DON,
You're just a wealth of such great information friend.
B/4 I concur w/ DON - I 1st want to say, <span class="ev_code_RED">there are some individuals & levels/types of depression, where medication is VERY NEEDED. Healthier dietary intake & consistant exercise WOULD DEFINITELY help - not always, SOLELY as a replacement though.</span> I only mention this, cause I wouldn't want some folks who are NEW TO ALL THIS to think "oh, I can stop my meds" or something. Always consult w/ your dr about YOUR particular case & what's going on W/ YOU.
OK MR DON - you are so right & on the money w/ this ! I started Lucinda's program in NOV 2006. Everything she had been saying all along was RIGHT ON THE MONEY so to speak. So, I followed what she said about EATING & EXCISING. I started small, w/ little steps. I had the NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE in my head - I just got lazy applying it.
I WILL ADMIT TO ALL OF YOU - I GOT FAT. I gained a lot of weight - weight I never had all my life. I got married, comfortable, & lazy.So, I initiated sm changes, initally. I began to walk 10 min's @ a time: if that 10min's was all I could do, then by gosh, I'm gonna do it EVERYDAY. W/ food, sm changes again: including more veggies + salads + fruits + grilled poultry & very lean beef, etc. Again, sm changes initially.
My anxiety was sooooooooooo bad in the beginning. I needed to go thru 20 mths of intense therapy b/4 becoming READY TO CHANGE MYSELF & READY FOR LUCINDA'S PROGRAM. Out of necessity, I was on an ANXIETY MED 3x's per day + 2 sleep aids(severe sleep deprivation). I did what I neeed to do in therapy + includ journaling + reading enough books on anxiety that I felt like a child w/ green veggies, lol :p
I can say, w/o a single doubt, I worked it like noone's business. I was desperate to feel better & I was literally willing to do whatever it took. I got myself to a point in my JOURNEY, where I was finally able to face myself - I recognized there were parts of me that needed to change & I was WILLING & READY to CHANGE. That is when I got Lucinda's program.
Again, out of sheer DESPERATION to FEEL BETTER - I hit her program like a horse w/ BLINDERS ON - I was focused. I gave that program my all - nothing less. I took it to the next level - when w/ each wk's topic, if I was a little UNCERTAIN - I went & did more research on it: books, library, or on line - I was READY MAN. I just followed everything she said - cause she was RIGHT. That included diet & EXERCISE.
I was home 3 1/2 yrs recovering fr anxiety disorder. That was so foreign to me. Asides fr all that anxiety disorder made me feel, being home or HAVING TO BE HOME - made me very lonely & sad. It served its purpose though, because I did successfully recover fr anxiety disorder. <span class="ev_code_RED">I haven't taken a sleep aid in almost 2 YEARS & no anxiety med since DEC 2006.</span>
As a result of all my JOURNEY TO RECOVERY required & entailed, depression set in for the 1st time in my ENTIRE LIFE. I was officially diagnosed w/ depression in MARCH 2007. While my depression never went to the "EXTREME'S" - it was never the less HORRIBLE. It felt like my
soul, spirit, energy level, & healthy emotional self were totally DEPLETED.My energy/will/desire/enthusiasm for almost anything were NILL. It was like going against this invisible, yet overpowering FORCEFIELD - just to muster the strength to get up/shower/chores - laugh. BUT, I DID - I forced myself. Why? lol, because depression & all it was trying to do to me - SCARED THE HECK out of me.
I had graduated fr therapy, having successfully recovered fr anxiety disorder. I hadn't gone for several mths. When depression set in - I went right back. I began addressing the WHY'S behind it. Part of that included MY OWN REALIZATION that I was
fat-overweight - the heaviest I had ever been in my entire life & I was not happy w/ that. All the residual weight, didn't leave me w/ the greatest energy levels either. I had FOOD ISSUES stemming fr the past - that now required my finally dealing w/ them. I DECIDED TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT EATING HEALTHIER/MY DIETARY INTAKE/CONSISTANT EXERCISING. I dusted off the nutritional knowledge I knew I had & refreshed my memory. I also became very very disciplined w/ exercising EVERY SINGLE DAY: walking around the neighborhood + graduating to treadmill @ home - then graduating to joining a gym. <span class="ev_code_RED">Remember, I had every reason & means NOT TO DO ALL THIS - I was home & not working: depressions subtle whisper cld to me fr my couch & bed every single minute of every single darn day - no exageration. </span> Was it hard? It was hell on earth just to force myself to physically DO IT ALL.
