Tips For Using Exercise To Recover

December 28, 2021

by Sheila Olson of fitsheila.com | info@fitsheila.com

Whether you’ve lost a loved one or faced financial issues, stressful life events can wreak havoc on your health and daily routine. There is no single way to recover from rough times. There are as many roads as there are people. However, physical fitness is one way to facilitate a smooth recovery. Here are some practical tips from Looking Vibrant to help you incorporate fitness into your life to get back on track, both mentally and physically.

Benefits of Exercise

It may not be immediately apparent, but studies suggest that there are benefits to exercising when you’re feeling down or overwhelmed by life. You might feel like you can’t get anything done, but exercise allows you to accomplish something. You can prove to yourself that you can meet your goals. It gives you a positive sense of strength, and improves your health at the same time.

Exercising immediately releases endorphins in your brain. These feel-good chemicals help reduce the effects of anxiety and depression. It can reduce stress by lowering the amount of stress hormones your body releases, too.

Sustained exercise may even increase your confidence. Working out has the added benefit of giving you better tools to manage life’s stressors. You may also be able to meet new people and create new friendships to help you stay on track for a happy and healthy lifestyle. According to Psychology Today, interacting with others could also decrease feelings of depression and improve your mood.

Best Kinds of Exercise

When starting any physical activity routine, it’s a good idea to start out slowly. Twenty minutes, three times a week is enough to see a difference in how you feel, and can lead to better stamina. Aerobic exercise is a healthy way to start. Walking is one of the easiest ways to start exercising. It is something most people can do, regardless of fitness level. Start out easy, and build to brisk power walking.

If you are worried about your joints, or you want something a bit more challenging, consider swimming combined with weight training. Swimming not only works your entire body, but according to Harvard Health, it may help put you in a better state of mind, and lift your emotions.

Using weights is a great way to burn calories while gaining strength, which can help you maintain a healthy weight. To avoid injury, start with dumbbells you can easily manage, and slowly increase the weight you use. If you can make your time exercising fun, even better. Not only will you be more likely to stick with what you do, but finding things you enjoy can make your quality of life much better.

How to Maintain the Routine

The best way to maintain an all-around healthy routine for an extended period of time is to start with a specific plan. Have plans that encompass both the short and long-term. What is your overall goal? What steps will you take to achieve it? Don’t forget to think about each day as well. What will you eat for each meal? When will you work out? What exercises will you do? When are you going to see family, or socialize with friends?

How will you make sure you’re eating regularly, and healthily? How will you make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day? Not eating or drinking enough can contribute to bad mental health. According to Healthline, your mood improves when you drink water, and if you regularly stay hydrated, this will lessen the effects of anxiety and depression. You should make sure you always have a water bottle.

As you begin to exercise more it’s also important that you change your diet accordingly. If you aren’t eating properly, you won’t have enough energy for your workouts, which may knock you off your new routine. Getting enough carbs is especially important because carbs fuel the brain and muscles. Great sources of healthy carbs include whole grain varieties of pasta, rice, and bread.

As mentioned, it’s important to find exercise you enjoy to help stay motivated, but you should also vary your workouts. Changing things up will keep you engaged. You want feeling good to be second nature. You can also look to outside sources like music to help keep you moving. Create a workout playlist of your favorite motivational tunes. Working out with a friend is another great way to stay motivated. If you know someone is counting on you to show up at the park for a run, you’ll be less likely to bail on your workout.

Last but not least, you can’t maintain a workout routine if you’re thoroughly uncomfortable doing it. So invest in some comfortable, supportive attire that still fits great when you’re working up a sweat. By using multiple but simple methods to stay motivated, you are giving yourself the best chance to maintain a happy lifestyle.

When paired with treatment, exercise and fitness can be an integral aspect of recovery. It gives you motivation, helps you focus on something new, and makes you feel good overall. With a little dedication, you may be surprised by how far you go.

Looking Vibrant believes that the best way to heal the world is to empower you to learn how to heal yourself. Check out our shop today!