Welcome to /r/EOOD

Care to share your successes of this week, whether exercise or others? What went well, what is promising, what do you feel good about? If you have any selfies and progress pics to share, now is your chance

Hi All- For reference, I’m a 46 y/o male and went from being completely sedentary to quite literally being in the best shape I’ve been in my entire life. I don’t have a super athletic background but, these past 3 years I really pushed my body’s limits to try & continue improving my fitness and hopefully live a much healthier, active & longer life.

Quick backstory: Went from 325lbs at a height of 6’ 4” and diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes from said sedentary lifestyle. Used to live in a small studio apartment and barely left my apartment (during the COVID / Lockdown / Quarantine era.) Ate 💩food and rarely left my apartment (like not even to walk outside or get sun.)

Fast-forward a little over 3 years and moved from that apartment to a 1 Bedroom apartment and work from home (primarily.) I managed to fall in love with the gym (mostly HiiT workouts and Strength & Conditioning) as well as Hot Yoga classes. Along with improving my diet and physical / physique (lost over 115lbs - down to 210lbs now and no longer Type 2 Diabetic) fitness provided a social component and was paramount to my mental health. If I ever felt sad, angry, depressed or anxious, the gym (or yoga) always provided relief.

Close to 3 months ago, began having pains in my right mid / upper-back (scapular area and shoulder. ) Continued to workout & “push through the pain” until it got too intense and decided to take some time off to recover. Ended-up going through 1x round (5 weeks) of physical therapy but, much like my fitness, I was doing my P/T exercises daily (no rest days) and likely exacerbated the problem. After completing the first round of physical therapy with little to no improvement, was able to convince my primary care physician to order MRI’s.

Diagnosis was Bursitis / Tendinitis in the shoulder & Scapular Dyskinesia.

Was given a cortisone shot in the rear of the shoulder but, that didn’t really help too much. Doctors’ gave me the option of taking 6-8 weeks off or trying a 2nd round of physical therapy. Opted for the latter because in my mind: “motion is lotion" (for the body.) This time I’ve been trying to listen to my body and take a rest day (or two) in between in-person physical therapy and the “at-home” assigned exercises.

I’ve made some progress but, still get super sore / pain kicks-up the day after any activity. The physical therapist in charge of my care this second time around has advised that I still may be “over-doing” it and NOT to do the assigned exercises at home if I’m in pain / sore from previous days (I realize that sounds like common sense but, again, I figured some light activity would help.)

I'm about 3 months in and I would be lying if I said I wasn't depressed and my anxiety has been at an all-time high from the lack of strenous activity. I sometimes feel a bit hopeless but I know people go through way worse for much longer periods of time. I am trying to be more patient and give myself some grace in this time and also work on my mental health (via in-person therapy.) Also trying other low-impact things to stay somewhat active. I walk outdoors and try to hit about 10k steps (as a minimum) daily. Haven’t gone as far as incorporating lower body exercises (aside from stretching) since I usually have to use the upper body as leverage / anchoring for any weighted exercises.

I’m positive many of you have been through similar situations and just curious how long the recovery took for you all & what that looked like.

Also would love to hear how you kept yourself busy (or entertained) when you weren’t able to go the gym (nor do yoga) and what kind-of effect that had on your mental health (if any?)

Appreciate any words of encouragement and hearing your own experiences.

Wishing you all a speedy recovery in whatever you may be going through. 🤕

Socializing can help depression, as can thinking of others, community service, caring for loved ones. Care to share any social activities that you have participated in this week or are planning to?

How have you unwound this week? Any creative projects you would like to share?

Not sustainable as in reducing your impact on the planet (maybe another time) but being able to keep on exercising day in day out.

I was rowing every day back in October / November. At least 5000m often 10000m. Then from about mid November I stopped rowing completely for reasons. I have picked it up again in the last couple of weeks.

While its been a pleasant surprise to find that I haven't lost anywhere near as much endurance as I thought I would I am not rushing to build up distance again. This week I did three sessions of 6500m each. I feel like I could easily have rowed 8000m or more after each one. I had plenty of gas left in the tank each time.

I know that if I go all in and try for 10000m next week I will probably manage it on Monday but will be sore as hell and probably not row again all week. Its far better to build up relatively slowly and carefully. That way I can keep rowing and not get stuck in a boom and bust cycle. Rowing more frequently is more important that rowing one good distance once.

Consistency is key.

Which workouts are you currently focusing on? What have you done to EOOD this week??

Have you tried something new that has helped you?

It doesn't have to be exercise related at all. Books, music, podcasts, tv, websites, organisations all help. Or it could be something someone said in passing that helped you and they have probably forgotten all about.

I’ve been dealing with severe heel and Achilles pain for over three months and have also been out of the exercise game that long too. Even strength training can aggravate the pain (unless it’s purely using upper body). I finally went to the doctor and am in the slow process of being referred to a specialized. But my mental health is declining the longer I go without exercise and I feel stuck.

