Fit for Life: Do This to Improve Your Mental Health

Saturday, January 15, 2022

Matt Espeut, Health and Lifestyle Contributor

 

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If there is one thing that we’ve grown more aware of in the past few years, it’s our mental health.

I am in no way an expert in this field, but I do know this:

Never has protecting and boosting our mental well-being been so important.

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One of the ways you can do this is strength training.

Under normal circumstances, in my opinion, it is one of the BEST things you can do for your mental health as well as your body.

 

Here are 5 benefits of strength training for your mental health.

 

1. Strength training reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Mental health challenges tend to be debilitating. It often leads to feelings of powerlessness.

Strength training increases your blood flow and releases feel-good hormones such as dopamine. This elevates your mood immediately following your workout.

It also helps burn off the excess stress hormones that you are carrying around with you.  

 

2. Strength training improves your self-esteem.

When we start our Transformation Challenges, we survey people before they begin.

We ask how their current level of fitness affects their mood and self-esteem.

30-40% of people list ‘depression, anxiety, or both’.

 

Here’s the thing. 

These are people that we do not know.  We’ve never met them before.  This means that the number is WAY higher. If I were to guess, it’s above 80%.

I’ve never met anyone who has not struggled with depression or anxiety.  

Including myself.

 

That said, I know one thing to be true.

When I feel better about myself, my confidence increases.  

When my confidence increases, any depression or anxiety is GREATLY reduced.

When you strength train, you see progress in your strength at the gym.  

You become stronger in everyday life.  

You start doing things you’ve NEVER been able to do before.  

When this happens your self-esteem and confidence increase.

 

My one wish for everyone who does our program is that they increase their confidence.  

It’s magical every time it happens!

 

3. Strength training provides a much-needed distraction.

Albert Einstein once said, "No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

In other words, it’s very difficult to think your way out of anxiety.

You need to change your state of being.

When you are strength training, you need to think about your body and the movement of the exercise.

I find that when I walk or run, I get lost in thought.

Strength training will force your mind to be present in the moment.

 

4. Strength training is energy-boosting.

Immediately after you exercise, you will have a MAJOR boost in energy.  This will allow you to accomplish more throughout your day.

This is just my opinion, but I believe that as humans we are wired for accomplishment.

When we accomplish things throughout our day, it improves our confidence and we feel better about ourselves.

Another reason that it increases our energy is that we have better sleep & recharging your batteries is the fastest way to increase your energy.

 

5. Strength training improves brain function.

Strength training forces your brain to create a mind-muscle connection.  

You must THINK about your body when you are performing an exercise.

When you force your brain to create connections, you will create new pathways in which blood can flow.

Increased blood flow and activity in the brain has been proven to increase your cognitive function.

It also reduces your risk of dementia in the long run.

 

I know that this is a long email but I feel this is a VERY important topic.

Hopefully, you’ve learned or picked up a few new techniques to improve your mental health.

 

Coach Matt

 

P.S. If you are a current Providence Fit Body Boot Camp member, you know this already, so keep crushing those workouts.

If you are NOT, and want to give us a try to see if this article has merit, just CLICK HERE for 3 FREE workouts.

 

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