When depression is accompanied by exhaustion, exercise becomes an impossible “must-do.” Where do you get the energy to increase energy by exercising?

As a person who has depression, alcoholism, and exhaustion, I find I feel better if I take a slow walk around the block. I try to notice nature, kids playing, dogs playing or being walked, and the like.
If I’m “crabbin” about work, my significant other, or whatever, I do feel in a better mood. I try to get to AA or my support group a little early, and walk for 10 min or so. It does help (I admit I don’t know what I’m gonna do in winter, though).

Walking has always been what’s done it for me.
I’m finding I have a very real, similarly to how you described it, inertia issue — it’s tough for me to get off my behind, but once I do, I can and indeed want to go (at a moderate pace, mind you) like the Energizer Bunny. I’ve gone for more than a few 2-hour (6-mile) walks this summer. (And this is a guy who’s 40 pounds overweight, so that’s saying something.)
But I used to be 50 pounds overweight … progress, not perfection …

Theresa Bouchard~
You are soooooooooo inspiring,and I really admire your ability to articulate our feelings! You are truly a gift to those of us so afflicted,who have lost hope…in the medical community who give up on trying new Rx,and tx. So many of our professionals DO NOT understand the pain of this illness.You look at it from different perspectives,and consider all aspects of the wholeness of a person and the ramifications of the loss of ourselves…the loss of our own souls.
You outline “helps” from support systems,all the way to exercise.Thank God for people like you! I love you!
Please don’t post…I just want you to know how I feel about you! You do God’s work so gracefully!
Colleen Gleason

Colleen, thanks for saying how I feel about Therese, too. God bless you.

I find that doing a tae bo, or kick boxing
exercise alows me to let go of any build up
anger. By thinking of where the anger comes from,
then fighting it as I punch or kick. Its such a
release, and I dont find myself depressed, or eating
to much at night, as I once did. Why take a antidepressant
pill, when the pill is already in you. Use your strength,
Fight the pain.
Sarah, San Antonio, Tx

These tips are great. I exercise on a regular basis and have found that walking at our indoor Mall is good in the winter(too cold for outdoors and good for summer(when too hot). Also, I am a member of Curves, International and exercise there 3x a week. Last summer, and until around February of this year I had a bout of clinical depression that took a life of it’s own. Even when I didn’t ‘feel’ like walking, I did it anyway and always felt much better after with more energy. God made our bodies to move and feel the beauty of movement. I know that exercise, walking combined with a Curves workout benefits my mental outlook 100%. Blessings and prayers for all those ‘thinking’ about exercising even when you don’t ‘feel’ like it or ‘want to’.

The last post was mine and I didn’t sign my name and location.
Regards
Sherione
Central TX

what kind of exercise can a77 year old lady do to inprove my total body? i have heart problems and COPD!

I have the same condition ad posted by bette. Triple by-pass, diabetic and arthritic knees. Walking hurts the knees. What kind of exercies and how much is suggested.

How about aqua-exercising in a pool? It’s not hard on the knees and one gets to fully move one’s body, which is good for core strength.

I have problems with my knees also. I’m overweight and on my feet all day at work (daycare)I try to do Tae-Bo, I love it! Great workout, but since I can’t do a lot of knee workouts, I do some until my knees start to hurt. Years back I did the Tae-Bo and lost inches. They do a lot of kicking, like kick-boxing, that helps lose. I also can’t do a lot of walking, because of the knees. I do love to exercise tho.

Have you ever tried using the herb Oregano.Eaten raw it is an incredible “pain killer”. Start with at least one half of a tablespoon.Great after excercise to kill the pain.

THIS ARTICLE IS RIGHT ON TIME!!!! I SUFFER WITH ACUTE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. I TRY TO LIFT LIGHT WEIGHTS FOR REPS AND IT IMPROVES NOT ONLY THE ANXIETY BUT THE RESULTS MAKE ME FEEL THAT MUCH BETTER TOO.

Dear sir,
I am Mr.JAYASHANKER, Of 66 years old DOCTERS told me that I am having
RIGHT BUNDLE BLOCK from my [ECG]Electro cardio gram.WHEN I WALK IAM ABLE
TO SEE MY HANDS AND FINGERS ARE SWLLING. PLEAS TELL ME WHAT TYPE OF
EXCERSISE SUITABLE TO ME?

