A Year In Review

A lot of things have Anne Titone athletes, readying them changed since we We kicked off our first issue for the bodybuilding stage published the first issue with an interview with and is a judge for both of 2Inspire magazine in International Federation the IFBB and National August 2020. Like you, of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Pro, Physique Committee none of us could have Ann Titone. After beating (NPC) and sponsors anticipated the ways that the odds and surviving a nine IFBB/NPC shows our world and our daily head-on collision in high throughout the Midwest. . lives would evolve as a school, Ann went on to pandemic creeped in. At become a six-time Figure In our interview, she gave 2Inpsire, we’ve worked Pro Champion. She has some timeless advice to create a dynamic competed in Olympia five about what people should magazine that helps you times, placing fourth in do when they can’t get to adjust your fitness to 2014. Today, she coaches the gym: whatever the world throws at you.

While looking over past issues to create this retrospective, I found many articles from well before pandemic times that were very helpful even for today’s changed world. Let’s take a look at some of the timeless articles and interviews featured in 2Inpsire during its first year.

September 2019, From Baby Steps to Bodybuilding Champ With

“Just get off the couch. Find some stairs. Go outside. Walk a dog. I mean, that’s all it takes. It’s just movement. That’s all it is. It’s movement. It’s about not being lazy. Is a gym good to go to, to get faster, better results? Absolutely. But if you’re trying to get your foot in the door, just get off the couch.”

You can find her on AnnTitone.com.

October 2019, Special Women’s Issue In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we devoted the bulk of this issue to the special exercise and fitness concerns facing women. In the U.S. alone, more than 276,480 women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. It’s a disease that impacts us all, and something we all need to work together to fight.

One thing that can help lower a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer is exercise. In our article, MOTIVATION: How Women Can Start Lifting Weights When They’ve Never Done It Before, we give some tips for women who want to get started with weight lifting. One of the simplest yet most important tips “Use a weight that allows you to do at least 1 sett of 6 repetitions of each exercise. In future workouts, increase the number of reps. Once you can do 3 or 4 sets of each exercise for 10 reps per set, add weight and drop back to 6 reps per set.”

November 2019 - In the November issue, we covered something that many people are curious about: continuing to burn calories after your workout with post-exercise oxygen consumption. In our article, What Does Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption Mean? We explained the body’s continued increased rate of oxygen consumption after exercise. When talking about how to get the most excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), we shared the following information:

“Research concludes that EPOC will be elevated the harder and longer that you workout. In addition, some studies have found that resistance training causes the greatest amount of after burn.”

December 2019 Soreness is no stranger to those who workout regularly. Who hasn’t felt that familiar ache in their muscles after pushing themselves to walk further, run faster, or bench higher than they usually do? Muscle soreness may be a constant companion to progress, but when it threatens to get in the way of your workouts, you’ve got a problem. Foam rolling is a great way to help you reduce muscle soreness while also speeding up recovery and increasing flexibility and circulation.

In our article, Foam Roller Exercises to Ease Pain, we gave the following tip about foam rolling for knee pain:

“...[S]tart with your IT band and quads. You should also work your hip flexors, too. Stretching out these areas will help you relax your knees, just make sure to follow the golden rule: never overwork any certain area. Experts recommend not rolling the same area for more than 30-60 seconds at a time.”

January 2020 - January always seems like a great time to talk about weight loss, since so many people list that as a New Year’s resolution. In January

2020, we shared an article titled, How to Set A Weight Loss Goal. One of the tips we included was:

“You need to burn 3,500 calories to burn 1 pound of fat. If you want to lose 2 pounds a week, that means you need a 7,000 calorie deficit per week (or 1,000 calories per day). Do the math to figure out how many calories you can consume and how many you need to burn through exercise to meet your goal.”

February 2020 - Whether you’re grappling with an injury, adjusting your workout to be ageappropriate, or balancing a workout with pregnancy, low-impact exercise is a great way to keep moving while limiting the strain felt by your body. In February, we shared articles that could help anyone create a challenging, low-impact routine.

