Do Your Workouts Affect Your Mood?
May 15, 2010 by Jenn
Credit: lululemon athletica
I’ve already lamented my running injury-induced sadness, but the whole post and the experience of being forced to take time off has taught me one thing: I’m a much happier and more sane person when I’m logging workouts. I have more confidence, am more productive and actually feel prettier, no matter what the number on the scale reads. For me, regular exercise is like putting on a really cute and perky pair of rose-colored glasses. Does exercise do the same for you? Do workouts make you see the glass as half full, too? Tell us in the poll below!
Can’t see the poll? Click here!
Tell us about it in the comments! —Jenn
Not sure how much it affects my mood, but, running can help me sort out my thoughts sometimes. Probably cuz have to think about something while I’m running and there’s nothing else to distract me.
Oh yeah, definitely so. In fact, I just got done with a whole chapter in Exercise Psychology about just that.
It’s a fact that it reduced depression and anxiety somewhat.
I voted “abso-freaking-lutely.” I have a stressful job, work long hours, and have a long commute on top of that. I can totally handle all of that stress and exhausting craziness if I am working out regularly. If I’m not able to exercise at least several times a week, I am a basket case and I can barely hold myself together. Last week I got stuck working late four out of five days and wasn’t able to run between Monday and today (Saturday) and I was actually in tears after missing two runs in a row! Here’s hoping I’ll get three runs and a couple of strength sessions in next week so I don’t go off the deep end…
I recently had knee surgery, so I HAD to take time off. Not only did I feel non-productive, I started getting DEPRESSED and anxious! It was NOT good. I’ve been really into fitness and being active my whole life, but really got serious about in 2007- I don’t think I have slept in on a weekend, unless it snowed or poured in years…..I was sleeping in on the weekends, because I couldn’t do anything, sounds nice, but it wasn’t!!! I didn’t realize how much a part of my life fitness and being active is until recently, and for me it’ s not about the number on the scale, it’s about FEELING FIT, and when I could not work out, well, I didn’t feel very fit. The good thing is the surgery worked, I can run now, and will be completing 3 or 4 triathlons this summer. Yaaaaawhoooo! Can’t wait to hit the pavement later. Thanks for your awesome blog by the way…. We all take the ability to be active for granted, until we can’t…..be happy to work out!
-JD