Time to get moving ...

Once you get the workout bug I found it is like a drug your body needs it. If you stop it is soooo hard to get it back. Once you get the bug my advice to you and anyone else keep going and dont stop! It is hard work Barb but the benefits are wonderful.                                                 Annie

Hey Annie,

I'm still working on getting bit!

I know it's worth it and that's why I'm looking for the key. Right now, I'm just 'doing it', but I need to get to a point where I look forward to it so that I'll keep doing it.

You are truly an inspiration.

Take care,

Barb

I honestly dont find it hard to get moving... I will say there were many times in the past that was hard... I exercised 'sporadically' the first year post-op. When 2008 hit I decided to really work on my body and 'fixing' it the best I could before persuing any sort of plastic surgery. I did a 4 week body makeover in Jan/Feb and since then started the "couch to 5K" program. I am excited to report I am very close to running an entire 5K now... I am currently running 14 minute miles and almost up to running 3 miles at a time. Now that I am 'smaller' I found I am more amazed by my body and what it can do... I can more easily see the changes from my hardwork so that keeps me motivated to keep going. I love that I can challenge myself and can meet the challenge and not die from doing so! On the days I dont feel like full blown exercise I get creative... turn on the radio, turn it up and clean the house like a fiend! I also dance around like a fool inbetween different cleaning chores to really get the heart rate going lol. I look forward to being able to swim soon as well!

Jennifer that is great you are running. I cant remember what running is or how to do it. When I was doing my thing at the gym I always wanted to be able to jog on the treadmill like the people beside me. Maybe one day I will know what it feels like to run/jog.                                        Annie

Hi Jennifer, I was doing the Couch to 5K around Christmas, and was so excited about it.  But I had to stop because I was getting serious pain in my right hip.  I was still around 200 pounds at that point, and I think it was just too much for my hips to take.  I started up again just this week, and no pain!!!  :)  So, hopefully I'll be able to run 3 miles at a time in a few months!  I can't wait!

I'm doing the couch-5k program too..  I just started, though as part of my new workout regime. Good to see that someone else is doing it, too, and that it's getting some results :-)

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for your always thoughtful and articulate response. I look forward to a time when I look forward to working out. I can't even imagine running a 5K, but then a year ago I couldn't imagine comfortably walking my neighborhood either. I hope that what that means is that in time things will change as I continue to work on it.

Congratulations and good luck with your 5K run.

Thanks again,

Barb

Barb, I know it can be tough.  The hardest part is getting there, right?  Once I'm at the gym, or wherever, actually doing the workout is easy...but it's always a mental argument for me to get there.   You know I love swimming, so that's my #1.  But it's also very easy to take the dogs outside and walk or run (now that I'm starting the couch to 5K thing again.)  I feel guilty if they're cooped up in the house all day, so taking them out gets me exercise and makes me feel like I'm being a good dog mommy! After my 6 month follow up with my Dr yesterday, I'm re-motivtated to focus on these "last 5 pounds."  (more about that coming in another post.)  So when Ryan came home from work last night I said, let's go play tennis!  We haven't played sice before surgery, and all I can say is this was incredible!  My endurance was through the roof in comparrison to "before".  I ran for balls that I would have let fly by me in the past.  And when I did run for something, there was still energy left to keep playing.  :)  Ryan just kept laughing and shaking his head in awe.  So, that was exciting and quite motivating!  It makes me want to do more!   I guess we all just need to find whatever it is inside of us that's going to motivate us.  I think if you can stick with something for a good month, you'll see the physical results, you'll see that you're getting toned and that can help keep you going too. Good luck! 

Oh yeah, Barb-- I struggle DAILY to find motivation to exercise. I know I need to do it, but like many of you have said it's easy to find "excuses"... My RA is hurting, I have too much to do, I need to cook supper, grade papers, etc. There is always an excuse. Like Becky, I joined a gym and quit going.  We bought a treadmill and I stopped using it.  A big prat of the weight loss before surgery was from using the treadmill and I haven't stepped on that thing in at least a month.   I really wish I could get to where some of you are and look forward to exercising. I had begun walking around the block (about 3/4 of a mile) and that was nice b/c it was cool and I was outside in the fresh air.  That stopped also... I really need to do better! I hope James and I can start exercising together as he prepares for WLS and of course afterwards. I think that would be motivating, but it really is hard!!!  Kudos to all of you that exercise regularly and enjoy it! I hope I can get to be that way one day soon!!! Good job Barb for at least realizing that activities around the house are forms of exercise too.  :)  I do think that as the weight continues to come off, it will become easier to exercise.  When you are so overweight (not that I am as overweight now as I once was, but still I'm at a weight some of you were when you had the surgery ), then it is harder... I know if I kick it up and start exercising, I'll be long gone from this weight too, but again it goes back to motivation. Anyway, long story short-- I struggle with it also... Hopefully we can push each other to do better and really enjoy all of the benefits WLS has brought to us.

A small WOW mment from last night--

We went to see Danielle at PCMH. Well those of you familiar with the hospital know that typically WLS patients are in the north tower at the OTHER END of the hospital.  There are two very long hallways that you must go down to get there... Usually I am completely out of breath and having to stop or at least slow down just over half way through. Last night, I walked at a normal speed the entire way and didn't even breathe heavily! James was like "slow down"... *HEHE* normally he is the one leaving me! That was the first time I've walked that hall since my surgery! I think that definitely tells me something is going right... :)

I've always hated "exercise". To me it was always pointless to just go out and walk for an hour but if I was at the mall I'd walk for more than an hour - it wasn't pointless to me. I think I've found a couple of things that work for me. I just got a huge basket for the front of my bike and now I ride to the garbage dump that's about a half mile from my house every day to take the trash off. Not only does it get me in a little exercise but I'm saving gas too. Walking my dogs is getting me moving as well - not so long ago I was content to just turn them out into their dog yard but now we're all much happier.  I've also found a way to have some fun with my kids. They're highly competitive so we keep the volleyball net, the croquet course, the horseshoes, the bocce and the badminton set up and ready to play. I even shot basketball with them last week and they were shocked to see that Mom has a wicked hook shot.  Can't wait til this time next month cause our swimming pool should be warm enough to get in every day. I think if I could find a good water aerobics class to take then I could bring that info back to my own pool and use everyday.  - Iris