[Anywhere]

Has anyone embarked on a workout plan mainly to help with stress or to try and achieve more peace? What have you found to be the most helpful? Cardio? Yoga? A combination of these or others? Did this lead to productive results?

[FitChick]

Just going outside for a long, brisk walk really lifts your spirits. And it's free.

[Anywhere]

That's a good idea, but I want something scheduled. I'm fighting depression and I think something that I have to make myself do at a certain time could be a good idea.

[FitChick]

Originally Posted by Anywhere

That's a good idea, but I want something scheduled. I'm fighting depression and I think something that I have to make myself do at a certain time could be a good idea.

I try to walk everyday after work for half an hour. Then on alternate days I use my DVDs and weights for resistance training. Sunlight is a natural form of Vitamin D that fights depression and strengthens bones.

You also need to clean up your diet. Google foods that fight depression.

[Exit]

Anything that gets your blood flowing will work just fine, I've never heard that cardio will improve your mood more than yoga or weights or anything like that. Any type of exercise gets some of those feel-good endorphins released. So pick what you like most and make a schedule out of it or follow a premade program. And like FitChick said get your diet in check as well. Try to keep it clean and natural. Things like sugar or comfort foods can make us feel better until the effect wears off and then we feel worse again, and it becomes a constant game of eating these bad foods to try to feel better. I'm currently on a mission to stop using sugary foods to this affect, need to break the cycle.

[freetolove]

you need to actually break a sweat. exercise and push your body hard.

[Emilia]

Originally Posted by Anywhere

That's a good idea, but I want something scheduled. I'm fighting depression and I think something that I have to make myself do at a certain time could be a good idea.

You need something that makes you work very very hard. Perhaps joining a group exercise class would work well, that usually motivates people. The more tired you get by the end of it, the better you will feel.

[ivanhabia]

Originally Posted by Anywhere

Has anyone embarked on a workout plan mainly to help with stress or to try and achieve more peace? What have you found to be the most helpful? Cardio? Yoga? A combination of these or others? Did this lead to productive results?

I have founded yoga exercise to achieve more peace and meditation is also useful in this way. Cardio is a good exercise but it can't help to reduce all stress and it good for only weight loss.

[writergal]

Originally Posted by Anywhere

That's a good idea, but I want something scheduled. I'm fighting depression and I think something that I have to make myself do at a certain time could be a good idea.

Can you find a friend to meet you regularly once or twice during the week or on the weekend to go for a walk outside or do some physical exercise?

I find that exercising with friends outdoors is really fun and actually lifts my seasonal affective depression which happens because where I live in the Midwest is dark and cold for 6-7 months every year and my Vitamin D level dips due to lack of sunlight exposure which means taking Vit. D during the fall, winter and early spring months until I can get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

[FitChick]

Do you like dancing? That would be a good cardio workout that you might find less boring.

[Emilia]

Originally Posted by ivanhabia

I have founded yoga exercise to achieve more peace and meditation is also useful in this way. Cardio is a good exercise but it can't help to reduce all stress and it good for only weight loss.

Incorrect, the exact opposite is true. Cardio is very good at busting stress and releasing serotonin and dopamine.

[Ronnie63]

On a bodily level, yoga increases strength, versatility and elegance. But incredibly important, yoga will decrease levels of stress by the procedure for recovery and cleansing the mind together with healing the body.

[Emilia]

mumbo jumbo. it's the effects of the happy hormones that you get from exercise

[briankkatz]

Definitely yoga being used as a tool for physical fitness, physical therapy, and spiritual development.

[SpiralOut]

I have found both running and yoga to be helpful. Yoga is good in the sense that classes are scheduled so it became part of my weekly routine, plus a lot of the poses are designed to help release negative emotions. Running is free and good to do if you're stressed out and need to feel better ASAP (I used to get anxiety attacks and would go running to deal with it)

Biking is nice too though if you have a bike.

Try different things and see what you like best.