Without being able to even walk far without pain, I don’t feel like I can effectively warm up even if I just wanted to do upper body workouts somehow. Spring is coming fast where I live and this is the season for hiking here because summer is much too hot and winter is too cold and foggy. I feel worse thinking about missing out on spring outside this year. How did you work through injuries or long recoveries?

Taking the overall pulse here. How are you? If not well, think whether there are any positives to share as well to balance negatives. But of course, if you need to vent, know we are here to listen.

I (F20) go to a college pretty renowned for partying and Greek life, and I love to workout (daily if possible) but I just can't stand the atmosphere of the university gym. It was actually ranked #1 for the party scene (I don't participate) so some of the people here can be really obsessed about their appearance and some people are incredibly snooty/judgmental.

Anyways, I was literally minding my own business, trying to do bulgarian squats, when two girls walked over to where I was standing and burst out into laughter, looking directly into my eyes. I have a history of social anxiety but its only developed at college, where I have had several incidents with disrespectful people. I tried to calm myself down by thinking they could've been laughing about anything, but then I overhear one of them say in a hushed tone that still carries over several feet so they were clearly intending for me to hear "that girl..oh my god, what is she wearing? God, her socks are so ugly" (they were gray and I was wearing a simple Lulu lemon outfit).

I literally just put the weights down, went into the bathroom, and locked myself in the stall. I feel like I'm going crazy. The two girls came in cackling and said "oh my god I see her here like everyday she has nof friends" and when I walked out they fell silent, smirked at me, and when I came out of the bathroom I heard that same hushed tone talking about me. I can't stand this college anymore. Everytime I go to the gym there are always people making rude and unneccessary comments about everyone working out, to be fair they appear to be Greek life people, but why can't they mind their own business? I've never talked to anyone disrespectfully, I haven't done anything, all I want to do is get a workout in without people staring, making comments, or judging me. Last week, when I went, I did squats with my hair down (forgot my hair tie) and I heard a couple frat guys snickering, "look at that wh**re. She's trying to get attention." Then one of the guys said "Yea, all girls at this state university are like that." I've never talked to them, I don't know anything about them and they don't anything about me, but because they saw me working out, they immediately jumped to a horrible conclusion.

Working out isn't enjoyable here anymore. I don't have a car but when I did get a chance to use a gym off campus I felt like I could finally breathe and relax without fear of being perceived/judged. I've developed severe anxiety and depression and I'm sorry if this comes off as a bit of a rant. Even though I love fitness, I hate how my anxiety is getting in the way of getting a good workout in.

Does anyone here have any advice or been in a similar situation? I could really use some right now.

Have you been mindful lately? Made any useful observations that have helped you and could help others? Share any efforts especially ones that change your mind or attitude, meditation efforts, positive thinking, and gratitudes.

In addition or alternatively, have you had any successes in improving what you eat? Any good recipes to share?

Setting yourself a task to do something for your own personal benefit and not just completing it but doing a good job can give you a greati feeling. It doesn't have to be smashing a personal best. When I was on a psych ward I counted cleaning my teeth as a major accomplishment for a given day.

I find it hard to have a sense of accomplishment when I am at work. I write code for a living and while its good to be able do a good job I am not doing the work for my own benefit, its making the executives of the company I work for richer.

This means that a lot of my accomplishments are exercise based. I had a good session on my rowing machine this morning, I am working on rowing with fewer strokes per minute but with same output and that requires putting more effort into each stroke. To do that requires concentration and a lot of physical effort. When I get it right I can feel it doing me good. Last Wednesday I went to my archery clubs indoor shoot and I shot appallingly. I left early as I was embarrassed at my poor shooting. On Saturday morning I went to the outdoor range. I had more time and space to really focus on what I was doing and shot as well as I have done for about 5 or 6 months. People commented on how well I was doing. I went home feeling proud of myself for putting in the effort and obtaining the result I hoped for.

That's the other thing with accomplishments. You get to be proud of yourself and celebrate them. No matter what they are or how small they seem to other people. If you wanted to stay in bed and pull the covers over your head but you got out of bed and watched tv then you can celebrate that just as much as finishing a marathon. For you today getting out of bed was just as difficult as running 26 miles. Be proud of yourself and celebrate your awesome accomplishments, each and every one of them.

Care to share your successes of this week, whether exercise or others? What went well, what is promising, what do you feel good about? If you have any selfies and progress pics to share, now is your chance

Socializing can help depression, as can thinking of others, community service, caring for loved ones. Care to share any social activities that you have participated in this week or are planning to?

(30F, depression caused disability, housewife, not in employment) After being put on more effective meds two weeks ago I started walking to the town center and local park, and walk my two dogs more often, see more horizons and some hope for my future… like a new chance for life!.. I still get tired after this change of regimen so taking it slow, going half of prescribed dose (bupropion). I also take this fat burn aid with L-carnitine and taurine, and it literally pushes me to jog when I walk, with all my overweight and hate for the feeling of the raised breathing rate. Climbing up the house stairs is not a pain now... I can withstand muscle tension like a plank and even my body longs for it. I randomly do calf raises throughout the day because of how pumped my leg muscles feel. I made an assisted headstand after 5-7 years of inactivity and it felt easier than when I weighted 15kg less (this one thanks to the supplement as it is used in sports for endurance).