In the article, 5 Common Myths About Low Impact Fitness, we helped bust the myth that low-impact exercise doesn’t help weight loss or fat burning: “...[Y]ou might sprint on your bike for a quarter mile and ten peddle at a more relaxed pace for a half mile. Repeat this 10 times and you’re going to have gotten in an excellent workout, had little to no impact, and burned fat and calories.”

March 2020, The Denial, Emotions and Genetics of Obesity, With David Essel In March, I spoke to counselor, master life coach, international speaker and best-selling author, David Essel. David’s mission is to positively affect over 2 million people each day, with “David’s Daily Video Boost”

on talkdavid.com. During the interview, David gave some vital advice for those who are dealing with emotional eating or have been overweight for a while. When we asked him what they could do to get started on a weight loss and fitness journey, he said:

“ … the most important thing is to start journaling the food you eat and what you drink and the amount. The brain has a chance to deny everything. So unless it’s in writing, we’re going to say, “How’d you do over the last week?” “Oh, I think

I’m doing a lot better.” “Well, no, you’re not. You haven’t written anything down and we don’t know if you’re doing better.” So, I would say that the very first step is just take a little journal, maybe on your smartphone, or have a pad of paper with you and write down, “Breakfast, I ate this many eggs,” or “I had this amount of toast,” or “I had this amount of juice” or whatever. “Lunch, I had this in the car. I had these snacks.” Start to get in touch with the amount of food and the type of food you’re really eating. Get out of denial. Look at the reality.

… without that, we have a tendency to trick our brains into thinking we’re making good changes when we may not be. If you’re making good changes, it’ll show up in your writing. If you’re not, it won’t show up, and that’s how we get real to begin.”

Find out more about David’s show on talkdavid. com.

April 2020 - By April, most of us were dealing with stay-at-home orders and self-isolating to avoid COVID-19. To help ensure fitness could still be a priority in our work-fromhome lives, we created a comprehensive guide to working out at home.

In the article, A Guide To Working Out At Home, we shared some interesting ways to use the stuff around your house as workout gear, including:

“Chairs, tables, and counters make excellent workout equipment. You can do arm dips on chairs and counter tops. Chairs and tales also make great surfaces for elevated push ups.”

May 2020 - In keeping with the theme of working out at home, May brought us a fun article on jumping rope, discussing how this exercise puts less pressure on your joints and gives your whole body a major calorie-burning workout. In the article, 9 Benefits of Working Out With A Jump Rope, we explained its fatburning powers:

“Jumping rope is a crazily effective fat burning exercise. You are strength training and enjoying cardiovascular stress at the same time. THis recipe is great for crunching calories and feeding your far burning furnace.”

June 2020 - Motivation can become a challenge for anyone during their fitness journey. One of the best ways to stay motivated is to increase your knowledge about the adverse effects of avoiding exercise. That’s why in June, we shared the article, The Link Between Obesity and Sitting Down Too Long. A startling fact shared in that article was:

“Fact: Sitting down for long periods of time shortens your life span. ... Jobs or hobbies that require you to sit for extended periods of time also significantly increase your risk of:

• Cancer • Heart Disease • Diabetes • Metabolic Syndrome • Obesity

July 2020 - At 2Inpsire, we try to pay attention to all aspects of fitness, including sleep, exercise and diet. In July, we talked about diet in our article, How to Deal with Food Cravings on a Healthy Diet. In the article, we talk about how one of the most important things you can do to avoid food cravings is to eat regularly:

“Hunger is one of the biggest causes of cravings. So, one of the best ways to prevent cravings is to avoid getting hungry.

Regular small healthy meals and snacks taken every 3-4 hours should do the trick. It will keep your stomach full and prevent you from adding extra kilos as a result of overfeeding the body.”

