[CCPhonetikz]

Hey all!

I'm new to the forums here. I had previously lost 150 lbs a couple years back and had gained a lot of it back during some major life changes/struggles that had suddenly happened. Now that I'm in a stable environment for the time being and have mentally decompressed from all the shenanigans, I've started back into a healthy lifestyle and working out regularly.

I have two pressing questions for everyone, to sort of get a good grasp on what might be going on with me.

1. Is it normal to experience a pretty decent increase in depression and emotional responses when losing weight? Especially if you're doing it fairly rapidly?

2. Is it okay to take daily breaks from working out here and there? My goal is to lose over 100 lbs and be in a size 3-4 by next year, but I've been informed that your body sometimes needs rest every now and then and that if you work out when you're swollen up or overly sore you could be overdoing it and reverse the positive effects of your routine.

Thanks everyone who responds and helps out in advance!

[JayEll]

Hi, CCPhonetikz!

I, too, have regained and am now getting back down again.

These are just my opinions, of course, on your two questions:

1. Yes, it's possible to feel depressed, especially if your calorie level or nutrient levels are too low. It might help to re-evaluate the balance in your proteins, fats, and carbs, and to make sure you're not too low with calories.

But also, if you were eating a lot of sugar and carbs and have stopped that, it's like having withdrawal--you have lower energy as your body adapts to burning other fuels besides sugar. And you no longer experience the sugar high. That should go away with time.

2. Most of the fitness and weight loss sites I've looked at indicate that people shouldn't work out every day. Muscles and joints need time to recover and heal. 5 times a week is plenty. Put a rest day in between, like this: 3-1-2-1.

An injury can mean you have to stop exercising for days to heal it--so take it easy. Heavy workouts aren't necessary. Even just walking for a mile or two is a fine form of exercise. (Walking, not race-walking, jogging, or running!)

[mjf]

2. If you mean weightlifting, I'd suggest weightlifting about 3 times a week, because your muscles need time to recover.

If you do weightlifting some days, cardio other days, I'd suggest at most 5 times a week. Less intense exercise like walking should be done every day.

[GreyCX]

1. I second what JayEll said. Check your macro and micro-nutrients. And the withdrawal from junk food is real. Sugar/salt/fat have a kind of euphoric effect on the body and brain, so when you stop that (especially cold turkey) your body need to re-regulate itself. Certain neurotransmitters in the brain are released more when you eat junk food (thus why many people comfort eat). When you stop eating junk and the body no longer has those extra neurotransmitters to elevate mood, it can put you into a funk or depression because your brain isn't used to making its own without the junk food. It should re-balance itself given time (several weeks at least because the brain has to rewire some things, sort of similar to when someone starts antidepressants, actually).

2. I'm not really sure. I don't plan on relying on exercise to lose weight mostly, but I will do it for a bit of a 'boost' and to stay healthy.

[luckyvenkat]

side effects of losing a significant amount of weight that you must know.
You May Develop A Sagging Skin.
May Affect Hair Health.
May Also Affect Your Skin Health.
May Cause Constipation.
This May Also Affect Menstrual Cycle.
You May Have A Trouble Sleeping.