Personal Trainer Course
By Jayme Hanson
The first thing you should find out about any gym is cost. Some gyms offer discounts for members who sign up for big blocks of time, like a year, but don't rush into these deals. If you don't like the gym after a month or two, you don't want to be forced to pay for the remaining time. Look at what you are getting for your membership price. Low-end gyms, while having much cheaper rates, mean bad exercise equipment, crowded areas, less sanitary facilities and less customer focus. Once you commit yourself to becoming physically active, you must decide what type of fitness program is best suited to your needs. Personal Trainer: Speak with your trainer to establish a regular schedule of weight-bearing exercise that will help improve your stamina and flexibility. If during your evaluation of your new personal trainer you experience a professional that is laser focused on your form, your technique, your breathing, to name a few, they should be in consideration to be hired on a more frequent basis assuming the other shopping points above meet your expectations and needs. Gym Etiquette: If you see someone struggling with some of the equipment, ask

Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
I'll testify for excercise over pills any day! sure, it was hard to get started, at first, especially when the weather is crappy, to go out to the gym, but WOW, i love them endo-morphines... i'm a new addict, the only down side is i must eat better, and drink more water, and i sleep with out ambien... but it really does suck when i'm sick and can't go work out though. i miss it bad,and jones for a cardio buzz . i have to keep it in balance really.... we ...those suffering from depression, ... we must always remember , especially when it is at its darkest...this too shall pass... just fake it till ya make it! (i hated hearing that when i was at bottom. -but it works -even smiling releases good things into your system)
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
I posted this in another thread but it seemed relevant to this conversation too. It's a NYT article about studies on the effectiveness of antidepressants vs placebos that were repressed by drug companies to get FDA approval. There was another study that compared the effectiveness of antidepressants with talk therapy which showed that talk therapy was as, if not more, effective that was also suppressed and not repeated. I'll see if I can dig that up. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/health/17depress.html?_r=1&oref=slogin I'm not posting this to negate the usefulness of antidepressants for some people or other pharmaceuticals which can indeed do a world of good for some people and conditions. I'm not anti-drug, just anti-exploitation by people who's main interests are commercial not humanitarian. I've posted this just so that people can make informed choices and choose the forms of therapy that are going to do them the most good. We can't make good choices for ourselves on false information.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
I agree with Fifi, Kryssa and Andrew, Exercise is parMOUNT but IF ONE CAN'T GET MOTIVATED TO TAKE CARE OF SELF IN THIS WAY THEN .. ONE HAS TO LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS TO GET BETTER.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Kaï says: "As a musician, I of course concur. ;-) It sounds melodramatic, but I think in the long run music has saved my life, not just from making it, also simply from immersing myself in it as an ordinary listener." I second (third?) that! It is said in the I Ching that he who understands the composition of music holds the world as if in the palm of their hand.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
"And yes, I think many people DO take anti-depressants in order to get to a point where they can once again find the motivation to take care of themselves. This doesn't always translate into a regular exercise regime...but that would be a great bridge toward independence from antidepressants (eventually)." Exactly my situation last spring/summer. A few months later (October) I stopped the anti-depressants. I still get out and walk regularly (ski/snowshoe lately), and I just renewed at the Y which I had let lapse last winter. "Music makes it anywhere from possible to enjoyable. Then again, I've found that music itself, the right kind of music, is another whole form of antidepressant. Sounds like the kernel of a research project." Not just for running but for lots of things... As a musician, I of course concur. ;-) It sounds melodramatic, but I think in the long run music has saved my life, not just from making it, also simply from immersing myself in it as an ordinary listener. As for a research project, the neurological basis might start with the way music engages most if not all areas of the brain. Something that hints at this, albeit in "spiritual" language, is this passage from "Music" by the Indian Sufi musician Inayat Khan: "The object of Indian music is the training of the mind and the soul, for music is the best way of concentration. When you tell a person to concentrate on a certain object, the very fact of trying makes his mind more disturbed. But music, which attracts the soul, keeps the mind concentrated. IF one only knows how to appreciate it and give one?s mind to it, keeping all other things away, one naturally develops the power of concentration. Besides the beauty of music, there is the tenderness, which brings life to the heart. For a person of fine feelings, of kindly thought, life in the world is very trying. It is jarring, and it sometimes has a freezing effect. It makes the heart, so to speak, frozen. In that condition one experiences depression, and the whole of life becomes distasteful; the very life, which is meant to be heaven, becomes a place of suffering. If one can focus one?s heart on music, it is just like warming something which was frozen. The heart returns to its natural condition, and the rhythm regulates the beating of the heart, which helps to restore health of body, mind and soul, and bring them to their proper tuning. The joy of life depends upon the perfect tuning of mind and body." As with reading Aristotle et al, it's useful to think "mind", or better, "totality of conscious and subconscious cognition" where he says "soul". (As an atheist who nonetheless is actively engaged as a student of the Indian musical tradition, I'm constantly trying to distinguish the psychologically and physiologically useful baby from its theistic bathwater...)
