Stressed over exercise

Q: I enjoy working out to get away from the day-to-day stresses of my job and family. My usual routine is to do group exercise classes three days a week and walk with a neighborhood friend three days a week. My stress has dropped a little, but not as much as I thought it would. Also, I thought I might have lost a little weight just by exercising. What am I doing wrong?

A: Exercise can have many benefits, including reducing stress and losing weight. If you’re not seeing the results you desire, we need to identify what other factors might be playing a role.

A regular exercise routine is a great place to start to help facilitate weight loss while encouraging stress relief. Stress can slow our metabolism, affect hormone levels and cause us to store body fat around our abdominal region.

While exercising, take the time to relax and focus on your workout. Bringing your stress into your workout can keep you from truly using your workout time to relieve stress. If talking about what might be causing stress in your life only causes you to become more stressed, then avoid taking those feelings into your workout.

Find an exercise routine that you enjoy and where you can practice breathing and relaxation techniques. Stretching, mind/body classes such as Qigong, Tai Chi or yoga, and workouts that help focus your thoughts on not becoming overwhelmed can not only provide a great workout, but techniques you can use in everyday life.

Remember to modify your workouts, as you may need to try different things at different times of your life. You might enjoy group classes this month, but become bored with them next month. Change up your routine and try something new and exciting. This also can provide something to look forward to if the rest of your life is hectic and stressed.

Exercise and nutrition must go hand in hand. Some people use food to help deal with stress, so to keep this from becoming a factor, monitor your nutritional habits. A healthy, balanced nutritional plan combined with regular exercise can help facilitate weight loss. However, you can exercise and not begin to see the physical results because of your nutritional habits.

A regular routine of exercise and proper nutrition is a great start to reducing stress and keeping control of your weight. Keep trying each day to find a combination of exercise and nutrition that works for you — and avoid becoming frustrated. Exercise and nutrition should not add more stress to your life.