A workout ‘plan’ that works
When Jen Gottlieb was a personal trainer, she refused to give clients fitness plans — even when they begged her to tell them what to do. “I don’t care what you do,” she’d say, “I just want you to move your body in ways that feel good six times a week.” Gottlieb, who now offers health, career and relationship coaching in New York City, maintains that philosophy with clients today since she finds doing what feels good enhances the workout itself and is sustainable long term. To the contrary, some research suggests hitting the gym to sculpt your body is actually linked to working out less. But doing what “feels good” requires some self-reflection and experimentation. Read on to get started.
Gauge your mood
How are you? It’s a question you instinctively respond to all the time (“Good, and you?”), but how often do you pose it to yourself? Gottlieb recommends doing so every morning and answering honestly, after scanning your body and mind. She also suggests keeping a list of all the types of movement you already like or would like to try, and pick one of them after gauging your physical and mental state. In time, you’ll associate, say, swimming with seriously chilling you out on days you wake up frazzled, for example, and be more likely to do it again. Here are some other mood-exercise matches that may work:
Excited
Whether you just scored a job interview or can hardly sit still thinking about an upcoming date, excited energy is the ultimate fuel for a super challenging workout, Gottlieb finds. “If you notice you have all this positive energy running through your body, utilize it because you don’t get those surges every day,” she says. For instance, when she found out she secured a unit in her dream apartment building, she went out and crushed the toughest workout she knows: hill sprints. Indeed, says Angela Fifer, a Pittsburgh-based mental performance consultant and the scientific program chair of the Association of Applied Sport Psychology, “when we’re super pumped and happy, doing something more high-intensity is a good idea. Those [activities] align with our emotional state.”
Anxious
Fleeting anxiety about, say, an upcoming exam can be channeled in a similar way as excited energy: into a tough workout. Anxiety in the form of overthinking, however, might be best served in something like a dance or aerobics class that forces you to pay attention to a routine and not your negative thought patterns. If your anxiety is more severe, practices like yoga that emphasize deep breathing can be helpful, Fifer finds, though they won’t solve everything. “Make sure you have professional support and some support in general,” she says, from coaches, classmates or a trainer, for example. A panic attack mid-200-pound squat with no spotter can be dangerous.
Sad
Here’s the good news about feeling blue: Loads of research shows that exercise is one of the best antidepressants out there. “We can have a crappy day, and it helps us to put things in perspective,” Fifer says. “We also feel empowered when we exercise; we feel a little stronger, faster and like we can handle more.” While most research supports aerobic exercise like running or swimming for a mood boost due to its link to feel-good brain chemicals, some people find weightlifting eases depression since it forces them to be present instead of ruminating. Only you know what elevates you, whether that’s walking your dog, playing pickup basketball or having sex, Gottlieb says.
Angry
Fired up? Here, too, use that fuel for something challenging, like a high-intensity interval training, kickboxing or boxing class, Fifer suggests. When it’s over, “you can feel like you left that negative emotion in the room,” she says. Keep in mind, though, that always turning to exercise when faced with any negative emotion isn’t healthy, though it’s a common pattern to fall into, Gottlieb finds. “When you’re trying to numb yourself from dealing with any kinds of emotions or trying to avoid things,” exercise can be problematic, she says. If you suspect exercise is replacing other coping mechanisms like time with friends, consider seeking help. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” she adds.
Lazy
Just don’t feel like working out? In some instances, it’s worth pushing past that initial resistance by focusing on a single aspect of any type of movement you even mildly appreciate, Fifer recommends. “It could be the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, the people you’re meeting or how you feel when it’s done,” she says. In other instances — like when you’re super sore, tired or emotionally unstable — a rest day is the best “workout” you can do. Hitting the gym when you know you need a day off is likely to leave you injured or bitter about fitness overall. “If you’re really not feeling it,” Fifer says, “don’t force yourself.”
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The Best Exercise for Every Mood originally appeared on usnews.com
