I saw a new therapist on Wednesday. Of course most of the time was spent going over my history, but I did describe my recent depression a bit. At the end, her only suggestion/assignment to me was to walk or otherwise exercise for 30 minutes three times per week. Well of course I know exercise is supposed to be helpful for depression, but the fact of the matter is that I have to push myself hard just to get out of bed to walk 8 feet to my bathroom to go pee. Putting some sandwiches on the table for dinner is also extremely hard. Some days I can't even get out of bed to eat breakfast let alone make my husband's lunch. All I can manage is to type a little on a forum like this.

I do try to take exercise suggestions, but when I can manage it. It was all I could do not to tell her no or give her the finger in my car on the way home (even going there was a challenge).

[Zigy]

Yup. Same here. I used to ride a bike to work every day when I was better, but stopped a year or so ago. It's a chicken and egg problem. Although not as bad as you. I go to work and I manage to go for a walk in the park on weekends. My wife drags me out.

[emgreen]

My girlfriend got me a Fitbit for Valentines Day. It's a watch that tracks how many steps you take in a day, with the goal being 10,000. My output is more than depressing. This toy can't help me change how I'm feeling. Maybe when the weather turns...because I know this excess weight doesn't help my self-image much.

[Zigy]

I managed to keep the weight down by excluding sugar, eating smaller portions and lots of fruit. I know that gaining weight makes me more depressed.

[SorryShaped]

Even though I was more of it when I'm depressed, sugar causes me more depression. Get that quick "better" feeling, and then the hard crash. Exercise is truly awesome medicine. I know it's hard to start to do, but force yourself! You're worth it.

[Nammu]

Bah humbug.....I would have given her the finger! If it was that easy there'd be no need for therapists.

[SorryShaped]

It's supposed to be hard to change. Otherwise, everyone would be better.

[Wild Coyote]

I've struggled with this one, too, this winter. I was walking in a nearby mall. Then there were lots of flu warnings, warnings to avoid crowds. So, I have stopped going for walks in the mall. I hope the flu season passes soon!


WC

[SorryShaped]

I'm going to go workout in about an hour. I want to rest after lunch. I ate too much of my recipe cheeseburger macaroni. I really wish my parents liked dill pickles in it. It's not the same when they're thrown on top.

[Leia78]

My therapist suggested it and actually made me chart my activities so I had to do it. I did find that it was good for stress relief and in midst of an argument with my husband once, I did stop and turn around and go for a walk. It helped me calm down and regain my balance. I know walking is not the answer to everything and won't cure depression but when you can do it, when you feel more up to it, try it. You may enjoy it. But - you don't have to let anyone force you to do it.

God knows I've tried everything including steroids to gain a pleasant looking figure, battling poor food choices and like I said, trying everything. I've noticed that I function better (mentally) eating only one main meal a day. I keep pushing towards losing more weight. I'm weighting the same I was when I was in my early 20s. But none of which possible had I had intervention, I can't function under other people's wishes, for the same reason I have always had a tough time with authority figures. Even if that means sacrificing my state of mind...knowing well, the positives involved with daily exercise regardless of the intensity.

I saw a new medical doctor as my old one retired and he prescribed the same thing for my depression and high blood pressure: exercise. Only he wanted me to do it every day! I didn't realize how unrealistic it was, what a giant lifestyle change it would be. I tried for four weeks, walking on a treadmill.

I felt quite a bit worse. I was head-to-toe in muscle soreness, aches and pains. I was so tired from exercising that my housework and hygiene suffered. When i took time off to let a particularly intense pain heal i didn't get back to it.

I have trouble taking a shower. Why did my GP think i could manage exercise? I have high blood pressure and i know he is going to call me in when i request a renewal of my blood pressure meds. I dread it because i am on private disability benefits so in a sense my doctor is my boss. He has to fill out a form every year giving my status and with me not exercising he could indicate i am NOT co-operating in treatment.

Just so exhausted all the time. Exercise may work for some people, but not for me.

My T suggested I get one of those depression lights. I’m looking into it.

I did tell her that when I’m down it is hard to do anything but the minimum. I think your T does need to come up with something you actually can do based on severity of the depression.