So for you who are not there yet- keep looking for the right meds and supplements. For me it took 4 years with lots of self-research on forums like this one about psych meds and even cheating - asking docs to prescribe me what I think I need… maybe not possible of a trick in America like here in Eastern Europe. But perhaps docs over where you are, are more competent on depression complications.

Hi guys, I just wanted to ask if anyone has experienced fatigue after exercise sessions to the point where you absolutely need to take nap or can't really do anything and are just stuck sitting or lying down.

I very rarely over exercise because I personally don't enjoy it very much, so I don't think overworking myself is part of the reason.

I've been good with consistent exercise for the past two years but stopped working out near the end of last year because I would just feel soooo tired after gym and couldn't really function after gym without a nap or a meal (which I would usually be too tired to eat).

Any advice is welcome :)

How have you unwound this week? Any creative projects you would like to share?

Which workouts are you currently focusing on? What have you done to EOOD this week??

Hi everyone! I'm a 41 year old male that has been experiencing worse mental health from exercising. Over the course of more than a year I would spend 2 to 3 hours at the gym every day doing weight training and then follow that up with a run outside for 5 miles or more. I have no clue how the hell I did this for as long as I did, but I somehow managed to do it and not sustain any injuries or anything.

Anyways, I have noticed that I'm really struggling with my anxiety and depression quite a bit and it seems like my symptoms have spiked after a couple days of weight training. I notice that I get a deep feeling of sadness like I need to cry, but I can't and lots of catastrophic thinking and a feeling like I'm in danger for no reason at all when I'm working and I always feel irritated and annoyed by people and music. I always say that I'm going to take a long term break from weight training, but I usually only make it to a week before I am back at it again and dealing with the same problems. Also, I have started to develop sleep problems where I will sleep for only 3 or 4 or 5 hours and then I can't go back to bed. This is so frustrating and I want nothing more than to feel somewhat okay, but I have such a hard time making changes to my life to see what proves to be useful for my mental health. I just want to feel kind of alright.

I appreciate any recommendations or possible solutions that can guide me out of this pit. Thanks for taking the time to listen.

Have you tried something new that has helped you?

It doesn't have to be exercise related at all. Books, music, podcasts, tv, websites, organisations all help. Or it could be something someone said in passing that helped you and they have probably forgotten all about.

Taking the overall pulse here. How are you? If not well, think whether there are any positives to share as well to balance negatives. But of course, if you need to vent, know we are here to listen.

Have you been mindful lately? Made any useful observations that have helped you and could help others? Share any efforts especially ones that change your mind or attitude, meditation efforts, positive thinking, and gratitudes.

In addition or alternatively, have you had any successes in improving what you eat? Any good recipes to share?

When we exercise we see our bodies slowly change, We become stronger, faster, have more endurance, better coordination and many more depending on what sort of exercise we do. We put our bodies under additional stress and they adapt to those new stresses. We literally remake our bodies.

Putting our bodies under stress means we have to put our minds under stress too. If you are suffering from poor mental health the last thing you need is more stress. You still get up and run, lift, swim, spar, cycle or what ever you do to exercise though. We don't stay in bed, we make ourselves work hard.

That willingness to work hard is vital. I always say that if I can get up at 6am and go out into my backyard in the cold, dark and rain to swing my kettlebell and lift my sandbag then the rest of the day will go well. If I can make myself work hard physically then I can make myself work hard at other parts of my life.

That, for me at least, is how exercise gives me hope. I can see physical changes when I exercise is also a product of the mental change it took to exercise regularly. I hope to become stronger, faster and have better endurance and generally fitter in the future. By regularly exercising I will get there. If I am regularly exercising my body I am exercising my mind too. I will get there. I hope.

I've been exercising, sleeping well, seeing a psychotherapist, reading/watching motivational things, eating well-ish (generally healthy but sometimes I have problems with food where I eat too much although it's not very problematic nowdays) and trying to keep in touch with people. Generally I'd like have to have more close people there's currently only one person I can be truly transparent with and it's a bit of a complicated dynamic between us. Other than loneliness I feel sadness for the state my life is right now (you could say how "behind" I am, but more about what I am and how that consequently resulted in this life where I can't keep a consistent will to life at 30) and hopeless that it's worth fighting for a future. Not sure how much has changed in the past 2 years and I don't really have a person to ask to have an outside view. I feel like I need a guide to tell me what to do because I don't know how to decide myself. If I don't keep up the "mental health maintenance" I'll just slide back into self-destruction because I don't really have a "why", good ideas for the future or enough positivity to keep me going forward.

Care to share your successes of this week, whether exercise or others? What went well, what is promising, what do you feel good about? If you have any selfies and progress pics to share, now is your chance

Socializing can help depression, as can thinking of others, community service, caring for loved ones. Care to share any social activities that you have participated in this week or are planning to?