And have never worked out! The club here is brand new with a state of the art beautiful gym, huge pool, tennis, raquet ball, basket ball courts, climbing wall, tons of free exercise classes. I qualify for a ridiculously cheap membership $12.75/month and they offer FREE personal training (something like 4 free appointments) and I still do not take advantage of it.

I HATE to exercise. I hate it because they don't make Jog bras for your belly or thighs. I hate to sweat, I hate to not look like i know what I'm doing. I hate exercising alone. Wah, me!

BUT, I've come to realize I need to include exercise in my life to become a healthier person. I struggle with depression, have my whole life and today the Dr. told me she wants me to try walking 45-60 minutes a day for two weeks before she re-writes my old prescription for Prozac. HUH? I'm thinking, NOT FAIR, just give me the old pills that work to save my life, Doc. How's that for a one-two punch? I'm doing WW, need to exercise for that and totally unrelated my Dr. tells me to get off my fat a** and exercise.

I beat her to the punch though on the weight loss thing. She noticed that I had gained about 30lbs in 18 months...she told me she was "concerned, being over weight isn't healthy...blah blah blah...blood sugar, cholesterol...secret to longevity...blah blah blah...it's time to think about losing weight"...I said..."I joined WW about 7 weeks ago and have lost 5 1/2 lbs". Take that! I've made another appointment to see her in two weeks, lets see what this exercise stuff is all about!!

Good for you for joining WW and starting your road to a healthier you. Now take advantage of that Y membership!! I'd love, love, love to pay only $12.75 a month and have that free personal training. Oh, my, I'm green with envy! BTW, I was heavier than you when I started WW and working out at the Y (in Seattle, no less--how's that for coincidence?). If you don't like working out alone, join a class and don't be afraid of what other people might think. I joined a low impact aerobics class at the Y and was, of course, the biggest person in the class. But it wasn't too long before I wasn't.

A number of years ago, I had a bout with depression and took medication, too. But I think the thing that truly helped me (and got me off the meds) was walking and volunteering. The walking got me up, and the volunteering got me out. I volunteered at an animal shelter, and loved interacting with the dogs and cats and finding them new homes. So I think your doctor has a point when she wants you to start walking. Hope it helps.

Good luck with the exercising--you can do it!

Get to the Y now so you will be an exercise vet by the time the crowds show up at New Years! Try a class - give it at least 4 tries. I used to HATE exercise as well...them days is over for me. You will NOT regret it. BTW - I went from hating exercise to walking to being a spin instructor now.

Edited to add: In the interest of full disclosure - the first year I was a member of a gym I never went either. (It was a really good deal of like $75 a year thru work)The second year I went once.

I'll let you in on a little secret: When (most) people at the gym see an overweight person working out at the gym, their first thought is something like "Good for them, they're getting in shape!" NOT something about how they look. Just by working out shows that you are committed.

When my boyfriend and I started working out together, I expressed concern of how I would look jogging and he told me that.

You're doing a GOOD thing by working out, so go for it! Don't be worried about how you look because soon enough, you'll be looking great!

I'll let you in on another secret: exercising makes you happy. It can literally make you high and that's why some people get addicted to running and/or working out. I think that's why your doctor wants to to walk for an hour each day, because your mood will definitely improve when you do, and you might not even need the drugs any more.

You're off to a good start, now GO!

I'm in a counseling program and one of the things that we talk about in lots of classes is depression because it's so prevalent. Everything I have learned so far says that multiple studies have shown that when exercise is compared to medication for treating depression that exercise does as well or BETTER than medication. The best bet is to combine medication that works for you with exercise.

I'm on Wellbutrin mostly to help with ADHD but also for depression and since I've added exercise I feel so great I'm constantly walking around with a big grin on my face. One of my professors today said "I like it when you're so cheerful." (I was a big grouch last year lol)

Anyway even if you just walk to the mailbox and back it can realllllly help.

Hi Rodeo, I have adhd, too. LOL I have such a goofy brain. When I was at my Drs. today, she asked how I was doing on that...she did write a prescription for a new med for me, plain ritalin makes me sweaty ( I mean hyperhidrosis sweaty) So I am now going to take the new Vyvanse.

With the "prescription" for walking 45-60 minutes a day and the new adhd med, I hope to be in a good place mentally! Being adhd and goofy due to forgetting, procrastinating or isolating due to the wonkiness of my brain tends to increase my depression. Grrrrr....

I'm going to the "Y" tomorrow, signing up for the free personal training and am planning on wearing work out type clothes already, my final stop at the "Y" is going to be the treadmill. I know I can do the treadmill without looking dorky or sweating too much AND they are "safe" meaning something I'm already familiar with.

Wish me luck. As with all the folks here, Rodeogirl, I appreciate your encouragement!

Exercise is AMAZING. Seriously. This is me - Ms. Couch Potato telling you that. Even my guy mentioned the other day that I am such a happier person when I'm going to the gym on a regular basis. (Then he scolded me and told me not to skip the gym again!)

When I started working out I weighed exactly what you do - and I am 3" shorter. So I can relate to the jiggle factor. The thing is that truly nobody else looks at you or cares. Seriously. I used to think people were watching me ... and they're just not. Most of the time if someone is "staring" at you, they're really gazing off into the distance thinking about their own exercise and you just happen to me in the line of their unfocused gaze.

And I'll second or third the suggestion that you go NOW and get used to the gym before the New Year's rush happens. Go take advantage of your fre etraining sessions to learn how the machines work and get a routine together. Because come January the gym will be *packed* beyond belief with the people who made New Year's resolutions and then it really is frustrating trying to learn how to use the machines or build up to something.

Go now. You'll feel sooooo much better for it. I promise!

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