How Exercise Decreases Depression
We all know how beneficial exercise is to our physical health. But you may be surprised to know how much it helps improve our mental health as well. Those who make exercise a routine aspect of their lives are undoubtedly nodding their heads in agreement as they read this. For those of you who don’t and who are also considering seeking depression help, stop and consider the following ways in which exercise can improve your mood:
Exercise releases “happiness inducing” endorphins into the brain: Endorphins are released whenever the heart rate increases rapidly, and are responsible for creating positive feelings within the brain. Studies indicate that through endorphin those suffering from depression experience increased positive thinking.
Exercise strengthens the immune system: It’s simple logic that the more you are unwell the more likely you are to be depressed. Science has revealed a distinct correlation between exercise and an improved immune system, so those who can’t ever seem to shake off a cold and are down in the dumps because of it ought to go running or bike riding and see if it doesn’t make them feel better in the long run.
Exercise improves sleep: Nothing is going to guarantee you hit the hay at a reasonable hour every night quite like an intense workout during the day. Can depression connect to low levels of sleep? While the jury is still out on this one, it has been proven that less sleep equals a weaker immune system, so for the aforementioned reason it still pays to ensure you get enough rest every day by sticking to a work out regimen.
Exercise boosts confidence: The better in shape you are and feel, the more likely you are to feel good about yourself. This in turn is certain to help ease the symptoms of depression. It goes beyond self-image; a more active lifestyle generally makes you feel like a more productive member of society, and in turn makes you feel like a better person.
Exercise encourages healthy solutions to stress: One of the worst aspects of dealing with depression is that so often our ostensible cures such as drugs and alcohol only make the situation worse. By turning to exercise instead we begin to see how positive solutions to stress are so much more beneficial to our mental health than chemical crutches.
Well there you have it, five arguments for why exercise should be a part of anyone’s battle against depression. It’s certainly not the end-all-be-all of depression cures, but it does go a long way in battling this bitter foe, and is one of the few ways in which we can better our mental health by improving our physical health at the same time.
Golfing for Fitness
Golf is seen as a sedate, leisurely sport which requires little exercise, but, as the slender physiques of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and their peers show, playing 18 holes on a regular basis can help aid fitness. For players on all golf tours, from the European and PGA tours to the Champions Tour and development tours for semi-professional players, to travel around the world and play four-day tournaments for at least 40 weeks a year, you need to be in top condition to commit to that.
The cumulative length of an average 18-hole course is over 5000 yards, which is the equivalent of around three miles. Walking three miles around a golf course with numerous slopes helps to strengthen your calves and thighs, while simultaneously improving your stamina. Doing this on a regular basis will eventually have the desired effect of being able to walk long distances without tiring.
In addition to walking, swinging and putting will help to improve your upper body strength. It doesn’t have the same effect as walking across a course, but doing it in tandem with playing in excess of a hundred rounds a year will help you live a little longer.
In the professional game, older players on the main tour are trying to keep pace with the younger players by improving their health. With younger players like McIlroy, Charl Schwartzel and Martin Kaymer leading the game, their more experienced rivals are committing to losing weight, exercising daily and eating more healthily.
If you’re looking for a way to improve your fitness, and want to take up a sport to help you on your way, then taking up golf is a great way to reach your goal. To take it up without spending a fortune, there are ways to get a round for next to nothing. Look around the internet for golf offers such as two-for-one deals. If you’re lucky, you can get a round for as little as £3 at a local club. Shopping around for a set of clubs can also net you a bargain too.
How to get to 8% body fat
The best body fat percentage for anyone who wants a great physic is around 8 %. Don’t take my word for it, Arnold Schwarzenegger always competed at around 8% body fat. 8% will allow you to see the definition in your muscles and your abs will be defined, but your body won’t be in a state of starvation and you will look healthy.
Many people think they can reach a very low percentage of body fat by lifting weights, doing cardio and doing lots of ab exercises. It is true that all of those things can lower your body fat percentage, however, it is nearly impossible to have a bodybuilder type physique without understanding diet. Your diet is what will make you or break you. In the sport of bodybuilding, it is very common to hear bodybuilders say it breaks down to diet 70% and training 30%.
One of the most crucial things to avoid while trying to achieve a low body fat percentage is sugar. Sugar is a simple form of carbohydrates that causes an insulin response. When your body releases insulin fat is stored. Essentially, when you eat sugar, if those calories are not burned off almost immediately, they are stored as body fat.
