no motivation

I've been depressed for over a decade and I've gained alot of weight since the start of my depression. The weight prevents me from having an important surgery (too risky) and has started causing me to have sleep apnea. I hate being fat but I have zero motivation to exercise and eat right. How do I get the motivation when I'm so depressed?

I have no easy answer for you because I know how you feel. I think the only answer is to just go ... go to the gym in your gym clothes ... no plan or expectation of what you'll do or accomplish ... just go and do whatever you feel like doing when you're there. Screw it, just go and hang out. I know this answer sucks, but we both know the hardest part is just getting up and getting there.

"...ay, there's the rub..." I don't know.

A primary care doctor told me once - and I observe this roughly true for myself, that weight control or management is 20% exercise and 80% diet.

You have changed meds relatively often, yes? Were you ever on a medication that seemed to have less of an effect on your weight? Have you taken or are you taking any neuroleptics?

I have no real answer for you because I am in the same exact place as you. I have no motivation to eat right or exercise. The only thing I suggest would be do what I am doing just do a little bit at a time, make changes in your diet first before tackling the exercise.

Baby steps, that's the only advice I have

I've been on a lot of different meds but never noticed whether any particular med caused weight gain--I think the weight is due to emotional eating and inactivity more than anything else.

I too can relate to the ZERO energy thing........ and one of my shrinks keeps hounding me that when I get in my funks that I need to jump up and do *intense exercise*.......

WTF?

How does zero energy match up with jump up and do intense exercise? Hello??? Realism?

drink a cup of coffee, it'll help

caffine does nothing for me.

I CAN TOTALLY RELATE. OMG I cannot even count the times that my therapist or other treatment providers told me I would feel so much better if I incorporated exercise in my life (and I've also read so many articles about the depression-busting benefits of exercise). But how are you supposed to go run a mile if you can barely get out of bed!?!?!? I totally relate!!!!!!! God, so glad I'm not alone. Sometimes I feel like I'm not helping myself enough by not exercising and then feel guilty... so I'm glad you see this too!

Kinda makes you want to curse out (I wanted to say punch in the face, but I am anti-violence) all those damn perky people.

Grrrrr

I struggle with having no motivation too, but the truth is you just have to push yourself. Yep its uncomfortable and hard to do, but the more you do it the easier it will become. Start off small with goals that can be accomplished. Try 5 minutes on an exercise bike, or a 10 minute walk to start with. Its better than nothing. Motivation feeds off activity for me.

When I got in one of my rare ups that lasted an hour I wrote out a list of goals and a list of motivational things. I managed to feed off of that for a little while. I'm back to the no motivation thing, but the list of goals actually kept me pretty normal for a month or so.

Even though its a bummer that you feel the same as me sometimes--it does help to know other people have these problems too.

agreed! wouldn't wish this on anybody but it makes me feel so much less alone