Exercise: Does it correlate to one's own mental state?

blissfulself

100% ABSOLUTELY!! this time last year I was struggling really bad with social anxiety and bouts of depression. I remember on st. patricks day last year going to this big outdoor street party thing and just feeling so terrible about myself. that night i couldn't sleep at all because i kept crying and going over in my mind everything i said to everyone and thinking everything i said was so stupid and thinking that everyone thought i was annoying or dumb, etc. etc. that person is like unrecognizable to me now. that I would be crying and staying up all night worrying about what i said to random people?! I still get self concious sometimes, but I feel like a different person. I started working out last august and i not only love how my body looks, but I just feel better about my whole person and feel so much happier and proud of myself. I really enjoy the time to myself when i work out. i am a law student and work full time so i'm so so busy and a lot of times i feel out of control of my life because there is so much to do at all times, but i love knowing that i have an hour or so everyday where i will just blast my music in my headphones and sweat and feel sexy and do something completely for ME. your mom is very right i really think it can change your life ...good luck!

cmriverside

Healthy foods, less sugar and more exercise has been a huge help to me. Also getting 7-8 hours of sleep daily and drinking lots of water. Make sure you are getting proper nutrition, study up on it.

Also, taking Vitamin D made a world of difference.

Do some online reseach about these things. Go to reputable sites like WebMD and MayoClinic and PubMed.

Your mother is right. About this...not about e v e r y t h i n g.

AllonsYtotheTardis

Exercise has absolutely, without any doubt whatsoever, GREATLY improved my mental health. To the point, that I'm almost scared to take any more than 1 rest day per week. It's like night and day, and I don't ever, ever want to go back.

norrisski

1) Does exercise really change and/or effect a person's overall mood and state of mind? yes it does. It has been shown in studies to release endorphins (feel good hormones) in the brain. And when you start to look better, that helps too.

2) Can a change in exercise habits (or lack thereof) change a person's mood and emotional state, make them more confident and secure in themselves? When you look in the mirror and see what you like that exercise has changed you begin to feel very good about yourself.

3) If willing to share, does anyone have a story to tell of how exercise made them better? Not just physical, but did exercise better your life on the outside and in? I went from hating to look in a mirror, going around naked at home, and trying on clothes to looking in the mirror every chance I get and love finding clothes now. By the way thrift stores are a great place to get and give clothes as you lose weight. Mentally, it has helped me see that I am a worthwhile person despite what some other people think.

4) I am looking for happiness and acceptance with myself. My mother suggests seeing a therapist, but I told her I want to try healthier alternatives, (change of diet, increase of exercise, and lose weight), before that. Do you think this is a wise/understandable choice? Do you agree with my mother? (I will never tell her she is right because I am stubborn. I know she is though. I would like some feedback from the community.) Therapy might be a good thing to do at the same time you are working on the outside. And don't do just cardio, strengthen training is very important in the process for our bodies as well. When we stretch out the skin and turn muscle into fat we have to do something to reverse those affects as well.

I went from 208 pounds highest weight to now 132 pounds. I have done it all with clean food and exercise. No gimmacks, pills, just good old fashion elbow grease and pushing away the unhealthy food.

Good luck on your lifestyle and body changes.

TinaBaily

1) Does exercise really change and/or effect a person's overall mood and state of mind?

2) Can a change in exercise habits (or lack thereof) change a person's mood and emotional state, make them more confident and secure in themselves?

3) If willing to share, does anyone have a story to tell of how exercise made them better? Not just physical, but did exercise better your life on the outside and in?

4) I am looking for happiness and acceptance with myself. My mother suggests seeing a therapist, but I told her I want to try healthier alternatives, (change of diet, increase of exercise, and lose weight), before that. Do you think this is a wise/understandable choice? Do you agree with my mother? (I will never tell her she is right because I am stubborn. I know she is though. I would like some feedback from the community.)

These are the answers I can give:

1) An emphatic YES!!!

2) See the answer to #1, times 100

3) My story:

I am 46. I'm 5' 3.25" short with a large frame. I started gaining weight in my senior year of high school. I was insecure, had been sexually molested throughout my childhood years by the man who married my mother and adopted me, was bullied in school every single year, and had only 1 female friend but had lost contact with her. Fast forward several years, a failed marriage and a currently very happy and forever second one, and 5 kids... After years of trying to lose the increasing weight and failing, I ended up weighing a whopping 235lbs when I gave birth to my daughter 15 years ago, after giving birth to 4 boys before her.

I learned shortly after her birth that I have P.C.O.S., which is an endocrine disorder specific to women that tends to contribute to being heavy, among other things, and was put on medication. Time went on, the medicine allowed me to drop down to the 200lb range, and I floated between 195lbs and 210lbs from then until last April, with the exception of one time when I dropped down to 158lbs. At that point my grandmother passed away and it was more than my emotional eating self could take. Before I knew it I was back up above 200lbs once again. *SIGH* I was ready to give up, even though I still held a gym membership and went sporadically. It didn't seem to be "working" for me. Then, within the same week, my mother and a very good friend both told me about this website. Backing up a bit, I had been slowly changing how I eat and removing more and more processed food (Hamburger Helper, frozen ready-made food, Rice A Roni, prepackaged side dishes) and adding in more and more fresh fruits and veggies. I also decided on a whim two Januarys ago that I had to do something about my anxiety and worries, so that New Year's resolution was that if it was something about which I could do nothing, I would shove it to the back of my mind and not worry about it. It worked! I found myself feeling a bit more relaxed and not craving foods that in the past would have had me eating half a container of ice cream or half a box of cookies.

