Does anyone get obsessive over things like what time in the day to exercise?

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stegeem
stegeem Posts: 142 Member
in Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
Not sure if this is the right board for this... I get nervous that if my feet start to ache at all, I won't be able to go walking the next day. I think, my feet will be too tired/strained/whatever if I do too much walking at night, to walk the next morning?

I have lots of obesessive thoughts like this over diet/exercise and other aspects of life. I'm getting my meds adjusted and seeing a psyche team next month to see if they can help me, but is all of this... normal?

I guess as I lose weight there will be less pressure on my knees and feet and I'll be able to do more. When I was 20kg heavier, I used to get pretty bad chafing and used to carry a backpack with a spare pair of shoes, socks, leggings and baby powder incase it happened. Does the other stuff end? do you have to space out your exercise? maybe I should walk at the same time everyday and do something like swimming the other time?

Replies

  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,181 Member
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    Chaffing is real!

    Normal is human...we're all normal, though all of us can do better with good help. It is smart of you following up on your healthcare. Good luck.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,461 Member
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    Body Glide: Gods own gift to those who exercise. Ends chafing immediately. Bless the MFPer who told me about Body Glide.

    Compeed blister patches: Ends blister pain immediately. You’ll say,” Good grief! Expensive!” But worth every nickel. Recommended to me by a French pharmacist and now finally available in the USA.

    Professionally fitted running/walking shoes. Will rock your world.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,461 Member
    edited January 18
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    Regarding chafing ending, it came irregularly. When I first started, thigh chafe and then a horrible painful period of batwing chafe. Body Glide ended that.

    No chafing for months, then the Batwings collapsed for a week or two before biceps appeared. Cue the body glide.

    Chaffing reappeared three or four years later when my ribs started to adjust to “thin person position” and my arms didn’t know where to hang.

    I used to liken it to rearranging furniture. As long as you stay with controlled calories and regular exercise, you’re going to hit periods when various parts of your body collapse, wobble, waggle and chafe painfully then days or weeks later, all the nearby parts rearrange and become taughter. Its freaky and tbh downright scary the first time it happens.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,461 Member
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    As to time…..you’ll get a feel for it. I prefer to get most my stuff done in the morning. It’s more convenient, I have more energy (coffee?!), I get to wear adult clothes for the rest of the day, and have time to actually spend doing whatever I want to do.

    OTOH, there’s times I have to get back in workout gear later in the day. Husband loves me doing aquafit with him. So today I swam laps this morning, but will go back to the pool this evening just because it makes him so happy.

    I wanted to do aerial silks classes. The only slot for adults is 8 pm on Fridays. Ugh. That messes with dinner plans (don’t want to be swinging upside down on a full tummy) and besides, even though retired…..Friday evenings still feel special.

    Just work out a schedule you’re happy with. As long as it’s stuff you enjoy doing, it’ll fall into place.
  • stegeem
    stegeem Posts: 142 Member
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    Any other thoughts on this? is my brain broken?
  • herblovinmom
    herblovinmom Posts: 352 Member
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    @stegeem, I wouldn’t call it becoming obsessed, I just take into consideration what I’ll be doing for the rest of the day or the next day to know what exercises will fit my current weeks lifestyle. When I was doing a strength training regimen, I was very concerned about which days of the week should be my rest days and upper or lower should be done and when. For example, if I was taking care of a baby that week, I’d make sure my rest day is the day after my upper workout and make sure it wasn’t a day I’d have to carry baby around all day. If I was going to be walking lots and lots, I schedule my lower body day not before the excess walking just to give my legs more time to repair. I don’t consider this obsessive. I don’t consider what you’re doing obsessive either though. Seems like you’re just being considerate about what activity fits into your life for that week. That being said, some would consider me to be obsessive and might put less thought into it. When making a lifestyle change I do feel some amount of dedication is required though. Maybe it is an obsession 😉 it does become a lifestyle after all…
  • MaggieGirl135
    MaggieGirl135 Posts: 977 Member
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    I don’t get obsessed with when I work out; I do it in the morning because I know it will never happen later in the day.

    I would like to mention something about your comments about your feet. In the past, my feet would hurt, starting in my mid-20’s (appropriate weight). I never thought to go to the doctor; doesn’t everyone’s feet hurt after standing on them for 2-3 hours? The answer I now know is no.

    Four years ago (husband and I only slightly overweight), my husband and I were at a Home and Garden show and a (US) national chain store that sells orthotics for feet was there. We each left with a pair. They have transformed my life! Sounds dumb, even as I type this, lol. My husband found that his feet felt noticeably better, as well. These were hard plastic inserts about half the length of the shoe. Later, my husband started having a nerve-related pain in one foot and went to a podiatrist. He was given orthotics (these were nothing more than thick pads of some cloth-like material). These have greatly helped him.

    My suggestion is to possibly look into this. I wish I thought of this years ago. I would not wait until you have lost weight. Just my thoughts.

    Btw, I only wear my inserts (I think the word orthotics makes me sound old!) when I wear my various ankle-high boots. I wear these most of the year (I live in a colder area) and I typically wear them probably only half of the day. They will not work in sandals (because you will see them) and for some reason, they do not work in my sneakers, although they do for my husband. Wearing them even this little makes it so my feet don’t hurt the rest of the time with other shoes.

    One other comment: I really like the idea of you alternating days with walking and swimming; that makes sense. Good luck.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,394 Member
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    No, not really. I can only exercise in the evening after all meals, and I have a job anyway.
  • frhaberl
    frhaberl Posts: 145 Member
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    I have some weird exercise triggered food allergy (food trigger not identified) that had became literally life threatening. Since we haven't been able to identify the food trigger, controlling my exercise schedule became critical. No exercise for 3-4 hours after eating if I want to feel reasonably sure I won't have that allergic reaction. For quite a while I just planned on exercising first thing in the morning. Then that got to be a challenging with shorter days and my work schedule. I will admit to some "obsessive" thinking as I try to figure out how hungry I might be if I exercise at a given time and whether I'll shorten/skip my workout because I'm just too darn hungry or don't have the energy. I now have epi pens, so then I'm asking myself if I want the trouble of carrying them with me, etc, etc, etc,.
    I think a certain level of "obsessive thinking" is normal as you problem solve and work towards a solution. I think it becomes unhealthy when you keep trying to rethink and solve a problem that has already been solved. Sometimes you just need to reassure yourself that "I've got this" as you build a history that proves "I've got this". Sometimes you need to ask yourself "Am I trying to solve this problem, or am I establishing all my arguments for why it was inevitable for me to fail?". Sometimes you identify these unhealthy thought patterns as something you struggle with in other areas of your life and seek professional help. I've been in all three of those categories myself, and suspect there are other categories that could fit what you're experiencing.

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