Starting your path to recovery is one of the first steps to a healthy life. If you struggle with alcohol or drug dependency, working out may be a key aspect of your rehabilitation. According to a study, an exercise routine can prevent relapse and help you better maintain sobriety.
 
Here, Wholeness Fitness explains how you can help you control your recovery through physical activity.
 
Learn to Heal
Mental illness and substance abuse often go together. Sometimes, mental illness can lead to self-medication, but that isn't always the case. Drugs and mental disorders can affect one another, but genetics also plays a role. Your genetics affect approximately 40% to 50% of your vulnerability to addiction.
 
If you suffer from depression or addiction, it may be difficult to get up to work out every day. However, when you push yourself and see the results, you are more likely to continue. You'll realize that you're in a better mood after and that not only do you feel good in the short term, but you'll see long-term positive changes.
 
It's up to you to learn how to take care of yourself. Try nourishing your body with healthy foods or meditating for at least five minutes every day. In addition to your body, remember to care for your home. A cluttered home leaves you in low-grade anxiety. Organize your home to feel less stressed and to create a more positive environment for you to function. 
 
Find Your Niche
One of the biggest contributors to failing a workout regimen is choosing routines that you don't like. There are various exercises to choose from, so you never have to settle for something that you don't like.
The four basic types of workouts include:
Strength training Flexibility training Endurance training Balance training  
Each workout has its own benefits. For example, strength training improves muscle strength, stamina, and weight management. Flexibility training improves range of motion and enhances daily movement. Endurance focuses on light to medium intensity workouts like riding a bike, running, and high-intensity interval training. Likewise, balance affects how you walk, stand, and move. Improving balance helps reduce the rate of injuries.
 
Prepare for Success
When you exercise, it not only provides you with a distraction and a routine but triggers your brain's pleasure center with endorphins. You can remain on task by utilizing different fitness technologies. Smartwatches can help you keep track of your heart rate, your fitness progress, and your schedule.
 
Workout apps and streaming services may also improve your workout routine. Or virtual workouts provide you with an opportunity to work with a trainer and to attend fitness classes without leaving your home.
 
The road to recovering from substance abuse is a long one. When you take care of your health and fitness, you are less likely to relapse. Once you find your niche, you are more likely to stick to a program. Find what you love, learn what suits your mental health, and prepare for your ultimate success.
 
Are you ready to take control of your fitness? Wholeness Fitness can help! We offer 1:1 training as well as group classes, which you can do in person or from the comfort of home. Check us out today!

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