Working out more is a common New Year’s resolution.  Exercise can help moderate anxiety and depression.  Adding mindfulness to your workout routine can make it even more effective.  

One reason exercise can help with anxiety and depression us that it can bring our cognitive and emotional states together with our physical presence in the moment.  This calms, focuses and helps regulate us.

Mindfulness is giving full awareness of everything internal and external in the present moment.  Paying attention to what you are thinking and feeling and matching them to the specific exercise not only enhances the exercise, It can improve the performance.  Mindfulness draws attention to the thoughts, body and breathing.  All are important in an effective workout.  

A good personal trainer will remind you of how to place your breath in an exercise.  The trainer will also likely remind you which part of the body you are exercising and to lift or move and feel the exercise there.  You’ll notice machines at the gym have illustrations showing you where you should feel the exercise.  (Successful fitness experts often attribute their success to an effective link between mind and body when exercising.)