Hey guys...
I've been really in a slump the past few days and I think a lot of it has to do with the short days and crappy weather. I'm from SC and it is easy to grow accustomed to the sunny, hot mugginess. When winter finally does roll in, I always get kind of down.
Anyway, so not only am I not motivated to work out or eat right, but I'm not really motivated to do anything -- school work, errands, etc. I feel weak that my mood is so connected to the weather, but that is really the only thing that has changed.
The worst part is that I know that working out and getting all my work done would make me feel better, and so NOT doing it only makes me feel even worse.

I was just wondering if you guys have any strategies for dealing with this type of feeling. What cheers you up and makes you wanna get up and go when you REALLY just want to sit on the couch and watch daytime tv?

I'm feeling about the same as you right now, but I realized yesterday how badly I want to lose weight so I got right back on plan. I went to the gym yesterday, I'm tired of making excuses to myself and got right back on my healthy eating plan. I think it helped me to look at old pictures of myself and know that I don't ever want to be back there. Getting to my goal weight is so important to me, that I said screw excuses, they're not helping anything.

Just get back into it, don't let yourself make excuses, hold yourself accountable for food and exercise. You already know that working out and eating healthy make you feel better, so just get back to it.

You're probably going to hate me for saying this, but after living through 22 freezing cold winters on the east coast (Philadelphia, NJ, Boston & Virginia), I moved w/ my family to Arizona this past July...boy what a difference! If you can get through the 115 degree summers (but it's a dry heat ), you are rewarded during the fall, winter and spring seasons with absolutely gorgeous weather...sunshine, warm temps and blue skies almost every day! This is our first fall/winter out here, and so far temps have been in the 70's-80's and it's been over a month since we've had any rainfall. It does dip down into the 40's overnight, but I can live w/ that....I was watching a local morning show called Sonoran Living Live and they were saying that a lot of people are bringing their Thanksgiving dinners OUTside into the backyard...it really is that nice out here...please don't hate me!

When I lived in Boston w/ my older sister, she would get depressed in the fall due to the decreasing daylight hours and the colder weather....so she began to tan in a tanning bed. She claims that the light really helps her mood. Maybe that's something you want to look into?

And you may want to consider moving to the West Coast after you graduate....just a thought.

Yeah, I wasn't much help, was I?

It's still nice and warm, a bit TOO warm, here in the OC, Southern California. I want my winter already! I miss the rain, the clean crisp air.

I'm a complete opposite. When it's a gloomy day, theres nothing better than to work out for me.

Winter stinks here as well (midwest) I would rather be on the couch dozing to the kiddo play. But....do I want to be miserable or go run and get to watch some tv for me? (not cartoons and such) I agree that tanning helps my mood cause I get to rest for about 12 minutes and I look good too

I have to disagree about the tanning bed, the long term effects of "looking good" from tanning, I believe, are not worth it. Tanning can cause sunburn (obviously), premature aging of the skin, skin cancer, retinal damage to your eyes, damage to the vascular system of the body and MANY other things. I know this is not the point of the post, but I had to throw in my two cents about tanning, it really does scare me that so many people care so much about being tan that they risk so much.

One thing that helps me get motivated is getting out the pair of jeans or that cute shirt that I will fit into once I've lost the weight. I look at that item of clothing and think that I put on so much weight that I can't fit into it anymore. I'll be damned if I don't get back into those jeans Then I pick my butt off that couch and do some exercises LOL Okay I'm off to do some leg lifts

On a bad day, I pick one productive thing and then do it. Like you said, we feel better when we accomplish our tasks. Even if I've only done one small thing, I feel like I haven't wasted the day.

I agree with the tanning. Not every day but once in awhile, it does me sooooo much better.. and yea yea yea you hear all the horror stories about this and that... well all in all we will pass away eventually with soemthing or other.. So live life to the fullest .I wouldnt go EVERYDAY... but mabye 3 times a week. and I DEF do not go all year just winter and a lil bit fall....

I go 3x a week for 12 minutes each. I tan more in the winter time than in the summer cause I am outside all the time getting real sun. I like coming out the bed all nice and warm especially on cold days. I know I am going to die someday, but I am not going to shield myself from everything that "might" cause cancer. Tanning is my little motivator for me to exercise.

I'm feeling the great winter blues too! I'm off to my kickboxing class next and I'm hoping that will lift me out of the slump I've been in for the past couple of days! Also, I just force myself to eat salad! It tastes nice and you know you're doing your body some good, even though you'd rather have a jam roly poly!

Try and find some "comforting" healthy foods, like scrambled eggs on toast, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, air-popped popcorn, egg fried rice, stuff that's healthy and warming and satisfying without being trash!