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've found on days that I feel particularily sad/down... I tend to skip out on my workout and just go back to my old eating habits..
What are some techniques that youve found useful to stay OP for these types of days? I would at least like to get myself out of the house to work out or eat properly (or even better.. I would like to do both!).
Its hard for me on these days when I feel kind of apathetic and feel like there is no progress at all.
I get in very self-destructic and feel-sorry-for-yourself moods but it seems to go away when I do work out. I don't know why, but it works for me. Reading makes me feel good too, or watching one of those shows on TV with people who are a lot bigger than you. Makes me feel better about myself (as self-absorbed as it is).
Over the past several weeks i've been pretty stressed with new things in my schedule, the state of the country's and world's finances and the election that can't get here and over soon enough. As a result i've been eating for comfort. Have no clue what to do about that as probably it's a substitute for comforting hugs and cuddling that i don't get in my life. There's more to it no doubt, but that's what springs to mind. The typical "instead ofs" like taking a walk or some other healthy activity, like exercise, are ones that i have to push myself to do and when i'm feeling bummed is not when i'm very good at that.
All that being said I do find that when I make myself go work out I'm glad and feel better during and afterward.
Several months back i was doing successful calorie counting and portion control and lost about 13lbs. I thought that was something i'd be able to sustain long term, but have found that having a house that is well-organized and a life that is the same are important parts of supporting those kinds of behaviors. So, for now, i'm working at staying aware of what i'm eating, and regrouping in my approach.
I bought the book "How to lose weight and eat great" by Pam Anderson and find she has good recipe formulas that are reasonable to implement. I think my goal is portion control(as in the book the Portion Teller) and eating the suggested # of servings from the food groups daily, or at least an average over several days.
I try to focus on the weight loss i've accomplished and not slip back. I'm just not organized enough or disciplined enough to do this thing full speed ahead-it's more like two steps forward, one back. Small changes implemented gradually over time. Lifestyle changes not a diet. And there are apparently lifestyle changes in several areas that that i need to accomplish and they all weave together: orderly home and daily routines will support the way i want to grow into eating. But i have to grow into the orderly home and routines more to have more success with the other. And of course there is the exercise element that i'm working to integrate into my life.
Oh well sorry for going on so much. I just think there are no magic answers and people have to figure out lifestyle changes they can sustain over the long term. Otherwise you won't keep them up.
Yeah, i've been having those days too. That and getting exhausted after the end of a busy day. but I do agree that working out totally helps cause you forget about everything and concentrate on only doing that. its kinda like therapy. working out lifts your mood because you know your doing something great for yourself. You have to be doing something fun though of course! ha.
Several months back i was doing successful calorie counting and portion control and lost about 13lbs. I thought that was something i'd be able to sustain long term, but have found that having a house that is well-organized and a life that is the same are important parts of supporting those kinds of behaviors.
...
And there are apparently lifestyle changes in several areas that that i need to accomplish and they all weave together: orderly home and daily routines will support the way i want to grow into eating.
Ailey, I find the same thing. The disorder and procrastinating and stress in other parts of my life start to influence the way I eat and exercise too. Happily, it can go the other direction too - the things I'm learning with being healthier can influence other problems in my life. But sometimes it's harder than others.
If you like to read, go and get yourself a good book.
Do you like magazines, go get a few....
get some low cal pudding and light whipped cream-s0 yummy...
Allow yourself to feel the feelings you are feeling. Maybe right some
stuff down, see if you can come up with a particular cause or causes of your blues. Its ok......be good to yourself!!!
And if you slip and really splurge, hey-get back on the horse the next day...
Don't beat yourself up........
*hugs*
On those days, I try to remind myself that exercise is one of those things that combats depression by getting my endorphins going. I promise myself I'm going, but that if I want to quit after 20 minutes, it's ok. Usually, however, I find that just doing the exercise makes my mood lift and after those 20 minutes I feel good enough to keep going for a 30-35 minute work out.
If it's really bad, I try and at least do crunches or some squats in my living room. Even that makes my body feel better.
Maybe this sounds silly, but when I think of exercise as part of my "weight loss plan," I find I can brush it off if I'm having a bad day. But when I think about it as a "happiness plan," I actually drag myself to do it and have never regret that! So, maybe try setting up a different reason to go? Then even if you manage to slip off of your eating plan or feel down about not losing weight, you can keep from getting discouraged enough to quit the workouts.
I find myself depressed a lot of days...and it varies as to the intensity of the depression, I try to do my workouts and focus on journaling what I eat..etc.. sometimes I feel overwhelmed and I cannot deal with (insert topic which isnt actually that bad here) and then I go back to bed sometimes only for 1/2 to an hour and then when I get back up I look at it differently, maybe making myself step back from things that I cannot change and that overwhelm me, ...when I get my proper focus back then I go and do the things that I know will help me to continue to lose weight or alleviate my stress as much as possible .... Sometimes different things help more or less but in general that helps me.
and big hugs help too... even virtual ones *Hug*,
- Elliott
For me having my gym bag right here already packed helps me, because I find on days when I feel low and don't want to do anything that if the bag is there I can pick it up, leave the house and not turn back. Even if at the gym I don't give it my all it still helps.
I also agree with the person who said pick up a pen and paper. Writing was the thing I did most frequently when I best managed my depression. I have tried the route back to bed, hiding didn't help. Writing will help you express those feelings that really need to get out of there.
Thank you for all your ideas and suggestions!! I'm having another one of those days, and am thinking that instead of going to the gym... I might just head over to the bookstore and pick out a journal and book
I've been trying hard not to focus on "dieting", but really living a lifestyle change. I want to feel good and happy just for the sole fact that I'm eating well and treating myself well.. but on the other hand I'm getting very fearful of the scale. I can't quite get myself to jump on to weigh myself. I had been fluctuating by 2 pounds for well over a month.. didn't want to focus on being in a plateau.
game plan for sad days?
.... Sometimes different things help more or less but in general that helps me.
I can't quite get myself to jump on to weigh myself. I had been fluctuating by 2 pounds for well over a month.. didn't want to focus on being in a plateau.