August 2020, Parks, Recreation and Keto with Phat Girl in the Kitchen, Monique Breau In August, we had the honor of interviewing keto-diet devotee, Camp Gladiator silver member, and parks & recs professional Monique Breau. I asked her what advice she’d give to people who were reluctant to start getting fit, and she said:

“Just get out of your own head and experience life. Stop living your life from the sidelines, and just begin. Begin somewhere. Little bitty steps will eventually add up to bigger accomplishments.

It’s just like a paper towel roll. If you take one piece of the roll off every single day, by the end of that roll, you’re going to wonder, “Wait, how did I use them all at one time?” This is the same thing. You may start off with a five-pound weight, and eventually get to lifting 30-pound weights. You build that endurance slowly but surely, and you make it a lifestyle.

Just start somewhere, whether you’re watching something on YouTube, or on POPSUGAR, or Instagram Live. There are so many outlets and avenues. Even Dollar Tree sells workout tapes.

Challenge yourself. Take baby steps. Walk to your mailbox if you live in a subdivision, instead of driving to the mailbox. But just start somewhere, and you’ll be so proud of yourself 30, 60, 90, 120 days out. Don’t try to make it a quick fix. Because a quick fix, that’s done for vanity. It’s not reality.”

To find out more about Monique, visit her website, phatgirlinthekitchen.com.

According to Harvard Medical School, a review of studies stretching back to 1981 concluded that regular exercise can improve mood in people with mild to moderate depression. They also found that it might play a critical role in treating people with severe depression.

Harvard is just one of the many organizations and foundations looking into the impact of exercise on depression. Study after study has shown that exercise can be a very real and effective part of combating both anxiety and depression.

Before we move on, let’s take a quick look at the definitions of anxiety and depression.

Anxiety Disorder

There are actually many different types of anxiety disorders and a range of symptoms. However, a general definition of an anxiety disorder is one that is “characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, where anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current events. These feelings may cause physical symptoms, such as a racing heart and shakiness.” (American Psychiatric Association)

Depression

Depression is a “common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act. Fortunately, it is also treatable. Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed. It can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems and can decrease a person’s ability to function at work and at home.” (American Psychiatric Association)

Okay, now that we have a general definition of both anxiety and depression, let’s talk about how exercise can help. It’s important to point out that in many cases exercise can reduce or get rid of depression. However, exercise may not cure depression or anxiety disorders. It can help, it can reduce the need for medication, and in many cases it can eliminate the need for medications.

Depression and antianxiety medications are expensive and come with side effects. Exercise can be free and there are no side effects. It also improves your health. It’s easy to get started and the benefits can last a lifetime. So on that note… let’s start by talking about the benefits of exercise and how it can help beat depression and anxiety.

10 Ways That Exercise Can Help Depression and Anxiety

1. Exercise Releases Positive Hormones.

For a long time, researchers, mental health experts and doctors have known that exercise has a positive impact on emotions and mental health. What

they didn’t know was why. They’ve discovered that when a person exercises, their body releases several different categories of chemicals. These chemicals include neurotransmitters, endorphins, and endocannabinoids.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help your body’s systems communicate with one another. There are a number of different neurotransmitters, and they each have their own job. You might be familiar with some of them including dopamine and serotonin. These both influence mood and how your body and mind respond to certain stimuli. Exercise improves this process.

Endorphins are known as “feel good” hormones. They’re released during times of stress, including physical stress or exercise. They help relieve pain and create a feeling of pleasure or euphoria. Endocannabinoids are also part of the stress response that’s triggered with exercise and impact several systems including appetite, pain-sensation, mood, and memory. 2. Strengthened Immune System.

When you’re under a great deal of emotional and mental stress, your body has a stress response. It releases cortisol. In life or death situations cortisol is helpful. With chronic stress, depression, and anxiety this constant flow of cortisol can have a damaging effect on your body. It slowly depletes your immune system. When you exercise you actually help your body better manage the effects of stress. Exercise also reduces the amount of cortisol released into your system.