I am a Mom of a 4yr old baby girl and she keeps me busy, she started school today and now I have the blues. I am overweight, I am always depressed and dieting, but whenever I excersise I really do feel better, but I am not seeing results. I need to know what excersises to do to see results, tummy, buns,and thighs, are my problem areas. Please help.

This message is replying to Alisha, the mother of the four-year old little girl. having lost some 55 pounds in the past ten years, I just wanted to encourage you some. The key to beginning and then persisting (fitness/depression recovery) can be found in your spirit’s yearning to be honored and delighted in, particularly by you. Once you realize the value and force of that spirit, you will find the faith to ‘spiff it up’ in all sorts of ways: By connecting to and embracing that innermost element of yourself you will find and then build a solid foundation, from which you will be able to extend in any direction, because you will know ‘whatcha got’, what your tools are.
A restlessness starts to take over, and the body really feels the need to delight in itself too. The delight is sort of your own responsibility to fan and and fortify, but it feeds on itself, and soon you just gotta go skip, swing, roll, climb, etc. just because it is so much fun!! After several months of just thinking ‘One more bloody step on this jog…’ -pant -pant… I one day realized that I had run a mile simply enjoying the birds, river, sky, etc. A year later I was running up to 7 miles.
(An interesting side effect of this work was that it seemed that, lo, all the jerks disappeared from my life – my ‘emotional hooks’ were gone.)
Every step counts, as little as it might be. We are all worth every step towards liberation and joy.
I hope this helps you somehow.
Best of luck to you and your little woman…

If “U” R EXTREMELY DEPRESSED, HOW CAN “U” (I) FORCE MYSELF 2 WORKOUT? I KNOW I NEED 2, DESPERATELY. HOPE 2 HEAR BACK F/ “U”.
THANK – “U” & SINCERELY,
Tina Meerovitz

Tina, I hope that read this because I suffer from Major Depression also and I used to attempt to exercise for everyone else,(ex-boyfriends, my doctors,and other folks)I even went to the gym to “work out” But ended up falling off the Treadmill..I now know what color my skin is cause I left most of it on the treadmill OUCH
After that painful experience I vowed never to step foot in a gym again! That was a few years ago, however over the past few months, Something has come over me–I really think that GOD was hitting me on the head…Anyway I have been excerising FOR ME.I read magazines trying to find excercises that “fit” me,I’ve been trying to make an effort to DO SOMETHING at least once a week. I know that the experts say two/three times a week but I say “some movement is better than none” As far as my depression vs my once a week exercise workout day which is Thursday,it gives me somthing to look forward to. I workout by attempting to jumping jacks, side kicks, high knees, walking sometimes I even make up my own :O)and after I cool down, I do feel better.I do have a workout buddy “current” boyfriend and my depression is still there,but for an hour and half one day a week I am working to making my mind and body feel better.
My advise for you Tina, is to pick a day,do any type of movement that you feel confortable with, clear your mind AND go for it. WARNING you will be SORE…but you’ll feel a little about you!!!and that is what is most important.PEACE
CDE/Detroit,MI

Hey Jayashanker, I am 26 years old and I have been an avid walker since 16. When you put your hands up by your heart instead of swinging down by your hips you get better blood flow to your fingers, try putting your arms up by your heart and see if your fingers wont get numb, hope this helps you!
Alisha G., Don’t give up girlfriend, your doing good, Keep on girl don’t stop. You know it does feels great when you work out.
After I lost the 95 pounds I put on with my 6 year old(lots of emotional eating) I was really scared of putting the wieght back on, I love to eat, any time, when i’m happy I eat, sad i eat, excited, you get the picture. I decided to take a new look at my success, I was verry frustrated after 2 months of doing 100 situps a day EVERY day that I still couldn’t see results. Well It takes about 6 months to notice a difference in your stomach.
Okay, forget it, I decided to not work out with the intentions of having a moviestar body anymore. I don’t think about the results anymore, it really frustrated me to and I quit working out because of it. Now I workout because I need to to stay healthy and live a long comfortable life, I do it for health not really for looks thats just one of the many perks, so keep on alisha have faith in yourself and you will see results. Sincerely,
Ashley
P.S. Jogging is great for dropping wieght, if you eat right and jog about 2 miles 5 days a week you will definetly see results within 2 months. It takes about 1 hour fifteen minutes and that includes your 5 minute warm up and cool down.