We exercise and eat nutritious food to maintain a healthy weight, Maintain strength and mobility as you age And feeling more confident in your body.
But at the end of the day, what motivates most people to commit to a health routine is the desire to live a happier life. We all want to feel good – joyful, satisfied, energetic – and diet and exercise are two powerful tools that can help us get there.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re focusing on activities and foods that support our emotional well-being. From boosting mood and energy to helping reduce stress and anxiety, this 31-day plan is completely designed with your mental health in mind.
Can you really expect to see a difference in your mental health in just one month? Personal trainer and TODAY Fitness contributor Stephanie Mansour says yes! Some changes you can expect to feel include “decreased stress, anxiety, depression, and negative thinking and increased happiness, positive thinking, and relaxation,” says Mansour.
When it comes to adopting an exercise routine, our mindset makes a big difference. Mansoor has a little trick she uses to keep herself motivated and feeling positive about exercise. “I like to connect activity or exercise goals with emotions,” she says. “So, associate a walk with reducing your stress, associate strength training with feeling strong and energizing yourself, or recovery days with filling up your tank and feeling proud of yourself for all the movement you’ve done.”
With unique routines for the entire 31-day plan sent to your phone daily – plus healthy recipes and access to live coaching calls with our experts twice a month – Download the Start Today App!
>>Download the 31-day calendar here!
31-Day Workout Plan to Improve Your Mental Health
The exercise methods you’ll try this month are all science-backed ways to boost mental health. Cardio, strength training, stretching and yoga are all activities that improve the mind-body connection, reduce cortisol, release endorphins that boost mood and help calm your nervous system to deal with stress.
We’re also using the “Habit Stacking” technique to encourage you to focus on adding one small habit to your routine each week to improve your mental health. Habit stacking is a proven way to consistently incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine. The premise is simple: Take a task you already do on a daily basis (making coffee, going to work, calling a family member) and adopt one small healthy habit.
By the end of the month, you’ll have committed to four new healthy habits that will improve your mental health—that don’t require any extra motivation or time.
- week 1: Making tea or coffee: Make a mental gratitude list – Think of 3 things you are grateful for today.
- Week 2: Commuting to work or running errands: Add a few minutes of box breathing. listen to this 3 minute guided breathing exercise When you’re on the go.
- Week 3: Phone call: Take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood, on a treadmill, or around the house and talk during the call.
- Week 4: Bedtime routine: Do 3 minutes of stretching when you go to bed.
How does exercise improve your mental health?
“Cardio, and especially walking, can provide a very rapid release of endorphins that help you feel more positive!” Mansoor says. “Walking and cardio also helps bring more oxygen to the brain, which helps improve focus and productivity.”
She also says that because it’s such an accessible activity, it’s a great way to set a fitness goal and establish a positive feedback loop for achieving it.
“I find it to be an immediate mood enhancer as you start to feel more relaxed, less anxious and less ‘thinking’ in your head in the first few steps,” she says. “Walking also builds confidence because you can easily say ‘I’m going for a walk’ and then actually do it. You build confidence within yourself because when you say you’re going for a walk and then you actually go, you’re proving to yourself that you are following through on the things you say you’re going to do for yourself.”
Mansour says strength training can be considered a form of meditation, because it requires paying attention to your form. “During strength training your mind focuses solely on your body and your muscles,” she says. “Building muscle and feeling strong in your body can increase your confidence and positive feelings about yourself.”
Active recovery days including stretching and yoga are also included consistently throughout the month.
“I like to think of recovery and rest as a form of meditation,” says Mansour. “Whether you’re doing yoga and stretching that syncs your breathing with your movement or you’re foam rolling, see it as the TLC that your body needs and deserves, as well as an opportunity for you to deepen the connection with yourself, which helps you feel more relaxed and also boosts your confidence.”
During recovery days, try this 10 minute foam roll release or a 5 minute yoga flow extension To calm your body and relieve muscle tension.
Food for mental health: foods that boost energy and mood
What we put on our plate also affects our mental health. Get started today Dietitian Natalie Rizzo shares some simple eating strategies to boost energy and mood — as well as some healthy options for when you need a little comfort food:
- Eat for energy: Taking care of yourself means giving energy to your body First You crash, not after. Instead of skipping meals or trying to “earn” foods, aim to eat every 3-4 hours with a mix of carbs, protein and healthy fats. Incorporate a balanced breakfast into your day, like an apple with peanut butter, yogurt with berries or hummus with a cracker, and focus on your afternoon energy.
- Eat for mood: Research shows that following a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats reduces the risk of depression. These foods help reduce inflammation in the brain, which plays a role in mood. Certain foods, such as walnuts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, blueberries, fermented foods and turmeric, have been shown to help boost mood, regulate stress, support memory and reduce anxiety.
- Upgrade your comfort food: Instead of eliminating comfort foods, make them more nutritious so they actually make you feel good. Take a favorite comfort food and add a nutritional boost, like vegetables on pizza, black beans in tacos or green vegetables in pasta. Or upgrade your baked goods with whole grains and fruits, like these Blueberry Lemon Oat Bars from the Start Today app.
Download the Start Today App For more healthy recipes to boost your energy and mood, plus dietitian-designed meal plans to help boost your mental health.