[~Christina]

For me it’s a hard deal , my fibromyalgia some days literally has me in bed. Other days I’m fine to get moving. But when I flare up the last thing I can do is move more than absolute necessary.. lucky that my GP and Pdoc understand fibro and it’s limitations I have at times.

I use to be a gym rat 6 days a week 3-4 hours a day. Then fibro hit and my whole life changed.

I’d look for a new T unless this one starts to help you with more than the standard “ exercise” bs

[Artchic528]

Walking around the neighborhood 3 times a week may seem daunting to you right now, but trust me, you'll feel soooo much better once you do it. How about using energy drinks or coffee to get your energy up? That works for me.

[Wonderfalls]

I know the can't get out of bed, let alone take a shower kind of depression. But I start to fall into that if I go more than two days without a walk. I know it's healthy and so on but I don't care; I do it for the depression. Pod casts are what keep me from complete boredom on the walk.

[scatterbrained04]

I know exactly what you mean. My pdoc suggests exercise all the time. I never do it. I can't even drag myself around to do things at home half the time. Even at that, it probably would help. But it'd be 100% dragging my butt around to do it. Maybe start smaller. Like a 5 minute walk. Then gradually increase it.

Originally Posted by scatterbrained04

I know exactly what you mean. My pdoc suggests exercise all the time. I never do it. I can't even drag myself around to do things at home half the time. Even at that, it probably would help. But it'd be 100% dragging my butt around to do it. Maybe start smaller. Like a 5 minute walk. Then gradually increase it.

I will try to do this. It makes more sense and may actually happen.

[Merlin]

I have difficulty exercising as well and my pdoc is a huge proponent of it. He said yesterday that exercise, as well as regular social contact, was on par with my medications in importance. I’ve decided to get the exercise and social contact in one go. I’ve decided to do an exercise class for one month. It’s twice a week. Right now I go to the gym with my Dad and I’ve talked with my sister-in-law about going to Zumba together. For me, the company make it easier to show up.

[Moreta]

I'm going to peel myself off my chair today and go to the gym. I want to lose more weight and I know adding exercise with the diet plan will help. Pdoc has been badgering about exercise for the past 8 years anyways. Sometimes I do good with it, sometimes not. Today my goal is to do 15 mins on the recumbent bike and 5 mins on the elliptical, then chill in the massage chair for 10 mins. Seems doable.

[SorryShaped]

Originally Posted by Moreta

I'm going to peel myself off my chair today and go to the gym. I want to lose more weight and I know adding exercise with the diet plan will help. Pdoc has been badgering about exercise for the past 8 years anyways. Sometimes I do good with it, sometimes not. Today my goal is to do 15 mins on the recumbent bike and 5 mins on the elliptical, then chill in the massage chair for 10 mins. Seems doable.

Starting. Good! Proud of you

[Unrigged64072835]

I know that exercise can help, but for me it's short-term and I have to exercise a lot, like for about an hour's worth of cardio. Plus with muscle relaxers I can only do so much.

The meeting with my first new T seemed like that, except I couldn't get a word edgewise with her. It's like here, write this stuff in a journal.

[SorryShaped]

It does help longer when you can do it more. A normal day for me is two hours, with one of those being yoga at the end. Sometimes I'll get five hours in and split it up into two, with yoga practices at the end of each trip. Those are my two-a-days T-days, Tuesday and Thursday.
Yoga really is something I recommend, if you're capable. Even if you can't touch your toes, and a lot of the time I can't, it still feels really good.

[Wonderfalls]

One thing I've found that helped is to set myself very easy goals. Walk 5 minutes, as someone said. But you can't try to trick yourself. Don't think: once I walk 5 I'll want to walk 5 more. If you do, even if you make it to 10 minutes, next time you give yourself permission to walk only 5, you won't believe yourself and so you won't do it at all. If you said 5 minutes then stop after 5. You can build up but not that particular session. If any of that makes sense.

[SorryShaped]

I got into the gym for yoga. It was more of a "since I'm here, I'll try..." thinking.
I did do the tricking myself and it did and still does work on a more of 20 minutes scale.
I suppose we all have to find what works for each of us.
When I started, I weighed 220 and had zero muscle mass. At one point I weighed 295!