The hard part for me isn't getting motivated, I'm very motivated. The hard part is whenever life starts throwing shit at me exercise is one of the first things to go because as motivated as I am, it comes under in the priority list after things like family, work, sleep, responsibilities etc. And like yeah I get it, if I really wanted to I'd find a way but when I'm pulling strings of being on the road for weeks for work, a mountain of backlog of computer work at home and still finding time for my son, wife and house chores, the last thing I want to do is spend extra hours working out. When these things somehow stay under control for a while I usually don't have troubles keeping up a routine. I'm not making excuses, but that's just the reality of the struggle for me.

I think a lot of the sarcastic comments about "have you tried not being depressed" (there's one in this comment section) are actually making things worse because I think that trying to get over it is one of the required parts of functioning despite it. Sure, it's easier said than done, but if you just accept that you're depressed and that means it's not worth it to try to get out of bed because you don't feel motivated, it starts to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Your attitude about your mental health issues can IMO drastically affect the outcome (or outcomes, since each day, each activity done, delayed, or abandoned, is an outcome).

Though nutrition can also play a huge role, which can compound because mental health issues can make it harder to get proper nutrition. Supplements have made a big difference in my life, just taking them on an "as needed" basis (and combined with a bunch of research on symptoms of various nutrient deficiencies). For me personally, I've been able to get out of "I don't feel like doing anything right now" funks with vitamin b-complex and sometimes magnesium. This obviously won't work for anyone whose issues aren't related to nutrient deficiencies, but if you find yourself struggling with motivation, it's worth a try, at least. Those two also seemed to help with my (mild) long covid, or at least the exhaustion part. There's a lot of overlap between mental health symptoms and vitamin b deficiencies symptoms.

You are absolutely correct.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental health, speaking from someone who has had lifelong remissions of depression from teenage years.

Guess when the spikes are? That's right, 2-3 weeks on the sofa with zero cardio or weight training.

Humanity was built to persistent hunt on open plains or endure harsh winters. Perhaps those of us adapted to sitting inside of cubicles without depression are the next form of evolution

... Nah touch grass 🌿