Weight gain from acute depression

RRchef

I recently lost my mother, my father and my wife, all in an 18 month window. In that same window I was diagnosed with cancer and started treatments. I lost my wife only six months after my mother and my cancer treatment was in that same six months! I was diagnosed with acute depression and PTSD. In the 18 months since my wife passed away, I have gained 35 pounds. I was always able to maintain an average weight of 185 plus minus 5 pounds. I understand now about all the people that point at depression as a reason for their weight gain.
I'm here to lose the weight, but having difficulty staying focused and driven. Still dealing with depression, and my meds seem to keep me at a low motivation level. I'm doing okay adjusting my eating habits, but exercise is a hit or miss....,, hard to keep caring about these things. I know I need a coach or a partner in motivation. For the first time in my life, I have little in the way of motivation and I want to break this cycle.
I guess with all that said, I could use a friend on here to help keep me motivated, to challenge me. Any takers?

moonnstarstx

Hello
I am so sorry for your loses. I know what its like to feel like things will never get better but I would like to share my personal experience in hopes of helping.
I suffered from crippling depression from 2012-2014. I would literally sleep 13+ hours a day. I would actually wake up, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, ect. At the same time my doctor kept uping my medications to the point that i could not function day to day life. I couldn't hold down jobs and my weight continued to sky rocket leading to more depression and anxiety. I just finally made a decision to take control of my life. I slowly decreased my medication (except for my thyroid and insomnia meds) in Fall 2014 and took my last anxiety/ depression pill in February 2015 and my life has completely turned around. I have currently lost 50 lbs and counting, am working as well as going back to school.
Everybody has a different story but I wanted to share mine in hopes that it may help. Please feel free to add me. We all can use all the help we can get

RodaRose

If the food logging is working for you, keep doing that. Pick up the exercise at some point in the future.
Depression is so hard. 'Sorry that you are going through this.

melonaulait

It must be very difficult for you. If you can continue logging your calories and staying within the limit, you'll lose weight just fine while dealing with your depression. Don't make it too complicated, just log.

mazdauk

You have really been through it, and its going to take time to come out the other side. As others have said, keep on logging - little routines really help, quite apart from the benefits. Try just building a little walking in here and there rather than feeling you have to go to an hour long exercise class - 15 mins, half an hour, all helps. It changes your scenery, you can have some fun music going if you prefer, just walk around and look at things and remember there are good things around - blue skies, birds, flowers. Sounds smug, but I've been through it and it really does help. Friend me if I can help.

Hunnysmiles

Hello! I am so sorry for your loses I can't imagine how overwhelmed you must be. I too have struggled with depression most of my adult life and it has been hard finding the right combination of meds so that I wasn't loopy or zonked out. If you haven't already, find a doctor willing to really work with you on this. I also lost a dear friend in 2014 to cancer and then was diagnosed myself at the end of 2014. There is no one way to combat the sadness and overwhelming black cloud feeling but for me journaling, acknowledging when I'm in the throes of an episode rather than fighting it and setting small goals has really helped. When I say small goals I mean like take a shower, do 1 load of laundry that type of thing. You can beat it just one step at a time, one day at a time.

Captain_Lardo

Hi,

I can't even compare to what you have been going through.

For what it's worth, going through some hard family times brought me down. I have noticed a huge difference through exercise over the last 5 months.

Mind you, I have to go at it pretty hard: 3 days a week:
-Monday: 2 hours bodybuilding (heavy, no break) followed by 2 hours of soccer
-Wednesday: 2.75 hours (very heavy, no break)
-Saturday 2.5 hours (heavy, no break), followed by 2 hours of soccer

In addition to this, I use myfitnesspal so I can understand my eating habits (e.g. night, binge when feeling stressed, etc.)

As a result, I have been much more able to cope with heavy stress, likely from all the endorphins, the increased feeling of control ('gym iron doesn't lie') and the increased confidence in beating personal records (weightlifting, endurance). In addition, it's nice to see physical changes when I look in the mirror - solid evidence of me becoming a better person. it helps improve my mood as well - synergy, I guess.

I hope this might help in some way.

ilex70

Try to be kind to yourself. That doesn't mean not trying to lose, just don't beat yourself up about it too much. Tracking and eating reasonable portions of good food you enjoy sounds about right.

Try just building a little walking in here and there rather than feeling you have to go to an hour long exercise class - 15 mins, half an hour, all helps. It changes your scenery, you can have some fun music going if you prefer, just walk around and look at things and remember there are good things around - blue skies, birds, flowers. Sounds smug, but I've been through it and it really does help.

Agree. This has been most helpful in my experience.

Also getting your medication right for you can take a lot of trial and error. You may find this helpful. If it seems applicable you may want to talk to your GP.

everydayhealth.com/depression/signs-your-antidepressant-isnt-working.aspx

And, if you can, perhaps seek out grief counseling because you have gotten an extra big helping at the moment.

kshama2001

I'm so sorry.

We have a long thread about depression here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10058170/depression-and-weight-loss/p1

I'm really having to force myself to exercise these days, but am always glad after that I did.

