Exercise and the weekends...

I am not a good self-motivator when it comes to exercise.  For me, wanting to hit the gym or run or do anything is about the relationships connected to it.  Last year I joined a group fitness gym and although I really don't "enjoy" working out, I have good "gym friends" who I enjoy seeing and I certainly enjoy the results of my hard efforts :-)  

Late last year I started doing some 5K races with my husband and his family.  Once again, I really don't like running...but I really enjoy the memories we are building together as a family.   

As for weekend eating, I have to really schedule out my weekend and make sure I'm staying physically or mentally busy.  I am HORRIBLE if I have spare time on my hands!  Maybe one of your lessons out of this is learning how to relax without food and to enjoy "down time" without eating :-)  

Good luck! 

I played sports in high school and was reasonably athletic.  Once I gained weight, even walking was a nightmare for me.  My surgeon's office encouraged 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.  I scoffed at the idea.  At almost 400 lbs, I thought they had no idea what pain any form of exertion brought to my body.

I bought a recumbent bike because I knew it would be less stress on my knees.  I used it occasionally, but not often enough.  I would go nuts sitting on the bike, calculating how much more time I had left.  I tried listening to music, watching movies on my tablet on Netflix - anything to distract me.  I did it because I knew it was something I was supposed to do, not because II enjoyed it.

During the summer, I spent a lot of time in our pool swimming and using resistance barbells.  DING DING DING.  I loved it.  Unfortunately, our pool is not heated so it's not an option for six months of the year.  I am slightly phobic about swimming in municipal and fitness center pools (it's a germ thing).

In November I decided to start walking in the evenings.  I prefer to walk at night when there's less people around.  I've downloaded a lot of music that I love and listen to it as I walk.  I've been dog sitting for several weeks so it forces me to go every night because the dog needs his nightly walk.  I have found that I enjoy walking more than I ever thought I could.  It clears my head, gets me out in the fresh air and my body feels better since I've lost weight.  I no longer have pain in my knees and back.  I walk up to three miles a night and have started jog/walking.

Believe me when I tell you that I was like you.  I'd read people posting about how much they enjoy exercise and thinking they were (a) insane or (b) lying.  But I found out for myself that you do get a rush and a feeling of accomplishment.  It's just harder when you're at a higher weight for your body to handle the stress that exercise can bring.  

So my advice is start out small.  Walk a little bit.  Walk a little bit farther the next day.  Many people get into different forms of exercise down the road when they aren't so self-conscious about their bodies.  I'm slightly OCD so I track my calories and exercise constantly.  I use the app Map My Walk to compare distance, time, pace, etc.  It helps to keep me motivated.  

And I agree about the weekends.  I am a disciplined machine during the week.  I need structure.  The weekends are filled with temptations to graze because I'm either bored or without a plan.  I try to occupy my weekends with activities that get me moving, such as yard work, house cleaning, organizing, shopping or just going somewhere without food to get out of the house.

You should be proud of your progress to date.  This is not an easy change in our lives.  But I signed up for the whole package which was a commitment to a healthier lifestyle whi*****ludes eating better and incorporating exercise into my life.  I know that being active is a way to avoid backsliding into a lazy lifestyle which made me SMO.  Hang in there 

Thank you all - glad it's not just me. Thanks for the app idea that can make it fun and keep it interesting. You guys are the best