Hi friends,

It’s been nearly 7 years since I started lifting weights, and the impact it’s had on my life has been immense.

The benefits of weight training are almost endless:

• increased strength

• increased muscle mass

• increased flexibility

• improved body composition

• enhanced athletic performance

• increased self-confidence

• improved sleep quality

• improved metabolic health

The list could go on, but the number one benefit that I’ve personally experienced with weight training is elevated mood and reduced anxiety.

Anxiety is something that I struggled with from an early age. Weightlifting has been an outlet for me to relieve stress and mental tension.

A study by Herring and colleagues found that exercise training reduced the clinical severity of generalized anxiety disorder and may improve the quality of life in those with anxiety.

Going to the gym has become a ritual for me. It’s an hour of the day that I dedicate to myself listening to my favorite music and moving my body. I’ve found that having a hard training session in the morning before a difficult day of work or meetings makes the rest of the day much easier.

If the first thing you do in the morning is voluntarily put yourself into a state of discomfort, it makes the rest of the uncontrollable things that life throws at you much more tolerable.

Exercise and weight training are not the cure-alls for anxiety and depression, but movement has been shown time and time again to improve mental health by promoting the release of endorphins (the feel-good chemicals) and serotonin, while decreasing chronic cortisol levels.

It may seem like the last thing you want to do when you’re anxious or in a low-mood state, but moving your body can be one of the best things you do to address your mental health.

Until next week,

Kevin

❤️ Things I’m Enjoying This Week

1. Smart light bulbs - I got these on Amazon last year to help reduce the harmful effects of bright light on sleep. After the sun goes down I turn the lights to red so that bright lights don’t stop my body from producing melatonin.

2. Water bottle - I hate to admit it but I really enjoy the STANLEY Quencher H2.O. I use it every day at work and it makes drinking the recommended water intake much easier. You don’t need to get a Stanley, but having a big water bottle near you can help promote drinking more water.