In partnership with
In my 20s, and honestly, most of my 30s, exercise was about aesthetics.
It was about looking good.
About fitting into body-con dresses.
About feeling confident in my body when I walked into a room.
And don’t get me wrong, at 45, I still want to look like a snack or somebody’s rich aunty 😂
But that’s not why I move anymore.
At this stage of my life, movement is how I regulate my nervous system.
When I don’t work out, like I didn’t much in December, I feel it everywhere.
Not just mentally.
In my body.
I’m more dysregulated.
More stressed.
Less tolerant.
More on edge.
Not because anything suddenly got worse,
but because my body lost one of its main stabilizers.
This isn’t about fitness. It’s about safety.
For some people, movement is about fitness.
For others, especially women who carry a lot, movement is about nervous system discharge.
Working out gives your body a place to put what it’s been holding:
excess cortisol and adrenaline
vigilance that never fully shuts off
the constant sense of needing to stay “on.”
And that doesn’t mean loving workouts, it just means letting your body move enough to settle.
Especially if you’re the one holding everyone else together,
your body needs an outlet too.
I think of this as movement as safety.
Why everything felt heavier when I stopped
When I stopped working out for a few weeks, nothing else picked up that slack.
The stress didn’t disappear.
It didn’t resolve itself.
It had nowhere to go but inward.
That’s when:
my thoughts got louder
my body felt more keyed up
my tolerance dropped
everything felt heavier
Not because I failed.
Not because I was “off track.”
But because my outlet disappeared.
A mistake to avoid (and you don’t have to make it)
Don’t turn this into:
“If I don’t work out perfectly, I’ll fall apart.”
Instead, think:
“Movement is one of my stabilizers. I protect it.”
That might look like:
20–30 minutes
walking, dancing, stretching, weights
low-intensity movement on hard days
This isn’t all-or-nothing care.
It’s mental health infrastructure.
One grounding question to carry with you
When life feels chaotic, your nervous system is constantly asking:
Am I safe right now?
Before you move your body — even just for a walk — try asking:
What does my body need right now to feel a little safer?
Not what you should do.
Not what burns the most calories.
Just safety.
One last grounding reframe
You didn’t lose your edge these past few weeks.
You just stopped giving your body the thing it uses to settle itself.
And now you’re listening again.
That’s not weakness.
That’s wisdom.
If you’re like me, and you didn’t move your body much over the last couple of weeks, or it’s been a while since you’ve worked out, that’s okay.
It’s never too late to start again.
You don’t need sneakers or a routine.
You can start right here, as you’re reading this.
If it feels okay, try this:
Let your shoulders soften
Inhale and slowly raise one arm overhead
Exhale and let it fall back down
Switch sides
No forcing.
No fixing.
Just a small signal to your body that you’re here, and it’s safe enough to soften.
I’ll be here next Tuesday, one story, one tool, and a reminder that you’re not alone in this.
Warmly,
Moya
PS: If this landed, you can hit reply and tell me what movement feels safest for you right now.
One Habit You’ll Keep
By this time of the year, most New Year goals are already slipping. That’s why the habits that last are the simple ones.
AG1 Next Gen is a clinically studied daily health drink that supports gut health, helps fill common nutrient gaps, and supports steady energy.
With just one scoop mixed into cold water, AG1 replaces a multivitamin, probiotics, and more, making it one of the easiest upgrades you can make this year.
Start your mornings with AG1 and get 3 FREE AG1 Travel Packs, 3 FREE AGZ Travel Packs, and FREE Vitamin D3+K2 in your Welcome Kit with your first subscription.