No Pain, All Gain: Somatic Healing with the Workout Witch Liz Tenuto

Hey team, today I'm talking with Liz Tenuto, more widely known as the Workout Witch. Liz is a somatic specialist with a degree in psychology from UCSB, who has spent over a decade helping people release chronic stress through movement. She's also the author of Moving Through Trauma, which hit shelves in January. Liz's work bridges the gap between psychology and physical health, specializing in how trauma and stress manifest as psychological issues like gut problems, insomnia, and chronic pain. In our conversation today, we're diving into the world of somatic exercises, which are slow conscious and gentle movements designed to enhance the mind-body connection and nervous system regulation.

We talk about how traditional no pain, no gain fitness often backfires for the ADHD brain, the nuances of introception, and why your body might feel stuck in a functional freeze without you even realizing it. If you'd like to follow along on the show notes notes page, you can find that at hackingyouradhd.com. All right, keep on listening to find out how to get your body and brain on the same page.

If you'd life to follow along on the show notes page you can find that at HackingYourADHD.com/294

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/y835cnrk

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HackingYourADHD

This Episodes Top Tips

1. While random stimming may help us cope in the moment, it doesn't necessarily lead to long-term nervous system regulation. By intentionally performing certain somatic exercises, we can actually shift our baseline physiology over time.
2. When we are in a state of functional freeze or understimulation, the goal isn't to lower our energy levels, but instead to move from a shutdown state up into a regulated and alert state of ease known as the ventral vagal state.
3. Because ADHD involves a bottom-up nervous system, our mental state is often a direct reflection of our physical tension. By consciously relaxing, we can trigger an immediate emotional shift, even if we don't realize our own stress levels.