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Kryssa, That was a very open and honest posting. Thank you.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Saw this in NYT and thought of this thread ... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/10/fashion/10fitness.html?ex=1357707600&en=31d998669ec6852f&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Personally I hate running, but for various reasons find it to be my exercise of (unhappy) choice. Music makes it anywhere from possible to enjoyable. Then again, I've found that music itself, the right kind of music, is another whole form of antidepressant. Sounds like the kernel of a research project.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Kryssa - You're spot on about partying and hard exercise. It's actually the worst thing you can do after a night of indulging in drink is exercise vigorously simply because you're stressing an already dehydrated (and probably somewhat inflamed) body and brain. A gentle walk, of course, is another matter. I noticed that most of my friends who did/do this - and I'm certainly not trying to imply it's the same for you, just saying what I've observed in people I know - have a rather detached and perfectionistic relationship to their body (it's an object to be rewarded and punished, not...well....them!). There was an aspect of punishing themselves, to suffer as a means of penance for the previous night's sins, an attempt to erase the previous behavior. Like I said, it may have been totally different in your case but I've observed this kind of behavior as part of a cycle of addiction. In this case, exercise becomes part of the addiction and habit. Clearly, however, it can be a healthier addiction for someone to have than a drug if someone continues to work on their issues with addiction rather than just transposing it to another activity.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
michael - Saying "just do it" to someone who is clinically depressed is actually shows a rather profound lack of understanding of clinical depression. It they had the ability to "just do it" on their own, they wouldn't be clinically depressed. To approach clinically depressed people in this way can border on the abusive and deepen the sense of failure and inability to cope. I'm not suggesting that you are actively unkind in this way, I just thought it was worth mentioning since it's a common intolerance and approach I've seen taken by yoga teachers (and people in general) who may know about asanas and some mantras and philosophy but who don't actually understand neurobiology or psychology (and who assume that everyone is just like them and what works for themselves will work for everyone, that depression is just lack of motivation, etc). I've seen instances where this ended very badly or where a teacher and student are very obviously acting out their mutual neurosis (with the teacher assuming he has none, sometimes it's really ugly). Of course, conversely there are people who yoga works very well for as well so it really depends on the student and the teacher in many ways. Kinda of like psychotherapy really - not every therapist is appropriate for every patient, and not every form of therapy is appropriate for every patient. Like all physical activity, yoga can be very helpful with managing depression (though there's still not any hard science in on this yet). There is increasing scientific evidence that meditation can be very useful in managing pain and depression. What is much easier for many depressed people to manage is a daily walk or an exercise program that's structured, has achievable short term goals, and is assisted so they're not trying to use willpower to change something that's really about habit not will power and not trying to go it alone. Not surprisingly most people who are depressed feel unsupported and alone - trying to get them to push a rock up a mountain by themselves using willpower is just setting them up for failure. It's creating unnecessary suffering. Eventually, through repetition we create new habits that we naturally fall into and the habit of the daily walk will be so ingrained that it's automatic.
Time delay
IN my own experience the supposed benefits of exercise are not immediate, but only take hold on a time scale of days to weeks. In the meantime, one needs motivation, and motivation is a problem with depression. I'm only motivated by a sense of duty, since exercise if for me a daily chore, and never has been a pleasure. So there may well be a place for medication, particularly if the depression is deep or long lasting. And not to forget the influence of daylight, especially in high latitudes!
