The Forces are Against me!!!

Ever felt like the world is out to get you? Well I certainly do!

Let me explain myself. I have been a 'pudgy pigeon' my entire life. And around three years ago a 'Personal Trainer' friend of mine sat me down and gave me a very stern talking to. Although at the time I did not appreciate what he had to say, in the year following on from there, I got my life in order and started working religiously at losing weight and gaining my life back.

Within 9 months I had shed close on 20 kilograms. Something I did not believe was possible and to add further boost to this story, I kept it off for almost 18 months. That is, of course, until I decided to play russian roulette with gravity and broke my leg in a motorbike accident.

For all intensive purposes my ego took a major dent and my surgeon warned me that I would consequently pick up weight and to be weary of the fidget 'hand-mouth' syndrome. But being the arrogant little biker chick from the north, I would not have any of this. If I managed to keep it off for 18 months, a broken leg was not going to change that.

IF ONLY I listened to the doctors. Here I sit, 6 months later, leg still batteling to heal and back to square one with 20 kilo's to shed from my very healthy posterior. Which is pretty hard when one cannot do simple things like going for a nice long walk, or even, forbid, a jog. Over and above the lack of physical energy, my metabolism has dwindled to a near non-existent pace and to re-energize the very unit that has for years cursed me is a burden I am starting to admit is beyond me.

I am lucky that I have a good friend who is trying to keep me in high spirits as we compare our weekly successes and failures. As much as I appreciate the weekly update, in most cases his success is better than mine and the ego has a 'hickup' and that nasty little voice returns, "why bother ... accept your defeat!"

So I guess what I am trying to say / ask: How does one ignore that voice, when every aspect of our lives seem to be against us? I recall my mother's teaching, anything valuable is an uphill battle.

Granted, but where the cloudless mercy is the elevator then???

Double your veggies, give yourself a manicure instead of a bowl of ice cream...perhaps water aerobics for exercise?

Just start one day at a time, count your calories.  Maintain a 500 calorie deficit, but still get the minimum at least 1200F/1500M +300teen +%exercise.

Slowly, the pounds will come off.  Find substitutions for your favorite indulgences.  For pizza, I have one or two of the tiny cheese pizzas and a pound of broccoli or artichoke hearts, just as filling, but I am not tempted by left overs.  Go for some dark chocolate of really good quality for a treat.

Hey, would you like some cheese to go with that whine?

Did you really think I was gonna let you give up, you dragged me into this ( but I'll say it again, I was not kicking nor screaming). Besides, you should know by now that I am 10 times worse than those little voices and I'll just bug the hell out of you till I win!

So here's the deal, I'm gonna do the cruel to be kind thing! I can cause I know you'll know I mean well and I know that you'll take me with a pinch of salt! I will congratulate you when you doing well and support you every step of the way and when you not doing well, I will rub the stench of my success in your face until you can handle it no more and pick up to again smell the stench of your own success!

Anyway, thanks for mentioning me! :-)

I know it must be hard to get back on the horse, I went through a similar thing. I started hiking for weight loss and a few weeks later I twisted my ankle quiet badly, it was painful for nearly three months. I also felt sorry for myself, I thought how the "universe" wants me to stay fat. But my injuries healed, I joined CC started some exerciser and I am slowly moving and getting myself in order.

The only thing I can tell you is that life is a journey. There are always ups and downs with all aspects of our lives. People have life altering experiences through out their lives, women get pregnant and usually have to work to get back to their previous shape, people get sick, have accidents, the list goes on. The only constant in life is change.

Have you had physio therapy for your accident it might help you get back on track? 

Good Luck and don't give up!

So what kind of exercise CAN you do now? There's got to be something that's permitted while your leg heals. After six months you shouldn't need to be sitting on the couch 24/7. If nothing else, you can do handweights and work your upper body from a seated position (even ON said couch). Sure it sucks that you had an injury (from the sounds of it a very nasty one...) but your life isn't over. Any form of movement will burn off a few calories and raise your metabolism, not just getting out there and running a marathon.

And if you gained your 20kg back again after your accident, just think how much larger you'd be now if you HADN'T lost all that weight first! You haven't failed, just hit a rather nasty bump in the road.

