Let’s not overcomplicate this! The best exercise for you is the
type of exercise you will do on a consistent basis. Scrap notions
that you need to be out cross-fitting to the point of nausea,
pounding the pavement to the point of blisters, pushing steel
around the gym with calloused palms – short bursts of
cardiovascular activity, simply 15-20 minutes at a time, can be
highly beneficial.
No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn and begin to
use exercise as a springboard to feel better.
If designating additional time in your day specifically for
exercise doesn’t sound appealing, why not make exercise a part of
your everyday routine? How about walking instead of driving? Why
not get off the tram, train or bus a stop or two earlier than usual
and walk the rest of the way? Why not walk and talk over a coffee
meeting, instead of sitting stationary at a café sipping on your
jumbo, iced, sugar-free, vanilla late with soymilk?
Be creative to get your daily fix of exercise, but keep things
simple – the less barriers, the less brain power that needs to go
into your exercise routine, the more likely you will be to
regularly commit to one.
If you are reading this and thinking that the challenges of
kickstarting an exercise routine are being disregarded, please
think again. We certainly understand that motivation doesn’t simply
rock up to your doorstep in an Uber Eats bag. For those who are
experiencing mental health issues, finding the motivation to
exercise can be extremely difficult.
But it is not impossible!
Action drives motivation, not the other way around. You really
need to act; you need to do SOMETHING in order to kickstart your
motivation. That SOMETHING can begin with the daily challenges
detailed below. Come on guys, it’s time for us all to ‘wiggle it’
even if ‘just a little bit’.
For more comprehensive information on the benefits of exercise
on your mental health, check out
the LIVIN Exercise and Mental
Health article.
