Lost my exercise mojo
 

I had a really busy week and totally bombed my exercise week but I still lost two pounds by diet alone. I just don't have my motivation for it right now. I just wonder if it might even help my motivation to take a planned exercise break. Stay with my eating and just go back to it when I "want" to instead of forcing the issue when I am just mentally and physically exhausted. I am afraid of pushing myself so hard that I fall off completely.

I wasn't doing to much really walking 5 to 6 hours a week, I have an injury from the past that makes it difficult. So I understand that. Thank you for your responses it's always good to hear that an idea does make since and your not just crazy lol

I feel your pain! I'm not doing as much as I probably should either. We've had some big things come up and I just haven't felt like doing as much. I think one thing is some of us tend to take on too much to start. It gets hard to keep up and it fizzles out. I am way out of shape and big. I think when you have those two combined plus trying to keep up with crazy workout schedule, it's tough mentally and physically. Taking a planned break is ok. I'm just walking right now. Less risk of overwhelming myself and it really helps as a stress reliever. It helps clear my mind, and it helps ease my own guilt about doing nothing.

I hope things settle down quickly for you. I think you made a good choice!

One of the good (?) things about having a lot to lose is that at the higher weight it is 'easier' to lose by diet alone. I personally exercise (yoga, recumbent bike or walking - I'm limited due to injury) for my mental health primarily and focus on calorie deficit for weight loss. I think you're on the right track to back off a bit on the exercise rather than completely derail.

Congrats on the 2lbs!!!

I wish you a lot of luck using the diet only for weightloss, I couldn't do it. The scale didn't reward me the same way, even though I didn't eat any more than I had been. Plus I need the exercise for my mental health. Pounding the pavement walking somehow cleared things up for me in many aspects. Any time I get out of the exercise routine it's so hard to get back into. Now I try to get in something, even if it's only 10 minutes that I plan. Somehow I make that 10 into 15 or 20 and then get so glad I did. It's not ideally enough but it's something.

If you need the break then definitely take it, but remember how hard it is to get started again when you stop. Maybe instead of quitting it all together you could just do a lot less of it. Maybe only walk for about 30 minutes 3 times a week instead. That way you won't lose all the stamina you've built up, but you'll still feel like you're having a bit of break. Whatever you choose to do, good luck!

I think thats a great idea Charliee, thanks for mentioning that :)

I agree with Charliee. I don't think it's ok to take a break from moving your body. Ever. For me, when I do that, bad things happen. I eat more. My mood sinks. But you do have to do it at a level that's ENJOYABLE for you.

Instead of thinking "I have to walk, ugghhh" - think "Oh my goodness, it's Springtime in the South!! I'm gonna take a mosey around the neighborhood and see what's blooming." Or whatever floats your boat - that would inspire me - maybe you want to check out people's Easter decorations...or whatever it is.

I honestly believe that it's supposed to be fun. Maybe not every single second. But overall enjoyable.

They say that losing weight is 80% what you eat, and only 20% (or less) how much you exercise. "Lose weight in the kitchen, get fit in the gym"

This being said, I firmly believe that "motion is the lotion". You need to keep moving. Not so much because your movement is helping you lose weight, but rather because your movement helps you be fitter: stronger, more flexible, and more endurance.

I find that when I DON'T exercise, even a 20 minute walk every other day, my mobility suffers. I start feeling older, more creaky, less flexible, more achy. That can be because I'm pushing 50, but it started from bad habits of not exercising from years ago.

That doesn't mean you have to work out hard every day. Sometimes you have to switch it up and change what you're doing. Or rather than "exercising" you do something fun like gardening, hiking, biking, swimming, skating, or whatever you like. There's a lot of "movement" that doesn't have to be formal "exercise"

It's challenging since you said you don't live in a nice neighborhood. :( I was going to recommend "strolling" take a leisurely walk through a park or my neighborhood never feels like exercise, but it gets the body moving. :)

I wish I could go take a stroll, I've been debating on the risk involved and it's just not possible. I think I'm going to buy a stationary bike so that it's something new and alternate wth walking days for now.

Thanks lunar :)

How about some relaxing and gentle yoga?
http://www.doyogawithme.com/yoga_classes

I was thinking yoga too. Or dancing. I have a friend who does the chicken dance and the hokey poky and other crazy stuff with her daycare kids if she's not going to be able to get to the gym. Moving and getting your heart rate up is the important thing.

I dance around and play with my five year old alot he really keeps me on my toes. It's just not my "set" program that I did on top of a normal day. I've got a super nasty cold so it feels like my body is mad at me right now. So I've think I'm just going to push threw until I get back the grove. I lost five pounds this week total down another three pounds this morning from the time of the original post.
Weigh in last saturday 238.4
Weigh in today 233.8