EXERCISE: A SIMPLE WAY TO REDUCE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

There is a wealth of research showing that exercise helps lift your mood.

The linkage between exercise and an improved sense of well being (including decreased anxiety and diminished depression) is so strong that it has received backing from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). 

Entire books have been written about the subject describing the different approaches you can take to make the most of this powerful mood booster.

Best of all, unlike medication or counseling, the ‘exercise intervention’ is entirely free.

Despite having so many upsides, starting an exercise routine and sticking with it is difficult for many. From my experience, the main obstacle is the difficulty people have in sticking with a workout routine long enough for it to become a habit rather than a chore.

Excuses begin to crop up faster than weeds in your garden… “I don’t have time today”, “I’m too tired”, “I need another rest day”, “It’s never going to work”, and so forth.

The magic begins to happen, however, once you get through the first month or two. Once you continue to exercise on a regular schedule (that might be just two days a week for 30 minutes), and you have fought through the excuses, a different mind set develops. A desire to make certain you get that workout in before the end of the day.

The longer you stick with the routine the stronger this desire grows. Before long, it is deeply rooted and unshakable.

But when should you begin? What is the ideal time to tackle what may seem like a daunting challenge? The short answer… today. Right now.

The best time to start making a healthier you is this very moment.

Sure, you might rationalize that you need to learn more about whatever exercise routine you wish to follow. Or you ought to hire a trainer. Perhaps you are thinking it would be best to delay, just a small delay of course, until your personal life settles down.

Nope, don’t go there. Don’t listen to yourself when those rationalizations run through your mind. There will always be a reason to wait. We all make excuses, but those who make progress brush them aside and move forward.

The best thing to do is to start immediately. Sure, learn more about exercise (and nutrition while you are at it). If you’re inclined to hire a trainer go for it… just make sure to hire someone who really knows what they are doing. And yes, it would be more convenient for your personal life to be more sorted out, but is that really essential?

Just start today. Go for a jog. Done. Can’t run? Go for a half hour walk. Look up a ten minute ‘at home’ exercise program on the internet and go work up a sweat.

The specific form of exercise is not important for getting started. At the beginning the main thing is to simply make exercise a regular part of your life.

When that happens, when you exercise consistently, you may just end up transforming your life in ways you never imagined. That’s what happened to Marcus Cook who went from poor health and a nearly 500-pound body weight to competing in the Kona Iron Man.

Will there be some sticking points along the way as you begin exercising regularly? Count on it. That’s life. Embrace the challenge and push through.

To help you be successful in getting a good start and find ways to overcome the obstacles that stand in your way start by reading an article in Livestrong.

Natasha Burton wrote about this topic just recently (I had the pleasure of adding a few insights).

Her suggestions are worth writing down and keeping someplace where you can refer to them whenever the temptation to slack off raises its ugly head.

If you are thinking “I don’t have workout equipment and I don’t have money for a gym membership then use bodyweight exercises. Don’t think you can get a good workout using bodyweight? Nonsense… gymnasts use bodyweight in all their routines and they are some of the strongest, most fit athletes you’ll find.

When looking for a body weight exercise regime to follow you want to start with what is well within your current ability. Begin slow, then build up. In no time you’ll be stronger than ever.

Remember, a couple months into your new routine and it will begin to feel like a rewarding habit. No stopping you after that – who knows, in a just a little while we may end up hearing about your inspiring performance at Kona.