I am really struggling with this! I am about 5.5 months post op. The first three months I worked out a lot, hated every second of it, but I did it. Here I am a month and a half later really struggling to continue working out. I didn't for a long time, and this week I did 40 minutes 4 days a week on the arc trainer. I got done today and seriously asked myself if this is something I can see myself doing long term realistically. The answer is no. If I can make myself continue to do it, it will be til I get to goal weight and then I will just rely on nutrition. Since I really don't plan on working out consistently forever, should I just stop now and take the slow weight loss instead of getting to goal by working my rear end off and then stopping? I'm just babbling. Is anyone losing weight without working out?

Not arguing but actually I feel that having real milk instead of skim milk would be the healthy choice. have that full fat milk and eat one less snack! Not all fat is the enemy.

http://butterbeliever.com/fat-free-dairy-skim-milk-secrets/

I like you. Please don't think in calling you out or anything. We were created to move. To use our muscles day in and day out. Not push buttons and barely lift a finger like most of us do this day and age. I believe we all NEED fairly intense exercise. Not just cardio.

I workout almost everyday even if its just walking for 30mins. I don't do more than 45mins because I have a life but I like how exercise makes me feel you have to find something you enjoy or at least tolerate.

Maybe your body is resisting because you are so close to your goal weight. I mean the closer we come to our goal weight the more our body freaks out and tries to maintain. I love to exercise! The only time I don't enjoy it is when it causes me some sort of pain.

if you truly don't enjoy exercising, then I agree with everyone else...find something you enjoy.

You can lose weight while not working out, diet is the most important factor, but look at folks who've lost a ton of weight by restricting calories and not working out much, and then look at folks who worked out and get their diet on track. The difference will make you want to work out. Everyone is different and everyone has different goals, mine wasn't only weight loss, it was also not looking like I sewed on 50 pounds of extra skin from a cadaver.

I exercised like a fiend from week 1 and I still look like someone sewed a cadaver onto me. But I feel like I could climb mountains and run through a brick wall. I never imagined I could feel this strong and this light on my feet.

Sadly, I'm still a lazy ass at heart. Funny how that never changed.

That's awesome "MinkyWinks"! I can relate to the feeling of being out of sorts if I don't exercise or how great I feel after I do exercise. Sure, I'm a little tired, but feel even better than I did right before my workout. For most of us, I don't really think there's a need to exercise endlessly or do hours and hours of cardio a week. From what I've read, spurts of exercise, even 15/20 mins a day is usually very beneficial.

You're right about the short spurts. The other day I went to the track and did 30 minutes of interval running. I ran a 5K sprinting 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds. At the end I had burned 500 calories per my HR monitor. I cooled down, went home and sat on the porch for a bit relaxing. I didn't do anything but sit there, and over the next 30 minutes I burned another 300 calories just sitting on my ass. I forgot to stop my HR monitor and it was still ticking. Under any other circumstance, no way would I ever burn close to 300 calories just sitting on my butt. The after burn for intense exercise is very real and makes it a highly efficient workout and the most bang for your buck.

I f**king hate exercising! And I get pissed when I read people that never exercise losing tremendous amounts of weight! (Sorry)

Ohhhhh. This resonates SO strongly with me, complete with my favorite pejorative!!

Ohhhhh. This resonates SO strongly with me' date=' complete with my favorite pejorative!![/quote']

MEEEE TOOOO LOLOL!!!

Sadly' date=' I'm still a lazy ass at heart. Funny how that never changed.[/quote']

Me too. I can think up so many excuses that would prevent me getting to the gym or to yoga. Even now, as I sit here having a snack before going to a body attack class, I am thinking up excuses that we see me stay right here on the couch. Funny thing is, I enjoy it when I am there, and totally love it after I have exercised. It is just getting my ass there that remains the battle for me. Not giving in to the little voice in my head that comes up with all sorts of perfectly valid reasons NOT to exercise.

You're right about the short spurts. The other day I went to the track and did 30 minutes of interval running. I ran a 5K sprinting 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds. At the end I had burned 500 calories per my HR monitor. I cooled down' date=' went home and sat on the porch for a bit relaxing. I didn't do anything but sit there, and over the next 30 minutes I burned another 300 calories just sitting on my ass. I forgot to stop my HR monitor and it was still ticking. Under any other circumstance, no way would I ever burn close to 300 calories just sitting on my butt. The after burn for intense exercise is very real and makes it a highly efficient workout and the most bang for your buck.[/quote']

Oooohhhhh! I am going to leave my HR monitor on and try this!

I exercised like a fiend from week 1 and I still look like someone sewed a cadaver onto me. But I feel like I could climb mountains and run through a brick wall. I never imagined I could feel this strong and this light on my feet.