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
torroid, I was going to ask the same question. And yes, I think many people DO take anti-depressants in order to get to a point where they can once again find the motivation to take care of themselves. This doesn't always translate into a regular exercise regime...but that would be a great bridge toward independence from antidepressants (eventually). Anyway, we all know that exercise releases endorphins, and endorphins stimulate serotonin, dopamine and melatonin but it's not always immediate. And if we're ingesting or imbibing other chemicals that serve to counter act those releases then I imagine we won't feel the effects as readily or at all. Actually, back in my wilder days of partying all the time, exercise made me feel WORSE. Much worse sometimes. I always assumed it had something to do with the forced release of all those toxins and certainly some dehydration as well. I could almost feel all my little fat cells hesitantly letting go of last nights alcohol (or whatever) with a deep *sigh* and then a *CRAP!* just before I fell to my knees in an exercise induced hangover while begging Bacchus and his croonies to serve me up just one more dose of the waters of Lethe so I could at least forget the path that led me to this dismal state of existence.... Oops. Sorry for the digression. Just reminiscing about the *good times*. -K
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Anybody who has gone from a sedentary type of lifestyle to one that required regular physical activity (no yoga in my case, more like tossing sacks of pet food) can attest to how this phenomena was kind of a "well duh!" observation. What's truly amazing is how when both science and urban wisdom are both in agreement, people will still come up with reasons to not do it.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
I appreciate how you may have come to this interpretation. I was not trying to be preachy or condescending. Given the subject of the thread I should be more careful -- you're right. I am trying to delicately raise the issue that I have found when working with people who are lacking motivation that sometimes it is a matter of 'just do it'. I agree that structure can provide the opportunity for both freedom and growth to occur. I have heard this even from people who have years of formal training, some variation of 'while the cat is away...' or 'no teacher today, no lesson today' and I don't necessarily agree. Anyhow, I was attempting to be positive about stating that belief because the message could also be spun negatively as 'you're so lazy...' and I was not trying to imply that but rather offer encouragement. I have come to experience that yoga and meditation are superior methods for working through my own depression.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Oh please, Michael! Try not to be so pedantic and preachy. Yes, yoga is an activity, not a thing or place, you can do it on your own, etc. etc. - hey, doing the dishes can be a form of yoga! - ad nauseam. but it's likely, in the context of her post, that all she meant was something like " I had no guided yoga programs " (classes, a teacher for individual lessons, whatever.) Some of us need some external guidance and structure to engage in such activities, to get going in them. I know I do; maybe she does too. Hers was a typical standard shorthand, and yes, imprecise, way of talking, which we all do in one way or another, to some degree. Why use it as an excuse to jump all over her mention of yoga? (So you can demonstrate how deep *your* yoga-superiority is?) Even grammar-Nazis like me (who could have a field day in the fuzz-brained world of inarticulateness that constitutes most of new-agey Tribe) know when to ease up and can get what someone is trying to say and not choose to attribute a literal meaning (or wider scope than she probably intended, in your case) to the particular words they use. Sometimes I've cut people *too* much slack on their use of language, spelling, etc., given too much benefit of the doubt, to my later regret, but I'd rather err on that side... You probably think you're trying to be helpful but it comes off as condescending, given the high probablity that she meant only "no externally organized yoga." One has to wonder why you chose to add more scope to her modest statement.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
cathyq says: "...I had no yoga..." Yoga is not a place or thing. How could you have no yoga? If you are living and breathing you have yoga -- it is just a matter of awareness and practice! I firmly believe yoga to be a superior exercise for mind, body, and spirit.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
I kept on exercising even though I had no yog aand missed dance and had to driv e through desolation. I kept on coming back to deadend jobs.. my lif e got better when I went to Church of Religious Science and once again had help with how words affect my thinking. I am on a major upswing with frequent an dabundant rest. I am leavign this area which doesnt feed me with confidence and a good job record.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Well as I live alone that wasn't an option for me. In my case, late last spring I needed the anti-depressants to get me to the point where I had the get-up-and-go (out) on a consistent basis. The habit of getting going kicks into autopilot after a while, as you said, though, as with anything. I stopped taking the pills in early October, and now it's the snowy conditions here that kick my ass.
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Good point about the motivation to exercise, torroid. I imagine that could be a big problem. With mild depression, you can sort of bootstrap your way through it. You can think to yourself "ok, I don't have any motivation and I don't want to do this but I'm just going to fucking make myself do it." Keeping records of what you've done also helps. After doing that for a couple weeks, often motivation will come and you won't have to force yourself as hard. But with more serious depression, I don't know. It might help to have a partner who threatens to kick your ass if you don't do it. =)
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Add me as another, although not scientifically controlled, data point. However, I'm curious about the 3rd group, the one that worked out at home (not as easy as taking a pill, and not as directed as being part of a supervised group), and both exercise groups after the study was done. Depression can in interfere with the motivation to exercise. So you take Prozac to feel good enough to exercise?
