Dec 15
I initially started talking with fitness coach Marnie Bothmer because I told her that I often get pushback from ADHD women around exercise; they know it’s beneficial for the ADHD brain, but they want to know how “real people” are supposed to fit it into their busy lives. Marnie pointed out that the whole concept of what “real people” can do for exercise reveals the root of the problem: the societally-ingrained belief that exercise has to be extreme, and is therefore unattainable.
My conversation with Marnie completely changed the way I think and speak about movement (in fact, it got me to stop saying ‘exercise’ and start using ‘movement’ with my students and clients), so I knew I had to get her on the podcast to dive into this subject. In this episode Marnie talks about the value of listening to your body and finding movement that feels good for you, how her multiple sclerosis diagnosis challenged her ideology around the fitness industry, her ADHD-friendly tips for making movement more rewarding and attainable, and so much more.
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"Find something that works for your body and works for your brain. That is going to be your most successful thing to get you going."
- Marnie Bothmer
"If you want to go into a CrossFit class, awesome, but also you just walking your dog outside counts as also increasing dopamine, and then it also increases neuroplasticity, which is basically your brain's ability to change how your neurons actually grow and reorganize. So that helps a ton with our brains with ADHD, but even with things as we get older, like memory and cognition."
- Marnie Bothmer
"Moving your body is meant for everybody, right? It's not meant for elite people. We watch TV and you just see people who are competing in things and so many people are like, ‘I have to be perfect at something before I even wanna start it.’"
- Marnie Bothmer
- Marnie suspects she may have ADHD due to her brain's tendency to overthink and obsess, despite never being formally diagnosed.
- Marnie discusses her experience with ADHD, including her ability to connect with people from different groups and her tendency to be a "social chameleon."
- Marnie emphasizes the importance of interoception (the ability to sense one's body) for people with ADHD, as it can help them better understand their physical and emotional states.
[22:29 - 40:49] Exercise Benefits for ADHD Brains
- Marnie suggests that individuals should explore different forms of exercise that they enjoy, rather than feeling pressured to follow a specific routine or expectation.
- Marnie shares strategies for individuals with ADHD to overcome starting tasks, such as using a "date x cube" to break down time into manageable intervals.
- Marnie shares her experience with ADHD and how she finds motivation to exercise by setting small goals and challenging her body physically.
- Marnie shares her journey of overcoming the mindset of needing to constantly push herself in workouts, and instead finding joy in seeing what her body can do.
- Marnie suggests finding activities that bring joy and excitement to workouts, as it can make them more enjoyable and help overcome imposter syndrome.
- Marnie highlights the positive impact of acknowledging and being proud of one's fitness progress, which can boost motivation and confidence throughout the day.
