Staying motivated despite sadness/depression

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8/12/11 12:00 A

I`m feeling down so often, and when I am anxious or with bad thoughts or just bored and sad I used to eat a lot. Not so much anymore. I think workout and being with friends or reading makes me feel better. Sometimes I just want to sleep all day, but I dont allow it to myself. I dont wanna seem weak.
Im sorry you lost your job, I hope you find better one!

Posts: 13
8/11/11 8:07 P

Hi, I've actually been going through something similar. My dad almost died & then I became estranged from two family members (seperate issue). I thought that I was doing okay, I was starting to be healthier than I had been last year, lost some weight, then I was cut from my job in June, & got into a major car accident in July (deemed my fault) which almost totaled my car. Now I gained back the 10 lbs that I lost & then some. Which has left me a little discouraged.

What I have tried to do recently is focus on the positive things in my life. Focus on all the things that I have going for me. Surround myself with positive people & see the people who are negative less often. I try to remind myself that feeling sorry for myself & making my health worse will not make me happier in the long run..only more miserable. I think about the goals that I have for myself & how I will reach them..one step at a time.

Good luck!

Posts: 8,695
8/11/11 9:01 A

Hi,

You have already received some good advice. I also want to point you in the direction of our Healthy Lifestyle section for depression. There, you can find a collection of all of our articles relating to depression and maintaining your healthy lifestyle www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_condit
ions.asp?condition=6

I hope this helps!

Posts: 14
8/10/11 8:53 P

I recently went through a breakup and was on my way home one evening with that exact same notion of going home with a pint of ice cream and wallowing. Then a little voice in my head went "Hey! He already hurt your feelings! Why are you going to let him sabotage your weight loss, too?" Maybe it's kind of an angry way to be motivated, but it helped me.

The other thing I do now, when I go into self-pity mode, is tell myself I will go to the gym and just work out for some minimal amount of time, say 15-20 minutes. I tell myself that if I just do that much, that's better than nothing and worth being proud of. 99% of the time, I end up doing more - usually my full workout - and on the days when I don't, I accept it as being okay. Either way, I always feel less depressed after working out, and I'm definitely not one of those people who loves exercise.

Next time you exercise, reflect on how you feel afterward, and then compare it to how you think you'd feel if you'd stayed home and pigged out. For me, I know for sure now that I will feel better after working out than I will feel if I sit home and cry, to the point where my sad moods have turned into a strange source of motivation...

Posts: 120
8/10/11 7:59 P

Losing a job is so hard and there is a grieving process, so to speak. Experience and really feel the loss for a day or two (try not to binge -- just allow yourself 1 treat per day or something like that). Then try to start looking at your situation from another angle. Maybe this will open a different door for you and bring you a better opportunity than you had before? Maybe in researching/searching for another job, you'll meet someone new who might be influential in your life? I've learned you just never know what's around the corner.

After a couple of days of being down and sad, try to change your mindset and don't think of "exercising", but just go for a walk, alone, with a friend, doesn't matter. Walk anywhere, preferably outside. Go to a park or the ocean/lake if you have one. Walking outside will help get those endorphins kicking back in. Then make a pact with yourself to walk just 15 min/day and ease back into an exercise routine. If you can push yourself to exercise harder, so much the better. But when you go through something like this, even though you don't want to slide backwards, I think you should be kind to yourself too.

You'll get through this! Hang in there!

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8/10/11 7:20 P

I got laid off from my job today. I want nothing so much as to go get a pint of Ben & Jerry's and a can of Pringles and just pig out on junk. I've managed not to and the day is almost over, but I can guarantee I'm going to feel like crap emotionally for a week or so. I have NO ambition this evening to do my strength training workout.

How do you stay motivated when you're feeling down?