Fitness Case Study #77: Reduce Stress with a Good Workout Someone needs you here, you need to be there. Today you're in control, yesterday you weren't and tomorrow is a toss up. You wish you could be in two places at once and then suddenly wish you could just hide-away. STRESS! We've all experienced it... and we all have our individual ways to deal with it... knowing that we'd better overcome it before we completely burn out. M.L. is no different. A business owner of a successful painting company, M.L., was experiencing ever-increasing stress on a daily basis. He soon realized that he was having trouble dealing with it... he could barely remember how to simply stop, close his eyes and take a long, deep breath and exhale some of the tension he had. With daily life becoming more demanding on M.L., he soon realized that he "wasn't feeling so good." "Stress, in medical terms is defined as psychological and/or physical stimulus that can cause physiological responses that can lead to physical and/or mental illness," quotes Erica Williams, BS, ACSM-H/FI, Founder of SIFT Personal Training. Erica continues, "Stress can really be defined as the opposite of relaxation... it is a disruption in the homeostasis or internal balance in our body's systems." The reduction of stress and return of our body's systems to a healthy balance is accomplished by "resting the mind"... not necessarily by resting the body. Because stress is brought about primarily by worry, fret, frustration, frantic schedules, and so on, the way to reduce stress is to eliminate those factors from our brains. So how do we do that? "Research has shown (and our clients are excellent testimonies) that exercise is one of the best methods for reducing stress and relieving tension," says Erica, "As we exercise our minds are focused on one thing and not on the everyday problems, schedules, and worries that cause stress." Exercise releases endorphins that are naturally mood up-lifting. And while the mind's attention is on the exercise, it is not worrying... giving the "worry" brain cells time to rest and renew. M.L. immediately began an exercise regimen of just 1 hour 3 times per week after a brief conversation with his uncle... What did his uncle say that prompted M.L. to so quickly begin to workout? "My uncle asked me that if I had a machine which literally produced money (like my own personal ATM with unlimited funds) would I keep it well- maintained and take good care of it," recalled M.L., "I told him 'Of course, I would!' and he quietly queried, 'Well, what do you think your body is but your own personal money- making machine?' I just about fell over realizing that I hadn't taken very good care of myself... allowing myself to get run down from too much stress." M.L. refers to his now-daily one-hour workout as "Michael-Time!" He is more focused, has more energy, is in better shape and his "money-making machine" is making more money! <<< Back to In The News