Depression and Weight Loss

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  • shelleygold
    shelleygold Posts: 178 Member
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    Dear shrcpr
    What courage and focus. In a very pertinent way,you decided which voices in your head to listen to and which ones to ignore. You are already successful and don't even know it. I'm so impressed with your story. Well done
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    I think my funk is getting better. I enjoyed running these past few days. I enjoyed yoga yesterday. I'm still evil crabby and I keep getting negative thoughts about how much i hate this or that but my body is getting better and my mind is sure to follow.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Depression hasn't gotten in the way of weight loss, for me, probably because I made exercise a coping mechanism, early in life. I can't (or rather I don't) eat if I'm at the gym or out taking a walk. It often is nothing more than walking, with a friend, and often a camera. I credit exercise with being the thing that gets me out of bed, and out of the house. I don't claim that this is completely healthy. I treat exercise like a drug sometimes. It's better than drinking too much. I do take an SSRI, and I do see a therapist when things get bad.
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    shrcpr wrote: »
    Hi, there. I've been lurking around this thread for quite some time now and appreciate everyone's candid thoughts and feel for your struggles. (And, hi, Myra! We're friends from the JFT commitment thread - honestly not stalking you - I have some issues but that's not one of them! :))
    So, this time anyway, I was able to change my course instead of giving in to the panic and self-pity. Today I am really happy that it worked out. Plus, I'm really happy that I don't have a hangover right now. That was a super long post but that seems to be acceptable in this thread so I won't feel too bad about it. :smile:

    @shrcpr .... I'm watching you, you stalker! LOL nice to see you here. :)
    your accomplishment is HUGE! and it involved a swimsuit... DOUBLE HUGE! KUDOS to you! too bad we don't live closer.... i'd don a swimsuit and hit the pool with you. i've been trying to con myself into it for months with no success. too many other mini-goals to work on ;)
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    moyer566 wrote: »
    I think my funk is getting better. I enjoyed running these past few days. I enjoyed yoga yesterday. I'm still evil crabby and I keep getting negative thoughts about how much i hate this or that but my body is getting better and my mind is sure to follow.
    I'm glad to hear you are better! hopefully it will continue. after living with chronic pain for 7 months, I can empathize. I can't imagine doing it for years on end though. (i understand it fluctuates, but still) you are a super strong human being!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    68myra wrote: »
    moyer566 wrote: »
    I think my funk is getting better. I enjoyed running these past few days. I enjoyed yoga yesterday. I'm still evil crabby and I keep getting negative thoughts about how much i hate this or that but my body is getting better and my mind is sure to follow.
    I'm glad to hear you are better! hopefully it will continue. after living with chronic pain for 7 months, I can empathize. I can't imagine doing it for years on end though. (i understand it fluctuates, but still) you are a super strong human being!

    69dc6f98cc8c50e69ed0fe27e5430d4e.jpg
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 2,937 Member
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    I hope this thread continues...
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    SaraKim17 wrote: »
    I hope this thread continues...
    me too! i guess that's up to all of us! :)
    this first week back to school after the holidays was rough! but, i do have a report on Shel's proposed experiment.
    I chose to do one thing differently: get up early enough to provide some self-care before my children got up to get ready for school. I found that the two days I spent that time doing physical therapy or stretching exercises, with a quiet mind.... i was better equipped at handling the arguments that happen between two little girls, one of whom is NOT a morning person. the morning after i ate sugar the night before.... i woke up stuffy and not wanting to get up and spent that time 'liking' things on MFP. that morning ended up in tears, my own.
    so, there you go. IF i continue changing my behavior so that i'm quietly reflective and stretching for 15 min..... i deal better with the challenges of a typical morning in this house. :)

    keep up the good fight everyone!
  • Hannahlosing
    Hannahlosing Posts: 32 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    Speaking from experience here: Weight loss is REALLY tough while you're battling depression.

    To successfully lose weight, you need to feel like you're worth it. You need to have enough self-esteem to want to do this for yourself, and enough self-confidence to know that you can.

    Depression is a double-whammy: It cuts away your self-esteem, and it cuts back on your desire or ability to do the things that could make you feel better -- including (and especially) seeking out help.

    And depression lies to you, telling you that "if I could only lose the weight, I'd be happy". Wrong. It's the other way around: If you tackle the depression and get it under control, then it will be MUCH easier to lose weight or to do the million other things you want and need to do in life.

    My advice to anyone who comes on here with this question is the same: Deal with the depression first. Then deal with the weight loss.

    I cannot agree with this more! Especially the last part, of course it is easier said than done as if you struggle with body image issues the weight gain will be feeding the depression and negative thoughts.

    First off, I am sorry to hear you are struggling with ongoing bouts of depression. I know from experience how debilitating it can be. Are you being treated for your depression? You may need therapy, medication or a combination to help lift your mood in order to get the energy and motivation to then be able to tackle the weight issues.

    I think some of the most important things are keeping lists and a regular schedule, this can do wonders to help lift mood and even if it doesn't help at least when the down times eventually lift things are not such a mess. Being disciplined in having a good bedtime, sleep habits, wake time, eating at the same times every day etc can go along way. Sometimes when I am struggling with mood I feel comparable to a toddler if my routines go out of wack it disrupts everything even more! That would be my advice routine, routine, routine. Also being as organised as possible and utilising the times when your mood is not as low, when I am feeling good I make lots of healthy nutritious meals for the freezer, this way when my mood drops and I have zero energy and want to either not eat or go for for a "quick hit" I have an easy way to get good meals that don't take any effort.

    Feel free to message me :smile:.

