Exercise for mental health.
 

Does anyone else use exercise in a healthy way to help with their mental health problems?

When my motivation is good, I go to the gym for over an hour and work out hard, or I go for a run up and down a few hills, or some cross-country running.

When my paranoia is bad, or I cannot leave the house for any other reason, I do intense kickboxing exercises for as long as I can before exhausting, then I do 50 press-ups on one leg and I also weightlift.

I don't understand why so many women are "scared" of weightlifting, it has really helped me keep toned, helps with my general strength/fitness, and also improves my self-confidence (when I can see my muscles toned and strong, it makes me feel better about myself).

I don't exercise to keep my weight down (I really don't care about my weight and if I put on weight, oh well). I do it because I love it. I can't go for a day without some sort of intense exercise. Even when my motivation is rubbish, the feeling of not having exercised that day (being stiff, tired etc) gives me the need to exercise.

What exercise do you do to help your mental health?

i do yoga. it helps me.

I would like to exercise, but to be honest, I hate it. I dont have the effort/energy to do the bare minimum of daily 'needs'. But i understand the benefits on mental health.

Maybe i just havent found an exercise I enjoy. But id like to give yoga a go.

I also do Yoga. :)

Additionally, I walk a lot - including going to a Walking Group run by Mind.

I used to dance [Contemporary], but my stamina levels kind of collapsed with my breakdowns.

I try to get to the gym when I can and go hiking in the Peaks when i can. I walk to and from uni unless I'm running late. However, when I'm in a depressive episode I tend to have very little motivation and I can hardly get out of bed or eat, so exercise is the last of my worries, but i do try.

I walk a lot, I find it distracting and uplifting when the weather is not horrendous.

I like to walk new places and explore a bit. I think it helps my moods and serves as a distraction.

I cannot get into Yoga... I've tried and I really struggle with it.

I've found Zumba really helpful for my mental health and I have found similar with running. It helps me set achievable goals, reach them and then set more. It's a healthy way of coping with things and it really clears my head.

i do amateur boxing and i want to take up MMA. it usually helps release and channel aggression i would otherwise be using against myself or get into trouble for. i also go running when i'm feeling alright.

have you heard of p90x? supposed to be really good.

I take a lot of dance classes, and at the moment I'm enjoying going to the gym. I am definitely finding it helpful - I do think it makes me feel better and actually increases my energy levels. I would like to go swimming but I feel really self-conscious.

I try to go walking to distract myself when I have the energy, and sometimes I try to do it even when I don't have the energy. I think it helps to keep me distracted and I feel much healthier too.

I go for a long walk if i need to calm myself down if i'm feeling especially agitated or aggressive.

It does really help.

I've heard of p90x but I haven't done it, what is it like?

The more intense the exercise, the better, as far as I'm concerned.

I strongly dislike dancing though. I have tried it before and I got nothing out of it and anyway I couldn't co-ordinate myself at all so I was falling over everywhere.

I have pumped up my biceps a bit through weightlifitng :) that feels good. I used to be able to bench press my own weight but I haven't practised for a while.

I am going to the gym today :D today is one of those motivated days.

The only thing I don't like about exercise is the occurrence of injuries. I have patellar tendonitis which is messing up my ability to do cross-country.

Long walks are good too.

I used to run a 7 mile cross country every Sunday with a cross country club. Unfortunately I don't live near them now so I can't go.