Fitness Positively Affects Emotional Health, Experts say

By: Aya Hammad
@AyahHammadd

Certified Nutritionist and Founder of The Fitness Grind (TFG) Mohamed Sherif said in a webinar last week that time management is key to establishing fitness goals for a better lifestyle.

Sherif believes that a person who is willing to achieve a certain objective, such as losing weight, for example, should form a habit out of it by dedicating a certain time in their day toward reaching their goal. Building this habit will help the person stay motivated.

He explained that self-discipline is created when people push themselves out of their comfort zone to reach their objectives.

“If a person starts by working out in a place they’re comfortable with, then it would be easier for them to stay consistent,” Sherif said.

He stressed the importance of time management as a factor to think about when willing to start exercising.

Sherif said that it’s all about the person’s priorities; If they prioritize exercise throughout their day and set themselves a goal to reach, they will be able to devote time for their mental and physical wellbeing.

“Sometimes we barely have time for exercise throughout our day but allocating 30 minutes of our time for it is better than nothing,” Sherif said.

Many athletes have the mindset of “all or nothing”, but Sherif views this as a huge problem that could demotivate the athlete in the long term.

A gradual workout and exercise progression may be best, starting with a 15-minute workout and then gradually increasing workout times every day.

Sherif explained that everyone needs individualized coaching just before going into a group-setting fitness plan. Depending on the trainee’s body type and physical health, they need to be trained individually and have a personalized fitness plan.

“There’s a huge problem in the fitness industry, where it’s hard to establish the concept of individualization within a group setting,” Sherif said.

Sherif believes that sometimes people get demotivated while working out in groups as they can’t carry out certain exercises while others can.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) junior and webinar attendee Noha Afify agrees that group training can be off-putting.

“I used to get mad at myself because I couldn’t carry out certain exercises where as others were able to,” Afify said.

Meanwhile, Associate Director at the Student Well-being and Outreach office Iman El-Omary says that research has shown that fitness and exercise in general have positive effects on emotional and mental health.

“If a person exercises regularly, they will have better sleep and it generally improves the overall mood as it gives you a sense of self confidence and boosts the person’s energy level,” El-Omary said.

El-Omary also believes that regular exercise can alleviate a person’s depression, anxiety and those who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as it relieves stress and has positive impacts on memory.