ItB次元官网网址檚 that time of year when gloomy weather and New YearB次元官网网址檚 resolutions gone by the wayside leave many of us not feeling our best. Even if we know that exercise will help us feel better, getting up and moving can feel like too much of a challenge, especially for those suffering from anxiety or depression.

Some exercise scientists and psychologists say many of the messages we get about fitness donB次元官网网址檛 help.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 really strong evidence that exercise can be beneficial to help reduce depression and anxiety symptoms,B次元官网网址� said Jennifer Heisz, Canada Research Chair in Brain Health and Aging in the department of kinesiology at McMaster University.

B次元官网网址�(But) I think itB次元官网网址檚 very off-putting when you look at the exercise guidelines for physical health and you think that you need to achieve those for mental health.B次元官网网址�

The World Health Organization recommends that adults between 18 and 64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, plus muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week.

ParticipACTION, an organization promoting physical activity, said it takes much less than that to gain mental-health benefits, but many people donB次元官网网址檛 know that. It commissioned an online survey of 1,526 adult Canadians conducted by Leger, which found that 36 per cent of respondents thought they needed to exercise for more than half an hour to B次元官网网址渇eel the mental boost.B次元官网网址�

Not true, said Leigh Vanderloo, an exercise scientist with ParticipACTION.

Taking 10 to 15 minutes a day to move your body B次元官网网址渋s going to have some pretty promising effects from a mental-health impact,B次元官网网址� Vanderloo said.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no such thing as bad movement,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hink of all the opportunities you have in your day already that you could be moving more.B次元官网网址�

That could mean taking a quick walk around the office between meetings, parking a bit further away when youB次元官网网址檙e picking up the kids from school, running upstairs, raking leaves, housecleaning, gardening or dancing, Vanderloo said.

B次元官网网址淓very step counts,B次元官网网址� said Heisz.

For people with clinical depression or anxiety, B次元官网网址渆xercise can be a great add-on therapy to take in addition to medication,B次元官网网址� she said. But those conditions can also make it hard to get off the couch.

B次元官网网址淭rying to get motivated to exercise is really difficult, especially if you think itB次元官网网址檚 this big one-hour or tough workout that you have to do to get the benefits, when in fact itB次元官网网址檚 not,B次元官网网址� Heisz said.

Dr. Zarina Giannone, a Vancouver psychologist specializing in sports, performance and exercise, agrees that one of the barriers is having the energy and B次元官网网址渋nner resourcesB次元官网网址� needed to get active.

B次元官网网址淲ith folks like that, itB次元官网网址檚 just so important to really, first of all, start very small and very slow,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e encouraged people to just do really small things B次元官网网址� things that already (are) built into the world, like going for walks, doing some of that exercise within the home, using body weight, like things like that,B次元官网网址� she said.

If people want to try going to the gym but are feeling overwhelmed, Giannone suggests they start with 15 minutes twice a week B次元官网网址� and they may just spend that time walking around and becoming familiar with the space.

B次元官网网址淎nd then the next week, itB次元官网网址檚 maybe building on that. But itB次元官网网址檚 gradual, itB次元官网网址檚 slow,B次元官网网址� she said.

ItB次元官网网址檚 also important for people to be B次元官网网址渇lexibleB次元官网网址� if theyB次元官网网址檙e making fitness goals, said Pier-脡ric Chamberland, chair of the sport and exercise section of the Canadian Psychological Association.

Otherwise, they can fall into the trap of B次元官网网址渁ll or nothing,B次元官网网址� he said.

If you were planning to do a 45-minute workout but find yourself short on time, donB次元官网网址檛 just dismiss exercise that day, Chamberland recommended.

Instead, take the 15 minutes you do have and do something else like walking, he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many think about exercise, said Heisz.

B次元官网网址淭here was a shift in why people wanted to work out,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪o instead of working out for their physical health B次元官网网址� like to be stronger or fitter B次元官网网址� they wanted to work out for their mental health.B次元官网网址�

ThatB次元官网网址檚 a healthy change from the focus on weight loss so many people have, Vanderloo said.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like to see more of a shift towards, you know, B次元官网网址業 get active for my mental health, for stress management,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭hese are all benefits that come with getting active that have nothing to do with weight.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擭icole Ireland, The Canadian Press