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!
I have fought depression my whole life! I did so good my first 4 month on watching what I was eating (still can seem to get myself moving) and lost almost 23 lbs. I have since gained back 5. I can't seem to get myself going again to watch what I eat. I never seem to get motivated to move. I am sure I am not alone when I: feel really bad but still seem to put the bad stuff in my mouth!
Guess I need someone to kick me in the bee hind to get moving again!
I am in the same boat you are in right now. Earlier this year I was doing so good. I was eating good, water intake was real good and I was exercising 2+ hours a day. For the past 4 months, I haven't been able to get back into my routine. I have been eating horribly. I have had tons of things going on that made me get off of my schedule but now, things are almost back to normal and it is so hard for me to get focused and stay motivated again. This morning I almost started crying because of it. Tonight I am going to set me up a journal to help me keep track of everything I am eating and how long I exercise. I am going to also set me up a menu so I can have all my meals planned out. I'm hoping that helps. If you would like a buddy to help you out sometimes or to listen. I'll be there for you. I know exactly what you are going thru. Have a great weekend!!
I know how you guys feel too-
whitelion , I also suffer from depression and have fought it most my life. Have you sought help for your depression? There are anti-depressants and therapy options out there that can help deal with the issues. Once you work on the issues of your depression I think the motivation will get easier. (that is if your situation is like mine)
Hang in there- you can do it!!
I never thought of depression as a problem, but I have the same problems you describe. I have fought to get weight off and gained it back for soooo many years and now, I have a problem with motivation. I have the desire, but I don't seem to have it enough to make it happen any more. I know I have to eat right for my health, but don't understand why I can't find a weightloss program that I can or am willing to stick with until I lose the weight.
Yes, I take Prozac and would not want to be without it. With it I am at least pretty steady and do not get too bad. The last time (many years ago that I tried go off of it) the doctor said I more than likely always have to take something. Without it I have such mood swings that I get very very depressed.
In all this has been the best year of my life and I have never been happier. But, there always seems to be one, I go through spells of feeling very sensative. So, for those of you that have never thought of it, depression plays a big role in why we eat the way we do. I just can seem to get moving and that makes me crazy. My mind tells me what I need to do, but it never seems to make it to my limbs!!!
MAN, I read back through this and I sound like a basket case! I am acutally pretty good, just a little down and frustrated with all the waiting and hoops for the insurance. But at least I have a lot less insurance hoops then some of you. Guess I just needed to vent a little. I forgot how comforting and helpful sites like this can be. You are all the best!!
Last year i lost 37 pounds, i was thinking wow i'm finally getting back on track after beeing heavy for 4yrs. But then life occurs, and i often dont react as well as i would like, and i gained it ALL back. So not only do i feel fat, I am angry, and ashamed that i was so close to my goal, i only wanted to lose like 18 more pounds.
YOu are totally not alone, food is my drug. I hate that food addiction gets no respect. These days, an alcoholic or substance abuse addict-people feel sorry for them, want to help them etc........But food addicts .....*sigh*
I think about this a lot-how would a recovering substance abuse addict do if each day they had to have 3 moderate doses of substance and that was all they could have? They don't have the temptation in there face all the time. Food is all around us.
Just know you are soooooooooooooooooo not alone,
*hugs*
*hugs*
*hugs*
God Bless you,
I feel the same way you guys do. I've been talking about it in therapy. How you can be fine one day and find yourself in a hole you can't get yourself out of the next. She walked me through an excersize to look at myself in three different ways - when I feel really good, when I feel OK but not great, and when I'm heading toward the hole. Things like is my house clean, am I keeping in touch with my friends instead of screening calls. Whatever you can use to identify the times that you see yourself moving in the depression direction. We haven't gotten to the point where we've discussed action except for you have to take the action in the middle part of that before the hole. That's a really hard one for me to handle. How am I going to call someone and say I'm feeling really depressed I need you to come take care of me!! Totally against my personality, but I guess we all have to figure out ways to fill ourselves up with the good stuff when we can so we'll be able to have it when we need it.
None of this makes any sense - thought I would share what I'm working on - maybe it'll be helpful for you.
Redhead, thats interesting. That would be hard for me because I don't realize until its to late that I am in phase 3. I have a hard time paying attention to myself, with ALL aspects of it, not just depression
O M G! Y'all feel just like me. Feel great, start letting things go like the house etc and then going into the deep dark hole. I didn't know anyone esle had that same hole. My Dh has no clue about the hole. Just doesn't get it. It brings me to tears that others have the hole too. One, I'm so sorry others feel that horrid dread like me, but 2~ I'm not the only one with it so I'm really not totally whacked out.
Thank you so much for having this thread. I feel like there's hope now cuz of all of you. I don't mean to be dramatic, but my old therapist said I feel things very intensely. I don't see a therapist now. DH says I should, but it always hurts so bad. I would leave there feeling all beat up. I'm gonna try the exercise thing. My doctor is always after me to walk or whatever. And, my feet always hurt when I do. But maybe if I start out just 5-10 minutes at a time, it won't be so bad. I am currently on cymbalta, wellburtrin and tarazadone. (not sure if that's spelled right) I'd been on prozac and wellbutrin for 6+ years but just started cymbalta a month ago. I don't see a real difference in the cymbalta. I've been on it for a month this week. I'm thinking about going back to the prozac since there was really no change. The co-pay for the cymbalta is $50 where as I can get the generic prozac for $10.
Redhead~Oh- you're so right about food being an addiction. I've said for years it's my drug of choice. I've always wondered the same thing about drug or alcohol addicts. What would they do if the HAD to have their addictive stuff or literally die.
People just view us as lazy. We're not lazy, we're just debilited sometimes and we don't enjoy it. Lazy people LOVE to do nothing.
Thanks for letting me join your group! I'm actually excited for the first time in over 6 months.
Last edited by sandybar; 10-07-2007 at 01:12 PM.
Reason: responding to Redhead's comment
One thing this thread has done, is to help me I am not alone! You all have been open and honest and have helped give me a boost along the way. My mom lives with me and we got to talking yesterday and I realized how much she knows me, yet doesn't. She sees that I am coming out of a depression, BUT part of the reason she thinkings I am dwpressied its totally off. I am single with no kids and I will be 41 in a few weeks. See thinks my biological clock is ticking. I told her I have moved past all that (becuase of my last relationship) and am very happy with who I am. I told the therapist the reason I want the surgery is so that the outside matches the inside. (she really liked that). I guess I am digressing.
I have been mad at my self and that is part of the reason. I acutally gainded back 5 lbs. and that put me back over 300 and I swore that would never happen again. Needless to say, I got back my motivation. I started getting back to some exercising and back to my calorie counting. I weigh in every Saturday morning and write that on the calendar. It actually had me down 2 lbs. But that is still up 4 lbs from my last weight in at the doctor and I have to weight in this week there!
So frustarted but doing better. Hope all is well with all of you and I am passing on some will power to all of you.
How do I stay motivated
I am acutally pretty good, just a little down and frustrated with all the waiting and hoops for the insurance. But at least I have a lot less insurance hoops then some of you. Guess I just needed to vent a little. I forgot how comforting and helpful sites like this can be. You are all the best!!
So Happy for all the feed back!
Needless to say, I got back my motivation. I started getting back to some exercising and back to my calorie counting. I weigh in every Saturday morning and write that on the calendar. It actually had me down 2 lbs. But that is still up 4 lbs from my last weight in at the doctor and I have to weight in this week there! 
