Share what exercise you do and if it helps with depression and dealing with low moods

I am going to start exercise to lose weight and keep my blood pressure down. Can you share what exercises you all do and if the exercise helps with depression and regulating your moods?

All health practitioners and doctors agree that exercise is vital to good health.

If you don't exercise and lead a sedentary lifestyle then you probably would in 10 or 15 years end up with health problems. If you are young register that point and make changes. I have led a sedentary life and have suffered lots of chronic illness. I have diabetes type 2 ,hypothyroidism, high blood pressure, and fatty liver , and I am morbidly obese .I am dieting now and have eliminated sugar and lately flour from my diet, I am making permanent changes and now I am going to start exercising.

Surprisingly I am told exercise can help with mental health problems as well as physical illness.

Hello , walking works well for me. I might take swimming lessons soon as well. Good luck

Yes walking my dog almost daily as weather allows does help my mood and feel better physically with more energy.

I like to walk a lot. I want to start some light weight lifting.

I've been exercising for a long time in my life. If it were not for it, I probably would not make it. I try to be intense in it. I had been working out with weights for a good while, but lately I can't do it at home like I could before. But now I'm doing resistance exercising. I like it so far, but it takes some getting used to .

The bike riding helps me a whole lot. It's really my favorite. I miss not riding after work for an hour because it gets dark early now.

Congrats on taking this bold initiative, Marylin! Western medical science is finally paying attention to the mind-body connection with peer-reviewed research after more than a century of dismissing it. Exercise has a huge impact on our emotional well-being. Hiking, yoga, and strength training are my go-tos. Sometimes I have to drag my sorry behind through it, but I always do feel better and more physically and emotionally empowered. A healthy diet is also essential. More and more research is being done on the gut microbiome's impact on mental health. Fruits, veggies, and whole grains are super important to keep everything in balance, plus fiber helps to keep blood sugar from swinging too wildly. If you need to avoid gluten it's a good idea to talk to your doctor or a dietician to make sure you're getting complete nutrition.

Wishing you the best on your courageous journey!

Thanks for your reply Serpentine leaf!
Which whole grains are vital . I have stopped eating wheat to lighten the toxic load on my liver and to aid wheat loss but are you saying whole grains are vital for mental health as I suffer with mental health?

I take dance classes, Marylin. First off, just the movement and the beauty of the music help lift my spirits, and secondly as I am an extreme introvert, being in the class with the other students also provides a small amount of sociability, just about right, that lifts me out of myself for the moment.

Good luck to you with this. I'd be surprised if you didn't get some real help from it.

It's best to talk to a doctor or dietician to make sure you're getting complete nutrition. But some gluten-free whole grains include corn, amaranth, quinoa (though technically a seed), and some other ones. But I'm not a medical professional, and I certainly didn't mean to raise alarm. I only meant that good nutirtion is important for mental health, because some deficiencies can mimic depression or anxiety. If this is a concern for you, it would be a good idea to head to your primary for a complete blood count and general physical.

I participate in water aerobics, walking and yoga. All three have been beneficial for my depression. I wish you luck in your endeavors.

Hello, Marylin! I wish you every success with your program.

My exercises include 30 minutes daily on an elliptical trainer. I can read or listen to music during the exercise, and that helps.

Every other day I perform light resistance exercises "for seniors" using hand weights.

In my long-time experience, exercise has had no discernible effect on weight loss or maintenance. It has a mildly positive but fleeting effect on mood. I believe physical exercise does play a positive, long-term role in my general health.

Also, in my personal experience, following government standard-of-care diet and weight advice from the 1990s and early 2000s proved counterproductive.

Walking, aerobics, yoga and light weight lifting should help.
We should start with walking and slowly build up. Eating healthy and drinking lots of water(not if we have kidney disease) is also important.
I'm going to write in detail later on.
Tc everyone.