It’s hard to appreciate your body when exercise becomes just another chore or punishment – or worse another method to manipulate your body into being thinner. When we engage in this kind of exercise, we start to resent our bodies. Why isn’t this working? I’ve been doing this stupid exercise for weeks now, and I’m still not losing weight. Why isn’t my stomach more muscular? When we exercise for the sheer enjoyment of it, we begin to view our bodies differently. We begin to be thankful that we can practice the activities we love – and we stop beating our bodies into skinny submission. The resentment softens. There’s no disputing that physical activities are a boon for our health. But the key is to find activities that inspire and empower you along with activities that teach you to be kinder to your body (yoga is one example).