Depression and weight loss

emmagrace0818

Anyone else trying to lose weight, not only for health reasons, but also to help their depression?
I guess not really lose weight for the depression, being more active has been helping though
I have days where I feel my depression is making my self esteem way down and I just want to give up
I desperately want to feel good about myself again, physically and mentally!
Friends in a similar situation would be great
Instagram in which I have made for these specific things: courageous_emmagrace

annacole94

I have depression, but I'm medicated and doing well for now. I wouldn't say I want to lose weight because it will help my depression, because I don't think that's true. I would say I want to exercise more, as that definitely helps.

Depression is a liar with a loud voice. You can learn to reshape what you tell yourself - but know that you are a worthy and wonderful person right now, just as you are.

winejunky143

I am also trying to lose weight to help with my depression. I feel so alone in my struggle with depression because I don't want to admit to my family and friends that I am depressed. Please add me and we can help each other through this?

jjalbertt

I'm trying to lose with anxiety/depression, I find the exercise and eating a healthy diet helps it. In by no way does it cure it, but it does help me think more positively to try and over come the other thoughts of failing or that people don't like me, etc. It has raised my self esteem, because everytime I workout or eat healthy all day, I know I accomplished something and eventually will lead to my big goal. So don't give up!!

motivatedeeat74

never thought of losing for depression as I be depressed at times and I just give it to MY Lord and it seems to work out and at times when I can't seem to get a going on I just pray and concentrate on my weight and changing my eating habits. No meds for me for depression too many meds now for my diabetes blood pressure!!

motivatedeeat74

please add me to the list as I have a firm grip on my every once in awhile depression and take no meds!! let's talk it out!

jjgebel

I'm in the same situation. When I exercises more I felt like my depression was a hit more in control than now. I am medicated though too.

emmagrace0818

jjgebel wrote: »

I'm in the same situation. When I exercises more I felt like my depression was a hit more in control than now. I am medicated though too.

I take medication as well. A high dose actually. My goal is to be off of meds for depression someday

kshama2001

jjalbertt wrote: »

I'm trying to lose with anxiety/depression, I find the exercise and eating a healthy diet helps it. In by no way does it cure it, but it does help me think more positively to try and over come the other thoughts of failing or that people don't like me, etc. It has raised my self esteem, because everytime I workout or eat healthy all day, I know I accomplished something and eventually will lead to my big goal. So don't give up!!

Another vote for exercise and eating healthy. I often have to force myself to start exercising, but am fine once I start, and am always glad to have done it.

kshama2001

emmagrace0818 wrote: »

Anyone else trying to lose weight, not only for health reasons, but also to help their depression?
I guess not really lose weight for the depression, being more active has been helping though
I have days where I feel my depression is making my self esteem way down and I just want to give up
I desperately want to feel good about myself again, physically and mentally!
Friends in a similar situation would be great
Instagram in which I have made for these specific things: courageous_emmagrace

Here's a nice long thread about depression and weight loss: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10058170/depression-and-weight-loss/p1

MissyK222

I suffer from depression and have been on medication for years and its a struggle to stay motivated despite the depression but I know it can be done and I know getting healthy is going to improve my depression immensely! Feel free to add me... I am here if you need to talk to someone who can relate.

MomReborn

I deal with anxiety/depression too. I've recovered from a decade of agoraphobia and over two decades on the eating disorder spectrum. I acknowledge, but don't allow my anxiety/depression/ED to rule me. I had to learn to make my "backchatter" work FOR me, instead of hold me down. Some days are tough, but if it were all easy, the good days would not be fun/appreciated at all!

Feel free to add me, as I've found the positive environment has been essential to overall progress

CynthiasChoice

If you're committed to staying off meds, fish oil has been proven to lessen depression. In some studies, it worked as well as traditional meds.

You also might want to read this book: Healing Anxiety and Depression by Dr. Daniel Amen.

