Exercise Benefits, Obstacles, And Solutions for ADHD Adults
Topic: ADHD And Exercise. What Are The Benefits Of Exercise For ADHD Adults? What Are The Obstacles, And The Solutions? See the other Adult ADHD Issues.
Facilitator: Pete Quily
Thanks for Kat for taking notes.
April 7th 2015 Meeting Notes for the Vancouver Adult ADD Support Group
ADHD and exercise. Exercise is the provider of three neurotransmitters associated with ADHD, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and also the feel good beta endorphins and reducer of stress and helper that makes it easier to focus on boring tasks.
Exercise is great way to help you manage your ADHD
Warm up.
Think of a time when you got off your exercise routine and were able to get back on track. How did you do it?
Benefits of exercise:
Accomplishment, success
Anti-aging
Beta endorphins
Better sleep
Calms you down
Dopamine
Energy
Immunity
Momentum
Mood happier
Nature benefit
Norepinephrine
Self-esteem
Serotonin
Social component
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by Dr. John Ratey
Working things out in your head
Obstacles to exercise:
Belief i must do it for 1-2 hours
Car/bus pass
Child care
Cost
Denial/minimization
Don’t feel like it
Expectations
Getting started
Health problems
Lack of motivation
Lack of support
Low energy
Motivation/reason
Stories we tell ourselves
Time/delusion of lack of time
Weather (including light)
Solutions to some of those obstacles:
Assume you will get bored, plan for it and adapt/adjust
Buddy partners
Checklist
Competition
Create a plan
Do it right away
Do something totally different
Exercise group commitment
Exercise partners commitment
Flow
Get your workout clothes prepped
Interesting destination
Just start
Limit yourself
Make a game out of it
Multiple playlists
No negative self-talk/negative people
Pay up front
Personal trainer
Purpose
Put on exercise clothes
Reduce friction
Schedule time with reminders
Specific doable goals
Surround yourself with others doing the same thing
Try something new
Group Exercise
Get in pairs and identify your specific exercise goal, what your possible obstacles may be and what you will to to overcome those obstacles.
Make sure you ask your partner
What will you do?
When will you do it? later or next week is a vague adhd wish you know won’t happen. Make a specific promise day and time.
How will you remember to do it?
What will your reward be?
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