I was just wondering if any of you have experienced depression or just general sadness while you are losing weight. I find that when I am losing weight I feel sad a lot for no reason. Maybe it's because I am no longer using food to stifle my emotions. But right now my life is going well and I really don't have any reason to feel this way. The same thing happened when I lost weight before (about 8 years ago). I don't really know what to do except let myself feel the feelings and move on. It doesn't interfere with my ability to function in my daily life, but it does bother me a great deal. I am just wondering if any of you have experienced this or am I an exception? I am looking forward to hearing anything you may have to say. Thanks.
Sunrose,
This does not happen to me. However, I think you nailed it on the head when you said that you are probably feeling the emotions that you usually dealt with by food. Have you tried journaling? Perhaps that would be a way to try to sort things out. Hmmm, I dunno what else it could be. Please know that I am thinking of you and hope those sad feeling subside soon!
i have lost over 30 pounds as well, and yes i have been feeling sad. i am also much more weepy and sensitive. i wonder if your hormones change, or like you said, i am getting over food dependcy!
I hear ya, Sunrose, and I think it could be any number of things. Not having the comfort of food, feeling like you're your own drill seargent and forcing you to exercise when you don't want to, or maybe you built up your weight as a sort of insulation and now it's going away and you're not sure how you'll feel when it's gone. Maybe if you do some introspection and try to figure out why you put on your weight in the first place, you'll see that you had a psychological issue that you still need to deal with: maybe your sister was thin and perfect so you did everything you could to distance yourself from her physically, or you had bad self esteem and were uncomfortable in social situations so you gained weight to try to not get as much attention... there is a very good chance that I'm totally off base here, but it's something to think about.
I really hope you can figure out what the problem is, and fix it! You've come a long way and deserve to be happy about yourself.
I am feeling exactly how you are. I really do think that It is not having the food to comfort me. I don't think it is possible to lose weight without facing the issues, if they are there. It really is more difficult when you have no one to talk to about it. That is why I come here. It helps so much. You’re doing a wonderful job and I just know you will start to feel better soon.
I had to post her, to cheer you up She made me smile anyway.
I want to know more. I want to know what plan you are on, what you eat in a typical day and what you are doing for exercise.
I have a feeling it may be something chemical, and I wonder if you have reduced your fat intake too much. Good fats, like the ones in fish, olive oil and nuts are quite important in our general well being.
Exercise will help too. For me my happy exercise is swimming. Luckily I have some sort of reverse image disorder where even at 262lbs I thought i looked ok in a swimsuit
I actually feel emotionally much better when I am on a healthy eating plan. Maybe it is just grief for your old lifestyle, but I have an incling that there may be something else going on that might be easy to fix.
Hmmm...I think that I agree with what you said...getting over your food dependency when you are feeling sad. I haven't experienced this myself, as I've actually started lifting out of my depression since I began my journey to the bottom...But I also think that it could be your hormones as well. What plan are you following?
I think the emotion is completely because you are dealing with it and not with food. Its going to be tough but keep up the good work because your reward will be much greater in the end than eating to fill your sadness. Much luck to you!!
One other thing you might consider. We store estrogen in our fat cells. As we lose the fat, that estrogen is released. Sometimes we get mood swings from hormonal variations. Dieting will definitely affect your various hormones.
Sometimes it creates more stress hormone, sometimes there are changes in your level of female hormones, and sometimes it slows your thyroid hormones a bit. All these changes can affect mood levels. Exercise increases serotonin levels however and serotonin is the happiness hormone. It is the one that makes your brain feel good. So get out there and do some serious working out and it should help.
Thanks for all of your responses! I am really feeling bad again today. I am just having such a hard time.
Some of you had said that it may be hormonal and that does make sense because I am feeling like I usually do a few days before I start my period, but this time it is just not PMS and it's lasting a lot longer.
I am not following any particular diet, but I am exercising and watching my calories. I know that I am getting plenty of protein and I am focusing on only eating whole grains. I am having a little trouble eating enough fruits and veggies, though. On most days my calories stay between 1200 and 1700, although on the weekends I allow myself to have one or two meals at a restaurant. I let myself eat what I want but not stuff myself.
I also exercise at least 6 days a week. I alternate between walking and jogging (on the treadmill) and have built up to about 30 minutes total, 20 of that is jogging. But yesterday I jogged for 30 minutes straight and Saturday I jogged for 45 minutes straight, which I was really proud of. I usually do feel better after I exercise, but it doesn't last long.
Well, that about sums up what I've been doing. I've lost about 13 pounds since January 1. Thanks for any more advice you may have. I'm glad to know that you are all out there. It really, really helps to know there are people who understand.
I want you to consider the posibility that you could be depressed. It could be that you didn't notice before (excpet during the previous weight loss) because you hid behind food to fill the void. The estrogen possibility is another good possibility. I'm not a doctor and don't know the answer, but I'm giving you another possibility to consider.
Sherr y said "One other thing you might consider. We store estrogen in our fat cells. As we lose the fat, that estrogen is released. Sometimes we get mood swings from hormonal variations. Dieting will definitely affect your various hormones"
So..is that why I woke up and felt pyschotic??? I am going to the gyno tomorrow because my hormones/emotions are all over the map. I couldn't stop crying last night. Over what you ask? I don't know. Cause I couldn't eat a bowl of raviolis like I really wanted to set it off. Hahahahaha
*HUGS Sunrose* Your not alone honey, your not alone
Oh my gosh Jenniffer, you sound just like me. I am so sorry! It does not feel good to freak out like that. I am glad to know I'm not alone, but sorry you are going through it!
I found this forum because I have been feeling kind of sad myself. I started a weight loss journey in September and have lost 59 pounds since then. I'm averaging about 10 pounds a month, but I'm flying through sizes and clothes before I barely get to wear them. There are days that I am ecstatic, and then I have these odd days where I feel like I am disappearing. There's something about taking up less space that makes me feel... like I'm going away. I know it sounds crazy. In the mirror, it's all joy and happiness at what I see... but my hands fall to my sides and there is no body to hit, or when I sit and see how much space is around me... It's like part of me is "missing". I'm still over the moon for my success and still aim to finish this journey but this is definitely not something I anticipated.
Feeling Sad While Losing Weight
I had to post her, to cheer you up 
She made me smile anyway.
I want to know what plan you are on, what you eat in a typical day and what you are doing for exercise. 