I have been battling many stresses and hard times lately. My life has been completely changed by a new attitude that I have recently adopted. Basically it can be summed up by this:

"SUCK IT UP and STOP BEING A %^*@# (MEOW)."

I'm not saying to workout through pain but always workout through mental pain. When I'm on the treadmill and I feel like I am going to die, I say to myself, "suck it up and stop being a %^*@# (meow)." When I stopped smoking over 30 days ago, I said the same thing. I smoked non-stop for over 12 years. I tried everything before to quit and it took my "suck it up and stop being a @#$%* (meow)" attitude to finally do it. I had substantial credit card debt for years and I recently erased all of it with the same attitude.

I fell off the horse too! I lost 10 lbs and hit the gym 4 days a week for 7 months and then it happened. I got sick and just didn't go back. I felt the same way as you; depressed, unmotivated, etc. Now I'm back in and it sucks. Going to the gym is somewhat depressing, because I am just redoing what I already did, but yet somewhat motivating because it makes me want to get to the point that I left off and exceed that. But I am not a @#$%& (meow) and I will not accept defeat.

I attribute most of my issues to instant gratification. As in, smoking, spending money I didn't have, eating whatever I wanted, sitting on the couch motionless watching TV, etc. Instant gratification, ruled my life for almost my entire existence and I realized that I was just being a @#$*% (meow). In reference to your "uphill battle", instant gratification is like collecting scraps at the bottom of a hill. At the end of the day, your still at the bottom of the hill.

Call yourself out. Ask yourself, "am I a @#$&% (meow)." I will bet that the answer is no so don't act like one. Take charge of your life and fight.

By the way, the elevator has been broken for the entire time that I have worked here at LIFE! I too wish that someone would fix it but it's not going to happen.

One more thing. You don't have to workout to shed the weight. Eating is 75% of the battle. Start there.

The experience that you are going through can teach you a lot about you and it can be something that really helps someone else also down the road.  There are several things you can do - while you can't work your legs - why not your upper body?  You can do dumbbell curls - shoulders and triceps - and chest. You can also take this time to study nutrition and the effect on the body.  You could get into sewing "Biker quilts", you can do a lot.  Try not to just give up and say to yourself it can't be done.  It can be done and you can do it. You will need to start one step and one day at a time.  Try writing down your goals.  What you can see yourself doing in your current state and what you would like to try in this state.  Look into things and areas that interest you and things that you have thought about getting into - write them down randomly. Once everything is written down then start to organize them into - yes I know I can easy to what might be a challenge.  Then  start with the easy and work your way up.

I broke my back in 3 places and had head injuries.  I was in a coma for 5 days.  When I got out of the hospital and had to go through rehabilitation - I discovered the gym. Then years later smoking took over and now that I have quit smoking, lost all my muscles and had lost all my desire to better myself, gained 50 pounds, I have found that what I learned at the gym - was still waiting for me and now changes are happening. I am 51 and I am here to tell you that this ain't nothin but a thing.  What you do with it - is what counts.  Do you let it own you or do you own this circumstance. 

Your choice.

Tommy great post and congrats to you on 30 days of freedom!!! Keep up the great quit!

I have been quit for 2 Years, 3 Months, 1 Week, 16 hours, 55 minutes and 50 seconds (830 days). I have saved $4,984.23 by not smoking 24,921 cigarettes. I have saved 2 Months, 3 Weeks, 4 Days, 12 hours and 45 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 10/28/2006 9:00 PM

Lauri

So sorry you are going through this now, but don't give in because you are stronger than that voice. On the rehab unit where l work, the patients use these rubber bands, l guess it is the same as the resistance bands that you can buy at the store. One of the physical therapists gave me one and l use it at home.

l don't know the severity of your accident but it could be something to look into.

If you belong to a gym, there are lots you can do there do, there are 2 ppl in wheelchairs that come to my gym, one had a stroke and the other is a quadriplegic.

If you can use your hands maybe gets some dumbells and do something with it. That plus eating about 6times a day will speed up ur metabolism, if you don't lose weight you will not gain any either. Goodluck and get well soon.