Wimmera fitness leaders: Exercise, yoga and meditation boost mental health and wellbeing

A Black Dog Institute study published in 2017 found that 12 per cent of cases of depression could have been prevented if participants had undertaken just one hour of physical activity each week.

Australian Health Survey results show 20 per cent of adults do not undertake any regular physical activity.

Fitness specialist Lisa Cosson has owned and operated Horsham's Planet Feelgood Health Club for more than 20 years. She said she wanted to create a non-intimidating fitness and wellbeing environment.

"My vision was to always offer a facility that feels like home and appealed to people who struggle going to regular gyms," she said.

"That came from me having a weight problem as a teenager. Going into an environment where everyone was fit and active was intimidating. So I wanted to provide a more welcoming environment.

"All of a sudden you're getting rid of that first anxiety or uncertainty of walking through the door of a gym - that can sometimes be the hardest thing for a lot of people."

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She said mental health was tightly linked with exercise and wellbeing.

"Endorphins are only released if you get up and get moving into high intensity workouts," she said.

"Research shows that the production of natural endorphins can be just as effective as certain medications. People of course need to work with their GP or specialists if they are on any sort of medication, but exercise is certainly a great strategy."

Many of the club's members have been involved since its conception. Ms Cosson said the club featured equipment and classes that suited people of all ages and abilities.

"There's one gentleman who comes here and he started when he was 85. He had just lost his wife and was very depressed," she said.

"His doctor suggested that he come in and join our program. He is turning 90 and comes three times a week; he loves the social aspect of it."

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She said the club had a focus on group activities which helped keep people active and social.

"We know that group exercise can be one of the best ways to motivate people. When people work out by themselves they can lose motivation very quickly," she said.

"We do a lot of social stuff here and that connection is just as important as the physical aspect. People are more motivated to walk through that door everyday when they know someone else is on the same journey as them."

TEN years ago Murtoa resident Aaron Schultz made a life-changing decision to prioritise his mental health after experiencing what he calls "a spiral of uncertainty".

"I was at a stage in my life where I was suicidal because I was over-stressed with work. I went to my doctor and he told me I had two options - you can take pills or you can exercise. So I chose to exercise," he said.

Mr Schultz is now a yoga and meditation teacher, and runs his own classes.

"Exercise and meditation helped me get my own mental health back on track. Basically I got through it by creating a routine everyday which helped ground me," he said.

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He said there needed to be a greater focus on mental health and wellbeing in the wider community.

"At the moment, we have a really rehabilitative model which wants to fix people after the fact - whereas if we can help them manage themselves now, they won't have to present with an issue later," he said.

"Resources are also stretched in regional areas, so I really want to give people the tools to help manage themselves better.

"Modern society doesn't have the tools to manage ourselves well and there are so many people experiencing anxiety and depression. Yoga and meditation helps you see what's happening in the moment and focus on that."

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Mr Schultz worked with Laharum's A Grade netball team to teach players the importance of mindfulness, meditation and living in the present. The side went on to win its first ever Horsham District league premiership in September.

He has also worked with organisations and workplaces to highlight the importance of incorporating exercise and meditation into work days. He said he wished more Wimmera workplaces would focus on the importance of health and wellbeing.

"If workplaces were savvy, they would focus on giving their employees the skills to manage stress," he said.

Earlier this year, Mr Schultz released a book about his own experiences with mental health called A Wink from a Guru: How I Reclaimed My Life.

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