As the new year unfolds, it brings many opportunities, including new goals, challenges, and events. However, it also often introduces new sources of stress. While stress can manifest in various ways, incorporating regular fitness and exercise into your routine is an effective way to manage and channel it productively.

Reducing Stress Through Fitness and Exercise as a Whole

Not only is routine exercise great for your body but it has also been proven to do wonders for your mental health for a number of reasons. While exercising, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins are like little positivity triggers that run through your brain. This helps to improve your mood and attitude in a near-instant way. Additionally, regular fitness and exercise can also improve your sleeping schedule. Although there is no ‘one size fits all’ for suggested sleeping lengths, between 7 to 8 hours per night is a good rule of thumb. Daily exercise is a great way for your body to utilize its energy and help wind down come bedtime. Lastly, fitness is also a key driver in improving one’s confidence. Confidence to do better, look better, and feel better.

Registering for fitness classes is an effective way to both stay motivated and ensure a proper workout. Classes are led by experienced fitness professionals who will help you maintain proper form, learn new techniques and keep you focused on the task at hand. In turn, it ensures a full and genuine workout each time.

Managing Stress Through Routine

Stress can oftentimes occur when you feel as though you have too much on your plate. This can result from an increase in your workload or the addition of additional tasks in a day. The feeling of overload is commonly coupled with stress, but the key to managing this is finding balance and routine.

One of the most effective ways to begin developing a routine is to take all your tasks in a week and write them down on paper. Often, stress can occur because you feel you have a million things to do at once. Itemizing your tasks gives a true visual of your feelings of overload. From there, aim to schedule these tasks into your week like an appointment. For example, instead of making a mental note to workout whenever you have time, attend a regularly scheduled fitness class once or twice per week.

Registering for routine fitness programs like karate or fitness kickboxing classes also holds you accountable for attending and incorporating exercise into your life on a regular basis. We’ve all had that stare-down with our gym membership while we try to muster the motivation to go. With classes, the precedent of attendance is set for you. You can view some of our weekly classes here.

Relieving Stress by Setting Realistic Expectations and Goals

With fitness comes change. Change in your body, your mindset, and your overall mental health. The feeling of accomplishment and the will to obtain more is ultra-common after a good workout. Setting realistic goals and expectations for yourself is a great way to keep that motivation flowing. Not only does this help you want to strive for more, but it also really keeps your exercise train on the tracks.

What Are Realistic Goals and Expectations?

What’s most important with goal-setting is ensuring that there is a way that you can physically obtain them. Some can be more difficult than others, but it must be possible. Here are some achievable goals and expectations you can set for yourself.

Within 9 months from now, I will be capable of attending the intermediate level of classes.

Within six months from now, I will incorporate an additional fitness class into my week.

I will stretch before and after every class until I can touch my toes.

I will take small breaks when needed but will attend my fitness classes in full each week.

Of course, no two persons’ goals and expectations are sure to look alike, but they should be realistic for themselves.

Final Notes

Channelling stress into fitness is one thing, but doing so to develop a routine, establish personal goals, and improve your mental health is the heartbeat of success. Our team of teachers have been cultivating exercise for fitness beginners to intermediates since 1984.

Please note this article is based on our own thoughts and has not been formally approved by a healthcare or fitness professional.