Sadly, I'm still a lazy ass at heart. Funny how that never changed.

LoL this post is my first giggle of the day!! I say I'm a lazy bum, but my 2000 SF house is clean, I'm literally sprint up the stairs and back down, countless times every day. I vacuum the house a couple of times a week, I sweep the patio and do a little work in the yard. I walk the mall and I park as far out as I can, even when it's over 100 degrees. I do NOT call any of this exercise, I did all of this, minus the "sprinting" up the stairs, prior to surgery. All this said, I haven't darkened the doorway of a "gym" in years, and won't pretend I'm going to now.

Not arguing but actually I feel that having real milk instead of skim milk would be the healthy choice. have that full fat milk and eat one less snack! Not all fat is the enemy.

http://butterbelieve...m-milk-secrets/

I like you. Please don't think in calling you out or anything. We were created to move. To use our muscles day in and day out. Not push buttons and barely lift a finger like most of us do this day and age. I believe we all NEED fairly intense exercise. Not just cardio.

Hi Amy!!! I am not offended, and I don't think you're calling me out!!I agree, we were made to move. I didn't "sit around" before losing weight, but boy, I never get tired since losing 85 lbs. It really is wonderful!! We went to New Orleans, parked our car in a parking garage and didn't see it again for four days. No doubt we got our 10,000 steps in every day. We walked every where. We walked so much I had to buy a pair of flip flops and take my Toms off, I got a blister on my heel!! I think my favorite 'exercise' that isn't exercise, is folding the clothes and running up and down the stairs to put them away here at home. Funny thing is, I don't consider it exercise, but I guess some would. LoL

About the skim milk, we switched totally to skim almost twenty years ago, but when my husband got a stent in his heart a year prior to my surgery it was a must. We had to meet with the cardiac dietitian and after talking to her and his cardiologist, our way of life changed drastically, he says there is nothing like having baling wire shoved up your groin to get your attention! There are some things I cannot waver on, no matter what is said, we must err on the side of caution and listen to the cardiologist, it was a real wake up call!! I do use 2% or whole milk in my coffee when we go to Starbucks, it's a treat!!

Thanks for the post.....have a great first week of July!!!

Me too! It doesn't last long enough around here to amount to much! >.<

ROFLMAO!!!! This ALSO resonates with me, damnit!!

I am really struggling with this! I am about 5.5 months post op. The first three months I worked out a lot' date=' hated every second of it, but I did it. Here I am a month and a half later really struggling to continue working out. I didn't for a long time, and this week I did 40 minutes 4 days a week on the arc trainer. I got done today and seriously asked myself if this is something I can see myself doing long term realistically. The answer is no. If I can make myself continue to do it, it will be til I get to goal weight and then I will just rely on nutrition. Since I really don't plan on working out consistently forever, should I just stop now and take the slow weight loss instead of getting to goal by working my rear end off and then stopping? I'm just babbling. Is anyone losing weight without working out?[/quote']

Even though I am pre op, I find that I love to dance. So I found some free dance classes in my area and go every other Friday when they are happening. I am truly enjoying myself cause I am doing something I love while getting in some exercise. You know yourself better than anyone. Don't look at it as a chore! Look at it as a way to have some fun in the summer. There's volleyball at the beach, dumbbells you can use anywhere. Even if you have a desk job, you can pull them out for five minutes at a time. It doesn't have to be 30 minutes straight but little bursts of exercise is better than none. Wish you the best.

My Nutrition class, Psych eval, and physician meet is on August 12th. My surgery date will follow thereafter. I'm not much of a person who likes to exercise but, after having such an invasive surgery, I WILL LISTEN TO MY PHYSICIAN... I am so not going to mess around with this. This surgery will be my only hope as I have struggled all my life with my weight and have always been obese. Good luck!

1. Find something you enjoy. It's different for everyone and it may take a while to find your thing.

2. Plan your physical activities and schedule them just like you would any other appointment that you would need to make. Do this at the beginning of the week. Have it on your calendar so that you can see it, and that it becomes important to you, and that you honor it just like any other important thing in your life.

3.. Be open to new physical experiences. Stop thinking with your "fat brain" and give the person who was courageous enough to have this surgery room to grow.

4. Try multiple things. For instance, I hate weight lifting but, I know I need to build muscle so I've found a 20 minute intense regime that I can live with and and be on occasion even fun. I counter that by doing yoga several times a week, in fact almost every day, which has become much more than just exercise to me.

5. The offset: a bad day of eating is ok every once in a while if your activity is fairly consistent.

6. The bottom line is just be active. Do things that require you to move. Walk, run, kayak, Yoga, anything just move.

7. The take away: Increased activity plus using the muscle that you are building will help you burn those calories and meet your goals.