Resources:
Exercise
The reason you should exercise is not just to make yourself fitter
and healthier but also because of the positive effect it will
have on your mental state.
We recommend that you begin by monitoring how much you exercise
now. Download and print Keeping a log of your
life. It contains a simple chart to see where you are at in
terms of your exercise regime.
Before you
start exercising, heed the warning and consult your doctor.
Find out what would
be safe types of exercise for you,
given you current condition. But also know that everyone needs
to move and connect with their bodies. Even when someone is
near
the end of their lives, they still exist in a body. Even in the
hospital, you need to walk the corridors. You need to be present
as long as you can – not just for your body, but for your
mind.
I had a client once who weighed over five hundred pounds and
was in a wheelchair, and had no money. Even he could fill two
water jugs and swing his arms about and wheel down the block,
and start again to be back in his body. Again, balance is the
word.
Without your body, how can your mind create who and how you need
to be? Without your body, how would you be where you are now at?
Working with your body is one of the best things you can do for
depression, anxiety, being able to focus and a host of other conditions.
I am not suggesting doing a marathon, I am saying know your own
level of fitness, and move beyond it just a little bit more, every
other day. Move your body with your mind in the direction of health.
So what to
do? That is almost the easy part. Start with the notion of
being healthy
and then ask for guidance. This may be guidance
from your doctor or from a physical therapist if necessary or
from a personal trainer. Or the guidance may come from the
many
too many books, videos and free podcasts available. The main
thing is to listen to your own body as to what helps and what
doesn't.
But just start….
Cardio
You need to get your heart rate up (just a bit, remember the
doctor and starting slowly, deliberately, consciously, and again,
slowly). You need to get your heart rate up 2-3 times a week.
But check for your own body, just how much, how often, and what
type of low impact exercise works best for you, like swimming,
biking, walking fast, elliptical, etc.
We would recommend that you buy a heart rate monitor and read
the instructions that come with it. There are some cheap ones
on the market.
Weight-bearing exercises
This is essential for both men and woman to prevent a number
of physical disorders, like osteoarthritis. We have found weight
bearing exercises can also help ground the mind (again and again,
go slow, the point is not to get big, but to be healthy in both
mind and body).
Stretching, yoga, pilates and awareness through movement
There are so many great books and videos on these subjects. However,
if you have never tried these, you should do at least a few classes
first off. But the main premise is that you need to work on becoming
flexible. Pilates also says our core is central to any activity
on your body. Most of these techniques believe you need to become
more connected to how your body feels. This will also help you
become more connected to how your mind feels and changes.
What
should I do next?
