Naomi combines playful, powerful movement practices with the science of habit change to make it easier for busy moms to get moving every day. She frequently writes about the intersection of mom life, feminism, diet culture, and the unrealistic standards we hold ourselves to as women. Naomi is passionate about helping moms move more freely in their bodies and feel more at home in their skin.
Movement Snacks: Not sure how to move? Try this!
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Hey Reader, Last week I talked about how there's a lot of really bad advice out there when it comes to answering the question, "how do people find time to exercise?" Part of the problem is that lots of folks see exercise as an all or nothing endeavor. If you can't do a "full workout" it's not worth it. Except science doesn't back that up. Current science suggests that small bursts of movement or exercise are as beneficial as longer workouts. The point is to keep moving as you get older, rather than become more sedentary. The problem is that if you're starting from zero -- either you're out of practice in terms of movement or you've never really done much movement or exercise before -- it can be really tough to know what to do. (This leads me to my Movement Snack this week) Movement Snack this week: Some of the advice I give is to start small. Ridiculously small. Maybe 1 pose or 1 exercise. Do a standing side body stretch or a chair dog. Notice how your body feels after that small amount of movement. If you like how your body feels after a little bit of movement, do it again later. Is this the kind of "short burst of exercise" the study refers to? Not exactly, but it's a good place to start. If you need some examples of yoga poses you can do that are quick and relatively easy, check out this YouTube video I shared 2 years ago on my channel. This video features my 5 favorite yoga poses to do when I just need a little movement burst to give me more energy or to feel a little better in my body. If you try it, let me know which of the 5 you liked the best! SPECIAL ANNOUCEMENT: My annual Winter Retreat is open for registration! This retreat is the only in-person event I currently do and I love gathering at the beginning of the year to move, write, and connect with some amazing humans. The retreat will be held Friday January 16-18, 2026, just outside of Harper's Ferry, MD. I've taught this retreat for a decade and it's such an incredible gathering. Here's what one regular participant says about attending year after year: "I love Naomi's annual winter retreat so much! Before my first retreat, I was expecting the retreat to be a time of quiet reflection. The retreat does include time for that but it is so much more. It is creative, joyous, centering & a time for connection. The people Naomi attracts are kind & caring. Each retreat I attend, I leave wishing it were longer & also full of gratitude for her creative, connected instruction & the time spent with amazing people. I feel like it is a valuable time to reset & recenter after the new year. I look forward to it every year!" If you're interested and want more information, click here for details. If you know you want to attend and are ready to save your spot, click here. In the meantime, I asked this question last week, but would love more responses, so please tell me: If you could have a playlist of movement videos at your fingertips, what would best support you? A. Movement practices good for moving in the morning B. Movement practices for happy hips C. Movement practices for shoulder relief D. Creative flows in 10 minutes or less Let me know which you'd want most! I'm going to start sharing a new movement playlist once a month in the MOVEMENT SNACKS newsletter, so your feedback is really helpful Warmly, Naomi Want to stay in touch during the week? Here are a 2 easy ways: Follow me on Bluesky, where I try to share daily movement practices as acts of resistance, connection, and strength. Follow me on substack, where I write about the intersection of movement, motherhood, and the culture that we are all moving through. Or better yet, subscribe so you have immediate access to regular essays, including my most recent substack, which looks at the advice most often given when someone asks, "how do you find time to exercise?" Unfortunately, what frequently passes for "good advice" is actually garbage. I dig into why it's bad advice, as well as what actually works. You can read it here. There are many ways to support my writing on substack, which focuses on women's health and motherhood during perimenopause through an anti-diet and pro-science lens: 😍 Become a free subscriber |
Naomi Gottlieb-Miller
Naomi combines playful, powerful movement practices with the science of habit change to make it easier for busy moms to get moving every day. She frequently writes about the intersection of mom life, feminism, diet culture, and the unrealistic standards we hold ourselves to as women. Naomi is passionate about helping moms move more freely in their bodies and feel more at home in their skin.
Hey Reader, This morning, I woke up early to move my body like I always do. I am a person who has a daily movement practice, which is a little bit abnormal. Apparently only around 20% of women (according to a 2024 study) have an intentional daily movement practice. I like moving my body. It's also my job to teach people how to do it. And lots of evidence points to the fact that a regular (if not daily) movement practice, including resistance training and cardio, is important for health,...
Hey Reader, Earlier this week, while I was reading on substack, I noticed a post by a writer I'd never heard of. She asked, "How do people find time to exercise?" The person who posted this is a substack bestseller, meaning she has 10's of thousands of paid subscribers. I have 10's of 4. But anyway, because she has thousands upon thousands of subscribers, she got lots of answers to this question and reading them was entertaining. One person suggested that you pretend your pilates and spin...
Hey Reader, This week I lifted the heaviest weight I've ever lifted. It's the result of working with an amazing coach (big shout out to Alison Heilig of Miles to Go Athletics) who has helped me learn how to lift heavy in a smart, efficient way. It's the result of adding strength training to my movement practice years ago when only doing yoga wasn't really helping me recover postpartum. But it's also the result of something else. This leads me to my Movement Snack this week. Movement Snack...