Sometimes I feel all the effort to keep healthy is not worth it

Hi sometimes I feel the all the dieting and exercising is not worth it because I know things can change and I am scared I want to be happy and healthy and try to live a reasonable life so that's why I exercise everyday do my knee exercises I'm trying to eat a healthy diet but sometimes I think is it really worth it

Comments

  • sunnyside2
    sunnyside2 Member Posts: 131

    depends how bad arthritis is. For me it is bad and if I do not move it gets a lot worse, likewise weight- I do not enjoy dieting (who does?) but keeping weight in check reduces pain a LOT,

    for me no exercise and weight gain would be a disaster and leave me in a world of pain in a few months so an effort it very worth it

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697

    It's certainly worth it for me.

    Everyone needs motivation, something to get out of bed for, exercise for, diet for even if occasionally it seems as if our whole lives are body maintenance.

    What excites you? Why not take up a new, or old, hobby? Learn to do something new - knit, sew, a new language, looking up your family history or local history. There's loads of free stuff on the net. Do what you really want to do. Find others who are interested in it to talk to even if only online. Make your own photo album. Write a story. Create your own cookbook of favourite recipes then share them.

    As Nietzsche wrote - “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • sharon35
    sharon35 Member Posts: 7

    I know what you mean, i already have to do diet and exercise for other conditions, have been for 10 years + now and the thought of extra on top is the last thing i want.

    But when my motivation slips, i find that , as said above, trying to build it around something I enjoy really helps. That has included exercising along to a TV programme i find enjoyable ( even if its trash TV) or listening to some new music.

    Or sometimes, giving myself a 'reward' once I have done the exercises, not really something extra but say the nicest food i can have, say i can only have it once exercises done.

  • Fran54
    Fran54 Member Posts: 176

    I know how you feel about exercising. I have arthritis in my right knee and some days with the pain I do not feel like exercising at all.

    I find that I have to take a painkiller in the morning to get me started for the day, so that once it takes effect, only then will I feel like doing my physio exercises. Saying that, today I did not exercise, but went out into my garden for about half an hour to do some light pruning.

    I am saying all this because gardening is one of my hobbies and to do anything I need to have something to aim for, so being able to do that today has made me feel so much more positive. Also feeling that I was in control of my condition, instead of it being in control of me!

    I hope this is helpful for you and anyone else.

  • Arthuritis
    Arthuritis Member Posts: 443

    I second @stickywicket , getting a sense of mental “normalisation” is hugely beneficial having been through some challenges, although none as remarkably overcome as what S/W has achieved.

    Exercise (not overdone as joints are still fragile) & things like pilates stimulates genes towards homeostasis (normalisation), particularly with things like autoimmune disease. Doing something normal and enjoyable takes you away from dwelling on the disease, and with autoimmune your mental outlook and state matters, so things that will distract you from stressing about your disease often help. Or at least, they helped me take the edge off.

  • Thank you all for the wonderful comments it's helped a great deal 🤗🤗🤗 my favourite thing to do is listen to music and colouring and playing games on my tablit helps disacrat my mind