3. Increased body temperature.

Do you sweat when you exercise? Generally speaking, most people find that when they exercise not only does their circulation improve because your muscles need more oxygen and your heart beats faster, their body temperature actually increases a bit too. This has a calming effect on the system. Exercise can be soothing.

4. Better sleep. and improved systems generally work together to improve every aspect of health. Many people who struggle with depression and anxiety also struggle with insomnia. This lack of sleep only worsens symptoms of depression. Exercise has been shown to improve sleep quantity and quality, which can have a dramatic impact on your mental wellbeing.

5. A Confidence Boost.

Regular exercise shows you what you’re capable of. You learn that your body can do amazing things and you feel more confident and in control over your life. And after exercising for a while, you may also see physical results, which is often a fun benefit.

6. Productivity.

One of the common symptoms or side effects of depression and anxiety is that you might feel disconnected from the world and dispassionate about your life. Exercise can be that activity that makes you feel productive.

7. Social Connection.

If you choose to exercise with others, it can help

you create a community so you feel more connected.

8. Self Care.

Self care is important and it often gets set aside when we’re busy, exhausted, or just too upset to think about it. Yet, making yourself a priority helps you learn to set boundaries and it makes you feel better about yourself. Exercise is part of a good self care habit and mindset

9. More Energy.

People with depression and anxiety often cite a lack of energy as one of the more predominant and frustrating symptoms. You just don’t feel like doing anything. Yet, if you can exercise, even just a little bit, you’ll gradually gain more energy. You’ll be able to not only exercise each day but also have energy for some of the things you need and want to do.

10. Better Overall Health.

Finally, let’s just mention that people who exercise not only live longer, but they also live better quality lives. Exercise improves your health at every level. You’ll see mental, emotional, and physical improvements.

What Types of Exercise Can Help with Depression and Anxiety?

The truth is that just about any type of exercise can help improve depression and anxiety. However, there are some activities and sports that have been studied and shown to help. We’re going to talk about ten of them here.

If you’re thinking about an activity that’s not on the list, give it a try. It’s important that your physical activity be joyous, and if you are having fun, that’s half the challenge.

1. Walking

It seems like such an easy thing and such a small thing, yet walking can have a dramatic impact on your mental and physical health. If you haven’t exercised before or it’s been a long time, this is a great place to start. You might even start by simply walking for ten minutes around your neighborhood.

If you have a treadmill and would prefer to exercise indoors, then that’s an option too. Work your way up until you’re walking about 30 minutes a day. The faster you walk, the faster your heart rate. However, the most important step is the first one. Go out and walk for ten minutes today. Get started.

2. Hiking

Hiking gives you the

ability to take a walk in nature and to vary your terrain. Instead of spending thirty minutes on local sidewalks, you’re now on trails with hills, winding paths, and roots and rocks to maneuver. If you have good trails near your home, this is a terrific option.

Again, you might try the gradual approach and begin with ten minutes of hiking. Slowly increase until you’re hiking about thirty minutes. It’s also important to note that you can combine hiking with walking. You might hike on the weekends for example, and walk during your week.

3. Jogging/Running

Jogging is an option for those who like to move a little faster. It’s important to point out that almost anyone can jog. You don’t need to go fast – it’s not a race. The point is to move your body, increase your heart rate, and create a positive habit. You can even alternate between walking and jogging.

You might jog for 3 minutes and walk for 1 minute. Create a system that works for you and strive to work up to about 20-30 minutes of jogging each day. Can you take a day off? Of course. However, many people find that creating this daily structure helps them stick to an exercise schedule.

4. Cycling

Cycling provides many options. You can get a stationary bicycle and exercise indoors. You can jump on a mountain bike and explore nearby trails and roads. You can also get a road bike or a cruise and pedal around town. You get to decide what works best for you and how you’d like to enjoy this exercise.

