Exercise for Mood and Anxiety: Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-Being

Michael Otto, Jasper A.J. Smits

Oxford University Press, USA, Jul 28, 2011 - Health & Fitness - 235 pages

Exercise has long been touted anecdotally as an effective tool to raise spirits or reduce tension, but only recently has rigorous science caught up with these claims. Now there is overwhelming evidence that regular exercise can help relieve everything from common feelings of stress and anxiety to full-blown depression. With Exercise for Mood and Anxiety, well-known authorities Michael Otto and Jasper Smits bring their clinically tested exercise program to the general public. Written for those who need a more effective way to manage everyday low mood and stress--as well as those diagnosed with more serious mood disorders--this book provides readers with step-by-step guidance on how to start and maintain an exercise program geared towards improving mood. Equally important, the book sheds much light on the all-important issue of motivation. Most Americans quickly fall off the exercise wagon. This book helps demystify the traps of good intentions and the pitfalls that derail exercise attempts. How can you get yourself to exercise when you are tired, distracted, or stressed? What should you pay attention to during a walk or a run? How should you prepare yourself so that getting out for a run is not harder than the run itself? In answering these questions, the authors not only provide readers with effective strategies for adopting a successful program, but also introduce the principles that will help them keep with the program for the long haul. Providing rich examples and practical advice on overcoming the obstacles to a regular exercise program, Exercise for Mood and Anxiety will help readers feel happier and less stressed now--and, as they stay with this program, improve their fitness and health in the future.

Contents

• 1 About This Book: 3
• 2 Exercise Works for Your Mood: 7
• 3 Why Exercise Programs Fail: 23
• The Truth About Motivation: 35
• 5 Directing Your Thoughts for Exercise Success: 61
• 6 Planning Your Exercise Routine: 81
• 7 The Exercise Prescription: 101
• 8 Enjoying Yourself During Exercise: 114
• 9 Rewarding Yourself After Exercise: 139
• 10 Diversifying Your Exercise Routine: 158
• An Active and Fit Life: 174
• Resources: 201
• Appendix: 213
• References: 214
• Index: 231
• About the Authors: 234

About the author

Michael W. Otto, PhD is Professor of Psychology at Boston University. He has done extensive research on strategies to improve treatments for anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders.
Jasper A. J. Smits, PhD is Associate Professor of Psychology at Southern Methodist University. He has done research on both anxiety disorders and health habits such as smoking, including a current large-scale study on the use of exercise for smoking cessation.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Exercise for Mood and Anxiety: Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-Being
• Authors: Michael Otto, Jasper A.J. Smits
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 2011
• ISBN: 0199791007, 9780199791002
• Length: 235 pages
• Subjects: Health & Fitness / Exercise; Psychology / Clinical Psychology; Psychology / Psychotherapy / General; Self-Help / Anxieties & Phobias; Self-Help / Mood Disorders / Depression