Stuck inside a Persuasive Self

Why do YOU exercise? Some would say they have become fanatical athletes.  Can't relate!  Some would say that they drag themselves every day.  Others would say that they are addicted.

How would you encourage someone like me that is stuck with the "I'm happy where I am, but uh oh look at my tummy" stage.  I sometimes think that there is just a bad girl hidden inside of this new body.  A bad girl that just wants to rebel...I don't like the persuasion she has on me but I am weak to her "I'm comfortable and I have other things I wanna do" suggestions.

So help me all!!  I'm hidden inside her, taking on her identity and not having the courage to deal with hemorrhoids that come from jogging, walking etc.  Seriously ...that is one of the problems I'm facing (TMI...sorry folks)

I know this is long.  Just one more thing.  How did you make this exercising thing a habit?  Overcoming your persuasive self??

Seriously, I have that same demon inside me, but I try to remind myself as often as possible "why I had this surgery to begin with". That alone puts the kick in my butt that I need. Not to mention I am NOT a winter person, I tend to hibernate, so joining a gym was the best thing I could have done. I still tend to drag my aching muscles no matter how badly I dont want to go. I know I need to do some type of exercise & feel better about it once I have done it. But I totally understand where you are coming from. I wish you much luck dealing with that lil rebel that is telling you otherwise.
Lori

Thank you Lori.  I remember when I was able to pay for the YMCA in town here and how I loved it there. 

"Why I had surgery to begin with."  Is it bad to say that since the surgery (I'm almost a year out) I have become content?  I think that is why I'm still sitting here.  Hmmm  I will think about this more!  Thanks!

Tere,

I struggle with the exercise too, not always due to a lack of motivation, but a lack of time sometimes too.  I am normally so tired when I get home from work and the kids activities that I just want to eat and go to bed.

So, I started walking on my lunch breaks - I can usually get in 3 miles in under 50 minutes.  Within 2 days of doing this, I dropped 2 pounds.  Now I am out walking every day in hopes to continue the trend or at least keep those 2 pounds off!  Now I am even more motivated to keep going.  I'm pretty happy with where I am right now, but I'm still not where I want to be. 

We could always start an exercise post like we do the monday morning weigh-in if that would help you.  We could post what we did for exercise that day, and what we hope to accomplish tomorrow?  Let me know if this might help, I always find I am more motivated to keep going if I am held accountable.

idk ... just started doing the Monday morning weigh ins!  LOL  I think your post of finding time to do something rather than nothing after I'm tired and comfy is a good point to consider.  Thank you for that....and CONGRATS! on the 2 lbs!

Tere:

Exercise has become, at least most of the time, my replacement for emotional eating.  I find that if I exercise with some vigor, especially when I feel distressed, that feeling of wanting to eat for comfort becomes more manageable.  Walking and bike riding seem to be the most suitable for me; those or other things might suit you.  When I feel particularly distressed, I do a series of sprints on my bike......pedaling as fast as possible until I can't breathe, then pedaling at a slower pace until I get my wind back, then sprinting again.  Most of the time 2 or 3 sprints is enough for mto feel like I can overcome whatever is distressing me.  Thus far, I haven't had to do more than 7 sprints.  When I got home that day, the distress was manageable and I was too tired to find anything to eat anyway.

Exercise can cause injuries and discomfort.  My advice on that front is to learn what your limits are by paying attention to what your body is telling you. Over time I found that if I pushed myself a little more each day, I could usually avoid those dastardly discomforts and still get enough exercise.

Good luck,

RP

Really appreciate that post.  Thank you!

I'm definitely NOT a natural exerciser, either.  I am not and never will be an athlete.

But because I know that I need to exercise to lose weight, and more importantly to keep it off, I have been forcing myself to exercise every day, 7 days a week.  I have found that I do best if I go first thing in the morning--after work, it's just too easy for me to make excuses, be tired, etc.

Mostly I walk, as long as it's still reasonably nice out.  I figure I'll spend lots of time on the elliptical this winter, so might as well enjoy walking time now.  My dog loves it, too.  I have started walking during the day at work also--a friend and I make appointments with each other to walk for 30 minutes or so during the day at work.  I get back to my desk and feel much more refreshed and productive.

I have just made it a required part of my day.  In fact, if I skip a day, I make myself exercise twice the next day to make up for it.  Since I'm the least disciplined person I know, holding myself to this standard is the only way to keep from sliding down that slippery slope to the comfy couch. 

 I exercise for several reasons


1. I have something stuck in my pouch that I need to clear the pain. Walking seems to be a better choice than chucking.

2. I am now freezing cold and putting on a couple of layers works much better with body heat created as a jump start to warmth. I have found this is much more effective than my space heater that frys one side and leaves other parts cold.

3. I really want to be successful in my WLS journey. This elements seems to be a key element. I use a treadmill and walks in a mall. I never got into a lap of the neighborhood

4. This past week I have tried to replace my evening grazing with exercise. I have been partially successful. I was downing 400-600 after supper. I was making ahh for a better term "good" food choices. Truth is, no food would have been a better choice in that I was in a virtual stall for two months.

    My results of adding evening 30 min on the treadmill for some of the calories eaten, has netted a loss of 2-3 pounds per week . ( I am journaling also to try and put some truth into my calorie numbers.)
  My 1100 calorie goal  was in reality closer to 1600-1700.

I am not a person who loves exercising, either.  And I tend to get bored with it, after I've been doing the same thing for a while.  I had stopped regularly exercising, and then Sept 1 I started again with a Tues-Thus-Once on the weekend plan.  Although I know that I need to increase that to more days a week, I have done well at this for a starting point.  I had to have specific days, otherwise I'd just think "oh, I'll go tomorrow."  I don't know exactly where you live, but I know that in Maplewood (near White Bear Ave & Hwy 36) there is a Fitness 19.  I go to a different Fitness 19, but my dues are only $15/month, so I find that affordable.  I go right from the Park & Ride after work to the gym on Tues & Thurs - I know if I went home, I would not want to leave again.  It also helps me to GO somewhere to exercise, as opposed to doing it at home.  Because then I just have to get myself there - once I"m there, I'll do something.  On days I REALLY don't want to be there, my compromise with myself is that I tell myself I can quit after 20 minutes.  Sometimes I do quit after 20, sometimes once I start, I then do more.  I am getting a little bored right now with my elliptical/treadmill routine - I need to find a way to mix it up a little.  I think this winter, I may take a community education class, like a step class or something.  Those are affordable, too.  Mall walking is free, too. 

I know that "rebel" feeling you're talking about.  It's hard to get past that, sometimes.  I don't have any good answers for you there, but I can relate!

Good luck on getting into some exercise.  I know it's hard, but you CAN do it!

Kathy