Movement That Makes You Glow: How I’m Training for Skin, Not Stress
There was a time when I thought movement had to be intense to be effective. More sweat, more soreness, more… punishment. But lately, I’ve flipped the script, and my skin is thanking me.
These days, I’m moving not to shrink or burn out, but to glow. To regulate my nervous system. To support my lymphatic flow. To feel good in my body, not detached from it. I’ve started thinking of movement as another pillar of my skincare routine. And honestly? It’s made all the difference.
Now I’m no fitness expert, but here’s how I’m currently training for radiance and not stress, and what seems to be working for me.
Strength Training: My 3x/Week Non-Negotiable
If I could only do one type of workout for my skin (and sanity), it would be strength training. I follow a 3-day split using the Ladder app—which I love for its structure and variety. I’ve noticed that when I’m lifting consistently, my skin is calmer, clearer, and less inflamed. That’s no coincidence.
Strength training helps:
Balance blood sugar (hello, hormonal harmony)
Reduce systemic inflammation
Support liver detox pathways
Build resilience (physically and emotionally)
It’s truly one of my favorite ways to train for skin health from the inside out.
Pilates: Low-Impact, High Reward
Twice a week, I carve out time for Pilates. Mat flow for me, it’s the kind of mindful burn that activates deep core muscles and improves posture without spiking cortisol. That part.
I think of Pilates as lymphatic support disguised as toning. It’s low impact, high reward, and it leaves me feeling sculpted and reset. It’s also the perfect complement to my strength days, giving my body mobility without added stress.
Yoga: Once a Week, No Agenda
My weekly yoga session is less about the movement and more about the exhale. It’s where I meet my body without an outcome. No goals, no metrics. Just presence. And presence is something my skin loves.
I dive deeper into this in Clearer Skin Starts Here: Why Your Nervous System Holds the Key, but yoga plays a huge role in keeping me regulated. It lowers cortisol, supports digestion, and brings me back to a place of groundedness which always seems to reflect in my skin.
Daily Walks: Underrated Radiance Ritual
This is my anchor. Rain or shine, I try my best to get my daily steps in. It’s where I clear my mind, breathe deeper, and reconnect with the world beyond my screen. But it’s also a secret weapon for skin clarity.
Walking helps move lymph, stabilize blood sugar, and regulate your circadian rhythm. Plus, there’s something about gentle sunlight on your face (with spf of course) that feels healing in a way no serum ever could.
Why I Train This Way
I don’t work out for the aesthetic anymore, though I’d be lying if I said I don’t appreciate the side effects of muscle tone and sculpted skin. But the deeper “why” behind my movement routine is this: I want to feel well. I want to train in a way that supports my hormones, my mood, my gut, my liver and yes, my glow.
This routine wasn’t built overnight. It’s the result of experimenting, burning out, quitting, pivoting, and learning to listen to my body. Just like I learned to decode my acne in this post, I had to learn what my body actually needed from movement, and it wasn’t more punishment.
It needed rhythm. Intention. And a little grace.
If you’re navigating how to move in a way that supports, not stresses your skin, start small. Start with walking. Stretch before bed. Try strength training 1x a week and build up. You don’t need to overhaul your life just reconnect with your body. The glow follows.
