Ms. Severely Depressed

Why would working out not make a difference?

Working out will make a difference. It will make you feel stronger and more energetic, it lifts your mood. It will improve your stamina, your heart health and lung function and also help you lose weight and or inches.

Go for it

So I've been trying to lose weight for the past four and a half months and it's actually been going pretty well. I am down about fifty pounds from my highest ever weight ( I am 5'5 and 130 pounds now) and I know I should feel good about that but I still can't help noticing how much fitter everyone is than me and getting very discouraged. I am suppose to start working out at a gym this week, but I already feel pesimestic and know that it won't really make a difference in how I look. Argh!! What's wrong with me? Sometimes I think things were better when I was fat and oblivious.

Losing weight and fitness are not the same things, and they need to be worked on differently. You've been working on losing weight, but not on your fitness level, whereas you're comparing yourself to people who are actively working on their fitness level. You're setting yourself up for disappointment by comparing yourself this way.

If you're working out and it's not doing a thing for your appearance, then there's something wrong with your workout.

Stop comparing yourself against people doing different things. That's like trying to learn Chinese but feel like you're going to fail because everyone studying Russian is so far advanced. Two different things.

Stop worrying about what other people look like and what they're doing. If you want to increase your fitness level, then stop failing at the gym before you even go. Find workouts you enjoy and will stick with and don't worry about if someone is burning more calories than you or not.

Hi!

This time last year, I reached lowest of the low and actually those "crazy" thoughts that shall not be discussed crossed my mind. I was put on leave from work, tablets from the DR and a course of therapy. Now, I could have sat on my *kitten* every day for 8 weeks - that's how long I was off work for - but I didn't. I went and spent time in the gym. 5 days a week you would find me there. 45 mins of spinning then an hour of weight / ab / kettlebell work...then some me time in the spa. I ate 1400 - 1700 cals a day and I must say, at the end of the 8 weeks, I had never looked better.

Now the therapist actually got to the cause of my depression....EDNOS! I needed to chill about what I looked like. So as my life got back to normal and I headed back to work, the weight crept on again. The old me would have broken down and restricted but the new me has got a grip. Life is far too precious to get caught up on the last 10lbs. I got up to 159lbs (up from 138lbs whilst I was off) and have lost 7lbs so far at a rate of 0.5lbs per week on average so it all can be done.

I suppose what I am trying to say is I found the gym actually helped me out of my slump and if you put your mind to it, it will help you too

Good luck x