Well I am finally on track with vigorous exercise.

About 3-4 times per week I take about 30-40 minutes of my morning to do this. I chose the morning because it's easier for me to do before I jump into the shower before I start my day.

I start out with a slow 5-10 minute stretch and then pop my favorite Christian dance artist in my cd player ( I also made a homemade CD with the CD burner and burned all my favorite dance songs that last approx. 25 minutes long) and I get my aerobic exercise in. Then after that I pop in my slow CD and wind down with stretches and muscle toning and my exercise mat. Holding muscles and resistance.

Then I am finished. Sweating and feeling GREAT!
Ready for the shower and have the peace of mind that I am doing something good for myself.

A strong body means a strong mind and vica versa.

Just want to encourage anyone that is having difficulty starting their exercise program.
I cannot say how important it is to do this. It not only burns up excess adrenaline and is a good way to manage stress but it's also a seratonin increaser which is great for depression. It increases all your "feel good" chemicals which will help you fight your depression.

I encourage you all....don't give up! Just get mad at your anxiety/depression and fight back with some vigorous exercise!

Hi Sunset,
Yes, exercise helps a great deal. Thanks for posting this. It also helped remind me to recommend a workout video I've been wanting to recommend for some time.
Do your kids dance along with you? I know mine liked to when they were younger. Now they don't care to. Oh well...

Grateful,
My daughters love to dance along with me but my son runs off to his bedroom and rolls his eyes with a silly smirk on his face. LOL
I grew up in a home where we all danced when dad played music. It's so much fun.

Did you want to recommend a workout video? What is it? I'd love to hear about it.

Ooops! Sorry I didn't know you already started a post about it. LOL I guess I'll go check it out.

Hey Sunset,
You're so right, getting in vigorous exercise is very important. I love doing my videos....I do the Firm tapes and they kick my butt, but are very effective! It's an hr long cardio and strength training video, and I do it before my boys wake up and my hubby gets home from work in the morning. I feel fabulous and it definitely burns up the excess adrnaline in my body. I have some of the other Firm tapes, too. I highly recommend them. My boys and I love putting on fun CD's and dancing around to them, too!

Dana

Dana,
Thanks for the info on the Firm tapes. I saw them on TV and they looked good. I even mentioned them to my husband when I saw the infomercial. Worth checking into....
Do they use weights or any resistance training?

Sunset,
The Firm tapes use weights.....I'm using 3,5,& 8 lb weights right now. I actually found the Firm package that they show on the infomercial in Target for less money and no shipping charge. It includes 3 different videos and the Fanny Lifter....it's very effective! I really enjoy it, plus you can buy the Firm videos separately at Target. They have a whole line of them.

Dana

Thanks for the info Dana. We have a Target here. Looks like I'll be checking that out sometime soon. I could really use that fanny lifter. LOL

What kind of weights do you use with the video?
Are they solid weights or the kind that you wear around your arms and legs? Muscle toning is so important to me.

Hi Sunset,
I use the solid free weights, not the ones that you can put on your wrists or ankles. YES....the fanny lifter helps me out a GREAT deal, too!

Dana

To each his own. I don't have excercise videos so I started walking. That urned into jogging and now I qualify as a runner. In one month it will be one year and I am going to be naughty and indulge myself in something with sugar and chocolate in it. But hey, whatever works. So long as you are getting your excercise who cares how. Right?

I've been contemplating exercise/correct eating for months. The key word is "contemplate".
I have a very physical job. I throw cases all day. I don't sleep much, since I get up at 2 am. I always feel tired.
I'm always thinking that I need to get in shape....although my muscles are toned by the labor, I am aerobically out of shape, and I'm about 40 pounds overweight. I can't seem to understand why I'm so heavy, when I'm doing all this physical exertion at work. There was a time when I was doing pushups and crunches each day, in addition to my job. I haven't done that in about a year. I started walking awhile back, but it didn't last too long.
So I guess I'm asking you all.....Do you think that additional exercise and a serious diet will help with anxiety/depression?? I guess I already know the answer....but I need a pep talk, or a testamonial, something to get me GOING.....

I joined the gym a few months ago down where I work when they put us on a schedule with an hour lunch. I dind't do to good over the holdays but I'm back on track again. I'm doing a weight class on Tues and Thurs and Step on Mon, Wed, Fri, when I can. I've noticed this has helped my eating. I tend to eat better when I' think about how much it hurts (the weight class is rough for me) and then I go eat a bunch of junk???

Tracy

quote:

Do you think that additional exercise and a serious diet will help with anxiety/depression??

Thief, ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!! I exercise about 3-4 times a week. It has made a HUGE change in how I feel throughout my day. I exercise early morning before I start my day and get into the shower. I have found that I have much more energy throughout the day and I am able to do stressful things without the negative feelings to go with it. I highly recommend you try it, even if you wake up a half hour earlier to do it.

Catspur, I say whatever works!!! As long as you get your heart-rate up over the normal resting rate for 20 minutes it's good.
I don't eat as much sugar as I used to but I haven't given it up. I believe "everything in moderation".

etwitt, glad to hear you are getting back on track. You will be glad you did.