Maybe talk to your doctor about your meds? I take Wellbutrin, which is a little speedy, which helps. I've had probably a half dozen other antidepressants, and this is the only one without negative side effects.

MelaniaTrump

Join a local YMCA. Just do it.

debrakgoogins

I am so sorry for all you have been through. My back story is nothing like yours but it definitely includes depression. If you go to my profile and scroll down a little ways, I shared my back story last week after being on MPF for two years. I'd love to be part of your support system. It's hard to battle through but I do my best and I try to be a motivating friend here. Good luck you!

misty589

Wow, I'm so sorry. I understand how you feel in a way, I've also gained a lot of weight in the last 6 months following a trauma and a loss. This past June my mother was murdered by her partner, on a Friday night, when she didn't show for work on monday, I went looking for her, no one would answer the door, I was banging on it and trying to get in for a couple of hours with my youngest child with me. I called police, and when they showed up my mom's partner shot himself, he was inside the whole time with a loaded gun! I never realised how much effect this sort of thing can have on habits/weight. I've only just begun to try to stay on track this past week. I joined the local y, which has a real community feel, and I think that's going to help me get there more often. Do you have a local y?

youngmomtaz

Having only suffered mild depression I can Not imagine what you are going through! I feel for you! I would stick with logging, find something you used to enjoy, even recruit a friend in real life to help you if possible. Some one who will show up twice a week, drink a cup of coffee and then suggest a walk, bike ride, tennis, golf, etc. I would also second the thought a grief counsellor may be able to help you if you aren't already seeing someone.

cross2bear

Gosh I dont know what to say - I cant imagine how difficult your life has been up to this point. You are very brave and I admire your will to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My only advice is to seize control of what you can control - like building in even small amounts of exercise into your schedule. You will feel a great deal of accomplishment from even those seemingly small things, but it will provide you with momentum to go on to take on more. Good luck, and of course, there is always someone to talk with around here!

Nightcometh

What a horrible time to go through.

First of all: congrats for still being here! You have amazing dedication and so much more strength than you probably realize. I've struggled on and off with depression. We are old friends. I've never had so many dark things to happen in such a short amount of time, though. Hats off to you being an amazing survivor.

Second: Depression meds have saved my butt through a few intense episodes when I couldn't function. I remember the time without them, and then the time with them. Night and day! And sometimes that's what we need...for a while. But also remember that most doctors aren't looking at your life as a whole individual. They are looking at you as a triage situation. Stop the bleeding, then deal with other wounds later. I found depression meds, besides their amazing ability to keep me alive when I didn't want to be, made my life sluggish, my emotions capped, and changed things about me I didn't like. So, after a while when I was doing better in my life, I made the choice to get off of them. I personally needed a counselor to help me through my issues, and tons of exercise to keep the depression away. It still comes around, don't get me wrong. But I have tools and weapons to fight it.

Again I am so sorry about what's happened in your life. I do hope you have some people you can talk to who care for you. Maybe joining a class or where you can workout with buddies will help. Online friends do help but it's good to have someone there with you sweating.

Bless you, friend.

KnitSewSpin

I get seasonal depression and walking in the woods with my dogs helps me immeasurably. Most of the time I have to force myself to do it. My dogs help with that too. Even just a short daily walk might help.

I'm sorry for your losses.

RRchef

Thank you everyone. One of my challenges us I travel for work so I am often on the road and spend a lot of week nights in hotels. It helps my hotel rewards points but I find when I get back to the hotel that I have no motivation to get to the exercise room. I know that's on me!! I try to walk 2-4 miles almost every day. I know there is the "just do it" piece that I have to own. However, I know I need a little push.. Oh screw it! I need a monumental shove!!!!! To stay focused. I'm occupied with work during the day, but the towel often gets thrown at the end of my work day.

I appreciate everyone's support here. I know that I could use a daily dose!! Please feel free to friend me here if any of you want to. I am sure we can all help each other

debrakgoogins

I travel for work as well and I am the same. At the end of the day, I just want to crawl into the big comfy bed instead of working out. My solution is to force myself as often as possible to get up first thing in the morning and go down to the gym before my day starts. I lived out of a hotel for three months this year after a house fire so I understand meal prep is hard. Make the best choices you can when traveling and have some go to items available to curb snacking.

kshama2001

RRchef wrote: »

Thank you everyone. One of my challenges us I travel for work so I am often on the road and spend a lot of week nights in hotels. It helps my hotel rewards points but I find when I get back to the hotel that I have no motivation to get to the exercise room. I know that's on me!! I try to walk 2-4 miles almost every day. I know there is the "just do it" piece that I have to own. However, I know I need a little push.. Oh screw it! I need a monumental shove!!!!! To stay focused. I'm occupied with work during the day, but the towel often gets thrown at the end of my work day.

I appreciate everyone's support here. I know that I could use a daily dose!! Please feel free to friend me here if any of you want to. I am sure we can all help each other

One simple trick that helps perk me up and change my state is taking a shower. So, after work I will eat, shower, and then work out. Yes, I have to shower again after, but that first shower gets me going.

RRchef

I like that idea