Everyday Systems

Just walked 4 miles on Walk Away the Pounds tape. That got tough about half way through and didn't know if I could continue but I stuck with it and glad it's over! Just feeling so depressed today and not getting enough sleep last night doesn't help. My son woke me up at 5 am this morning. Plus my weight seems stuck at the moment and I feel I'm doing all I know to do. But, I'm not giving up. I can't give up! The only way is going forward and taking each day as it comes. I suffer with depression and have tried different meds and nothing has worked. So, one day I decided to get healthy and lose my weight and that is my medicine.

Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what you feel like doing. I certainly didn't feel like exercising, but it's all about choices.

July2010 wrote:Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what you feel like doing. I certainly didn't feel like exercising, but it's all about choices.

Very wise! And I hope you are counting this as a real accomplishment in your day, because it is.

The good news is that everytime you choose to do "the right thing" (even when you don't FEEL like it), it gets easier to make that choice next time. You are not just exercising your body, you are exercising your "habit muscle" and building it up!

You go, girl!

July2010 wrote:Sometimes you gotta do the opposite of what you feel like doing. I certainly didn't feel like exercising, but it's all about choices.

Very wise! And I hope you are counting this as a real accomplishment in your day, because it is.

The good news is that everytime you choose to do "the right thing" (even when you don't FEEL like it), it gets easier to make that choice next time. You are not just exercising your body, you are exercising your "habit muscle" and building it up!

You go, girl!

You have such a great attitude! I did the walking tapes for awhile and my mother-in-law has lots of them and does them when the weather is bad or she can't get to tai chi or aquasize. I think you are on the right track. Good luck!

July2010 wrote:Just feeling so depressed today and not getting enough sleep last night doesn't help...Plus my weight seems stuck at the moment and I feel I'm doing all I know to do.

I think you have to remember that you're truly not in control of your weight. You're only in control of what you do. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you're stuck and sometimes you (gasp!) gain a little. If you're stuck for a long time, say a month or more, then you might need to look at what you're doing. But having consistent weekly weight loss is probably more unusual than usual.

4 miles is a lot especially starting out and still carrying extra weight that Leslie doesn't have. For me I have found 2 miles plus resistance bands during cool down (a Nos import) for 9 minutes (though today it was 6 minutes) is just right. And I started exercising after I lost 25#, about 167#. Reinhart has good insight about the importance of establishing the habit first in a ongoing doable manner. This isn't about being the hare but the tortise.

I have two prongs to good health (I used to have 3 but they have been combined in #1)
1. Food choices drive weight loss. Calories matter but calories are not created equal. Your depression could be food related. One needs a calorie deficit to lose but how that deficit is created is vitally important.
2. Exercise is for fitness. If I burn calories, and get weight loss, that is a bonus not the goal, for me.

Best wishes on your journey. I look forward to reading of your success.

Most days after work I don't feel like exercising these days, but I just do it.. It really does make you feel better. I used to suffer from depression and anxiety and once I started exercising and eating better a few years ago, it has almost completely disapeared. I still have my moments from time to time. I am currently pregnant and I'm one of the cheeriest pregnant ladies I know (though I get grumpy when tired, of course). And I think I partially have moderate exericise to thank. I love exercise!

4 miles isn't too bad. The first mile isn't that fast, the 2nd and 3rd are fast paced and the 4th is mostly a cool down about half way through it. I didn't exercise yesterday because I wasn't feeling well and I wanted to get a little extra in today. I want that scale to move. It's been stuck for several days and I know it's going to take a little extra from me if I'm going to move past it. I don't plan to do 4 miles everyda, but when I feel that I have it in me, I will.

Nichole, I deal with infertility. When I had my son I had lost 30 pds on a low carb diet and I think that helped me get pregnant with him. Of course I couldnt live on the low carb so I gained it back. Been 6 years and I am going to take off those 30 pds plus more if I can. We want to have at least 1 more child and I know losing weight will help and so it helps to have that motivation and even when I don't feel like getting off the sofa, I do because I will be that much closer to being healtier and maybe even to make that dream come true.

wosnes wrote: I think you have to remember that you're truly not in control of your weight. You're only in control of what you do.

