Anyone use working out as a way to counter APD?

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I am considering not walking my dog, at least, not until after 11 o'clock at night, right now I only walk it after 10 at night, mainly because some random guy keeps trying to give me "life" advice as I walk past, and claims hes been watching me for a year, and claims I've grown >_>; which is a lie, I've only been living here for about a year, and have only gone outside where anyone would see me for about 6~ months, which makes it all the more creepy... the fact that he always wants to have long conversations is also very... blah >.>

Working out is the only thing that helps me with my AvPD. I have virtually no self esteem and i find that lifting weights gives me a confidence boost. Despite this i still find it incredibly difficult to motivate myself to exercise and when i do finally end up doing it, i'll do it for a couple of days before stopping for another month.

I do circuit training for an hour and half 3 times a week and play tennis on Saturdays, at least until the weather turns. Except for when I'm immersed in writing my own short stories, these physical activities are absolutely the only time when I don't think about myself and how empty and hopeless my situation is as far as relating to anyone on a more than superficial, non-emotional level.
Actually, working out is probably the only time I am completely free from myself because my stories are about characters who are
me on some level--albeit creatively modified and more twisted than I actually am. Plus if I work out hard enough, I'm too tired when I get back to my apartment to stress about being alone.

Perhaps some of you more "active" people can enlighten me, does exercising help with getting rid of anxiety? My heart has been racing for two to three weeks now, for no real apparent reason, although I've told/ lead to believe its an anxiety thing, and its frankly becoming an annoyance I'd rather do without.