Is Depression Keeping You From Getting Fit?

     We have all had those friends that we have encouraged to get in shape, come to the gym, and eat healthy.  Yet, they self sabotage and can’t seem to stay on the right track with their health and fitness goals.  After working with hundreds of clients over the years, I am able to spot the ones that can’t seem to succeed due to depression.  A lot of my clients have gone through “life changing” events.  As a result, this change in their life has left them depressed, not motivated, and sometimes alone. 

    So, how do you know if depression is affecting your life and fitness???  There are some things that you can do to check before you pay your doctor a visit.  The biggest one you can do is to take a simple “depression questionaire.”    Here are some sample questions from the University of New York Medical Center Of Phychiatry…..

Online Depression Screening Test

FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS: 1. Do you feel sad, blue, unhappy or “down in the dumps”?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

2. Do you feel tired, having little energy, unable to concentrate?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

3. Do you feel uneasy, restless or irritable?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

4. Do you have trouble sleeping or eating (too little or too much)?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

5. Do you feel that you are not enjoying the activities that you used to?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

6. Do you feel that you lost interest in sex or experiencing sexual difficulties?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

7. Do you feel that it takes you longer than before to make decisions or unable to concentrate?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

8. Do you feel inadequate, like a failure or that nobody likes you anymore?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

9. Do you feel guilty without a rational reason, or put yourself down?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

10. Do you feel that things always go or will go wrong no matter how hard you try?

A. Never

B. Rarely

C. Sometimes

D. Very Often

E. Most of the time

Disclaimer:
ODST is a preliminary screening test for depressive symptoms that does not replace in any way a formal psychiatric evaluation. It is designed to give a preliminary idea about the presence of mild to moderate depressive symptoms that indicate the need for an evaluation by a psychiatrist.
Click Below for the Test Results

 

*NYU website

     Depression can have many affects on  your life, but very few people link it to health and fitness.  If you can’t seem to keep yourself on track, then try evaluating yourself a little closer. Then you  can identify the problem and succeed in your fitness goals. 

Adria Ali