Why have I quit..?

Options
Just_Bethy
Just_Bethy Posts: 272
in Motivation and Support
I have given up...I don't know why!?!! My MoJo is missing...I know I am very tired and its cold outside but how can I get re-motivated..I am eating more and more and I can not be arsed to go work out...Having Bipolar I know I go through bouts of serious depression..but being medicated is crap..I am a zombie..So I am living without medicating and was doing well...I need to snap out of this...Yes it is very hard...but there must be a way..I have done it before!! I just can't seem to get it together...How can I get back out of the fridge and back into the gym!?!?!?!?!?!?

Any thoughts...advice..kick in the *kitten*... appreciated!!!!!!

Replies

  • aiyana1228
    aiyana1228 Posts: 100 Member
    Options
    I know that living with bipolar is really hard. I understand the medication frustration. But sometimes the medication is better than the alternatives. Talk to your doc. Ask them to try something different. There are diferent options that were not available even a few years ago. Even without the bipolar...Its winter. millions of us suffer with seasonal depression issues. If like me you are anywhere in the midwest in the US it has been overcast and rainy for weeks. Not great for putting anyone in a good mood. Then there is the holiday stuff with family or lack of family, money and all of the rest. Maybe give yourself a slight break and change your goals for the time being to maintain. Keep logging your food. Try to move some even if its not at prior levels. If you were runng-just go for a walk. Put the before and after pictures where you can see them? Remember to take it one day at a time. Try to remember how bad it feels to be there. I know I really don't want to go back there again. Remember that food will never make you happy. If you don't already have one find a support group. Find someone to support through their journey. The more we reach out to other people the more we are helped. People living with bipolar are some of the strongest people on earth. Use that strenghth for positive changes. I know you can do it.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
    Options
    I'm not a doctor or anything, but I wonder if its seasonal depression. Many have it in the winter. Talk to your doctor, he may be able to suggest something, like a tan a couple times a week or something.
  • pinkgigi
    pinkgigi Posts: 693 Member
    Options
    I have depression, so I have some idea about how difficult it is when you are in a funk. Maybe it is time to try something new, so you can get excited about the journey again. When I was like that this year, I started a me-based project "Hot for my 50th", and dedicated myself to it, and even though my birthday is long gone, mojo is still there.

    Hugs
    GG
  • gersoco
    gersoco Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    I don't know about bipolar disorder but I did watch Russell Crowe's portrayal of John Nash in "A Beautiful Mind" and I know from that that what you're going through is probably very hard.

    Yeah, I could easily go with the kick ya in the *kitten* route, but I think that it might be more helpful just to ask if it's possible for you to work with your family or friends and see if they can help to free things up a bit so you can give yourself a little "Me Time". Everybody needs a break. Everybody deserves a break.

    It's cold as crap outside so you may want to find yourself a warmer gym or just forego the gym and head to your local mall and go on a fitness walk.
  • skyestarz
    skyestarz Posts: 16
    Options
    They also have light boxes you can get which will have the same affect. Good luck to you!!!!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
    Options
    I don't know the answers, but I do know that I have times when my motivation is very low.

    For me, the answer has just to keep doing something... anything.

    I kept logging even when I wan't eating really well (my logging was not always 100% accurate) but it was pretty close.

    And I picked something in the future to focus on - for me it is a half marathon in February, so even when I don't feel like running, I know that I need to or I won't be able to complete the distance. This is a pretty extreme example, but maybe you could find something you want to achieve/learn - find a class in tango or belly dancing or a new Wii game for example, and this can give you a new focus.

    Can you find a buddy to do something with you? Go for a walk or go skating or dancing or play silly games in the park or the loungeroom.

    And I know that exercise really lifts my mood, so if I can make myself do it, the benefits are really there.

    I find that with time, as long as I keep in touch with what I'm trying to acheive (ie eating a healthy amount and exercising) I get back to it when I'm ready.

    Good luck!
  • tapas71
    tapas71 Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    I see clients that go through the I feel good so quit the meds go for awhile and then crash circle. Perhaps a different med cycle would help? I know it's hard as it can take up to 3 months to see if a new regime is going to work out, but it seems to be worth it.
    On another note... everyones mojo puts on it's invisible suit once in awhile. Hang in there, and good for you for being here!
  • Just_Bethy
    Just_Bethy Posts: 272
    Options
    Thanks guys for the support..I really do need to get it together...Before I blow all my effort away...I think I might go shopping for some warm work out gear and get back to it!! Thanks again! x
  • catdoc1
    catdoc1 Posts: 227 Member
    Options
    It is OKAY to take a break from the intense exercise you've been putting in. It's okay to coast for a little bit too. Sometimes you just need a rest, to listen to your body and your soul. It is not okay to pitch in the towel and backslide. You've worked to hard for that. Can you just concentrate on staying within a 3# range for a few weeks while your mojo tank refills, then start again on the 1st.

    What has worked for me is getting off the rollercoaster by elminating all sugar and refined carbs (quite a ***** for 3-4 days but all the cravings go away and my mood is much more even keel. Do you think that might help you? I can eat a little bit of dark chocolate now and be satisfied. It has been very freeing and I feel so much better.

    We're here for you Beth. Keep coming back even if it's to rant. Perfectionism killed a lot of (other people's) success. You don't have to be perfect right now. Hang in there.

    Laura
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys for the support..I really do need to get it together...Before I blow all my effort away...I think I might go shopping for some warm work out gear and get back to it!! Thanks again! x

    That's the spirit, don't give up on yourself, you're worth putting in the effort for!

    But, I also think the advice above is good - sometimes you need a break from trying so hard. Just keep logging, keep doing gentle exercise (good for body and spirit) and eat as well as you can.

    You haven't quit until... well, until you've quit, and I can tell you haven't quit yet. (Wow, if you can make sense of that sentence, you are doing VERY well!)
  • G30Grrl
    G30Grrl Posts: 377 Member
    Options
    Hi Bethy,

    You didn't quit. You just paused.
    I did the same thing a couple of weeks back. But like catdoc, I have now eliminated sugars and refined carbs (I started the Paleo Diet 8 days ago), though I don't know if it has been quite long enough to separate any perceived effects from a normal cycle of ups and downs.

    You know that it's important to be gentle with yourself, and allow yourself a bit of a break now and then. When I have a hard time getting motivated, I tend to tackle it by making myself a treat. Not a sugary treat, but something I can get excited about, like a new healthy and flavorful recipe I can just toss into the crockpot. I have been doing that a lot lately, and I've discovered I can get really excited about tasty healthy food. I've found tons of delicious recipes on SkinnyCrockPot.com.

    But I have also dealt with depression in the past, and understand how hard it can be to get started. Just remember that you know more about yourself than anyone else does. You *know* what has worked in the past to help get you motivated when depression threatens to stop you in your tracks. You know what negative thoughts thoughts you have that serve to derail you, and you also know that you DON'T have to believe those thoughts just because you think them. You are far more powerful than that, my dear. Remember?

    Perhaps you could try some guided meditations (you can even find some great ones Googling you-tube, believe it or not!) that could help pull you out of the funk. It's normal to get the blues this time of year. Winter slows everything down, the holidays make us nostalgic, and like others have said, the lack of sunlight often contributes to depression. But you are also aware that those of us with bi-polar, depressive, or SAD tendencies need to be especially aware of our mental state, and take proactive measures when we notice ourselves getting out of balance. You can do this. In fact, you already are. Just reaching out is a step in a very positive direction. Hang in there, and know that you aren't alone.

Categories