You can buy a used bike at your local resale store and save money too. Just make sure to wear a helmet if you’re cycling outside. Oh, and there are spinning classes that you can take as well. Work your way up to between 30 and 60 minutes of cycling.

5. Swimming

Many pools are now open because the days are warmer. This opens up the opportunity for swimming as an activity. And of course there are gyms and facilities with indoor pools. If swimming lanes isn’t for you, consider some type of water aerobics instead.

6. Team sports

If social connection is important to you, you might try a local team sport like softball or basketball. Some local leagues can be really competitive, so it’s important to make sure you find a team that fits your personality. If you’re

prone to anxiety, then a highly competitive team may not suit you. Have fun. Between practices and games, it’s a good way to get exercise.

7. Dancing

There are a number of home workout programs that are dance focused. You can certainly rent or buy a DVD and get down in your living room. You can also try any of the many dance fitness classes. You don’t have to be a skilled dancer to have fun and benefit from these classes. Try Zumba, Soul Sweat, and Barre if you enjoy moving your body to music. that helps reduce stress and anxiety. It’s often described as meditation in motion. It takes you through a series of flowing movements that are both graceful and mindful. You have to focus and let go 8. Yoga at the same time. You can practice at home or you Yoga is a centuries old practice that has been can find a group or local class. shown to improve strength, endurance, 10. Get outside in nature flexibility and mental well-being. Not only can you stream yoga classes right from your computer, chances are there are many yoga options in your community as well. This can be a daily practice and sessions are usually 30-60 minutes in length. Finally, consider simply getting out into nature. The sun and fresh air have a positive impact on mental and emotional health. Moving your body in nature is good for you. You might play Frisbee, golf, go horseback riding, or roller skate. 9. Tai chi The key is to find activities Tai chi is a Chinese practice that are fun. Activities that make you smile and that you generally enjoy. Exercise shouldn’t be a chore, it should be something that fulfills you and helps you embrace the ten benefits we talked about.

The Social Aspect of Exercise and How to Embrace It

One of the benefits of exercise that we mentioned earlier was social connection. When you’re feeling anxious or depressed there can be a bit of a challenging circle. Being around others can cause anxiety and yet you might also feel disconnected. Exercise can help in a few different ways.

ability to be around others without having to immediately forge relationships. In essence, it gives you the ability to ease into socialization with little pressure. There are also a number of opportunities to tap into the social benefits while getting your exercise.

Exercise Clubs In your community you may have a number of different exercise groups and clubs. For example, you might be able to find a local hiking or running club. You can find them on Craigslist, Meetup.com, or search online. Look for the activity you enjoy and local clubs. For example, “running club, Austin” will produce a list of potential running clubs in Austin. Small Group Training Many gyms, community centers, and facilities offer small group classes. The training might be something like CrossFit, or it could be dancing, cardio, or some type of boot camp. The class size is usually kept to less than a dozen so everyone can get individualized attention and guidance from the trainer. A third option is to organize a daily plan with your friends. For example, you might create your own walking group. Every day you meet with your friends and walk together. It’s a way to bond with your peers and to hold one another accountable

for daily exercise. If you’re feeling disconnected or you want to spend more time with friends and engaging with the world, then opportunities are available for you. Please keep in mind that social engagement isn’t important for everyone, so please don’t feel like you have to embrace this part of exercise. Next, we’ll take a look at how nutrition can impact your exercise, depression, and anxiety.

Nutrition Matters

Studies are showing that there’s a link between inflammation and depression. Inflammation can be caused by a number of things including stress and the foods you eat and the fluids you drink. Sugar is one source of inflammation, but there are others. We also know that your body will perform better during exercise and recover better afterwards if you have good nutrition.

So this tells us that nutrition can have a very real impact on your brain chemistry, your body, and your mental and emotional health.

