11 Mar How to exercise, or do anything, if you’re depressed or struggling with motivation
This article is essentially about how to exercise if you’re depressed.
But the strategies, I’m confident, would be wonderfully useful for anyone trying to start or maintain any health or wellbeing strategies with limited energy or motivation.
Working towards happiness and health is hard sometimes; but it’s possible and in fact much easier if you apply a few simple strategies such as those outlined in the following post…
via the Ladders by Jamie Wiebe
Experts often say that exercise helps cure depression— but for many of us, regular exercise is already one of the world’s most difficult challenges. Getting to the gym while depressed? That’s asking a lot.
But the experts aren’t wrong: a regular exercise routine does help with depression. Exercise helps you sleep better, improves your overall health, and gives you confidence. Plus, exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins are part of what make you happy.
Not sure how to stick to an exercise routine when you’re already feeling down? These tips may help.
Start Small
Diving into a full-scale exercise habit is asking a lot, especially if simply getting out of bed is a struggle. Stay in the sheets? Why not, if the alternative is “running 10 miles.”
Don’t demand so much. Start your exercise routine with tiny steps — literally. Instead of a marathon, try a 20-minute jog. Instead of jumping into an intensive spin class, try yoga.
Of course, tailor this advice to your experience level. If you ran marathons before depression reared its head, a 20-minute jog might be too easy. Maybe start with a 5K. And if you’ve never set foot on a treadmill, consider walking before you run.
The main point: Starting with a simpler routine gets you back in the game, and celebrating these small accomplishments builds excitement and momentum — necessary for getting back in shape.
Stay Realistic
You’re not a Tesla Roadster — you can’t go from zero to 60 in two seconds flat. Or even two months. Starting small means nothing if you’re working toward unrealistic goals. Not to mention unrealistic goals make failure more likely. And let’s be real: Right now, you need a win.
To set your goals, think about where you’d like to be, physically, a few months from now. Pumping iron like Schwarzenegger? Rocking the Chicago Marathon? Free-soloing El Capitan?
Now scale back. Think about where, realistically, you will be. Maybe that’s a 5K, not a marathon. Maybe you’re hitting the climbing gym daily. Remember: You’re not simply improving your body, you’re also working to improve your mind. And that’s hard! Realistic goals make achievable goals…
…keep reading the full & original article HERE