Research shows that fitness and mental health go hand in hand. Regular exercise can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and boost your energy. This is powerful stuff, but it doesn’t make it easy to do! Especially for people with anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms, it can be difficult to get started with exercise because the symptoms you have act as a barrier.
Schedule Your Sessions
If you work with a coach, having sessions scheduled increases the likelihood of you actually showing up. Having a set time makes it less about willpower in the moment and more about following through on a plan you already committed to. Think of it like any other appointment you’d keep for your health. If you’re working out on your own, schedule sessions in your calendar, or sign up for sessions. Having the time blocked out increases the chances you’ll actually execute the plan.
Be Open to Half Measures
When you’re struggling with mental health symptoms, getting through a full workout might feel like a grind or a slog. If a full workout feels overwhelming, do something, anything really, still counts. Getting in a shorter session, or just showing up for warmups keeps the habit going and helps you feel better than doing nothing. You might not build strength super fast with half-workouts, but you’ll still get the mental benefits, and you’ll get the majority of the other health benefits.
Remove Barriers
There can be so many barriers between the couch and the door, so think about where you get stuck. For me, sometimes the problem was finding clothes, so I developed a habit of setting up my clothes the night before so I wasn’t digging around in the laundry basket in the morning searching for a sports bra. If putting your shoes on is the barrier, you might make it easy on yourself by getting slip on sneakers, or speed laces (they’re what triathletes use in their shoes to make any sneakers into slip ons).
Think through the steps you have to take to get yourself out the door, and which ones feel really overwhelming. When you’re using your logical mind to think through these, they might seem silly, but try not to judge yourself. Barriers that seem small on paper can feel massive in the moment. That doesn’t make you lazy or weak, it just means your brain is working against you in that moment. Setting up some small systems can make a big difference. Once you’ve identified which parts of getting ready to go to the gym feel the most overwhelming, think about some ways to make these steps easier. This might be helpful to get some outside perspective from a friend or therapist.
Give Yourself Credit
Making the gym a habit is hard for everyone! If you struggle with mental health challenges, you’ve got an extra layer of difficulty you’re dealing with. Give yourself props for what you have done. It’s not easy to overcome and you’re trying! Remind yourself you’re doing something hard, and you deserve credit for the effort.
The connection between fitness and mental health is powerful, but it doesn’t mean the path is always easy. Scheduling your workouts, being open to half measures, removing barriers, and giving yourself credit are all practical tools that can help you stay consistent, even when motivation feels low. While the gym can support your mental health, it’s not a replacement for therapy. A coach can help you with strength, fitness, and accountability, but if you’re struggling, a therapist is the right partner to help you work through those challenges. Both can work hand in hand to support your overall wellbeing.If you’re ready to take the first step toward feeling stronger in your body and your life, we’d love to help. Schedule your free No Sweat Intro today, and let’s talk about how we can support you in getting started.
