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Anxiety And Exercise
Blog | November 16, 2018
My mindset in my younger years is different than how it is today. First of all, back then I thought that when I’d turn older, I’d be ancient, but also very wise, calm and s hundred times more confident and totally worry-free. While I don’t feel ancient, I’m not as stress-free as I thought I’d be.
Stress and anxiety are normal parts of life, just like joy and happiness. The world is full of opposites, which I believe are necessary to create balance and also meaning. What would happiness mean to you if you never experienced sadness, stress, anxiety, or any other negative emotion? Negative emotions are not necessarily bad. They guide us, teach us and protect us. You can learn a lot about yourself from your negative emotions… however, they can become a problem if they persist, creating a negative emotional imbalance resulting in stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic anxiety disorders.
I had gone through major anxiety after I turned 30 and sought out professional help for the first time in my life. Anxiety can be triggered by numerous factors and combinations including:
- Genetics
- Brain Chemistry
- Substance Abuse
- Lack of Movement/ Activity
- Medical Issues
However, it’s common for stress to build up as a result of simply getting older. It gets made up of major life changes, losses, and health problems. In my case, it was just a stress build up over time by going through major changes like divorce, moving from country to country, loss of my blog, starting a new blog, change of work environment, and starting a new relationship.
Now I see the benefits of talking to someone who can help to sort things out in your head and work through your emotions. Personally, I am strongly against taking medications for depression and anxiety, even though I know people who had a good experience with them. I am not saying that medications are bad. My belief is that they would be bad for me. I have always been cheerful and positive minded person and I would feel like I am taking the cheap way out instead of facing the challenge and coping with it in a healthy and natural way.
There is no doubt that exercise has healing effects on anxiety and depression. Besides talking to my therapist every once in a while, exercise has been the number one go-to coping strategy for me. It has not been always easy to get myself motivated to exercise, especially when I’m feeling down, but once I get started, it always makes a huge difference. I get my mood elevated immediately after a few minutes into my training and feel amazing for hours afterward. The best benefits come from intense exercises that burn away stress hormones such as cortisol while improving the release of endorphins and neurotransmitters in the brain.
So the next time you’re dealing with the blues, or need to get over a funk, try kicking your butt with a short and sweet training session. Even a brisk walk outside can help. For further guidance and structure in your routine, consider signing up for the ZGYM.
Talking more often about exercise and the positive effects it has on anxiety is something I really want to do more on my blog, because anxiety and depression is something that has affected me, people that I am close to, and millions of Americans.
Share your insight, stories, advice, and opinions in the comments below. Looking forward to reading them.
Best,
Zuzka.
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Private Member |
Z, you have something very special inside you! I have to admit that my first impression was something else. Blond, posing in small clothes with boobs popping up… But what makes you very special and why I appreciate you very much is the humanness, positiveness and amazing inner light you carry and share! I’m so happy to follow you, because you dont seem to have the usual superascetic fitness obsession, but instead you have a big, warm heart and fantastic human attitude! <3
Private Member |
I have dealt with depression and anxiety since I was 16 and I am 28 now. I feel like it is something that never goes away and you have to work hard to keep your mind balanced because things can get out of control very quickly. When I was 22, I went to my doctor to ask for help because things were getting very bad for me. I also chose not to go on any medication because a good friend was on some kind of meds that made her even worse. I was scared to go on something that might change me so I decided to find a psychiatrist and I saw her for over a year. It helped a lot.
Two years ago, my grandmother ended her life and I found out that she was going through what I struggle with on a daily basis. I never knew and I wish she had told me about it but it is very old-school European to not talk about these kinds of things which made me very sad. Her death combined with confronting my own feelings of depression and anxiety, really made me lose the plot. I went through hell to get out, faced with people who didn’t want to talk about suicide which makes things even more difficult. I have bad days and really good days. Exercise and changing my diet has really done wonders for me and I only have to do half the work I used to. It really helps to talk to people. Everyone has things going on and things on their mind. Sometimes, just saying them out loud can help immensely. Thanks for sharing this blog post and thank you to everyone who have shared their stories. xx
Private Member |
i too was diagnosed with panic/anxiety disorder years ago. i since have learned proper coping and self talk and am med free and find exercising 5-6 days a week a huge influence on coping. however don’t get me wrong i still am not completely stress free. i need to do personal check ups from the neck up daily.
Private Member |
I find avoiding chemicals, drinking non fluorinated water and extended daily fasting reduces depression and anxiety. Nothing else worked for me. I fast 16 to 18 hours daily. what works for me is eating at noon until 7 pm.
Here is a link more about: http://bradpilon.com/weight-loss/intermittent-fasting-and-depression-an-inflammation-link/
Private Member |
my divorce and bankruptcy gave me anxiety- sport and yoga helped a lot to relieve the stress
Private Member |
When my ex left me (I am talking about “the EX”, the one you think it is the right one) I thought my life would finish. I tought I would die because of the pain I was feeling. I could not imagine a life without him, since we had been together and lived together for 4 years in a foreign country sharing so much and growing up together. The only thing that helped me back then was starting working out again. I was able to release all the stress and the pain. Now time has passed and of course I am ok, I moved on with my life and I feel blessed it is actually over with my ex :-), since time helped me understand so many things. Working out helps me now to de-stress for other things: work problems, exams, bad thoughts, hard life. I could never give up working out, specially since I came across your amazing and fun workouts about 2 years ago ;-). Thanks a lot for your help, support and all you do for us.
P.S.: And by the way you look 25. Now, I am not saying this to adulate you. You REALLY look 25 and amazing and it is genetic and also it is because you workout. You are such an inspiration and such a wonderful and funny person. Don’t worry, after the storm the rainboiw always comes again. 1 bacione xxx
Private Member |
I am 40 with 3 young kids, and I am homeschooling them right now…so I really have a lot of stress right now, and I found by working out with your DVD, I am feeling better. Thanks !
Private Member |
You look beautiful now and you will look beautiful at any age, because you take care of your body with passion.
Private Member |
31 was a hard year for me (nearly 11 years ago! Eep), and was the onset of a long stretch of difficult anxiety and stress related low level illness. I could still function, but for years had low energy, severe bouts of anxiety, stomach problems, severe PMS, etc. Doctors suggested antidepressants; naturopaths suggested innumerable expensive treatments. It wasn’t until I started consciously reducing stressors, lost some weight and started exercising that I started feeling physical better and more mentally in charge.
I attribute a great deal of my current happy state of being to you Zuzanna. When I started zwows in late December 2012, I was tired, stressed, weak and in pain. Now, I’m alert, happy, strong and without the persistent back, hip and knee pain that has bothered me for years.
Thank you for sharing your story, and for being a constant source of inspiration and motivation.
Private Member |
Thaaank you for sharing. You are awesome! I’m confident that you will find the light inside you that makes you healthy inside and out and happy, with all that it means (good and bad things). Reading others’ posts and for my personal experience I think it may be something related with that age. I’ve been moving from cities and countries as well and it makes things difficult, specially when you are in your 30’s and you compare yourself with the image you had for you at that age. I haven’t spoke about my feelings other than my husband but YOU have helped me a lot. I’m still dealing with difficult days but meditation, yoga, hubby and learning about nutrition are working for now…tho maybe it will be a good idea to seek professional advice. Take care Z, and God bless you! xoxo