Hunting from my armchair doesn't cut it anymore.

[Metriosity]

Hey all!

My whole life I have loved gaming. It felt like a way to get out there and have adventures without actually having to get up. In short I am lazy. I say "am" because I am. Not was. 

I am starting my journey to losing the 50lbs I have gained from being too comfortable. And for the first time, I really mean to do it. I want to get off my butt. No cheat days, no hidden snacks. I really do want to make a change in my diet and health over all. 

I love to cosplay and I have always had certain cosplays in mind that I will do "One day, when I lose the weight." But I realized that one day never happens. So I switched it around. I am building one of my dream cosplays and I have 10 months to make myself fit it. No excuses. 

Two weeks ago my whole family switched out our processed, carb stacked diet to the Paleo way of living. We have all made a real effort to stick to it and are already seeing results. It motivates us to keep going. 

Where my trouble comes in, is the moving part. You know that bit where you have to drag yourself up off the sofa and actually move. I am hoping that by putting myself out there, saying that I want to get my internal motivator going, that it will actually drive me to get it done. 

Reading everyone's stories, seeing their progress and knowing that I am not alone has gotten me this far. Admitting that I am lazy and need to get going was step one. 

This week I start moving. And I won't stop. 

So it is really nice to meet all of you. I wish every single one of you the best on your journeys. I am putting one foot in front of the other in a brisk walk, that I aim to turn into a lengthy run. 

 

[Lokesbrah]

I there! What can I say, I think we are all in the same group. I also love rpg's but I am also lazy and quite a downer. So I do get what you are saying! Let's have fun while turning this "life" more appealing to us gamers !

[kk2texas]

I have to exercise first thing - get up, immediately into workout wear, and hit it. If I let it go until later in the day, it just gets too easy to put it off. Also helps me to have a very set schedule - run MWF, lift TTh.  Knowing that I can be a little lazy on weekend also helps!

[TaloraDion]

I am confident that you can do this! Do you have a plan for how and where and what type of moving you are going to do?

 

Although I used to be pretty fit, I've been sedentary and sick for almost 5 years, and am really out of the habit of moving, so I understand your situation! What I've found is that I need to make the initial commitments RIDICULOUSLY easy: like, way easier than I think I "should" do. For instance, I'd like to be able to run 5km again, but I will start with saying "Today I will put on my running clothes and shoes and go stand in the yard and play fetch with my dog". And it seems way too easy, until I realize that I have no idea where my running clothes are, or if they even fit, and where ON EARTH are my ankle socks?? And it takes me 20 minutes just to get dressed and get outside.

 

But, then I know where everything is. And in a couple days, my goal can be increased to "Get dressed in running clothes and shoes, put a leash on the dog, and walk to the corner." And that's totally doable. In fact it seems too easy, but you get to check off that day's goal and give yourself a high five for getting out there.

 

Basically, tiny, incremental steps. Because if the bar is too high, you fail right off the bat, and that's a motivation killer. Or else, you go all out, and hurt yourself, and then you can't exercise, and you're back at square one

[Metriosity]

I have to exercise first thing - get up, immediately into workout wear, and hit it. If I let it go until later in the day, it just gets too easy to put it off. Also helps me to have a very set schedule - run MWF, lift TTh.  Knowing that I can be a little lazy on weekend also helps!

 

I am so far away from a morning person that I should be a time traveller. I have tried doing the morning get up and go numerous times and it just doesnt happen. I lay there and think "ten more minutes" and before I know it, its "Oh crap, I have stuff to do!" 

This time around I am trying a different approach. I am way more active at night. I feel more focused and energetic. So I have been doing my workout's then. And surprisingly I have been eager to do them. It doesn't feel like such a chore to get up and do them, instead I think "Well this will tire me out for a good nights sleep." And it has. I have slept better the past two nights and woken up with an alarming amount of energy in the morning. Despite the body aches xD 

I really think this will work for me Feeling pretty hopeful right now! 

I am confident that you can do this! Do you have a plan for how and where and what type of moving you are going to do?

 

Although I used to be pretty fit, I've been sedentary and sick for almost 5 years, and am really out of the habit of moving, so I understand your situation! What I've found is that I need to make the initial commitments RIDICULOUSLY easy: like, way easier than I think I "should" do. For instance, I'd like to be able to run 5km again, but I will start with saying "Today I will put on my running clothes and shoes and go stand in the yard and play fetch with my dog". And it seems way too easy, until I realize that I have no idea where my running clothes are, or if they even fit, and where ON EARTH are my ankle socks?? And it takes me 20 minutes just to get dressed and get outside.

 

But, then I know where everything is. And in a couple days, my goal can be increased to "Get dressed in running clothes and shoes, put a leash on the dog, and walk to the corner." And that's totally doable. In fact it seems too easy, but you get to check off that day's goal and give yourself a high five for getting out there.

 

Basically, tiny, incremental steps. Because if the bar is too high, you fail right off the bat, and that's a motivation killer. Or else, you go all out, and hurt yourself, and then you can't exercise, and you're back at square one

I totally understand what you are saying. I have been stupid in the past and gone all out at the start and within a week I am loathing it and resenting doing anything. But this time I changed up my schedule so that I'm not pushing myself in the morning and feeling exhausted all day, instead I'm getting active at night and sleeping well with the tiredness. 

During my first couple of weeks on the dieting section alone, I started to actually go out back with my dogs. Rather than just opening the door and tossing them out. I tossed the ball around. Things like that. I didn't see it as exercise at the time as I kept telling myself "You are supposed to do this with them, its not exercise. Its kindness to their mental well being." I know that as soon as I started telling myself that I was doing something physical that I would start over thinking it and I'd lose interest again. I have just been doing little things to do more activity. Like walking up the stairs to get my son, rather than calling to him. Parking further from the store. Walking more briskly when doing groceries. Little stuff like that. 

The past couple of days I have started doing more structured exercises and I'm not hating it so far. I am feeling really optimistic this time. Maybe its just having other people to talk to about it, rather than going it alone and thinking "Well no one will notice if I sneak in some candy." I feel like I am finally accountable. I don't want to be seen as failing.