Feel good in your body, on your terms.

Functional Self Care™ is built on research that connects mindful movement, emotional well-being, and sustainable physical activity. Our goal is to help people build a positive relationship with movement by focusing on how it feels, not just how it looks.

Why Body Image and Movement Matter

Exercise can improve body image and confidence—even in people who don’t exercise regularly. Feeling more satisfied with your body makes it easier to stay active and take care of your health (Srismith et al., 2022). But the way we think and feel during movement matters too. If we only exercise to change how we look, we may end up feeling worse.

Research shows that negative feelings like guilt, shame, or self-punishment often lead to dysfunctional exercise patterns. This includes working out to “earn” food, pushing through pain or injury, or avoiding movement due to past body shaming. These patterns reduce enjoyment and harm both mental and physical health (Calogero et al., 2007).

A New Approach: Mindful, Attuned Movement

Instead of focusing on appearance, Functional Self Care™ encourages attuned exercise—movement that’s joyful, safe, and connected to the body. Learning to move with care and attention can lead to stronger body confidence and self-respect (Jankauskiene & Baceviciene, 2024).

Pilates is one example of this type of movement. It strengthens the body while also helping improve breathing, posture, and flexibility. Studies have shown that Pilates improves cardiorespiratory function in people who are overweight or living with chronic conditions (Souza et al., 2020; Rayes et al., 2019).

Building Self-Worth Through Movement

We use proven tools like the Physical Self-Attribute Questionnaire (PSA-Q) to help people explore their strengths and feel more confident in their bodies (Moore et al., 2007). Our approach is guided by the Health Belief Model, which shows people are more likely to make lasting health changes when they:

1. Recognize a risk in their current behavior,

2. Believe the benefits of change outweigh the challenges, and

3. Feel confident and ready to act.

We also use motivational interviewing, self-compassion, and goal setting to help participants align their values with how they move. This leads to more positive experiences with physical activity, which in turn improves adherence and long-term well-being (Campbell & Hausenblas, 2009; Sonstroem et al., 1994)

References

1. Srismith, D., Dierkes, K., Zipfel, S., Thiel, A., Sudeck, G., Giel, K. E., & Behrens, S. C. (2022). Physical activity improves body image of sedentary adults. Exploring the roles of interoception and affective response. Current Psychology, 42(30), 26663–26671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03641-7

2. Calogero, R., Pedrotty, K., & L’Abate, L. (2007). Daily Practices for Mindful Exercise. In Low-Cost Approaches to Promote Physical and Mental Health (pp. 141–160). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-36899-X_7

3. Jankauskiene, R., & Baceviciene, M. (2024). Mindful monitoring and accepting the body in physical activity mediates the associations between physical activity and positive body image in a sample of young physically active adults. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2024.1360145

4. Souza, C., Krüger, R. L., Schmit, E. F. D., Neto, E. S. W., Reischak-Oliveira, Á., De Sá, C. K. C., & Loss, J. F. (2020). Cardiorespiratory adaptation to pilates training. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 92(3), 453–459. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2020.1749222

5. Rayes, A. B. R., De Lira, C. a. B., Viana, R. B., Benedito-Silva, A. A., Vancini, R. L., Mascarin, N., & Andrade, M. S. (2019). The effects of Pilates vs. aerobic training on cardiorespiratory fitness, isokinetic muscular strength, body composition, and functional tasks outcomes for individuals who are overweight/obese: a clinical trial. PeerJ, 7, e6022. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.6022

6. Moore, J. B., Mitchell, N. G., Kilpatrick, M. W., & Bartholomew, J. B. (2007). The Physical Self-Attribute Questionnaire: Development and Initial Validation. Psychological Reports, 100(2), 627–642. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.100.2.627-642

7. Campbell, A., & Hausenblas, H. A. (2009). Effects of exercise interventions on body image. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(6), 780–793. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105309338977

8. Sonstroem, R. J., Harlow, L. L., & Josephs, L. (1994). Exercise and Self-Esteem: Validity of model expansion and exercise associations. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 16(1), 29–42. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.16.1.29