Why did we include “Fitness” into a journal focused on changing your perspective?
Because physical health and mental health are intimately connected.
I did not use to be an exerciser by any stretch of the imagination.
Jogging a block? Nope. Single push-up? Couldn’t do it. Dinner? Double Stuffed Oreo's.
I started law school right when my world as I knew it, crumbled. I drank too much. I didn’t eat near enough. (When I’m severely emotionally upset, I lose my appetite and food makes me nauseous.) Water was what I shower in, I didn’t drink it. I was unhealthy, I looked it and felt it, and exercise wasn’t even on my radar.
Finally, I decided I need to do something different.
A friend ask me to run a half marathon with her. What!?! That seemed a little extreme for someone who couldn’t even run a block BUT I agreed.
I “trained”. I use quotes because my training wasn’t anywhere near professional or quality but it did stop lots of the drinking and got my appetite back.
The biggest thing it did was made me realize how much better I felt after getting that movement. Sure, the runs sometimes sucked while doing it but I felt amazing after. I found a better outlet than food or alcohol. My world started to look brighter.
I will skip the little side story of falling into the bodybuilding world until another time but the main point here is exercise became my stress relief, my therapy, my clarity, my strength.
One of the best things I found when trying to process and deal with the punch life got me with again in 2019 was going for a walk. That simple. I couldn't bring myself to go to gym and cry in front of everyone all time so I walked.
I started doing this first thing in the morning. I would put my coffee in a to-go cup (let's face it, that coffee is a MUST), put on my headphones (with or without something playing in them), and go walk. During my walk I was getting fresh air, my body was getting movement, and my mind was processing. I let myself feel my feeling so I could then put them aside and go on about my day. (I made Kellis do this too and I know she realized its benefit.)
To this day, exercise is still a necessity for me to function. It clears my head, reduces my anxiety, makes me feel better, and an overall benefit to my life.
Despite my bodybuilding goals, I still occasionally let my training and cardio be what is pushed aside when things get busy. This is unfortunate because I pay for it; and pay for it hard.
For example, when trying to get the Journal released, I skipped numerous days at the gym. Honestly, I didn’t go for a week straight. I did nothing involving physical activity. Here is what happened:
I didn’t sleep because I couldn’t shut off my brain from thinking about all thing that needed done, that got screwed up, that I said 10 years ago, wondering if they will catch the Zodiac killer, guilt from skipping the gym, fear of judgement, and the ridiculousness goes on.
My heart rate would not settle down for a couple of days, it was consistently in the 80s (or higher) when it’s usually upper 60s. I constantly felt frazzled.
I couldn’t focus on one project for long because my brain would switch to the other thing that needed done, then the next, and the next without ever getting one thing finished.
I was tired. One from lack of sleep but, also because my nature energy levels without exercise run on E. What do I do? Add caffeine! Want to know what is a mistake when your heart rate is high and you already can’t focus or sleep? Adding caffeine.
I was cranky. Irritable. Edgy. Ready to cry at any second for anything.
My body was inflamed. Everything felt swollen and uncomfortable.
It interrupted everything in my life because I didn’t take the time to do what I needed and get in some movement.
This is why we add it.
It is not just my personal experience that backs up the incorporation of exercise, movement, and health but research shows “Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing. Even a short burst of 10 minutes’ brisk walking increases our mental alertness, energy and positive mood.”[1]
"Thirty minutes of exercise of moderate intensity, such as brisk walking for 3 days a week, is sufficient for these health benefits. Moreover, these 30 minutes need not to be continuous; three 10-minute walks are believed to be as equally useful as one 30-minute walk."[2]
Health benefits from regular exercise that should be emphasized and reinforced by every mental health professional to their patients include the following[3]:
1. Improved sleep
2. Increased interest in sex
3. Better endurance
4. Stress relief
5. Improvement in mood
6. Increased energy and stamina
7. Reduced tiredness that can increase mental alertness
8. Weight reduction
9. Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness
I could cite source after source of research indicating the benefit of physical activity on not just our physical health but our mental health, as well.
I am a firm believer in that we cannot act our best if we don’t feel our best physically. Since our mental health has so many physical repercussions having that outlet of physical movement is essential.
When we feel better, we live better.
Ashley
[1] Ekkekakis, P., Hall, E.E., Van Landuyt, L.M. & Petruzzello, S. (2000). Walking in (affective) circles: Can short walks enhance affect? Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 23 (3), 245–275. Cited in https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-using-exercise [2] Id. [3]Ashish Sharma, M.D., Vishal Madaan, M.D., and Frederick D. Petty, M.D., Ph.D. Exercise for Mental Health Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2006; 8(2): 106 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/
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