of before. One that stood out was the Slim Gym from the 1970s.  I have to admit — that was a new one for me. What I loved most about the replies wasn’t just the equipment itself. It was the stories attached to them. Because technology doesn’t just shape how we exercise. It shapes the memories we build around movement. So if something comes to mind as you read today’s email — an old piece of equipment, something tucked away in a basement gym, or a workout tool from years ago — feel free to hit reply and share it with me. I genuinely enjoy hearing these stories. Last week we looked at some of the earliest examples of exercise technology. Bicycles. Spring resistance machines. Even those vibration belts that promised to “shake” you into fitness. Technology has always been part of how we move. But somewhere along the way, something shifted. Exercise became… personal. And music played a big role in that shift. So let’s slow this down for a moment. Before the 1980s, music in exercise mostly came from the room you were in. Maybe there was a stereo in the gym. Maybe a cassette playing during a fitness class. But everyone heard the same thing. Then came the portable radio and the Walkman.  Although smiling in this picture, I was not happy that my older cousin got a portable radio and I got a gold necklace. Suddenly people could take music with them. On a walk. On a run. On a bike ride. Movement became portable. And something interesting happened. People started moving longer. From a movement perspective, music changes how the nervous system experiences effort. It can reduce the perception of fatigue, influence rhythm, and create a sense of momentum. It’s not just background noise. It becomes part of the experience of movement. The technology kept evolving. The Discman arrived in the 1990s (along with the challenge of trying to run without the CD skipping). Then came the iPod in the early 2000s. Thousands of songs in your pocket. And now? Most of us carry our entire music library on our phones. Wireless earbuds. Noise-cancelling headphones. Playlists designed specifically for workouts. The technology keeps getting smaller. But the effect is still the same. It changes how movement feels. And yet, something interesting hasn’t changed. Your body still responds to rhythm. Your nervous system still responds to pacing. And movement still works best when it meets you where you are. Technology may change the interface. But the body still speaks the same language. So I’m curious again this week. What was the first way you listened to music while exercising? A Walkman clipped to your waistband? A Discman bouncing in a backpack? An iPod shuffle? Or maybe a playlist on your phone today? Drop a comment below and tell me. I always enjoy hearing your stories. Next week I’m going to share a story from my synchronized swimming days — when I thought we had the most high-tech training setup imaginable. And at the time, it felt like the future. Be well and happy moving, Lisa So let’s start here… Long before Fitbits. Long before Peloton screens. Long before step counts and heart rate zones. Technology was already shaping how we moved. About 150 years ago, one of the most revolutionary pieces of movement technology was… a bicycle. In the late 1800s, the “safety bicycle” changed everything. It wasn’t just transportation. It was independence. Especially for women. For many, it was the first time their bodies could move freely beyond walking distance. And yet — not everyone rode.  My grandmother was introduced to the bicycle in her lifetime. It was new. It was modern. It was a big shift. She never learned to ride. And that’s important. Because technology doesn’t automatically change behaviour. It only creates possibility. In the early 1900s, pulley systems and spring resistance machines began appearing in gymnasiums. After World War I, Joseph Pilates refined spring-based equipment while working with injured soldiers — using resistance to restore function. Springs allowed people to load the body in a controlled way. It was structured. Intentional. Later came vibration belt machines — the kind that wrapped around your hips and “shook” you into fitness. There was a belief that technology could do the work for you. I can't tell you how many people have told me their grandparent or parent used a vibration belt machine!  Here’s what I see all the time… Every generation believes their version of exercise technology is revolutionary. And in some ways, it is. But what’s important to understand here is this: Technology doesn’t replace awareness. It doesn’t replace dosage. And it doesn’t replace the relationship you have with your body. From a movement perspective, technology has always been a tool. A dial — not a switch. It can turn intensity up. It can make movement more accessible. It can make it more engaging. But it cannot decide for you what your body needs today. So I’m curious… What was the first piece of “exercise technology” you remember? Was it a bicycle? A home gym machine in the basement? One of those shaking belts? A VHS tape?  Comment below and tell me. I’d genuinely love to hear your story. Next week, we’ll move into the era when music changed everything. Because once exercise became portable… It became personal. And that changed the game entirely. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa You can’t watch the Olympics without seeing it. Athletes arriving with their teammates. Coaches leaning in during tense moments. Training staff standing quietly in the background. And then the cameras pan to the stands. You see the proud parents of Connor McDavid during the men’s hockey game. Spouses. Partners. Families. People who have traveled across the world simply to say, “We’re with you.” Community is everywhere. And it makes me pause. Because while most of us aren’t stepping onto Olympic ice, we are stepping into something every day that requires effort, courage, and consistency: Taking care of our bodies. Moving when we don’t feel like it. Starting again. So let’s start here… Who’s on your team? Who is quietly rooting for you on the days you don’t feel like exercising? Who supports you when your motivation dips? Who reminds you that your health matters?  What We Know From the Research From a movement perspective, this isn’t just a feel-good idea. It’s consistently supported in the literature. Over the past decade — and reinforced in more recent reviews — researchers continue to find that social support is one of the strongest predictors of long-term physical activity in adults. Recent systematic reviews and large international studies show that:
People who feel supported are more likely to keep moving. Not because they’re more disciplined. Not because they have stronger willpower. But because connection reduces friction. It builds accountability without pressure. Encouragement without shame. Consistency without extremes. And that matters. Because most people don’t struggle with knowing they should move. They struggle with doing it consistently over time. Community changes that. This Is Exactly Why I Created Mindful Movement I see so many clients trying to do this alone. Pushing. Restarting. Falling off. Blaming themselves. So I wanted to create something different. Mindful Movement is a small, steady space each week where you don’t have to do this alone. Thirty minutes. Gentle movement. Grounded support. A place where: Nothing is wrong with you. We meet your body where it is today. Consistency matters more than intensity. When you join Mindful Movement, your The MedFit Movement Studio membership is included — so you’re stepping into community right away. If this resonates, this could be your next step. A Small Practice for This Week I want you to grab a post-it note and a pen. Write down the names of people who support your movement. Maybe it’s:
Nothing is wrong with you. It just means we can build your team more intentionally. An Invitation (Buy One, Gift One ) Until the end of February, Mindful Movement is Buy One, Get One Free. One month for you. One month for someone you care about. Because community isn’t just something we watch at the Olympics. It’s something we build.  You don’t have to overhaul your life. You don’t have to move intensely. You just have to begin — with support. Consistency matters more than intensity. Especially when you’re not doing it alone. If you’re ready, I’d love to welcome you in. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa 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. 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 Before you scroll any further, let’s pause for just a moment. Take a breath in… and a breath out. That’s it. You’ve already started. This month, I wanted to offer you simple gifts—something you can return to anytime you feel rushed, tense, or overwhelmed. It’s a breathing practice called box breathing, and I walk you through it in a short video (less than five minutes). Start with the Breath Box breathing is easy to follow. You imagine the shape of a box—four equal sides.
You choose the count. You choose the pace. Even one or two rounds can help your body settle and your mind refocus. Watch & Breathe With Me Rather than reading about it, I invite you to experience it. Watch the short video here: You can listen, breathe along, or simply let it guide you back into your body. It’s a practice you can use:
You don’t need more time. You don’t need special equipment. Just your breath—and a few quiet moments. If this video supports you, feel free to share it with someone who could use a steady breath this season. As we move through the holiday season, please know that I’m thinking of you. I hope this small breathing practice offers a moment of calm, steadiness, and care—whenever you need it. Be well and happy breathing (and 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
May 2026
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