Rather than spend dozens of pages talking about how to eat well and giving you a diet plan to stick with, we’re going to provide a nice list of tips and habits to embrace. You can embrace the tips that resonate with you and gradually take steps to improve your diet and nutrition.

1. Cut Back On Sugar

Sugar is in so many things. It’s in ketchup, it’s in your coffee, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise and of course in any baked goods. The FDA recommends not consuming more than 50 grams of sugar a day. That’s about 12.5 teaspoons. Start by tracking your sugar.

How much do you actually eat each day? You can keep a piece of paper with you and write down the sugar grams as you

consume them. Don’t worry about cutting back right now, just get a baseline. Once you have a number, you can then take small steps to cut back.

You can cut back by 5 or 10 grams a day or a week – whatever seems doable for you. You’ll find that as you reduce your sugar intake you’ll also reduce your cravings. You’ll improve your energy and inflammation levels may also decline.

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Another ingredient that can help with inflammation and also to improve mindset are Omega-3 fatty acids. You can find them in fish oil and supplements are easy to take. Consider taking preservatives. They are you. Of course, if you’re about 500 mg a day. it’s too easy to turn to fast calories and these usually 3. Eat Clean, Whole Foods come from a vending Whole foods are foods that drive through. If you plan are free from processing. your meals, and take They don’t come in food with you so that you a box generally. They always have options, then are free from additives, you’ll be able to make colorings, flavorings, and nutritious choices. straight from nature and 5. Celebrate Your Good are basically good for Food Choices machine or a box, or a like most people then We all make food choices you can probably stand that aren’t great for us, and to eat a few more fruits it’s easy to dwell on them. and veggies. Strive for We all make mistakes. five servings of fruits and Instead of letting those veggies each day, mostly mistakes haunt you, let veggies. them go. Focus on the good food choices that 4. Don’t Get Hungry you do make. Celebrate them. Pat yourself on the Plan your meals so that back. You might even you can eat every couple keep a journal of all of the of hours. If you allow good choices and positive yourself to get too hungry, actions you achieve.

6. Pay Attention to Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol is sugar and we’ve already talked about sugar. It’s also a depressant and it is a source of inflammation. None of these things are good for you. That doesn’t mean you can’t have the occasional drink. However, it’s a good idea to cut back and to pay attention to how much you consume and when you consume it. Let’s also point out that you’ll feel much better exercising if you don’t have alcohol in your system.

7. Probiotics

Probiotics are great for your digestive system. There are also a number of studies about how they impact your brain. You can get probiotics from supplements, from yogurt, kombucha, sauerkraut, and a number of fermented foods.

Food is fuel for your body. Have fun with it. Eat whole foods and make delicious meals for yourself. Enjoying food is one of the pleasures in life. It supports you to be at your best when you’re exercising and when you’re not. How to Get and Stay payoff.”

Motivated

It may take a longer course So let’s be real honest for of exercise to alleviate mood a moment. It’s difficult for disorders such as anxiety or anyone to get motivated depression. But the immediate to exercise and to stay effects are tangible — and motivated. If you’re dealing psychologists are in a unique with depression and/or position to help people get anxiety, it can feel nearly moving. impossible to put one foot Chances are you’ll feel after exercising. Will that in front of the other and to So while exercise may not get your body moving. We be the cure for everyone’s know this and understand. depression, it does offer immediate benefit and It’s also important to know it helps long term. It is that when you make protective effect against exercise a regular part of feelings of depression. your daily routine, you’ll To reap these benefits, it reap the benefits much needs to become part of more quickly. How long your every-day routine. does it take to see results? The following tips will It depends. help you get, and stay, better almost immediately Make It Fun motivated to exercise. feel good feeling last? Find activities that you You’ll probably still deal enjoy. So often when we with the challenges of think about exercise we depression and anxiety. think about running on a However, the American treadmill or circuit training Psychological Association at the gym. If those aren’t (APA) wants you to know activities that sound fun, this… then you enjoy then they’re not right for you. The exercise mood boost offers Move your body. Smile. near-instant gratification. And often the best time to exercise Workout When You Have is when you’re feeling your the Most Energy worst. They say that, “Failing to exercise when you feel bad Some people are morning is like explicitly not taking an people, some aren’t. The aspirin when your head hurts. best time to exercise is That’s the time you get the whenever you generally

feel the most energetic and motivated. Work it into your day. We’re talking about twenty to thirty minutes. Plan it when you’re most likely to succeed.