I've only had depression one time. It was after back surgery and lasted a few months. I knew the dark thoughts I was having just wasn't me, so I researched and found that anesthesia can have that effect. It was scary, and now I really have compassion for people who struggle with this long term. I hope you continue to take an active role in your recovery. Keep fighting!

marie9910

I've been dealing with this for as long as I can remember. However there's a lot of evidence showing how diet and exercise directly impact mood and many interesting articles explaining the relationship between these things. I can tell you from my own personal experience that cutting out all sugar and processed foods greatly lessens my depression. I can also tell you that for me, personally, depression goes hand in hand with being overweight. Diet aside, having gained weight, I feel uncomfortable and anxious with too many extra pounds. I also feel guilt/shame because the extra weight is a consequence of having not telemarketing care of myself the way I should have been, for whatever reason. So I do think that a healthy body and a healthy mind go hand in hand. Good luck!

marie9910

I'll add this: while I am exercising with mainly the intent of los my weight, on days where I just don't have the energy to workout I tell myself that today I'm working out for my mind rather than my body, because honestly exercise is a great way to boost your mood.

charlieandcarol

I have never been able to figure out which comes first, the depression and anxiety or the weight. Am I obese because I am depressed and anxious or am I anxious and depressed because I am obese? I am currently the heaviest I have ever been and also feel the worst I have ever felt. I know I feel better when I am exercising and eating well but I feel that my mental state often makes that hard to do.

kq1981

I take medication for my anxiety/depression. I'm losing weight and using mfp as a tool to help me be in control of something controllable. To keep me motivated and inspired to be the best I can be. To take my mind off things. I've been smaller and still suffered badly from depression. For me, it's about knowing I can "control" my weight, having power over something that will in the end provide me with a greater of self esteem and confidence. I had anxiety and panic attacks over things out of my control. It's certainly helping. Good luck to u x

zyxst

I feel like I'm one of the few people who get no relief from depression via exercise, eating healthier, and weight loss. If it works for you that's great.

TreesOfYavanna

zyxst wrote: »

I feel like I'm one of the few people who get no relief from depression via exercise, eating healthier, and weight loss. If it works for you that's great.

I didn't either. I was working out every day and I just became more and more depressed. I was also spending longer and longer in the bathroom.

Finally my husband begged me to see my doctor. I went on antidepressants, which helped, but I was also diagnosed with celiac disease, which was something of a surprise.

Three and a half years later, I am off the antidepressants and feeling much better, but I fell off the workout wagon and got fat because, well, my body wasn't starving anymore, I wasn't exercising regularly, and my eating habits were terrible (other than staying gluten free). So now I am fixing that.

tl;dr it is possible for your depression to be caused by a different physical disease. If you're suffering from depression, see your doctor!

sweetpea813

I've suffered from depression and really bad anxiety for over 10 years. When I started losing weight and exercising in 2016, it started getting better. Now, I only get down if something happens and I can't exercise for days at a time (like sickness). I think I had situational depression. I wasn't happy with my appearance or my health but once I started working on it and noticing changes, my anxiety and depression seemed to ease up a great deal.

zyxst

TreesOfYavanna wrote: »

zyxst wrote: »

I feel like I'm one of the few people who get no relief from depression via exercise, eating healthier, and weight loss. If it works for you that's great.

I didn't either. I was working out every day and I just became more and more depressed. I was also spending longer and longer in the bathroom.

Finally my husband begged me to see my doctor. I went on antidepressants, which helped, but I was also diagnosed with celiac disease, which was something of a surprise.

Three and a half years later, I am off the antidepressants and feeling much better, but I fell off the workout wagon and got fat because, well, my body wasn't starving anymore, I wasn't exercising regularly, and my eating habits were terrible (other than staying gluten free). So now I am fixing that.

tl;dr it is possible for your depression to be caused by a different physical disease. If you're suffering from depression, see your doctor!

I had a bad time when I was on antidepressants, mostly my family being nobs and the one med I was on just made me sleep less and less (sure, a human can get by on an hour of sleep a day). Drugs would probably help me not have my depressive bouts (and the bad shizzle that happens during), but I don't feel up to dealing with the slog of talking to counselors/therapists who don't care and playing the Which Medication Will Work game.

