5 Ways To Get Your Health And Fitness "MOJO" Back When Feeling Depressed

I could count on 1 hand (1 hand on multiple people...HA!) how many times I've said to myself, "Come on Pete. Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Get up and and get moving!" I must also let you know that me saying that to myself has probably helped me 5% of the time. I can say, from someone who has suffered from depression, that unless I have a plan, the "Get up and get moving" thing is a no go.

In this blog I will talk about 5 ways to get your health and fitness "MOJO" back when feeling depressed.

There are different types of depression (9 types to be exact). What I've dealt with may not be what you are or have dealt with. In saying that, this read may be just that to you, a read. However, hopefully you can pull something, anything from it that may help you moving forward.

1. Stick To A Routine And Write It Down- Create an obtainable daily routine for yourself and stick to it (this could be a small goal for you that you can reward yourself. See #5). Write it down and put it in your room; on the fridge; bathroom mirror. Put it in any area in which you frequent within your home, car or at work. For me, my routine was written in a notebook I used daily for work, and by my bedside table.

2. Have A Support Network- If it's just 1 person, that's fine, but when ready to choose that person(s) make sure you're comfortable talking to them and they have encouraged you before.

3. It's Simple To Say, But Not Easy To Do. AVOID NEGATIVITY!-Reading or listening to the news, getting into back and forth banter on social media, or even surfing the internet. If you find these or anything that causes your heart to beat a little faster, or blood pressure to rise a little higher...Avoid it. You're not missing anything. Trust me on that.

4. Don't Overschedule-This was a major problem for me. I felt I had to do everything, and do it all in 1 day. If I wasn't able to accomplish it, I would feel like I was a failure. I avoid doing this at all costs...now. If you're only able to accomplish 1 or 2 tasks, that's ok. Starting off slowly and not putting too much on your plate helps improve your confidence and sense of motivation. Rome absolutely was NOT built in 1 day.

5. Set Small Goals And Reward Yourself-If your workout routine starts with walking 2 blocks down your street. Reward yourself. If you get up and do a 5 minute stretching routine. Reward yourself. If you grab a couple of canned goods and use them as dumbbells for a bicep curl routine. Reward yourself. No matter how small the goals seems to anyone else, it's a big step for you.

These steps have helped me and continue to help me. Hopefully you will find something in this blog that will help you kick start your motivation and get on the road to planning your health and fitness goals.