Shoulders Down

🏃‍♀️ What If Movement Wasn't About Changing Your Body? Exploring Attuned Exercise with Martha Munroe

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In this episode of Shoulders Down, Leah sits down with Martha Munroe, author of Attuned Exercise, to explore what it means to build a healthier relationship with movement. Drawing from over two decades in the fitness industry and her background in positive psychology and embodiment, Martha shares a compassionate alternative to the shame, guilt, and perfectionism that so often define exercise routines.

Martha shares how her perspective on fitness evolved after recognizing the harm caused by weight-centric messaging and toxic fitness culture. Together, she and Leah unpack the difference between exercising from a place of self-criticism versus self-compassion, why motivation rooted in shame rarely lasts, and how reconnecting with your body can make movement feel supportive rather than punishing.

Whether you're recovering from chronic dieting, healing your relationship with exercise, or simply looking for a more sustainable approach to movement, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective rooted in curiosity, body trust, and self-respect.

You'll hear about:

  • What attuned exercise is and how it differs from traditional fitness culture
  • Why self-compassion is a more sustainable motivator than guilt, shame, or self-criticism
  • How diet culture and beauty ideals shape our relationship with movement
  • The role of embodiment and body trust in creating a healthier exercise practice
  • Practical ways to reconnect with movement after burnout, perfectionism, or chronic dieting

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Contributor

Leah Kern

Host