Persistence and Discipline

Note from a fellow bariatric patient…

I have had a challenging year. I recently had major surgery, and as a result, I am sore, exhausted, and haven’t wanted to exercise very much. Honestly, I didn’t anticipate how my life would change (temporarily) following the surgery.

The good news is that despite the setbacks, I’m doing it anyway. It’s not because I am an exercise fanatic or a saint; I am doing it because I value my health and quality of life.

While still recovering, making myself move requires discipline (developed over years of exercising) and persistence (to overcome the pain). These two traits have helped me maintain my weight and continue living the life that I want.

Here are a few examples and suggestions if you are working through challenges, too.

• Set goals and be specific! I’m planning to run a race at the end of this year. This goal motivates me to train even when I don’t feel like it. Most importantly, I break the “I want to run a race” goal into daily plans (e.g., walking/jogging for 45 minutes, achieving an 18-minute/mile pace, etc.).
• Make a realistic plan! I have a busy schedule and experience chronic pain. Therefore, every night, I must carefully assess my physical limitations as well as my schedule for the next day and decide when I will exercise and what I will be doing. On days when I’m hurting or extra busy, I might walk only 30 minutes.
• Delay gratification! I don’t let myself do “fun” things until I accomplish my daily training. Sometimes, however, I pair fun with exercise (like walking on the treadmill while watching a fun TV show).
• Don’t give up; adapt! My recent surgery limits me physically, and every day, it is tempting to use that as a reason to stop exercising. Although I have had to reduce my strength training, I’m still doing cardio until I am fully healed.

We all face obstacles. Mine are likely different from yours, but we both need discipline and persistence to help us overcome any challenge. Nothing good ever comes easy or quickly; we need to work for it each day by taking small, positive steps.

Is there something that you are striving for? Set a goal and work toward it today.

—Your bariatric friend