gobot90

Whoa I started this thread just a few hours ago and already I've gotten three hearty welcomes and some really positive feedback. I'm picking up on the fact that exercise can have both long term and short term benefits when it comes to managing depression. In the short term, moving around and getting your heart rate up and working out hard enough to get those endorphins flowing just feels good and then of course you lose weight and just look healthier and self image benefits too. I've been hitting the gym pretty consistently for the past few years and I've def. reaped all of the above benefits. But then something changed. I don't know why but my usual routine started to seem too...usual. I needed something different. I need to be outdoors, with people. I live in NYC, which makes getting involved with team sports really hard (it's all either hipsters who chug beers during softball games--not kidding, I've seen them do shots while rounding the bases too--or really intense pickup games of basketball or roller hockey) so until I'm able to find some cool Rebelminded peeps I've taken up running through this beautiful park near my neighborhood. Problem is, I'm really out of shape and most days I just end up walking fast. My concern is that unless I pick it up I'll start to lose the benefits of the cardio/weight training I did at the gym. I know, I know POOR ME. I guess what I'm saying is, do you guys think it is ok to go low impact for a while and then pick it up gradually? I mean, I know you have to rev through impulse speeds before you can hit Warp, but I'm afraid that if I slow down I'll be vulnerable to any Ferengi pirates along the way. I know cardio is best for dealing with anxiety and depression, but have you guys found any specific exercise routines/diet changes to be esp. helpful? @Katamac: You make such a great point about coffee. I just gave up a 4-5 cup a day habit a few weeks ago and it can suck for the first few days (weeks) but then your body adjusts and you're like holy crap I don't need this stuff! And actual sleep is awesome! Also, what do you mean 80% Paleo? That's another thing I've wanted to try...I assume you recommend the instructions on this site (or one of the other ones they link to)? @Seldom: The worst part about discovering the post-TNG shows is finding out that of them all, ENT (assuming that's an acceptable pseudo-acronym) may be the best one. All the characters on DS9 are interchangeable and...Neelix. DAMN YOU RODDENBERRY'S GHOST. During the pilot, just that one episode, he went from being this cool deranged outsider to all touchy-feely Uncle you don't want at your Xmas party. A few eps in and he becomes the Jar Jar of the 24th century. Anyway, it's cool to have you guys onboard my little forum craft. Getting fit and dealing with depression are two steep uphill battles, and I feel pretty good knowing I'm not alone.

AWZM!!! I can totally relate to the family stuff. It's heartbreaking watching people you care about make terrible choices. The hardest thing for me, watching my mother refuse to give up on her lifelong pack-a-day smoking habit, watching my father slip into a deep post-retirement depression, is having them scoff at me when I suggest the tiniest adjustments to their lifestyle. I don't know, maybe I'm being pushy about it...but their response is always to treat me like some new age weirdo/conspiracy theorist. All because I suggest that they not eat foods with high fructose corn syrup. (My mother teased me for years about how I always have a bottle of water in my hand, and how, I don't know, Yuppieish it is to do that? Or something. Then she got a kidney stone, and I was not happy to see her in so much pain, but I do hope she learned some kind of lesson from it.) Anyway, over time you realize it's their journey and they're going to make their own choices. The only thing you can do is be nice, love them, and keep reminding them that baby steps are all it takes in the beginning. But keep on keepin' on, Katie! The understanding that mind and body are linked in ways we can never fully comprehend is, I feel, a crucial first step toward full on Jedihood (is that a word?) -David And I'll see you in my other post!

Hi all - My name is David... "HELLOOO DAVID!!" ...and I am a nerd. I work from home and most dinners are late night take out with streamed reruns of Star Trek: TNG. (I just started watching Voyager, and if anyone can convince me to like it, because I really want to, I'm all ears.) I'm really here because I want to start a discussion regarding the benefits of exercise and diet when it comes to dealing with depression, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and the like. Is that the main reason you started exercising, to battle these problems with or without the help of medication? What's your regiment? What kind of success have you had? I'd love to hear from other Rebels interested in this topic. We can swap tips, cheats, and hacks, and maybe get to the bottom of my deep distaste for everyone on Voyager except the Doctor (and Kes is ok too)--though he's no Beverly Crusher. Let the forumizing begin!