[Sad Mermaid]

I would like to open an optimistic thread.

Myself: 5'5'' woman, almost 46 years old, weigh 228 lbs, which is 10 pounds lighter since my worst weight. Have been exercising since June, with a break that was caused by a short depression.

I swim breaststroke and on my back just with my legs, for 1 hr twice a week. I do strength training twice a week and do cardio intervals (treadmill+rowing machine) twice a week and on my recovery day I go to a relaxing yoga.

I climb the stairs to the second floor a couple of times a day.

I am buying a bike to commute to work three times a week (on the other two days I have therapy and need a car). I also want to go on bike rides on the weekend.

It is a lot of exercise, which is a big change from my being completely sedentary during a very long ruminating depression which I had when Risperdal made it worse for me than without any meds, and I could not even climb the stairs. And before, when I had a long hypomania streak, exercise simply wasn't on my mind.

I am on Geodon now, which energizes me, and I have been able to put together this exercise program. Also, Risperdal raised my sugar to the middle of the pre diabetic range and I was so scared that I exercised a lot to help the sugar go back to normal (it is almost normal and I plan a retest when I lose the next 10 pounds, if I do).

I find exercise energizing when my base mood is OK. When I am very depressed, exercise does not serve as a pick-me-up any more. Also, when I am depressed, I cannot do intervals - I can only do steady state cardio. They say that exercise can help anyone, but I am finding that it only helps when the base mood is OK to good. In a severe depression, I cannot work out.

My weight gain is a result of being sedentary, of taking Depakote, Zyprexa and possibly Lithium. Depakote and Zyprexa for sure were culprits, and I did not need them in the end. I suffered from weight gain without actually gaining anything useful from the meds.

I know that the body may not respond with weight loss despite all of these efforts, but I will still feel better and my heart, muscles and bones will be stronger. So I am optimistic.

So I thought of having a thread that focuses more on what is within our control - the miles, the weights, the time spent - and less on the numbers on the scale, not that I do not want my numbers to go down.

So: on the 20th my bike will be assembled. I have ordered XXL bike gear - the tights and the top - and sure hope they won't be too small. XXL is the biggest size offered by Pearl Izumi. If the gear fits me, I will go on a bike ride on the 20th, which is a week from tomorrow.

[Coffeee]

All this sounds excellent! Good for you I can't make myself work out

[Yours_Truly]

Way to go!
I desperately need to start exercising. My social anxiety is getting the best of me.

I really wish I could join you and am tempted to say I will....but I'm in a depressed state right now and I've found that exercise while depressed is impossible for me too. I also deal with chronic pain in various areas of my body and fighting through it just isn't possible when in depressive mode. I just started a new med regimen and I'm very hopeful it will help and I will be able to exercise soon.....I'd really love to join you as I find what you are doing to be very inspiring and I know that being physical healthy is not just good for the body, but also the mind and soul. I'd love to hear updates on your progress.....I will cheer you on and hopefully be able to join you soon. Keep up the good work. Are you in Sunnyvale, California? I'm in Northern California and not too far from you

[Sad Mermaid]

ElsaMars, depending upon where you are, my pool might be an option for you. It is at San Jose State University. It is a warm pool - 92 degrees - and people use it to alleviate aches and pains. It is also used for adaptive aquatics in people who are disabled. Visiting it is somewhat hard because you witness so much human suffering - for instance, on Saturdays one man pulls the body of his teenage cerebral palsy boy through the water. I leave the pool thinking uneasy about being so healthy in comparison - I can walk and I can swim on my own. There is a Down kid there and other disabled people. It is just hard, thinking of how wellness and disability are distributed so that some are lucky and others are not. But the swimming itself is very pleasurable, as you immerse yourself in the water that warm, and I was able to swim even when depressed. That is the only exercise I can do even when depressed.

The pool also has "toys" you can use for strength-training in the water. I just do not know how to use them.

If you are in the San Jose area, I'd try it!

Thanks....I'm not that close to San Jose but I called around a few months ago and found a warm water aquatics place about 15 minutes from my home which I'm hoping to check out. Problem is, I have very bad pain in my groin, and the "resistance" of the water creates a great deal of pain and burning. I do wonder if warmer water could be more soothing to that. I can only imagine how difficult it is to see people suffering such horrible illness. I watched a movie recently about a women with ALS who went to the pool with other ALS sufferers. I cried so hard I choked, and it was just a movie....seeing the real thing would be heartbreaking. Don't think I could handle it right now as I'm struggling with the unfairness of the world pretty badly right now. But in the future, I would like to try it. Thanks for reminding me of this option.