How Can You Be Motivated To Exercise Despite Depression?

Exercise, according to experts, can help ward off depression. Research has it that exercising on a regular basis can reduce anxiety attacks and reduce depression symptoms as well. How? It releases chemicals in the brain that helps with depression while at the same time reducing those chemicals that can worsen one's depressive state. In addition, exercise diverts your attention from your stressors and boosts your confidence.

The problem is how to get right on an exercise program when you are already depressed. When you are having the blues, wouldn't you just wish you can curl up in bed the entire day and forget about everything? Getting out of bed to exercise can be very difficult, indeed. It might seem like your feet are made of lead.

Well, it may seem difficult at first, but according to experts, doing the following may encourage you to take the first steps to beating depression with exercise:

Know what you want. Make a list of physical activities you normally will enjoy doing. Before depression hit you, did you enjoy riding your bicycle or gardening, or going for evening walks? Were you into sports?

Create specific and reasonable goals. Goal-setting must be made part of your program. This enables you to monitor your accomplishment and help you see where you are and where you're headed. But keep your goals simple but specific and realistic. Don't push yourself too hard. Just take things according to your pace. You wouldn't want to be dealing with another bout of depression if you are not able to attain your goals.

Know that no program is fool-proof. It's only normal to encounter a few setbacks along the way, but these should not get you down or make you feel as if you have failed.

Invite your best friend to do the exercise program with you. Why not? Having a close friend to perform the various routines with makes exercising something to look forward to every day. Not only will you have someone to talk to during the program, you'll also have someone to pump you up when you feel like giving up.

Play some music when exercising. Choose something upbeat.

Prepare your body physically before exercising. It's always a good idea to take something two hours before exercising. This helps to ensure your energy levels stay up for the duration of the exercise.

Remember to hydrate yourself after exercising. Loss of fluids from sweating is expected following any strenuous activity. Blood sugar levels may also run low, so make sure to drink lots of water or fruit juice after exercising.

Eat a high-protein meal an hour or two after exercising. Exercising can make you feel so good you'll feel like treating yourself to a tasty meal. But don't fall into sweet temptations. A glass of fruit juice and an energy bar immediately after exercising should have done the trick already. Then simply follow this up with a high-protein meal.

Keep your thoughts about exercise as positive as possible. Think of it as simply having fun. You'll be surprised by what positive thinking can do!

Exercise is necessary not only in warding off depression. It helps the body in so many ways. Exercising regularly keeps your digestive system working and boosts your metabolism and these alone already have a series of domino effects that count towards general well being. Exercising helps you lose weight and assists in the removal of toxins from your colon, as well as in removing the excess baggage that may be causing your depression in the first place.