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Exercise Could Be the Missing Piece in Your IBS

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Exercise Could Be the Missing Piece in Your IBS Healing Journey

Does this sound familiar?

You're doing "everything right": eating carefully, managing stress, taking supplements... and yet, your gut symptoms still flare. The bloating, the urgency, the exhaustion. It's frustrating. It's disheartening.

If you've been stuck in this cycle, you’re not alone. Many of the professionals I work with have walked the same road. They’ve fine-tuned their diets, tried medications, and practiced mindfulness — only to find that a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing.

That missing piece? Exercise — but done the right way for IBS.

Let's break this down together.

How Exercise Helps IBS (and It’s Not Just About "Fitness")

Exercise isn't just about burning calories or building strength. For people living with IBS, it offers specific, gut-focused benefits:

• Reduces chronic stress: Regular movement helps regulate the autonomic nervous system (ANS), calming the survival response that fuels gut dysfunction.

• Improves gut motility: Gentle exercise promotes healthy movement through the intestines, helping with both constipation and diarrhea.

• Decreases visceral hypersensitivity: Physical activity may reduce the gut's heightened pain sensitivity — a key driver of IBS discomfort.

• Supports microbiome balance: Emerging research suggests exercise positively influences gut bacteria, an important factor in gut-brain health.

Simply put: Movement helps reset the gut-brain axis to normal functionng.

Not All Exercise Is Equal: Finding Your IBS-Supportive Sweet Spot

When it comes to IBS, the type, intensity, and duration of exercise matter. Here’s what the evidence tells us:

Best Types of Exercise for IBS Relief

✅ Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise:

  • Walking

  • Cycling

  • Swimming

  • Gentle dance

These activities improve blood flow, stimulate digestion, and regulate nervous system activity — all without excessive strain.

✅ Mind-Body Movement:

  • Yoga

  • Pilates

  • Tai Chi

These practices combine movement with breath control and nervous system regulation, making them especially powerful for gut healing.

Exercises to Approach with Caution

⚠️ High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) ⚠️ Heavy weightlifting

These forms of intense exercise can sometimes over-activate the survival response and trigger or worsen symptoms, especially “especially during periods of increased gut sensitivity, emotional stress, or fatigue.

That doesn’t mean you can never do a harder workout. It just means listen to your body and prioritize regulation over intensity.

The "Goldilocks Zone" of Exercise for IBS

So, what’s the right amount? Research suggests:

· Frequency: Aim for 3–5 sessions per week.

  • Duration: 20–45 minutes per session is ideal.

  • Intensity: Keep it moderate — you should be able to hold a conversation while moving.

Too little movement, and you miss the gut-brain benefits. Too much intensity, and you risk the exercise being tagged as a Threat Stressor triggering the Survival Response. The "just right" zone helps calm your gut, support your nervous system, and build resilience without overwhelm.

Why Aerobic Exercise Shines for IBS

Aerobic exercise — steady, rhythmic movement that increases your heart rate without exhausting you — appears particularly effective for IBS.

Why?

Because it:

  • Activates your rest-and-digest response

  • Enhances oxygen delivery to your gut tissues

  • Gently stimulates intestinal contractions

  • Boosts endorphins, naturally reducing pain perception

In one study, participants who walked for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, reported significant improvements in abdominal pain, bloating, and quality of life within 12 weeks.

Small steps really do add up.

But What If You Struggle to Start?

Many of my clients know that movement could help their symptoms but still feel stuck. They face common barriers like:

  • Low motivation (especially when symptoms flare)

  • Fear of triggering more symptoms

  • Perfectionism — believing they need to do it "right" or not at all

This is where gut-directed hypnotherapy (GDH) can play a pivotal role.

In GDH, we use targeted hypnotic suggestions to:

  • Reframe movement as safe and supportive

  • Build confidence and reduce fear around symptoms

  • Boost intrinsic motivation by reconnecting with your body’s natural drive to heal

I often guide clients through visualizations of calm, enjoyable movement — like walking through a peaceful forest, feeling light and grounded. Over time, these mental rehearsals help shift mindset and behaviour.

The result? You start to move not because you "should," but because your body is asking for it.

If You’ve Been Struggling, You’re Not Doing It Wrong

If you’ve tried exercise before and it worsened your symptoms, it’s not because "exercise isn't for you." It's because no one showed you how to work with your nervous system, not against it.

The goal isn’t to push harder. It’s to move smarter.

Imagine:

·       Feeling energized after a walk instead of depleted.

·       Trusting your gut to behave predictably.

·       Moving your body in a way that soothes, rather than exacerbates gut sensitivity.

This is what happens when we respect the body/mind system.

A Practical Starting Point

If you're ready to explore movement as part of your gut healing journey, here’s a simple starting plan:

• Begin with walking. 10–20 minutes at a comfortable pace.

• Layer in breath awareness. Focus on slow, rhythmic breathing as you move.

• Notice how your gut responds. Track symptoms without judgment.

• Adjust based on energy, not "shoulds." If you’re depleted, scale back. If you’re energized, gently build.

Over time, you might add yoga, swimming, or cycling, always checking in with your body’s feedback loop.

Final Thoughts: Movement as Medicine for IBS

Living with IBS often feels like your body is working against you. Exercise — when tailored thoughtfully — can help rebuild trust with your body.

It’s not about forcing change. It’s about inviting change — one mindful step, stretch, or breath at a time.

You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight.

Small, compassionate actions add up to big shifts over time.

If this resonates with you, and you’d like a gentle roadmap to retrain your gut-brain connection, I invite you to explore my free Gut-Brain Reset Audio – The Healing Tree. It’s a simple but powerful way to start reconnecting with your body in a safe, supportive way.

👉 Email me “RESET” - tony@tycoaching.nz and I’ll send it your way.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Important Reminder:

Before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have a health condition, please consult your doctor or primary care provider. This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.