When you struggle with depression, it can be difficult to motivate yourself into doing anything, let alone exercise. If you can push past it enough to give working out a shot, though, you may find that it might be just the thing you need to help you overcome what’s going on inside.
Christopher Lee Buffalo New York’s fitness aficionado goes over what science says about exercise’s role in treating depression and how working out regularly can improve your physical health and your mental health as well.
How it helps
Whenever you exercise, your brain will release chemicals called endorphins. These mood-boosting chemicals are no joke. They make you feel good and enhance your sense of well-being. This, in turn, will help you to take your mind off the worries and stress that you’ve been dealing with. It will break your cycle of negativity that has been keeping you stuck in a rut.
Aside from the physical effects, you also will gain some natural bonuses just by virtue of getting out of the house more regularly. You will gain confidence in your abilities by demonstrating to yourself that you can complete the goals you’re setting and gain confidence in your looks as you begin to lose weight and tone your muscles. Not to mention that you will likely start making friends wherever you’re working out. Having a circle of workout buddies that shares goals with each other will collectively make it easier for everyone in the circle to reach them. All of this will create a positive feedback loop where you continually make yourself healthier and feel better for it.
Hard to get started
All of this is easy to say, but how about actually starting? Depression puts up all sorts of roadblocks, like disturbing your sleep, reducing the amount of energy you have, and magnifying every little ache and pain. All of this and more will contribute to making you just want to sit around and do nothing. The key to fighting past these blockers is starting small with simple exercises. Don’t try to force yourself into a full workout routine before you’re ready. If you can spend just 10 minutes a day doing something like taking a walk, those 10 will turn into 20, and from there will continue to grow.
Talk to a health professional
You don’t have to plan all of this by yourself. You should consult with a doctor, a trainer if you have one or both. By talking with a health professional, they can give you a workout plan that will help guide you in your journey. Depending on your age, you may want to start with different exercises, which they can help you with. Remember that these people are here to help you and want to see you succeed.
It’s never too late to start turning your life around. A bit of motivation and a little optimism is all you need to start helping to make yourself feel better. As an experienced fitness trainer both online and in Buffalo, Christopher Lee stresses to start small, work upward, and you’ll go far.
About Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee is a certified fitness trainer from Buffalo, New York. Christopher specialises in designing workout plans for clients that make them look and feel more athletic, helping them avoid injury. Christopher emphasises a healthy diet and lifestyle so clients can fuel properly to get the most out of their workouts and reach their fitness goals. When he is not working with his clients, Christopher can be found at a hot yoga class, practising martial arts, or spending time with his friends and family in Buffalo.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.
