Healthy Eating, Exercise and Depression

We all know that exercise and proper diet are good for you. People who eat well and exercise regularly feel more confident, more energetic, and better able to cope with stress.

A healthy diet and regular exercise are especially important for people with depression. Taking care of your body can help to shift your mood. 

If you’re currently depressed, paying attention to your body and starting some form of exercise can be tough. Depression takes away your motivation to do things: the less you do, the less you feel like doing… and so on.

Just as you learned in the goal-setting section, it is important to set small goals and gradually work up to a better level of fitness and health:

Be specific
“I’m going to eat better” sounds good, but it’s too vague to be useful.

Be consistent
Try to stick to your plans and don’t let the excuses win.

The little things count
Try walking up some stairs instead of the elevator or get off one bus stop early and walk it.

Find an exercise buddy
Doing it alone can be difficult. See if you can convince a friend or family member to join you and help each other stick to it.