Depression and Weight IssuesHave you been diagnosed with depression, are possibly on depression medication, and find it affects your weight loss efforts? Post here for support!
Why is it that when I try to lose weight, my depression kicks in and the scales do not move. I get so hungry, I binge on everything, choclate to chips. I need to lose this weight, but am fighting this depression with all of my might. I have been on meds before, and do not want to go back on them again. So why is it so hard to do this?
have to leave in a second, but I wanted to respond. I need to say this first -- if you think you need the meds and/or therapy, do it. We cannot take depression lightly; it's very serious.
I know exactly what you're going through. I took myself off my meds about 2 1/2 years ago. With God's help, it kind of worked. I'm still depressed, but can live with it most of the time. If I had the $, I'd definitely be back in therapy now, because I know I need it.
I have lost 103lbs. in a year and a half with LA Weight Loss. Sometimes it still IS hard; sometimes not so much. The biggest thing is to NOT GIVE UP! If you make a mistake, so what!(like Tyra Banks says ) Just start over -- no matter how many times. You CAN do it. I eat when I'm depressed, too (STILL -- even after I've lost the weight). I don't like that I still handle things with food, but I'm much more aware of what I eat and will adjust the following days' food to compensate. But I'm still learning how to eat well. It takes time, but your mind WILL change. Just don't give up. Keep trying and start over as many times as you have to.
Sorry this is rambling. You kind of have to feel good to do well with your eating plan. Exercise helps me a lot. I don't mean a gym or spinning class, etc. At this point, you need to just do something that's more than your usual. Walk an extra lap around the grocery store, leg lifts or arm circles in your living room -- just something. It really does release those chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Also, does anything help ease your depression? Like self help books, message boards, prayer, talking to friends who understand? If so, do that a lot. Take care of yourself. Don't give up. BTW, I started at 247lbs, so I'm not just blowing smoke.
Dr. Judith Wurtman and her colleagues, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technologys (MIT) clinical research center, found that when you stop eating carbohydrates, your brain stops regulating serotonin. The brain needs complex carbohydrates to manufacture serotonin and when the brain manufactures enough serotonin, it improves mood and helps regulate appetite. Could what we eat cause or increase depression? Could our serotonin levels affect our weight loss? According to several new diet books, we can regulate our moods and lose weight simply by adjusting our diets. These new diet books seek to turn our dietary habits around and turn our serotonin levels up.
The Serotonin Power Diet book was written by Dr. Judith Wurtman, the doctor responsible for the study on carbs and depression that we mentioned in the first paragraph. The book was co-written with Nina Frusztajer Marquis, MD, a physician with expertise in wellness and the co-founder of Adara Weight Management. The diet in this book is the same as used in their weight loss center.
There are three stages to this 12 week diet plan: the Serotonin Surge, Serotonin Balance, and Serotonin Control. The only differences between them are when you are allowed to snack on sweet and starchy carbs. Also, the first phase does not include protein with dinner. Why does this matter? The brain makes serotonin only after a person consumes sweet or starchy carbohydrates. Including even a small amount of protein can prevent this. The menu allows for timed surges of serotonin by eating carbs without protein at certain times of the day. Other than the need to combine carbs with protein only at certain meals, you will not find any other suggestions for food combining.
There are only two calorie controlled plans in the book - a 1400 calorie plan for women and an 1800 calorie plan for men.
I know exactly how you feel. I've been dealing with extreme depression for 6 years. I am the type of person who refuses medicine, because my mother was on it. I saw how careless she was; she seemed dead to me. I live with it but I am a compulsive over-eater. It doesn't go hand in hand with dieting. But if I feel like binging now, I pull out one of those 100 calorie snacks. It seems to get rid of that inner voice, telling you to head for the fridge.
Thank you everyone for all the suggestions. I at least know now that I am not alone in this fight. All this support brings me to tears, not sad tears but happy tears. Thank you again. I now know I can do this becasue I am not doing it alone.
I agree with Suzanne. I tried the low carb thing when it first hit big. I only lasted for about 2 weeks b/c I became so depressed that I could hardly speak. I felt like my facial muscles were dragging the ground. I couldn't smile or make hardly any expression. It's hard to describe, but I felt like I was completely inside myself looking out. I don't know if this is the plan you are following, but it definitely wasn't for me b/c of the depression factor.
I feel for you and have thought of you a couple of times since reading your post earlier. I hate that hopeless feeling and struggle with it daily. I resisted meds for a long time. It is a personal choice, but at this stage in life, I will do anything to feel good. My best experience as I've said before was with the herbal OTC supplement St. John's Wort. I quit taking it b/c it interferes with birth control, but I had never felt better when I was on it. I not only didn't feel bad, but actually giddy at times. Have you considered and herbal supplement like that one?
Maybe you can just try smaller steps like incorporating more healthy foods into your diet. Instead of thinking of stuff you can't have try to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day (for example.)
I've had chronic severe depression off and on for most of my life and its been "on" for the last 3 years. I can't really explain why my diet efforts have been working for the last few weeks despite being suicidal most days. I guess I just incorporated it into my life so its not a huge struggle anymore.
Also I have to address the Serotonin diet thing. There are a LOT of factors that are thought to contribute to depression and if you ask an honest researcher or psychiatrist they'll tell you that no one really knows the exact cause. If you tried an SSRI (a type of anti-depressant that regulates serotonin) in the past and it didn't work than obviously serotonin isn't the ONLY cause of your depression. So the idea that eating a bunch of carbs will fix your depression and weight loss issues doesn't make much sense.
Edited to add: I'm not saying the Serotonin diet doesn't work for some people or that hope4me's experience on a low carb diet isn't valid, I'm just saying that a Serotonin diet is only going to address serotonin, and not cortisol, dopamine, norepinephrine, hormones, genetics and the other myriad of things that could be causing your depression.
I just wanted to tell you good luck. I am depression free and off meds now, but I know that feeling of despair oh so well...I had to just find hope that there was a light at the end of the tunnel..And somehow I DID make it out of the dark. It feels good I hope you can find some sort of peace soon.
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Over weight is really a frustrating thing.Weight loss becomes easy when you practice certain things in a better way. The site http://www.losingweighteasily.com/ can provide you excellent solutions for your problem.
You are definitely not alone. I think we all find ourselves at points that we need a little help. I finally faced that fact and have been on Zoloft for 5 months, it has created a new world for me - I spent some time finding the right dosage, but now I am still emotional, but not depressed and have been able to focus and buckle down on my dieting and despite what I have read about weight gain on Zoloft I am seeing numbers I have not seen in years on my scale!
Hang in there! Find what works for you - and find your light!
KM
Depression and weight loss? Why does it not work?
) Just start over -- no matter how many times. You CAN do it. I eat when I'm depressed, too (STILL -- even after I've lost the weight). I don't like that I still handle things with food, but I'm much more aware of what I eat and will adjust the following days' food to compensate. But I'm still learning how to eat well. It takes time, but your mind WILL change. Just don't give up. Keep trying and start over as many times as you have to.
Thank you
