You don’t have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits of exercise. Even modest amounts of exercise can make a real difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to help you on your road to recovery. Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise, three to five times a week, can make a big difference.

If you have never exercised before or your current mental state has robbed you of motivation, start small. You can start with 5 or 10 minute sessions and slowly increase your time. The more you exercise, the more energy you’ll have. As exercising becomes a habit, you can slowly add extra minutes or try different types of activities.

Even when you know that exercise will help you feel better, taking that first step is still easier said than done, especially if your emotions are in a dark place. Some common barries to exercise include:

Feeling overwhelmed. When you’re stressed, the thought of adding another obligation to your daily schedule can seem overwhelming. Working out just doesn’t seem practical. However, if you begin thinking of physical activity as a necessity for your mental well-being, you may start finding ways to include small amounts of exercise into your day.

Feeling hopeless or bad about yourself. While changing negative perceptions about yourself may still be a work in progress, don’t let these feelings hold you back from physical activity. No matter your weight, age or fitness level, there are plenty of others in the same boat. As difficult as it may be, accomplishing even the smallest fitness goals will help you gain body confidence and improve how you think about yourself.

When you are severely stressed following a suicide attempt, exercise may seem doubly difficult. This can leave you feeling trapped in a catch-22 situation. You know exercise will make you feel better, but your mental state has robbed you of the energy and motivation you need to work out. Some tips to help you get started include:

Focus on activities you enjoy. Any activity that gets you moving counts. That could include taking your dog for a walk, cycling to the grocery store or going for a short run.

If you’ve never exercised before or don’t know what you might enjoy, try a few different things. Activities such as gardening or tackling a home improvement project can be great ways to start moving and leave you with a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

Reward yourself. Part of the reward of completing an activity is how much better you’ll feel afterwards. It also helps your motivation to promise yourself an extra treat for exercising such as a hot bubble bath, an extra episode of your favourite TV show or a delicious smoothie.

Don’t have a 30-minute block of time to dedicate to exercise? Don’t worry. Think about physical activity as a lifestyle rather than just a single task to check off your to-do list. Look at your daily routine and consider ways to sneak in activity here, there, and everywhere. Examples include:

Move around your home - clean the house, wash the car or mow the lawn

Sneak activity in at work or on the go - bike or walk to the shops rather than driving, use stairs instead of elevators or take a vigorous walk during your coffee break

Get active with the family - kick a soccer ball with your kids, do a family bike ride or go surfing at the beach

Get creative - take a class in martial arts or yoga, take rumba dance lessons or simply stretch while watching television

The secret with exercise is to find activities you enjoy and to make them a fun part of your everyday life.

The above points and tips on exercise have been adapted from the Help Guide. Check out their exercise guide How to Start Exercising and Stick to It.

The above information on exercise is targeted mostly at people who haven’t exercised before or who need to get back into exercise. If you already exercise, well done.

Regular exercise of moderate intensity is excellent for improving your overall physical and mental health. When doing moderate intensity exercise you should breathe a little heavier than normal, but not be out of breath. Your body should feel warmer as you move, but not overheated or sweating profusely. While everyone is different, don’t assume that training for a marathon is better than training for 5 kms or 10 kms. There’s no need to overdo it.

For more on the types of exercise you could include in your training, plus how hard you should work out, check out the excellent guide prepared by Lawrence Robinson, Robert Segal, and Melinda Smith Best Exercises for Health and Weight Loss.