So, April of last year, hearing about MFP, my resolution about not worrying was working, but I was feeling like nothing was ever going to work as far as my weight went, but I figured "what the heck? I'll try it and see what happens" in regard to this site. I really started to work the full system here in May, 2012, recording my food and exercise. At first I was only able to exercise for 15 to 20 minutes before I felt totally exhausted. I was able to increase both my time and resistance on the machines I favor at my gym each week, and I started to see real results by the end of May. I began to notice that my monthly food cravings were disappearing and I was feeling better and better about myself. It was like a healthy snowball rolling downhill; as I lost more weight and could workout longer, I felt better and better, slept better, had more energy, and even felt great about myself. What amazing things all of this has done for me! Today I weighed 141lbs, and according to the government's BMI charts I am finally a "normal" weight for my height. I haven't been that weight since I became pregnant with my oldest, who is 25 years old!!

This is why I say "yes" to your first 2 questions. I know how difficult it is to admit that our mothers are right. I am very happy to see that you understand she is, because it has been my experience that regular exercise that makes you sweat and work hard is highly beneficial for both your body and your mind. If you wish to friend me, include a note with your request and I would be happy to help encourage you!

4) Therapy can work, but only with the right therapist. I've done therapy. I didn't find the right one for my situation and needs. I feel that I'm the healthiest in my head than I ever have been, and life has thrown my husband and I some very serious trials in the form of a child with mental illness this year along with some other things. I remain happy and upbeat in spite of it all. Only you can make the decision as to whether you need therapy. I find that exercise is cheaper. :-)

icimani

Yes - exercise really does boost your mood, There are lots of studies finding that very thing, and most professional will suggest exercise for depression.

Exercise has certainly made me more confident and secure. When I started I could do about 5 mins on a treadmill before I just couldn't go any farther. Today I did 30 mins, and 15 of that was at a 3mph pace. That's huge for me and certainly gives me confidence, and I'm definitely proud of how far I've come.

Joining a gym has helped me to build some new friendships. I was coming out of a depression, having lots of PTSD symptoms and recovering from a motorcycle accident, and had pretty much withdrawn from life. Certainly the first few times were incredibly hard, but I kept going and now I socialize with several people I've met at the gym.

There's nothing wrong with seeing a therapist, but I can certainly understand wanting to try other things first. There are lots of online tools to give you some guidance about depression. That might be a good start.

You've already said that you know your mother is right......

But there's nothing saying you can't try some natural methods first.

fitplease

Although I hate quoting my mother or even telling her that she's right, (I'm stubborn, hard-headed, and like to be right no matter what), she keeps informing me that getting more exercise in my day will make me an emotionally and psychologically stronger person, not just physical. She tells me that staying home all the time and being around my boyfriend can be poisonous to my health, and that I need to get out more and get more exercise into my day. She tells me I'll feel good about it, that there will be more endorphin flowing through me to make me happier, and tells me that as I exercise more, I will develop more confidence, I'll fight off the depression a lot easier, and things will get better with me on the inside and out, as well as make the relationship with my boyfriend stronger.

You have a wise mother. The reason she is probably saying being around him all day is poisonous is probably because you are isolating yourself from the outside world. (Isolation can make you more depressed.) He may not be bad for you. But, when you spend all your time with one person, you ask a lot of them. They can end up being your everything. That's a huge thing.

Just a side note: If you ever break up, all your memories will involve him. It is a hard thing when you want memories to comfort you when you grieve a boyfriend's loss, if all those recent memories are about him.

I hate telling my mom that she's right but I am listening to her and taking into account what she says. I think (scratch that -- know) she's right,

I get like that, too. It can feel like you are still a kid. But, moms are older and might know more than us.

1) Does exercise really change and/or effect a person's overall mood and state of mind?

Yes! It can help with depression, anxiety, etc. If you set goals, the progress you make will make you feel good, too. I love C25K (www.c25k.com) for just that.

2) Can a change in exercise habits (or lack thereof) change a person's mood and emotional state, make them more confident and secure in themselves?

Totally. It makes you feel like you are accomplishing something. Scheduling exercise and doing it makes you feel like you have control over your time and your body.

Don't forget that nutrition also affects our moods.

3) If willing to share, does anyone have a story to tell of how exercise made them better? Not just physical, but did exercise better your life on the outside and in?

I developed really bad anxiety from really bad stress. I had to make a lot of changes. One of them was to incorporate exercise into my routine. I would walk at first, then started running. I've also tried exercise videos (lots of that on YouTube and you can borrow from the library). The exercise helps my body to release the stress and takes my focus off myself for the time that I do it. My mental focus is much better overall.

If you run, there is a whole running community. Runners are fun people! In years past, I was part of the cycling community -- also really cool people. So, sports are a great avenue for meeting people. And since all the endorphins are high at the end of a race, everyone is in a good mood for the fun at the end.

4) I am looking for happiness and acceptance with myself. My mother suggests seeing a therapist, but I told her I want to try healthier alternatives, (change of diet, increase of exercise, and lose weight), before that. Do you think this is a wise/understandable choice? Do you agree with my mother? (I will never tell her she is right because I am stubborn. I know she is though. I would like some feedback from the community.)

Definitely incorporate healthy diet and exercise into your life. That is a great gift to yourself!

Talk or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be very helpful. There are NO drugs involved. The key is to have someone you feel comfortable with and make sure you have a plan.

You can also find support here, in the forums, on your wall, or in the groups.

Groups: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups

PIM me if you have any questions. :-)

shano25

Oh man, does exercise work! I don't need to medication to control my anxiety any more because of exercise. When I go through periods of being lazy and not exercising, I can feel a difference in my body. Exercise is such a release for whatever I'm storing up in my body. I'm panic attack free for 2.5 years now.

And might I also suggest you look into supplements like Vitamins B and D as well as Omega 3's. Those combined with exercise have been my miracle.