Exercise: Your Secret Weapon Against Depression

Depression isn’t something that fades easily.

It doesn’t care about your plans, your goals, or your ability to push through.

It feels like a heavy weight that gets harder to lift as time goes on.

I've been there—stuck at the lowest point, questioning if things could ever get better.

I felt like I had no control over my life, like I was losing the fight.

But something inside me—call it stubbornness, call it determination—told me I could at least try to fight back.

I needed something I could control.

That’s when I turned to exercise.

It wasn’t about looking good or gaining strength.

It was about reclaiming something—my mental health, my mood, my sense of control.

It worked.

Not overnight, but it worked.

Exercise: A Tool In Your Battle Against Depression

Depression isn't just an emotional phenomenon - it’s physical and I'd argue it's even spiritual.

It changes your brain chemistry, impacts your sleep, drains your energy, and makes you feel like things are helpless for you.

So it makes sense that something like exercise—something that demands both physical and mental effort—can have a large impact on it.

Here’s why exercise is a game-changer in battling depression:

1. Boosts "Feel-Good" Chemicals – Every time you break a sweat, you’re triggering the release of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins—hormones that combat depression by lifting your mood.
2. Reduces Stress & Builds Resilience – Exercise doesn’t just help you cope with stress—it strengthens your ability to handle it over time. Think of it like stress training.
3. Improves Self-Esteem – As your body grows stronger, so does your self-worth. Even when progress isn’t visible, every workout builds your belief in your ability to overcome challenges.
4. Fosters Social Connections – It’s hard to feel alone when you’re surrounded by people who understand what it’s like to put in the work. Whether it’s a gym, class, or team, exercise brings people together.
5. Ignites Purpose – Exercise can give you a sense of direction. When you start setting goals, challenging yourself, and seeing progress, it sparks something deeper—a purpose that drives you forward.

Using Exercise to Battle Depression

An object in motion stays in motion - Newton's First Law

When it comes to exercising for mental health, there is a ton of research that supports how exercise can help us mentally: from improving resilience to stress, to being a tool to manage depression and anxiety, and more.

For those that want to get started or want to be consistent with exercise, I wanted to share with you that you don’t need a gym membership or some crazy workout routine to start.

All that matters is that you balance the right amount of consistency and intensity.

And believe it or not, you don't need too much.

One recent randomized control trial took young adults with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and had them resistance train.

These young adults exercised ONLY twice per week, 25 minutes per session.

As a result, they saw significant improvements in their depressive symptoms.

This study is a good reference point for you to start here if you haven't worked out in months or ever.

If you’re not exercising consistently, I highly recommend getting some movement in — whether it’s walking, or lifting weights.

You DO NOT have to commit to anything crazy right now, just get into the habit of doing it consistently, even if it’s only 2 days per week like the study mentioned above.

With that being said, here are some additional tips to keep you going at it consistently to maximize these benefits.

1. Start Small, Stay Consistent

Even if you’re not in the habit of exercising, work up towards 20-30 minutes a few times a week.

Walking, biking, swimming, or lifting—just get moving.

A little goes a long way.

I started with 3 days a week of one-hour sessions, and it helped me more than I expected.

2. Focus on How You Feel, Not Just How You Look

I'm sure using exercise as a way to battle depression piqued your interest not just for the mental benefits, but the physical ones as well.

Because let's be real, we all want a better body and more confidence from it.

While this is a great goal to shoot for, I believe focusing beyond how we feel is just as, if not more important, than how we look from our workouts.

Because of this, don't worry about fitting into a certain body type or hitting a certain number on the scale right now.

This shouldn't be a priority yet.

Focus on how you feel during and after the workout.

The mood boost, the mental clarity, the energy—it all adds up.

Think: sweat for serotonin.

Embrace that serotonin rush after every workout session, and chase that primarily.

Focus on that for now, and the body will come.

3. Build It Into Your Routine

Once you start seeing those mental benefits, you’ll want to keep going.

Make exercise a regular part of your week.

It could be a morning walk, an afternoon weightlifting session, or even a weekend workout class.

Schedule it like you would an appointment, or make it a non-negotiable like your job.

Just show up consistently and build the habit of doing so.

When the habit is built and it's engrained into your lifestyle, it becomes so much easier to do regularly for a mood lift.

4. Set Goals And Celebrate The Small Wins

Every workout is a win.

If you have a rough day where it is hard to get out of bed, just go for a short walk outside and get a breath of fresh air.

If it's a rough day but you can commit to at least two exercises at the gym, go in there with the sole purpose of doing those two.

On the hard days, celebrate the fact that you showed up and did some work.

That is an accomplishment on its own.

Your exercise for mental health routine is not going to be perfect.

You're going to have days where you just couldn't make it.

What matters is you get back on track the next day and continue the plan.

Every time you exercise, you’re doing something to better your mental health.

And as you see progress months into the workouts, you’ll find yourself motivated to keep pushing.

You'll find that even on the rougher days, you'll be able to muster up more than you could before.

This is what kept me going well into a decade of consistent exercise.

If you can get some in, some is always better than none at all.

Use the small wins to propel you forward.

Your Action Plan

Commit to a workout this week and let it be the start of something bigger.

Here’s your challenge for this week: Get moving.

Whether it's a walk around the block, a quick gym session, or a home workout, just do it.

Set aside 10-15 minutes to move your body daily.

Eventually work up to at least 3-4 hours of moderate to high-intensity exercise (brisk walks, lifting weights, etc).

This has been shown across studies to improve not only improve physical health, but mental health as well.

Now remember: exercise won’t be a quick fix.

It won’t “cure” depression.

But it will give you the ability to fight back.

The ability to get in a clearer headspace for hours at a time so that you can address all the harder things in life.

Over time, as you get more consistent, it will become an anchor in your life—a way to manage stress, improve mood, and build the resilience to face the hard days.

Remember: Movement has meaning.

Exercise is not just about your physical appearance.

It’s about your mental health.

It’s about taking control of what you can.

It’s about showing up for yourself.

If anything, I implore you to do one workout this week.

Just one.

And see how it feels.

I promise it’s a step worth taking.

Let's get it!