Set Realistic Goals

One of the reasons that people struggle to exercise daily is because they set unachievable goals. Start yourself off right and set goals that Track Your Results Schedule It you know you can achieve. For example, you might go for a ten minute walk every day for a week. Next week, you might add five minutes to that. This is much easier to accomplish than trying to walk for an hour a day from the very first day. Consider keeping a record of your successes. We talked about this with food and you can also do this with your exercise. If you walk ten minutes today, write it down. If you run a 10-minute mile, write it down. Some people are motivated by quantifiable If you like to follow a schedule, simply blocking off time to exercise can help you get it done each day. Add it to your calendar. Variety Versus Routine Some people thrive on Get Support results and numbers or successful results can be routine and like to do the same thing every day. There are many ways to get support. You might take a class that has peer and coaching support. You might get support from your peers, join a local therapy group, find a family member or two that supports you or even jump on social media and join a group. It’s much easier to get motivated when you feel like you have good people cheering you on. exciting. Journaling Your Experiences/Feelings Another option is to write down how exercise makes you feel. Then, on days when you’re struggling to get off the couch, you can look back at how great exercise makes you feel. Your own words can be motivation. Others need variety. There is no best approach – do what works for you. Reward Yourself for Your Efforts Are you reward motivated? Do you find that small treats help you do what needs to be done? If so, consider building in small rewards for your accomplishments. For example, you might buy yourself a new pair of

running shoes if you run 20 or more times this month.

Identify a few tactics that you think may work for you and give them a try. It’s important to be patient and forgiving with yourself. Learn how you respond to stress and what motivates you. Then embrace those positive and supportive tactics. Regardless, there will be some bad days, so the following tips will help you get through them.

Tips for Managing Bad Days

Anything Is Better Than Nothing

If you can’t get yourself to go for a run, then go for a walk. If you can’t make it to the gym, go for a jog. Do something physical and positive. Any exercise is better than no exercise at all.

Cut Yourself Some Slack, But Just A Little

It’s important to learn to love and forgive yourself. You’re not perfect and you’re human. Cut yourself some slack. If you just don’t have it in you, then take a deep breath and do something nice for yourself. However, make a promise to yourself that you will exercise tomorrow.

Phone A Friend

Reach out when you need help and support. Find people that you can turn to and give them a call, send a text message, or DM them on social media.

Remember The Benefits

Remind yourself of the benefits of exercise. Don’t allow yourself to get so wrapped up in the negative that you aren’t able to find one positive nugget to focus on. This is where a journal can be really helpful.

It’s important to stay focused on the long term and on continuously taking positive steps. Sure, you’ll have bad days, but if the good days outnumber them then you’re moving forward. It’s also important to keep in mind that exercise may not cure your depression and/or anxiety. It does offer benefits, but it’s not always the only option. You might benefit from talking to a doctor or a combined approach of medication and exercise. We want to leave you with some actionable steps… something you can take action on right away. Grab a pen and some paper or turn on your computer.

Write down the answers to the following questions:

7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Get Started

1. What Physical

Activities Do I Enjoy?

2. Do I Prefer Group or Individual Activities?

3. What Programs Best

Fit My Schedule?

4. Do I Have Physical

Conditions That Limit

My Choice of Exercise?

5. What Are My Goals?

6. Does My Doctor

Approve of My Plan?

7. Do I Have Support at

Home and If Not, How

Can I Find the Support

I Need?

To your success!