Eliminating carbohydrates is not an option because they are the main source of fuel for your body. However, you can almost eliminate sugar without any negative effects on your body. Checking food labels is important. You’d be surprised at how many foods have sugar. Slow burning carbohydrates like vegetables, oats and quinoa are the best way to incorporate carbs into your diet. Even though foods like bread and pasta don’t contain sugar, they do contain processed carbohydrates, which rank high on the glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale that rates the body’s insulin response. The higher a food is on the glycemic index, the more it raises your blood sugar levels and the more likely it will be stored as fat. Shoot for foods under 50 on the glycemic index.
You do need to lower your carbohydrate intake overall and increase your protein intake. You should try to split up your calories 40% carbs, 40% protein, 20% fats. That, again, is straight from Arnold himself.
The next two things you want to avoid are saturated fat and sodium. Both these items are usually present in high amounts in fast foods and store-bought, prepackaged foods. Even nice restaurants also use lots of sodium to make their food taste better. Sodium causes your body to retain water and a can also make it harder for you to lose fat. Taking into much sodium also leads to high blood pressure and other health risks. Fats are necessary in your diet, however you want to make sure that the majority of them are unsaturated. Unsaturated Omega three fats have lots of health benefits and can actually help you lose body fat. Avocados are a good example of these.
Drinking lots of water will flush toxins out of your body, allowing it to operate more efficiently. There is a long list of benefits to drinking water, but it is necessary for achieving low body fat.
Fiber is important because it can help slow the rate at which your body burns carbohydrates. The slower you burn the carbohydrates the less likely they are to be stored as body fat. Fiber is also an important part of a balanced diet and has many other health benefits. Beans are an example of a food that is high in fiber, protein and ranks low on the GI.
You need to eat small meals throughout the day. The purpose of this is to keep your metabolism up and to avoid excess intake of calories that cannot be burned off before they are stored as fat. Keep in mind that all macro-nutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat) can be stored as fat when taken in excess. That is why 6 smaller meals a day is much better than 3 large meals.
Finally, you do need to exercise at least 2-3 times per week to achieve 8% body fat. Diet is your most important tool, but exercise is necessary as well to get down to 8% while still keeping a muscular physique.
The #1, absolute best exercise for obliterating body fat is sprints. Sprints are both a power exercise (anaerobic) and a cardio (aerobic) exercise. When the body is at 100% intensity it sheds body fat very quickly. If you like jogging or bodybuilding that’s great, but I still recommend working sprints into the schedule at least once a week to reach your goals that much faster.
If you’re really serious about getting your body fat down to 8%, you’ll need to start preparing your meals at home. I’m going to give you a list of foods to eat and also a list of foods not to eat, to help you with your shopping. Chilli or stew is probably the easiest way to combine most of the good foods on this list into one meal. I guarantee that, the more strict you are with following this list, the better results you’ll get.
Foods to Eat
Proteins
Chicken breast
Turkey (sliced or ground)
90% lean ground beef or steak (no more than 2 times per week)
Fish (Tilapia, Wild Alaskan salmon, or any other types of fish low in mercury)
Eggs
Protein powder
Cottage cheese
Good Carbs
Brown rice
Quinoa (slow burning carb high in protein, containing all essential amino acids)
Beans –black, pinto, white, garbonzo, lentils, (wash them first to get rid of sodium)
Vegetables (main source of carbs) (steamed or raw keeps the most vitamins)
Fruit (no more than 1 piece per day)
Old fashioned or steel cut oats
Good Fats That Help You Get Lean
Nuts- almonds, walnuts, brazil-nuts, pistachios, cashews, macadamia
Peanut butter
Avocado
Coconut oil (ok to cook), uncooked olive oil, uncooked peanut oil, uncooked canola oil, uncooked sesame seed oil (can be used for dressings)
Foods to Avoid
Breads
Milk (too much sugar)
Fried foods
Candy
All baked goods
Pasta
Soda
Fruit juices
Cheese
Pre-packaged store bought food (very high in sodium and usually saturated fat)
Any food or drinks that contain sugar
Things to avoid
Sugar
Sodium
Saturated fat
Good Things
Drink lots of water
Foods high in fiber
Byline: John McKiernan is a personal trainer who enjoys researching information on bodybuilding, supplements, diets, health tips and more. He is the owner of Supplementhelper.com where he shares knowledge and advice about popular bodybuilding and health supplements.
