[Oh_no_she_DIDNT]

I think that people that have a tendency to be in their heads a lot contemplating and ruminating (and all those lovely things many of us NF's love to do) benefit from getting "out of the their heads" and "into their bodies".

I've been thinking about this lately. About how so very much I am in my head. Sometimes I really have to put forth effort to really be aware of being in my body. (I think SP's might be good at being in their bodies) It kind of feels like I am on Star Trek and I need to be beemed down to my body. "Beem me down Scotty"

This is why I believe one of the best prescriptions for me, or others like me, to get in balance is physical activities, whether that be sports, martial arts, exercise, dance... whatever type of things that demand being in your body and having a sort body awareness and having a goal that forces your attention into kinesthetic learning.

Best feeling in the world for me is the feeling of coming home after a night of excessive dancing.. where I really danced... and just totally let go of my inhibitions or worrying about my feet or who is around or anything.. just hearing the music and flowing.. and being totally out of breath but wanting more... Just great!

[Diamondeyes]

Exercise isn't going to cure severe depression, nor help with all self-esteem issues. I agree that it'll help some people, but it's not nearly enough by itself.

I do exercise, personally. I bike and walk everywhere, try to do pushups a few times a week, etc. It doesn't really help me with my mood. And my self-esteem isn't based on how I look (I've been told I'm an attractive individual, and I'm at a healthy weight; weight loss and super toned muscles aren't really a goal for me), but on my personality and how other people react to it. So I feel better if I think I'm a good person and I'm helping others.

Exercise does help depression! Why don't you try some exercise classes? So your exercising in a social situation, I think that's positive, bet it would help your depression!

[Diamondeyes]

I wish I could constantly have that post-exercise vibe and energy. It feels good. Getting back into a regular workout routine now, and I'm gonna keep it up.

[Diamondeyes]

Just pulled a tricep doing INSANITY's cardio power & resistance workout

[redballoon]

Lifting weights saved my life. I don't know why more people don't do it, or resistance training period. Especially girls. Forces energy into your bones, pumps courage into your heart, grafts sexy onto your skin.

[Lad]

Sometimes the bigger the muscles a person has, the lower their self esteem is. Without the right motivation or philosophy behind that exercise, you are really just as smart as the dumbbells you are lifting. Case in point, there's a reason why some of the biggest and most athletic guys are often the easiest to aggravate -- their egos are still frail. Heck, I could walk into any gym and within 2 sentences, take a punch to the face.

Let's say I go to a martial arts dojo, though. People are in reasonably great shape, but also worked on their mind in addition to that. Duality is the best form of exercise, it basically means you are doing more than just 1 thing at a time. Now, if I walked into a martial arts academy and started flipping my mouth off, the chances are, I'd be kindly escorted out of the building without anything more than a gentle hand on my shoulder... hell, they might even hold the door open for me.

Self esteem is certainly a lot more complicated than just exercise. Although, I truly wish it was as "simple as that."

[fretterfet]

Exercise does help depression! Why don't you try some exercise classes? So your exercising in a social situation, I think that's positive, bet it would help your depression!

I've taken them at school. If anything, it just makes me feel worse.

[Taker]

I'm an exercise enthusiast as well! I mainly do exercise because I enjoy it and like to keep my body in good working order. I agree that endorphins are a great way to improve your mood; to an extent. Exercise helps me if I'm feeling a little blue or apathetic because it gets my heart pumping along with the hormones, however, if I'm in a state of serious depression, exercise does nothing for me, because bottom line, it's just plain debilitating. Of course, being bipolar, I prefer not too try and get myself too peppy or else I tip the scales in the other direction, which is just as damaging. =/

[Taker]

I've taken them at school. If anything, it just makes me feel worse.

I find that exercise makes me feel better up to a certain point, then I feel too lethargic and overwhelmed with my own self imposed guilt and sorrow to be able to put effort into anything and at that point, as you say, trying to force myself to get going and exercise makes me feel worse overall.

[redballoon]

@Lad definitely... at first I lifted weights for ego. but the slow lessons that dawned on me because I did just that, pushed me to lift for strength. its a dynamic process, and so long as one does something, there are no right answers.