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Anxiety

How fitness has helped.

By Stephanie LeclercqPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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Do you wake up every morning already dreading the day? Do you close your eyes hoping you can just sleep the days away? I do. It’s not because I’m depressed. It’s because I have anxiety. Anxiety is a constant battle. It’s always wanting to go out and do things with friends and then the time comes, and you don’t want to go out. It’s not being able to fall asleep for hours because you're laying there thinking about what’s to come. It’s the constant fear of what people think of you when you’re out. It’s going out first thing in the morning to the store, so you can avoid as many people as possible. Anxiety isn’t easy. Worrying all the time is never fun. You constantly feel like people are judging you even when they aren’t looking at you at all. I am a very quiet person and a huge introvert so going out and being in a large crowd isn’t easy either. If you have anxiety and have ever felt this way the please know you are not alone!

I have tried taking medicine for it, and while it helped, it affected my body. I gained weight and my confidence plummeted. Eventually I will start going to therapy again. That has helped a lot. There are tons of services that can help with anxiety. You just have to search and find the right thing for you. A lot of people frown at the thought of going to a therapist. It is honestly the best thing I ever did for myself. It’s a safe haven. Anything you say is confidential and it’s someone who won’t judge you. You can say how you feel and won’t feel dumb for saying it or feeling it. Whenever I talk to other people I feel even more anxious. What will they think? Will they tell other people?

Something huge that has helped me is fitness. Specifically running. I love to run. There is nothing like the adrenaline you get after running 2 miles without stopping. I know that doesn’t seem like a lot to some but to me it’s huge. Growing up I always hated running that dreaded mile at school. I would always walk most of it. Now I can’t wait to get out there and run at least 2. I love running in 5k races. They are always so much fun. Especially when they are for a good cause. My goal is to run in a 5k without stopping. I have run 3.10 Miles without stopping – but not in an actual race.

My goal is to eventually run a 10k which is 6.2 Miles. I know that with patience and practice I will get there. I would love to run a half marathon but that is a farfetched goal. I know that if I properly train and maybe have a running partner, then I could do it.

Health isn’t just about the fitness part. It’s about eating right too. That’s where I struggle. I love sweets and don’t know how to control my temptations. I have tried countless fads and they just don’t work. Meal planning has been the only thing that works. I am so thankful I became an online fitness coach. It has helped tremendously.

If you have anxiety I highly recommend getting out there and exercising anyway you can. Even if it’s a 10-minute walk at least do something that will help clear your mind. The 20-30 minutes I spend running help make my mind feel so much better. And my body too! I try to run every other day. I feel antsy when I don’t run. Which is a good thing because then I want to workout in some way. I highly recommend fitness as a stress relief.

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About the Creator

Stephanie Leclercq

I am a wife, a dog mom, a runner, a preschool teacher. I love life and love new adventures. I love to read and write. I am an online fitness coach. I love learning about health and fitness.

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