Did you know that feeling stressed or overwhelmed puts us at greater risk of heart disease, mental health problems and stroke? It can also make it harder to stick to healthy eating plans if we comfort ourselves with high calorie snacks and alcohol when stress levels rise. So discovering ways to find our inner calm can reap big rewards.
Becoming more active can benefit overall health and help improve mental wellbeing too. In fact, regular exercise – a brisk walk, a dance-off in the kitchen, some squats in the living room – has been shown to help:
- reduce anxiety and lift mood
- reduce the risk of depression
- reduce feelings of stress
- give a greater sense of calm and help us think more clearly
- increase self esteem
If you’d love to give some stress-busting activity a go, our Body Magic programme has been created to help you to develop healthy new fitness habits at your own pace. We’ll dispel any misconceptions or concerns you have about exercise, take the fear out of change and allow you to experience the full feel-good factor of moving more!
Five ways activity can help you beat stress
1. It releases happy hormones
Any activity that increases your heart rate and speeds up your breathing releases endorphins, hormones which can reduce stress, ease physical tension and encourage a more optimistic mindset.
Dancing is just one way to up your endorphin levels, and Slimming World members get access to a wide variety of dance-based activity videos that are suitable for all fitness levels, including some seated ones.
More on the blog: Learn more about our member-exclusive activity videos
2. It can provide a support network
As well as being great for your all-round health and fitness, walking is a brilliant mood-booster – and those benefits are multiplied when you walk with a Body Magic buddy or as part of a group. As well as a sense of belonging, walking together provides the friendship and support that’s so important for our emotional wellbeing.
That goes for our four-legged friends, too! Research shows spending time with our pets can help to reduce stress and they make great workout companions. Slimming World member Lauren takes her pooch out for a hike whenever she needs a de-stress sesh.
More on the blog: 4 easy ways to move more this month
3. It boosts self-esteem
Learning new skills increases our confidence and sense of purpose. Boxing, for example, can improve your co-ordination and stamina, plus all that kicking and moving can provide a wonderful emotional release.
Slimming World Consultant Amy (@amysmith.sw), who has lost 7st ½lb, says she’s felt more focused and in control since she started training for a white-collar boxing match.
MORE FOR MEMBERS: Our knockout guide to boxing will leave you feeling unstoppable, in body and mind!
4. A natural remedy
Paying more attention to our thoughts and feelings, to our body and to the world around us can help to cultivate calmness. If you’re out walking, focus on the sights, smells and sounds around you. By taking your mind off your worries and refocusing on the present moment, you’ll arrive home feeling so much more relaxed.
Hiking in the great outdoors gave Danielle an instant boost!
More on the blog: How cycling helped Lois Aleema support her son through his cancer treatment
5. It eases tension
Activities that combine breathing exercises with balance-building moves, like yoga or Pilates, can give you the mental space to put your worries into perspective. And by purposefully moving through a yoga routine, you’ll regain the much-needed sense of control that often disappears when we feel stressed out. Stretching will help to ease any tension and tightness in the body, too.
MORE FOR MEMBERS: Say yes to yoga with our activity guide
Get fitter at your pace with Slimming World
When you join Slimming World, you’ll unlock our full get-fit tool kit, which includes:
- more than 90 on-demand activity videos, with workouts for every ability
- easy-to-follow exercise guides and activity ideas
- an online activity tracker, so you can chart your progress towards the next Body Magic award
- the FIT log tool, to help you identify any barriers and put strategies in place
- exclusive walking podcasts and fitness-themed podcast episodes
Find out more about our unique physical activity programme