Oh, that's great! I'm going to put that on my fridge!

And July2010, you did something great! For years I searched for the "magic pill", usually the perfect diet, that would melt off the fat and make me suddenly want to exercise. No S (actually, Reinhard) taught me to just do what I have to do, whether I feel like it or not, and the results will come.

Congratulations on the 4 miles. I walked a 1/4 of a mile tonight and was hufffing (and puffing). This shocked my wife because I have been riding the exercycle regularly since April. It surprised me as well.

I can understand the depression as well. Today was the first time in a week I left the house and went into town. It kind of sneeks up on you.

There have been so many health articles written about how exercise helps depression, even more so than medication. So you are definitely doing the right thing by pushing through the depression and getting active. That being said, I know firsthand that depression can kick your booty so hard that even getting out of bed can be a chore.

I have been blessed incredibly with my son, who is now seven. He is truly our little miracle for so many reasons. After having our son, we have unfortunately experienced countless miscarriages. Several have been very devastating to us because we were able to see the baby on ultrasound with a heartbeat and movement. Others have been so early that it seemed like less of a blow. After the second miscarriage, I could sense something was totally off and demanded testing. After being told that "we don't test until after three miscarriages" I said this was not an option and had a full work up. I do finally have a concrete diagnosis for what is going on (It's called Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome - total mouthful, I know) and am grateful for that. But the emotional toll of having miscarriage after miscarriage (I think we were up to six or seven at my last count) really sent me into a downward spiral of depression.

So... long story short - I know depression! I have had mine under control for years now, thankfully - and depressionland is a place I never wish to visit again. I am grateful to be in depression remission! I hope that someday you can join me there. Like I said earlier in the post - you are totally on the right track. It is so much easier to cave and give into whatever vices may be trying to pull you down, whether it be depression, laziness, time constraints etc. - but guess what - you showed that dang depression who is boss!!! Keep kicking that depression to the curb. And let's face it - Leslie Sansone is the perfect person to help you in your journey. Isn't she so delightful and happy? She makes me smile!

Keep up the good work!!!

I've had 1 misscarriage, but I was early. Never got to the point of hearing a heartbeat. My depression comes from dealing with my son who has Autism and then my marriage which is doing okay, but that I'm not exactly happy either. I read somewheres that 80% of marriages fail when you have a child with Autism. I believe it. It's hard but we're doing the best we can. And I wouldn't trade my son for anything in the world, even with his Autism. And then my weight which is what I'm working on.

Good for you for sticking with it! My son has Autism, too, and I have days where I have a really hard time hanging in there, but exercise is one of the things that has really gotten me through (which is why I'm so passionate about it).

I think I'm finally realizing I am no good to anyone, if I'm not healthy myself and also I want to live as long as I can to be there for my son. I've been giving and giving and doing nothing for myself. Putting everyone else first. I've let my husband get away with not helping with our son and I've been asking for more help and not taking it all upon myself. He might not like it, but he has to help out more where he can. I need to focus a little more on myself and getting myself healthy so I will have more energy and happiness in my day to day life. And I think I've finally found the answer and I know I got a long road ahead of me, but I'm taking it a day at a time and doing what I can and trying to remain patient in the process.

July2010 wrote:I think I'm finally realizing I am no good to anyone, if I'm not healthy myself and also I want to live as long as I can to be there for my son. I've been giving and giving and doing nothing for myself. Putting everyone else first. I've let my husband get away with not helping with our son and I've been asking for more help and not taking it all upon myself. He might not like it, but he has to help out more where he can. I need to focus a little more on myself and getting myself healthy so I will have more energy and happiness in my day to day life. And I think I've finally found the answer and I know I got a long road ahead of me, but I'm taking it a day at a time and doing what I can and trying to remain patient in the process.

That's a great attitude, and you have clearly had some brilliant realizations. You are right - you HAVE to find time to take care of you!!!