Worksite Fitness+

Fitness & Health Program for Cochise County Employees

  • Exercise Rooms available in Bisbee, Benson, Douglas, Sierra Vista & Willcox - Orientation, instruction and support provided for the use of exercise rooms.
  • Virtual Fitness Classes - Wednesdays and Thursdays at noon
    • Wednesdays - Express: 30 minutes full-body metabolic strength
    • Thursdays - MELT and Meditate: MELT method, stretching, mindfulness
  • Yoga with Catherine Barney - Fridays @ 12:00, Annex Building, Old Bisbee
  • Fitness Assessments
  • Fitness Goal Setting
  • Action Plan Support
  • Wellness Drop - Informational Emails
  • Health/Wellness/Fitness Presentations
  • Personal Training Sessions
  • Health/Wellness Challenges

March Wellness Drop

Guess what can be as effective as medication and therapy in treating depression and anxiety…

Exercise!

In a study conducted in Australia, people who engaged in physical activity routines for up to 12 weeks were 1.5 times more likely to see improvements in depression, anxiety, or psychological distress compared to people who were only treated with therapy and leading medications. 

Researchers suggest these findings should encourage medical providers to look to physical activity as a first treatment option. 

Researcher Ben Singh, PhD, said “We also found that all types of physical activity and exercise were beneficial, including aerobic exercise such as walking, resistance training, Pilates and yoga”.

This study was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine last month. Researchers evaluated data from more than one thousand previous studies which combined 128,119 participants. They found the greatest benefits of exercise on mental health were among people with depression, HIV, or kidney disease. Pregnant or postpartum women also were very likely to experience mental health improvements from exercise. 

To get you started, here are 10 body weight exercises appropriate for beginners: 

And remember, the Worksite Fitness+ Program is here to help with assessments, virtual classes, personal training and program design. 

Today is the day! Make it AWESOME. - AMF

PS – if you take medication for depression and/or anxiety, please do not stop taking it. Consult your provider and ask about the benefits of adding exercise to your treatment plan.