Moods

Hey everyone!
So today I wanted to address another change I have noticed in myself since making fitness a priority. On a serious note, there is an emotional part of me that I don't often share but I have seen such dramatic changes recently that I feel it's important to tell you all about. Like many people, I have struggled with depression and anxiety for years. I was put on anti depressant medication when I was about 15. I didn't mind it and it has always helped quite a bit. Last summer, my grandpa passed away and during this rough time I was concerned about some of my depression coming back. In August I decided to take up running, I wanted to lose some weight but I also wanted something to do for myself. When I first started running though it was hard I always felt better after, and as I made more improvements I started to feel better emotionally. Living in Idaho the winter lasts a long time and its dark a lot, which would somehow seem to worsen my anxiety. Although antidepressants helped they never cured any of these feelings. The past couple weeks I have been doing major cardio and weights together, and I feel better than ever. Any kind of cardio for 40 minutes length or more gives me the best feeling ever. My anxiety and other symptoms are completely gone and I haven't had any medication in months. I do notice after 4 days or so (hello, vacation) that the anxiety will come back pretty quick. I'm still not dropping pounds super quick but mentally I feel healthier than ever. The way I feel lately and the way running has helped me with my anxiety, depression and overall happiness is even more motivation for me to continue. Sure, I still have bad days and sometimes there isn't anything that can help some anxiety from appearing but it is tremendously better and less frequent than what it used to be. Cardio exercise (for me spinning, running, a hard stair workout) gives me time to myself to think and analyze my feelings. Shortly after loosing my grandpa, it was a way for me to deal with some of those feelings and to just be by myself. I get to lose everything else in the world and throw myself into something that allows me to push my limits and accomplish things I never thought possible. I average about an hour fifteen minutes or so at the gym total between cardio and weights and I can't stand skipping a day. I can't wait to start training for another half! Race season is coming in boise! Happy Thursday everyone!