    Some links regarding routine, our 'body clock' and its relation to depression and weight issues if you are interested:
    http://circres.ahajournals.org/content/106/3/447.full
    http://www.wellnessresources.com/health/articles/body_clocks_and_weight_management_its_all_about_timing/
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    that sounds like great advice, Hannah :smile: and thank you for the links.... I will check them out tonight, when i have more time. I'm ALWAYS open to new ideas!
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
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    Been there, but currently most of my weight gain is due to stress eating, though I believe the correlation of "comfort food" is accurate. Exercise is key, however I know its hard to want to exercise when you're depressed. Sleep is very important, but easy to overdo when depressed, and hard to sleep through the night when stressed. I can suggest that you come up with healthier comfort foods. I recently purchased an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot specifically), and found it so easy to make warm comfort foods like beef vegetable stew, beans and ham, even a whole chicken. The pot keeps all the flavor in there and cooks fast. I just got a load of freezer containers to have on hand. Easy to go from freezer to microwave when the urge strikes. So my biggest suggestion is meals prepped in advance to help keep you from making inadequate food choices. And choose activity that is fun (I ride a bike) or at the least, brisk walking.
  • catbrand
    catbrand Posts: 227 Member
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    Hi guys, I hope you don't mind me gate-crashing.
    In all the years I've been using mfp, I think this is the most helpful thread I've found. So many things I've tried to say, but not been able to put into words, if only my husband would read it, I'm no good at vocalising my thoughts when it comes to depression.
    Anyway, I also find exercise so helpful in boosting my mood, but it's getting over that mental 'hump' to do it in the first place. After a long shift at work or a day with the kids sometimes it's difficult to get the motivation, and when I'm feeling especially low, it can be almost impossible.
    Food is the biggest hurdle I face. When everything is good and easy going, I can quite easily satisfy myself with a healthy meal. But when things aren't so great, I'll quickly turn to the worst foods without a second thought. I'm also anaemic, so it's easy for me to feel tired and turn to sugary food because I'm so tired, I know how wrong that is, but it gives me a boost and so I keep doing it.
    I'm resolving now to start sleeping 8 hours a night, something I have been letting slip lately, and to start exercising regularly. My diet can wait until I've got my exercise in check, Hopefully, the effects of the exercise will have a knock on effect on my diet anyway.
    Anyway, that was quite a ramble for my first post on this thread....
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    hiya catbrand. everyone is welcome here (no gate-crashing) i can relate to not being good at putting words together.... but i think you did so admirably :)
    Kudos to you for resolving to take better care of you! I know exercise doesn't help everybody, but it sure helps me a lot.... and then that makes it easier to make healthy food choices too. best wishes to you and let us know how you are doing :smile:
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    I love the idea of making dishes ahead of time! i'll keep that in my bag of tricks for later.... at the moment, I live with three family members who wouldn't think too much of that idea. good thing my husband likes to cook! LOL
  • shelleygold
    shelleygold Posts: 178 Member
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    Hi everyone
    I am just impressed with the insight people show when challenges are faced both within and without. The "within" relates to our thoughts, feelings, behaviours and responses. The "without" accounts for the outside world which is ever changing. The context of our lives positions us in the centre of everything we experience. It is like we are in every scene in the movie of our existence and we play out the interactions with family, friends, colleagues, mates, neighbours, and everyone else that intersects our environments. I have a sense that we all learn patterns in our own histories which help us decide how to manage and make choices and decisions when we face problems that require solving. One example of this is how to manage weight and what to eat and what to avoid. Other examples may include how to deal with difficult people and to survive conflicts and challenges; many of which we did not even create. Our moods (within) certainly determine how we perceive the outside world and if we can look at things the way they really are and not the way we would like them to be, we made have a better chance of creating better choices and decisions. I used to think that food made me happy, comfortable and satisfied. Now I think that I can make myself feel better by creating a better relationship with my body rather than food. I guess it is how we look at it. I know it isn't easy and our moods can really knock us around. But, once we start believing that we can manage ourselves as effective choice-making organisms, the sky is the limit. We are what we think we are. Hope you are all doing well and thanks for being there.
    Shel
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Hoping to get some adjustments later this month. Medicines are making me irritable, very very irritable. I'm sure it's not easy to live with me right now. running helps. making good food does too. and dog snuggles
  • catbrand
    catbrand Posts: 227 Member
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    Thanks 68myra, I woke up a little worried about what I'd written in that post, I was nearly asleep when I wrote it and wondered if I'd been rambling or if it even made sense! It's been a rough few days but I'm off for a short break with my husband this weekend. Hopefully I can de-stress without the kids (in the nicest possible way, I need a break) and concentrate on getting back on track when we get home..

    Moyer566, I hope the med effects wear off soon. I agree that dog snuggles help, I used to love that before I moved out of my parents. Somehow they seem to know when they're needed.
  • shelleygold
    shelleygold Posts: 178 Member
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    Hey group,
    This thread is for everyone.
    We all eat.
    We all have moods
    We are all challenged (eventually) to decide what meaning to assign our lives and challenges.
    May today be a day of insight and intention. No such thing as good or bad days; it's all about how we choose to see ourselves and what we learn about the complexity of our world.
    Take care
    Shel
  • 68myra
    68myra Posts: 975 Member
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    Shel,
    well said, as usual. (i might be a little biased)
    a day of insight and intention. I will keep that in mind for tomorrow, and then the next tomorrow.....

  • WJS_jeepster
    WJS_jeepster Posts: 224 Member
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    I don't have anything particularly insightful to say - just that this thread is so helpful to me to read. I have regular depression and then in the cold Minnesota winter I layer on seasonal depression. January and February in particular tend to be pretty rough. I'm doing ok this year so far.

    Thanks everyone for your posts. I always check each day to read more!

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