I'm not sure about everyone else, but I am very adamant to exercising when I am sad.

When I feel like I'm about to cry, it drains all of my energy and more importantly, my motivation. I wonder how the professionals in the exercise videos and personal trainers keep up their routine when they're extremely sad about something that's going on in their life. Do they just work through it, do they go out drinking and wait a day to work out?

I'm being vague about my sadness because I really don't want to tell a long story, it's just easier to explain in general terms.

I did yoga tonight and I was fine with that because it's just stretching. But when I came home, a bunch of thoughts came up... and then more thoughts. I turned on one of my cardio DVDs and I was able to do the first ten minutes, but then I had to stop because I was consumed with sadness.

The symptoms of clinical depression can include fatigue, muscle weakness, and overall physical malaise. I'd say it's perfectly logical that the same thing can happen when you're stressed and sad over a personal situation.

I hope things work out.

(ETA: Pun unintended, sorry.)

Said a prayer for you this morning.

Donna

Hans Keer Cut the Carb How to avoid and conquer depression
Makes some good points.
Bear in mind that this time of year in particular in the northern hemisphere we are all suffering from Vitamin D deficiency.Dr Davis explains about topping up your vitamin d tank
Vitamin D3, 5,000 IU

He also understands about fish oil
Liquid Omega-3,Triglyceride form I've checked with makers

Magnesium is the other brain anti inflammatory agent that we are all deficient in
Albion Patent magnesium chelate

If you are not sleeping then consider melatonin or 5HTP before you go to bed.
Improving melatonin secretion is another route to reducing inflammation in the brain. Melatonin Time Release

I've added the forms I take from IHERB because their shipping to UK WAS the cheapest. They are currently changing their shipping discounts so I may have to research other options. Code WAB66 $5 introductory discount.

PS I should point out that the suggestions above are in ADDITION to the diet changes suggested by HANS KEER and not alternative to his ideas.
Weight Loss and exercise also reduce inflammation.

I was taking 10,000 IU of vitamin D a while back, but I didn't stick with it long enough for it to have any effect. I heard it takes like 3 months, right? Or more???

There are 2 things that keep my from reaching my full potential when it comes to exercising: sadness and a low threshold for pain. But I'm starting to at least work through the soreness when I'm in an okay mood to work out.

I've had depression since I was 12. I completely quit exercising my first boyfriend broke up with me when I was 15. Yeah sure, I had two quarters of PE at the local community college, but I was through with motivating myself to exercise in my spare time. What a stupid reason to quit exercising!

Now I'm fat and out of shape. Plus, I'm taking Lexapro and I've heard that it tends to increase cravings for the forbidden foods. Sucks, I feel that between finding a job, losing weight, and sticking to an exercise regimen, that there is a lot on my plate. Ever since I realized how heavy I am, I can't stop thinking about my weight.

If you had clicked the first link to Dr Davis you would have seen he finds it generally take his patients around 3 yrs to fully replete with D3.

That is why I keep stressing the need for an anti inflammatory diet. The biochemical origin of pain--proposing a new law of pain: the origin of all pain is inflammation and the inflammatory response. Part 1 of 3--a unifying law of pain.

It was in order to reduce my level of pain that I had to find out about natural anti inflammatory agents, vitamin D, omega 3 and magnesium and when I discovered that fat cells give off pro inflammatory cytokines that I realised I had to lose weight, hence the low carb diet because for me exercise is not an option (not that I think it works for weight loss generally)

I think getting outside into bright light and more modest exercise that doesn't involve working through inflammation would be better IMO.

I've been through all the gamut of anti depressants and depression therapies apart from ECT. I don't take anything now as since I've got my anti inflammatory status under control I'm mostly able to control manic episodes. I expect some of the regulars here are be able to detect when I'm getting a bit high but for the most part I doubt most people would realise. But you have to understand changing every cell in your body to the anti inflammatory state it should be in is a long term project and you need to attack on all fronts at the same time. So the vit D/ omega 3/magnesium ALL have to be corrected simultaneously because they all work together. You would just pump up one tyre on your car at a time. All the tyres have to be at the correct pressure to get the best performance. Because omega 3 can help Vitamin D ligands function you need both D and omega 3 and because D increases calcium you need more magnesium to counterbalance that extra calcium.
While Dr Davis finds 3 yrs is normal for vitamin D repletion for omega 3 it's generally longer because it's so difficult to avoid all the omega 6 oils that are in commercially made foods. But it is very important that you start and make the effort with omega 3. Within just a few weeks the benefits (should you be involved in accident or stroke or other calamity) are measurable (less time in hospital, faster recovery time)

I don't think beating yourself up over the lack of persistence with exercise is worth it. It's possible to lose weight as I did Simply with a lowish carb diet and no added exercising. As you start losing weight you will feel more active and so getting OUTSIDE into BRIGHT LIGHT during the day will help and just being more active/fidgety indoors will help.

Do you have access to a swing or a rocking chair? (or even a grown up size rocking horse!) Rocking is surprisingly effective when coming back from this kind of depression. I know, I've had it too.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/1...-rocking-chair/

The repetitive motion is good for depression (raises serotonin and endorphins) and the low intensity is soothing to keep you out of inflammation and yet burn fat for fuel. And believe it or not if you are large and not in condition you can get into a beneficial aerobic heart zone.

Works great for me.

I think exercise can bring on all kinds of strong emotions. I am a runner and many runners I know have reported just bursting into tears in the middle of a run. I know I have been close. It's cathartic but it can make you want to crawl in a hole.

I just wasn't up to reading much that day and you sent a lot of links. I haven't been this low in a long time, and it's been this way for 3 or 4 days.

I'll go through your links though. I'm just not sure if I'm patient enough to wait 3 years! I'm one of those people who wouldn't be very compliant if I had to take a lot of meds.

One of these days, I'll post photo up of all of the half-empty bottles of 5-HTP, B6, Vitamin D, various mineral supplements, magnesium, and the list goes on and on.

5-HTP never did any good for sleep, but I don't have chronic problems with that. If I do stay up all night, it's me choosing to drink coffee because I don't want to sleep in the first place, hehe.

There's not much bright light up here in Washington. Getting out of this state into a warmer climate will probably help with this depression.

I don't have any magic words of wisdom except to say that I understand what you are going through. It is very difficult to get up and out when you are down and out. For the first week after joining a gym it took everything I had to get in the car and drive over there. But once I started working out (cardio), I took that time to escape reality and fantasize....about anything. After about a week it made me feel so good to be able to control how I am treating my body when everything else in my life was out of control. My depression started to lift.

I know this isn't a solution for everyone but I just wanted you to know that you have been heard.

Thinking of ya sweetie!

Luckily, it's not drawn-out intense feelings of sadness. It's more like I usually have mild on-going depression and then every once in a while, it gets extremely bad to the point of utter hopelessness and thinking that I'm completely useless to society.

It comes and goes like waves.

I'll have to get back on the exercise bandwagon today.

Brinethery, I hope you are doing well.

I, too, find rocking, swinging, jumping gently on a rebounder, all very soothing, as well as taking slow walks and enjoying nature.

I also do a combination of stretches, yoga, and Callanetics, with rests when I need them, and modify everything to fit my needs.

Eating foods that really nourish one, and supplements do help. All the things which Hutchinson posts about are things I have factored into my food plan.

I wish you lovely experiences in moving, and resting, and enjoying your own rhythms.