Bump!

Exercise or movement is essential for your mental health. How do you try to keep active?

Tiana, Health Educator

Hi Jonie, Thanks for the great advice, definitely taking it on board :) One thing that has helped me is to keep a tracker of my days. Basically I have an old fashioned calendar where I make little remarks that help me track my daily work (I give myself a little star if I had a 'good' day at work -as in, no procrastination), I also track my period, diet, mood and exercise there. Is so helpful because is helping me to weekly evaluate my results and is great to see how everything ties up together very nicely, i.e. if it was a productive day at work, it is usually accompanied by a good mood and exercise. I have never kept track of my days to this level of detail and is definitely very helpful, I would recommend it to anyone starting this program. Of course journaling is better, but if you don't feel ready to journal just yet, this is a great start. Is been 5 weeks since I started my exercise program and I feel great. I've only felt slight discomfort a couple of days, but the 'good' kind - as in when you lift weights and your muscles are sore the next day, the 'nice' kind of soreness if you know what I mean. Mood wise I feel much better when I exercise, because even if I had a 'bad day' (at work, or I felt depressed, etc.), at least I feel accomplished because I made it to the gym. This last week I made it to the gym 6 times out of 7, which itself is a huge accomplishment as my average attendance to the gym last year used to be zero days per month lol. I feel comfortable with this level of exercise, I actually would like to do more but I know is just my impatient side talking (wanting immediate changes/gratification) so I just keep telling to myself that I am already doing so well and no more exercise is needed nor recommended - I don't want to burn out :) Last Friday I felt a bit tired, it was a long, busy week at work, I had just got my period, and I had been following a balanced, yet strict diet. So I felt the need to take the day off, and I did. Stayed at home, and watched a movie instead. So I think I am even learning to listen to my body's needs in order to achieve a good balance. I'm so happy for these accomplishments. Good luck with your exercise program Jonie!!

Josie, Health Educator

Hello again!!

Awesome!

Ashley, Health Educator

Well, I am already using this experience to challenge myself into going to the gym more often. I plan to use the positive gym experiences as my 'supporting evidence' that exercise is good for me and will definitely make me feel much better, especially on a bad day or when I feel I can't be bothered going. I keep telling to myself that all I need to do after work is change into my gym clothes and go downstaris (I'm very lucky to have a gym at my building), that is the 'difficult' part, because once I'm there I will exercise of course, and I will feel much better. So just change change change my clothes and go go go to the gym. So far the formula is working very well :)

Ashley, Health Educator

Funny, I just read this on begnning of Lesson 5:

"Remember, the only two way to stop the downward spirals of depression is to change behaviors and challenge thoughts.  Challenging behaviors and thoughts will lead to other changes in your mood. In contrast, trying to challenge feelings doesn’t work."