WORK IT OUT OF YOU
ANGER MANAGEMENT THROUGH FITNESS!
A question to all those recently separated or single dads who are full of frustration and anger: Have you ever tried to work it out of you?
One of the best natural stress relievers is exercising. From running to weight training to any type of work out, that forces you to expend some energy and channel it in a healthy way. Have you ever hit a punching bag or put some gloves on and hit some focus pads? The crack of the glove hitting the pad is so empowering and to be able to hit something and get rewarded for doing so, can release many tensions. Weight training can do the same; pushing, grunting and sweating all release chemicals in your body that make you feel good. Going for a run or a brisk walk can clear your head, leaving you more able to handle the daily stresses of children, work and ex's! All the tension built up from your daily living has got to go somewhere. If you let it build up in the body, you will feel exhausted, run down, sick, unmotivated, negative, depressed and angry! And you do know that any action resulting from anger will be a bad choice. We all like to stay in control and when you are angry you loose all control. Channel your anger and you get back control of your life. You can't blame anyone else for the way you feel but you can change how you feel.
Let's look at the self-esteem aspect of working out. When someone feels good about the way they look they usually feel more confident. Women and people in general, are drawn to that confidence, allowing for more opportunities to socialize. If you are looking for someone to spend time with, going for a new job or just trying to excel at the one you have; being at your best will give you more confidence to do so.
So, take a look in the mirror. What do you think? If you like what you see, then awesome! How's your posture? Are you a guy that slouches? This is often a sign of low self-confidence (and we don't want that, right?). Try this: put your shoulders back, stand up straight, head over top of your shoulders, don't look down....now doesn't that look better? It's all about looking in a mirror and liking what you see. If you are 20lbs overweight but can look in the mirror and like what you are looking at, then you are already there. You don't have to look like the guy on the men’s magazine to have the confidence you need to get what you want out of your life. You just have to like what you see. If you are cutting yourself apart, picking on any minor flaws you can find, you need to make some changes to the outside of your body so that you start being more positive about what you are looking at! This is where some weight training and cardiovascular exercise comes in. You can change and improve your whole physique in a very short period of time. On average, being 15-30 lbs of fat loss and an increase of 5-10lbs of muscle in three or four months! That makes a huge difference on the body, clothing and energy levels!
Here’s something to get you started: every morning while the coffee is brewing, try and do some pushups and stomach crunches. You won’t get them all on your first day and take all the breaks you want but the goal is to see if you can get 100 of each before the coffee is ready. Once you’ve achieved this, you will see how the rest of your morning has a little bounce that wasn't there before. That is all you need to do to start on your fitness program, small steps, but stay consistent.
Fitness is a great way to achieve a higher level of success in all areas of your life. You will gain energy, patience (very important for dads), balance, stress reduction, and a much better handle on all the aspects you need to work on.
Next article will be on nutrition and how it directly affects your ability to handle stress and your mood. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me, jdunn@islandnet.com .
Good luck with making some positive changes for your health!
Joanna Dunn
Personal Trainer, Health Club Owner
Competitive Bodybuilder
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