Fitness
Physical activity helps young men at PACE to take charge of their health and safely cope with negative emotions.
Addiction changes your body in countless ways. Once you stop using drugs and alcohol, you may notice that you are feeling depressed, anxious, and more sensitive to stress. Physical activity can help you to overcome these emotions through a healthy coping mechanism. At PACE Recovery, we recognize the efficacy of fitness for addiction recovery and improved mental health.
Exercise for Improved Mental Health
When you enter a treatment program, you will be given a set of tools for lifelong success. Chief among these is the ability to form – and keep up with – healthy habits. Physical activity is proven to reduce stress, improve circulation, help you to sleep, boost your mood, and give you more energy throughout the day. Additionally, establishing an exercise routine while in treatment combats boredom and reinforces your physical and mental health.
Physical Activity Reduces the Risk of Relapse
One of the top reasons that we emphasize the role of fitness in recovery is its association with improved treatment outcomes. Research has found that regular exercise can increase the abstinence rate for substance use by up to 95%.
This is because fitness:
- Curbs Cravings A regular exercise regimen improves your mood and energy level. It gives you the strength to combat cravings as they arise.
- Provides Structure Establishing a consistent routine eliminates unnecessary down time that can be used to obtain, use, and recover from substances.
- Improves Your Self-Image Many men who enter our recovery program struggle with their self-esteem. Committing to your physical and mental well-being can improve your opinion of yourself and strengthen your resolve.
- Boosts Your Mood Finally, the brain releases feel-good chemicals during even moderate exercise. Serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins can all help you to adjust to life without drugs and alcohol.
Fitness Resources at PACE Recovery
At PACE Recovery, we have dedicated ourselves to the pursuit of physical and mental wellness. At our on-site gym, each resident has the opportunity to engage in personal training sessions with our certified personal trainer.
Additionally, residents receive access to a well-equipped Los Angeles gym up to six times each week. This fitness center is stocked with state-of-the-art fitness equipment designed to foster the mind-body connection.
Meet Your Personal Trainer
“I believe that achieving wellness in early and long-term sobriety through fitness is essential to recovery. Routine makes or breaks this process. Even having a routine can be difficult in early sobriety, as so much of it has been lost during addiction. Calling your sponsor, attending meetings, and being of service are all regularly recurring routines necessary for recovery, but some people find it difficult to get into such a pattern. I believe that creating a routine through fitness can jump-start your mindset – it’s something most people can look forward each day. Once that routine is built, the discipline that you acquire can then be applied to other recovery principles.
Along with routine, I have found that wellness through fitness can also resurrect residents’ self-confidence through physical performance and physique building. Self-esteem is usually non-existent in early sobriety. I help men get ready to take on the real world while feeling good about themselves.”
Our Equipment
Fitness for Lasting Recovery
Regular, rigorous exercise is just one component of treatment at PACE Recovery. At our Orange County men’s facility, we adapt programming based on each client’s needs and proven clinical protocols. This service, along with nutrition education and life skills training, provides the structure and guidance that young men require to thrive in sobriety. To learn more about the fitness programming at PACE Recovery, contact our admissions office.