<span class="ev_code_RED">EX: 1 day, it was 4pm & I realized I hadn't done anything major: no exercise + shower + get dressed - still in pj's(this was right after being diagnosed w/ depression). I realized what was happening - depress was trying to MAKE ITS GRIP ON ME TIGHTER. I got up, put on some shorts/exercise clothes & I dragged myself to the treadmill we have at home. I was crying terribly - because the emotional & physical aspects of depression made it just so hard - again, yes, like that IMAGINARY FORCEFIELD. I got myself on that treadmill - w/ tears rolling dwn my face - no energy @ all & my body feeling ACHES & SUCH - & I started to walk. As my OPRAH MOMENT was going on, tears & all - I instinctively said, "You shall not win - you shall not beat me. I am a child of God & Jesus claimed me a long time ago". Now I am NOT PREACHING RELIGION OR FAITHS HERE - I don't get mixed up in that DEBATE. This is just what I did - not rehearsed - just me being me & FIGHTING IT.</span>
After being diagnosed w/ depress in March - 2007, I joined WEIGHT WATCHERS w/ my husband in JUNE 2007. I wasn't interested in some DIET - they don't work: deprivation never works. I wasn't interested in some "3 froz meals a day" type of nonsense either - that wouldn't help me - I NEEDED HELP W/ LEARNING TO LIVE - MAKING HEALTHIER CHOICES. I did research & W.W. met all those requirements. W/ them, its more about LIFESTYLE CHANGES - MAKING HEALTHIER CHOICES, than some LOSE THE WEIGHT QUICK - LOOK GOOD IN SKINNY JEANS type of thing. We attended our 1st meeting on JUNE 25, 2007. We haven't looked back.
I have made the LIFESTYLE CHANGE - I make healthier choices w/ what I eat - so that I do have that "cheat" every now & then. I exercise every single day. It may include an 1hr on treadmill OR a walk around the neighborhood OR the gym OR the local mall, etc. Everyday, there is always SOME SORT OF MOVEMENT/PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. There's diversity & variety in EXERCISING - so that it DOESN'T need to be so mundane or boring - JUST GET MOVING!
You know what I realized? The more I changed - the better I felt & that included what & how much I was eating + exercising on a daily basis. I'm no superhero. I sure am not JACK LALANE or LANCE ARMSTRONG - I don't wake up every morning & say, "gosh, I can't wait to exercise" - HECK NO, lol lol. I like how I FEEL BECAUSE I DO - that is WHY I do it every single day. FEELING BETTER was & is my motivation for many things. Out of the darkest of desperation, came the focus/will/desire/committment I needed to CHANGE ME - & AS A RESULT, CHANGE MY LIFE. <span class="ev_code_RED">Oprah says, "motivation comes fr DOING".</span>She's right. If we all sit & wait for MOTIVATION to instantly appear - it won't happen then. However, if you do it(often @ times when you don't feel like it - heck, MANY TIMES you don't feel like it)- the motivation forms - cause you do feel better. To me, there was nothing more important than ME FEELING BETTER - so if there was a WAY or SOMETHING I COULD DO - heck, I would rather DO THOSE THINGS THEN - instead of feeling the worst of anxiety & depression. It is daily maintainance.
I don't have words to quantify or express how much my LIFESTYLE CHANGE(eating healthier & exercising) effects HOW GOOD I DO FEEL. Lucinda is right - Life isn't fair nor easy. However, by me equipping myself to the best of my ability<span class="ev_code_RED"> mentally + emotionally + spiritually + physically + nutritionally</span>
then I better ENABLE MYSELF to handle LIFE & ALL IT CAN/WILL ENTAIL.
OK OK, LOL - I'M ALMOST DONE W/ THIS BIBLE, LOL LOLSince I started WEIGHT WATCHERS, just about 1year ago, I've lost 65 LBS. - I am only 5 lbs away fr GOAL - it was so worth what I am feeling right now. THe cool thing - my DEPRESSION MED HAS BEEN LOWERED 2X'S - I am on the path of getting off that as well. Take a look at my
b/4 & after pic's below. That is what MY EFFORTS have given me.
LENORE
<img src="
http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb31 ... R2008B.jpg"
and really help me a lot for killing my anxiety 
