Exercise and Goal Setting

[Silenus]

You know what I realised?

It's a simple thing...

I realised that I used up more energy beating myself up for not doing the (whatever exercise) than the energy I would use when doing the exercise.

No wonder I was exhausted all the time...

Fighting myself. Hating myself. Berating myself.

@BlueBay - with my walking, I said this to myself - you don't walk with your head. You walk with your feet. I stopped over-thinking it, got up out of my chair, and walked...

I know it doesn't feel that easy, because your head is the one trying to do the walking. Listen to your feet instead. They were made for walking...

I hope what I've written helps. It helped me. Everyone is different though...

Sending hugs and motivating happy vibes your way...

[Silenus]

If you hate the exercise you are trying to do, or if you get no pleasure from it, then it's much more difficult to stick with it.

Find things you enjoy in your exercise, and it stops feeling like work or a chore or something you "have to do" (rolls eyes)...

I love walking. Taking different paths. Smiling or nodding at people. Watching birds and people walking their dogs. Enjoying the weather and ever-changing scenery.

It becomes pleasurable and, dare I say it, also an exercise in Mindfulness. Then it is two good things I've done for myself at once - physical exercise AND relaxing calming meditation...

Win-win...

It's about reshaping our thinking about things. You don't need motivation to do something you enjoy...

That's why depression sucks so much. You've gotta push through the lack of pleasure in anything. Push push push... or wallow.

I've done lots of wallowing in my life. Sometimes it was needed. Other times, it needed to be challenged and pushed through with grit and determination... not easy, but necessary...

I have done a minimum of 15 pushups every day for a couple of months now. I skipped a few days here and there when starting, but I didn't let that deter me. Don't give up. Stick with it.

Now it's a habit. I miss doing the pushups if I don't do them. There's no motivation required. I just do them.

I like that my flabby a-cup man-boobies are now slightly less flabby a-cup man-boobies... hahaha...

[Sqwaaaarkkk!]

Damn you, Cyril...

Silly parrot, pooping on my shoulder...

Huggles peeps... 🙂

[BlueBay]

@Silenus

You will be happy to read that I went for a walk today with the dog down the beach.  It is windy and cold but i loved it.  I loved feeling the cold sea air on my face and my hair blowing everywhere (not a good look but i don't care!!)

And now I am home and I am so glad i did go for a walk, and so is my kelpie dog.  She is even more happier 🙂

If I can keep doing this daily even in winter it will increase my motivation.  Thank you for your post and suggestions. 🙂

[Silenus]

That is truly a joy to hear @BlueBay !!!

And a great big win!!!

Congrats. I know from past experience how difficult it can be to break through depression. This is a very empowering thing you have done.

You've made my day, @BlueBay 🙂

Wooohoooooo.... 🙂

[BlueBay]

@Silenus I can picture you with a big smile 🙂 while you were reading my post.

I will try my hardest to walk daily, it will be my goal to walk daily but if i don't i won't beat myself up. 

i need someone to keep a track on my goal of walking.  i need motivation.

Glad i have made your day:)

I might even go for another walk later this afternoon.  Sometimes it's easier to walk in the cold because you warm up while walking and that cold air hitting my face - it's so refreshing.

[Angels333]

So I'm heading back to yoga after my stint of health issues. I have gained 20kg's from meds and Ibam worried I'll never loose it.

[Mazarita]

Hi @BlueBay, really fantastic to her you got yourself out for a walk and enjoyed it so much! Well done! 

Went to hydrotherapy yesterday for the first time ever. At the time it feels gentle but I think it's probably more of a workout than it seems. I could feel the endorphins pleasurably relaxing the body afterwards. Five more weeks of it to go.

[Silenus]

That's great @Mazarita!

I guess it makes sense that it's more of a workout than you think - you're moving your body through something a lot thicker than air, with the added bonus that it's gentle on your joints. What a great form of exercise.

Did you enjoy it? Was it fun? I remember years ago, I used to swim a couple of kms in the local outdoor heated olympic-size pool 3 or 4 mornings per week. There was an aquarobics class, and they all seemed to be having a ball, with the music going, chatting away to each other as they exercised...

[BlueBay]

OK so I didn't go for my second walk yesterday.  After my phone call from my therapist telling me she is no longer able to see me, I hibernated inside and cried 😞

Hoping tonight after tea I can go for a walk.  At least I went for one walk, but see that's where the disappointment comes in.  Maybe i shouldn't say I am going for a second walk and if I do I do and if not then it doesn't matter.  Why am i so hard on myself??

[Mazarita]

Thanks @Silenus 🙂 I did enjoy it, though I wouldn't quite go as far as 'fun'. But it was good to catch up with a previous support worker. We chatted in the pool and when she was giving me a lift home. She and I got on particularly well when she was supporting me for about six weeks at the end of last year. Social anxiety lurking around me with the rest of the group but as usual I put on a pretty good face. Part of doing these group activities is to challenge that social anxiety so it doesn't keep me so cooped up in the flat and living on the computer. The challenge today is to get myself to ukelele class in a couple of hours.