Feeling like quitting--how did you stay motivated?

Ever since I found out that I am most likely going to have to redo my six months of monthly supervised weight loss visits with my doctor, I have been having a huge problem staying motivated and taking care of myself as I have been.  I haven't been eating as well as I could--too many carbs--and I have barely been exercising.  Part of it is because I am just SO tired of hurting that I just do not want to bring on more pain with exercising.  My back, hips and knees hurt all day at work.  My knees, hips, back and ankles hurt when I take walks.  Everything HURTS!  Ever since I began the process of being approved for WLS, I have taken an inventory of how my weight has limited my life and have noticed that the majority of the limitations are cause by physical pain/physically not being able to handle ANY movement.  Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to keep handling the minimal day-to-day stuff I have to do--sometimes opting for disability and a wheelchair seems like a good idea.   How did you all stay motivated during the process for approval?  How did you overcome the pain obstacle to make yourselves exercise?

I do understand. right know I am in the midst of the 6 month supervised diet I started out real strong but I just haven't been doing well myself. And life right now is crazy I am having a hard time finding time to excercise. But this is what I tell myself. Start small don't look always at the big picture do little things throughout the day. don't look at hey I have to walk a mile today turn on  music and just walk around the house.

Sounds like you are having a challenging time right now.  When the going gets tough, you really have to keep your eye on the prize.  Sometimes I did that by focusing on how narrow my world had become, and how I did not like living within those limitations.  At other times, I focused on all the things I would be able to do after having surgery and losing weight.  When I was getting really down, I would make lists of all the things I had to gain by losing weight, then I posted copies of the list in places where I'd see it regularly (bathroom mirror, bedside table, refrigerator).  It's hard to stay motivated for such a long period of time, but it's absolutely worth it.   I would also remind myself that I could only deal with one day at a time (it's an old AA adage).  When I thought about things in terms of months and years, it became overwhelming because I just couldn't handle so much.  But I knew I could handle one day, so I approached it in that way.  It's a matter of changing your mindset; I know, sometimes easier said than done, but you can do this!!!   Regarding pain that occurs because of exercise, I can only encourage you to push through it, take care of your body, and, if necessary, medicate to make the pain manageable.  I will also say that many aches and pains get better with regular exercise, and they should definitely get better as you lose weight.  You just have to push on through, again, keeping your eye on the prize (a healthier, happier, freer you!!!!!!).   YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!!! Kellie

I'm sorry about the lack of motivation and the aches and pains.  I don't have suggestions for staying motivated but I do have suggestions for exercising with pain.  Have you tried the pool?  You can usually get rec center memberships pretty inexpensively.  What about tai-chi?  That is very low impact - my mom and both aunts take tai-chi and its very strengthening without being hard on the joints.  People of all shapes, sizes, and ages can do tai-chi and it seems to be very interesting and beneficial, and you learn a lot so its not so boring.  Finally, in my case there was yoga.  There is an exercise video called Just MY Size Yoga, they probably sell it on amazon.  I rented it from netflix and copied it.  Its a great tape and has modifications for larger people or people with limited ranges of motion.  Its also really relaxing and I find that to be the most beneficial part of it.  As for the eating, I didn't have a six month diet, but I did have a strict pre-op diet that lasted almost 3 months.  Sometimes I was good, sometimes I wasn't.  When I messed up I put it behind me and tried again instead of blaming myself and getting down about it, which is my usual pattern.  When I was faithful to it, it was tough at first but then it got easier.  I would also make lists of things I wanted to do after I lost weight in order to stay motivated.  For me, one of the reasons I did this was to make pregnancy and motherhood easier and more enjoyable, so a few times when I was really down in the dumps I'd go to my best friend's house and play with her baby, or I'd go to the baby section of stores and browse.  It helped me stay motivated.  Its not easy and I'm so sorry you have to go through another six months!  *hug* Jenn

HUGS to you Maddie...its not easy when you hurt all the time. Daily activity is obviously grinding away at your joints so no wonder you can't feel like exercising thru pain!  My suggestion is same as Dunny's.....you gotta get in the water to do exercise that won't be painful and will be easier on your joints. Do look into nearby gym's and community centers.  Motivation is easily lost when time looms so far ahead. One day at a time is all you can focus on realistically and before you know it, the time will have flown by. Try and do one thing each day to make yourself proud and which works towaard your goal.  We are all here for you. God Bless!

Thank you all for your support--it has really helped!  I went out and bought a new pair of walking shoes last night and was able to go on a walk without much pain last night.  I actually went twice as far as usual and still didn't hurt too much!!   I will look into water exercise, but honestly I am not sure I can face being in a swimsuit in front of others right now!  Sounds silly and I know that I should do it for my health--but it would be really humiliating.  I am just so thrilled that I was able to walk last night!!

I was surprised by the size of those doing the water aerobics--not the same skinny minnies that do the regular aerobic classes!  Many of them do the water aerobics for the very same reason you would--pain!  So you might feel embarrasses at first, but the odds are you wouldn't be alone. I am not one who thinks you need to work through the pain.  Pain is there for a reason.  Discomfort is one thing, hurting is something else.  It may mean you aren't using the right form, you're trying to do something your body isn't ready for, etc.  I found it better to do just enough to get to the "before it hurts" stage and then build from there.  If I just push through, then I hurt and, silly me, I don't like to hurt, so I don't stay with the exercise.   And good shoes do make a world of difference! Good luck, Sally