Benifits of exercise

[matt]

Im getting a lot of conflicting info on research of exercise. Just wondering has anyone had any positive experiences with it.

Thanks

[HighlandGirl]

In the context of major depression? 

Yes and no.  Yes, in that I gained a LOT of weight on one medication and when I realized how bad it had gotten I made a commitment to lose it.  In fact, I had to do it twice because I re-gained it all after my first battle.  I ate a healthy diet and exercised five or six days out of seven.  Exercise releases endorphins and that does lift mood.  Exercise increases oxygen in the blood and therefore increases energy and that does lift mood. 

No, in that if you're having a bad day, the last thing you feel like doing is dragging yourself out of the house to go for a walk/run/cycle/swim or whatever, or fronting up to the gym, where you're convinced everyone is more attractive/thinner/fitter/more perfect than you are. 

I exercise because I enjoy it.  The added bonus of helping with depression is just that for me: an added bonus. 

[The_Real_David_Charles]

Dear Matt,

Let's talk about sex !    A physical work out that brings a lot of pleasure.

There is some current sex research regarding exercise and sex.   Basically, the female (and it's always the female orgasm that is the most scientifically interesting.......) runs on a treadmill for 20 mins before stimulating herself to orgasm.     All recorded with wires, devices and a cardboad cut out of Tom Cruise.  OK, made Cruise baby up.

When compared with sex WITHOUT prior exercise it was found that the female orgasm was much more intense and pleasurable than the NON exercised one.  Like the blood literally courses through the body and heightens arousal, stimulation,etc.

I guess you have to draw your own conclusions from this sort of research but, suffice to say, bodies that exercise seem to facilitate greater bodily awareness.   Plus, whilst at the gym, you can buy the Over Sized Kit Kat from the newsagents next door when you're finished.    The true benefit of excercise is surely the socialising.  Even the  Olympics recognise this by supplying over 20,000 free condoms during the Games.

You realise the whole BB site is powered by the motion sensors in the moderators keyboards ?   That's why they have a Moderators Cat to keep up the typing when they have their coffee breaks.   You know it makes sense.

Adios, David.l

[1963]

"if you're having a bad day, the last thing you feel like doing is dragging yourself out of the house to go for a walk/run/cycle/swim or whatever" Yes, true and people who promote the hell out of exercise as a 'cure' for depression ignore this fact. There's no doubt however that exercise releases endorphins which make you feel better for a while. If you can manage it regularly, yes, it'd be likely to affect one's daily mood. 

[hIYA]

I can tell the benefits straight away, when I stop exercising I get more depressed when I start going again it is like a huge weight is off my shoulders, but I do agree if you are really in a low place where your comparing yourself then no not worth it

[vip]

Hi Matt i actually have suffered with severe depression and at the time no was not very active i have been with a gym for 3 yrs now and i have found huge improvements with my moods motivation to do daily tasks ect. The medication has caused me to stack heaps of weight on so by exercising this also helps that so totally agree on keeping active for your physical and mental health . Do understand though when you are so depressed though and cant get out of bed then obviously there is no motivation to go to the gym or let alone outside i am speaking about when you are on medication and the depression has got a bit better then by adding exercise it all helps. Good point you brought up though well done.

[Doll]

I can tell you that on the flip-side not being able to exercise a t all can be very depressing. I have a rip deformity that is currently preventing me from doing any exercise and make small tasks really difficult. I think not even being able to run like normal people my age is truly depressing.