Making exercise a part of your routine is the best thing you can do for your physical and mental health. There are various widely established physical benefits of working out, but it also positively affects your mental health. People who exercise regularly frequently mention a sense of accomplishment, a higher sense of control, and self-esteem after a good workout. Exercise also might help in diverting your attention from negative thoughts, and enhances your level of energy, and sex life.
It can also provide an outlet for your anger and can relieve the tension in your skeletal muscles, and makes you feel more at ease. Research also suggests that exercising releases feel-good endorphins and activates other brain chemicals that reduce anxiety and depression.
The covid-19 pandemic forced people to stay indoors, which, in turn, opened access to indoor exercises. People started yoga, cardio, and even walking inside the home. Although indoor workouts have benefits of their own, different research studies prove outdoor exercise is much more effective compared to indoors. People who engage in outdoor exercises are more likely to continue their exercise than those indoors. People who walked outdoors reported greater enthusiasm, self-esteem, and a lower level of stress, depression, and fatigue.
If you are somebody who wants to start working out the ideal way to begin would include first checking your health and looking out for any preexisting conditions. Then make a plan and set some realistic goals for yourself. Try including attainable steps in your workout routine. Jumping from 0 to 100 might not be the wisest idea. Another key component is to commit to your routine, so it would be recommended to make regular exercise a habit. Other than that it’s very important to stay hydrated and optimize your nutritional needs. But most importantly listen to your body, not everybody or body type is made for every exercise, if you feel discomfort, take a step back. Pushing through the discomfort and pain might end up causing injuries
● Make a habit of exercising for 20-30 minutes every day.
● Try cycling or walking instead of a car.
● Take the stairs instead of a lift.
● Take breaks in between work to walk
● Stand while folding the laundry
● Engage yourself in cleaning, gardening, and washing the car.
All things considered, consistency can be hard to maintain. Often, the level of motivation dwindles as one progresses. Lack of consistency and motivation can act as roadblocks in our plan. However, recognizing and accepting that motivation levels may vary throughout can be a great stepping stone to being consistent. For example, someone who might get easily bored while walking on a treadmill can consider joining a walking group in a local park or trying to explore new areas in their city while walking. This comes with the added benefit of helping a person socialize in their community. At the end of the day, we need to choose something that we enjoy doing- this could range from following a stringent workout routine or trying something different every day!
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Dr. Prerna Kohli, is an eminent psychologist, a published author, a four-time gold medalist, an awardee by the President of India for her contributions to Mental Health, and the founder of MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here www.drprernakohli.in
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.