How Physical Fitness Can Help in Addiction Recovery

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If you are in the process of recovering from an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or both, you might be re-learning how to take proper care of yourself. Battling addiction can be difficult, but it can help you redirect how you manage your time, health, and behaviors. Choosing to focus on physical fitness can make a positive difference in your life. Learn more about how you can take care of both your physical and mental well-being and continue to thrive in life after addiction.

Exercises to Consider Trying

Consider what you are looking to get out of your exercise sessions. Do you want the chance to interact with and learn from teammates while playing a sport, like a game of soccer or volleyball? Would you rather take some time for yourself and go jogging? Pick an activity you think you will like and see if you can stick to it, but feel free to change things up if you are bored or you want more variety.

If you’d prefer to exercise alone, ride a bike and see if the new activity matches your expectations. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health, any type of regular exercise is good for preventing and protecting against diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, and strokes.

Don't Forget to Take Care of Your Mental Health

If you notice you're feeling down, start finding the need to engage in old behaviors, or feel as though you might relapse, slow down and listen to your body by taking care of yourself. Exercise can be an all-natural treatment to fight depression, but don't forget to equip yourself with other tools that can have a positive impact. Talk therapy can help, such as working one-on-one with a therapist or having a support group you regularly attend. Keeping a journal is another way to monitor your mental welfare and see if there is anything triggering you in your day-to-day life.

Keeping Up With a Healthy Routine for the Long-Term

In order to continue on with your recovery and physical fitness journey, it's important to create a routine that allows you to incorporate working out into your daily activities. Once you decide on what types of sports or workouts you would like to do, think about the best ways to ensure you're doing them.

Consider using some tech, like a smartwatch, a fitness app, or even watching workout videos using your tablet. If you plan to use a tablet to work out, think about getting a cover that can protect against scratches or if your tablet falls while you're in the middle of intense exercise. If you’re running with your phone, make sure to secure it with an armband holder. Using a fitness tracker from Elite Fitness Essentials is another way you can check your progress and make sure you're burning calories. Many fitness trackers show your heart rate, steps taken, and the number of calories burned within a day.

Recovering from addiction might seem difficult at first, but adding physical activity to your lifestyle can help with your recovery and make a positive difference. Knowing how to take care of yourself physically and mentally allows you to stay in tune with your body and progress toward starting over again in life.