Re: Exercise as an antidepressant
Thank you VC - that's extremely interesting.
Exercise as an antidepressant
not surprising, but pretty cool! http://www.newstarget.com/022299.html "Common wisdom holds that exercise boosts your mood, in addition to benefiting your physical health. Terms such as ?endorphins? and ?runner?s high? are afloat in the popular lexicon. If you are a person who exercises regularly, or if you know someone who does, you will likely be aware of this bonus that comes along with vigorous physical activity. Ample evidence seems to suggest that exercise might hold great promise in the treatment of disorders such as depression. But anecdotal evidence and personal testimony do not a mental health revolution make. A new anti-depressant medication, for example, must be tested through clinical trials that prove its efficacy and safety before it can be put on the market. In the last couple decades, there has been some interest in looking at the mental health value of exercise. Until recently, however, studies investigating the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of mental health have not been conducted with the same level of scientific rigor as the clinical trials used to bring anti-depressant medications to the market. Limitations of previous studies have included the absence of a control group, individuals not being randomly assigned to study groups, and testing the effects of exercise on individuals who were not suffering from a mood disorder. But a recent placebo-controlled study conducted by James Blumenthal, professor of psychology at Duke University and published in the September issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine compared exercise to a common antidepressant medication in a group of individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder, and found that exercise was as effective as the drug at alleviating symptoms of the disorder. In this study, 202 depressed adults were randomly assigned to one of four groups: one that received the antidepressant sertraline, one that worked out in a supervised group setting three times a week, one that worked out at home, or one that received a placebo pill. Sixteen weeks later, 47% of the group that took the antidepressant, 45% of the supervised exercise group, and 40% of those that exercised at home no longer met the criteria for major depression based on a standard measure of depression symptoms. Although the percent of improvement in the group that exercised on their own was less than that of those that exercised in a supervised group, and the percent improvement in the supervised exercise group was slightly less than that of the group that took the antidepressant, the differences between these three groups were not statistically significant. All groups improved a statistically significant amount over the placebo group, 31% of which no longer met the criteria for depression at the end of the study. This study provides powerful evidence that exercise may be a viable alternative to antidepressant medication in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Other studies have found that the benefits of physical activity can be realized in individuals who are not depressed, but who feel, as is common in our fast-paced culture, that they are mentally worn out and need more energy. In his book, ?Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise? Dr. Robert E. Thayer describes how exercise can be used as a personal mood-regulator, and cites one of his studies in which it was found that as little as ten minutes of brisk walking raised the mood and increased the energy levels of the subjects in the experiment for up to 2 hours after the walk. More research is needed to replicate these types of studies and further define the mental health benefits of exercise. Questions yet to be answered include what types of exercise (e.g., cardiovascular or weight training), what level of intensity and duration, and what frequency of exercising will produce the most benefits. Additionally, gender or age differences may need to be taken into account when structuring an exercise program aimed at boosting mood. With this much potential for positive mental health benefits, and with the most likely side effect being better physical health and possible weight loss, it is easy to imagine that if exercise were a marketable drug, it would be at the top of the drug companies? lists of products to promote. If more research emerges that clarifies and confirms the potential of exercise in the treatment of disorders such as depression, we may soon hear doctors say, ?Run two miles and call me in the morning? to their patients who complain of feeling down. Sources: Psychosomatic Medicine, September 2007; Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise. Robert E. Thayer, Ph.D., Oxford University Press, 2001."

him or her if they would like some help. Some people grunt loudly because they are oblivious to the fact that others may want to concentrate on their lifts and do not want to be distracted by loud grunts. Be considerate of the other individuals at the gym. 24 Hour Fitness: Having to work extra hours often means cutting out the time at the gym, the evening walk or whatever exercise you try to work in on a regular basis. If the gym or fitness center has limited hours, or isn't close enough to your home, you might struggle to make it there. A comprehensive fitness program could include a warm-up period of easy walking followed by stretching activities to improve flexibility, then selected strength development exercises, followed by performance of an aerobic activity for 20 minutes or more, and concluding with a cool-down period of gentle flexibility exercises. You must become committed to fitness for the long haul-to establish a realistic schedule of diverse exercise activities that you can maintain and enjoy throughout your life. Making the decision of where you will go to exercise is a very important step in reaching your goals of fitness.