Mine is my brain chemistry is fudged, nothing more.

katiedoo82

Right there with you

annacole94

See, the right medication has made all the difference to me. I can't control my physiologically based real illness entirely through diet and exercise. I require some help rebalancing my brain chemistry. I've been miserably depressed while being at my lowest adult weight.

Medication is also challenging. The first few weeks are worse, not better. The side effects can be pretty problematic long term. I'm still trying to find the ideal dose to get the most benefits for the least inconvenience. It's even on the list of things that influenced my weight gain this time around (but obviously, I still think it was worth it).

Still, exercise helps my anxiety and gives me some general mental health benefits. And eating like crap makes me feel like crap, long term. Self-care in the form of healthy diet and exercise is helpful, but it's not enough for me. I'm not sure it ever will be, and I don't even think my goal is to get off medication. Medication is amazing, properly applied. My illness is not going to be solved in a therapist's office - she's the one who said "Um, I think it's time for you to talk to your doctor."

healthypelican

I have Bipolar. I would like to not be tired all the time.

TreesOfYavanna

zyxst wrote: »

TreesOfYavanna wrote: »

zyxst wrote: »

I feel like I'm one of the few people who get no relief from depression via exercise, eating healthier, and weight loss. If it works for you that's great.

I didn't either. I was working out every day and I just became more and more depressed. I was also spending longer and longer in the bathroom.

Finally my husband begged me to see my doctor. I went on antidepressants, which helped, but I was also diagnosed with celiac disease, which was something of a surprise.

Three and a half years later, I am off the antidepressants and feeling much better, but I fell off the workout wagon and got fat because, well, my body wasn't starving anymore, I wasn't exercising regularly, and my eating habits were terrible (other than staying gluten free). So now I am fixing that.

tl;dr it is possible for your depression to be caused by a different physical disease. If you're suffering from depression, see your doctor!

I had a bad time when I was on antidepressants, mostly my family being nobs and the one med I was on just made me sleep less and less (sure, a human can get by on an hour of sleep a day). Drugs would probably help me not have my depressive bouts (and the bad shizzle that happens during), but I don't feel up to dealing with the slog of talking to counselors/therapists who don't care and playing the Which Medication Will Work game.

Mine is my brain chemistry is fudged, nothing more.

Yeah, I definitely got lucky with the diagnosis and with the very first antidepressant I was given, a very low dose of Prozac which worked immediately and well. But I'm very aware that for many people, they have to try lots of different medications to find the right one. Some folks never do, sadly. There's just so much we still don't understand about the human body, especially the brain.

winejunky143

charlieandcarol wrote: »

I have never been able to figure out which comes first, the depression and anxiety or the weight. Am I obese because I am depressed and anxious or am I anxious and depressed because I am obese? I am currently the heaviest I have ever been and also feel the worst I have ever felt. I know I feel better when I am exercising and eating well but I feel that my mental state often makes that hard to do.

I feel like for me I have depression and anxiety because of my size. I don't even know what to believe anymore about it though. My boyfriend tells me I need to start eating more and stop starving myself because I'm too skinny, (which I am not starving myself at all), my parents say I'm looking better and a healthy weight but when I look in the mirror and at pictures of myself I'm overcome with self-loathing for how I look.. I don't know who to believe.

runningkel

I started running to help with my depression/anxiety and it helped tremendously. I'm not advocating you have to run, but I am a huge advocate of moving more and sweating to help your depression. Having an outlet to drain the negative juju and bring some endorphins to the surface is key for me. I feel empowered and it gives me something that I have TOTAL control over, and when I take that control and stick with it, I feel better and my depression/anxiety lessens. That's not to say I'm 100% happy all the time, but the activity helps me. When I miss a few days or get off schedule, I notice a marked difference in my mood and mental well being.

I also feel that getting yourself a kick-*kitten* (or relaxing, if that's your thing) playlist while you're walking, running, dancing, whatever, is a necessity!

Hang in there!!

jlscherme

I started a new med recently, after a long line of med tries. I'm starting to feel better and doing a bit of exercise. I feel so much better after getting moving.

annacole94

winejunky143 wrote: »

charlieandcarol wrote: »

I have never been able to figure out which comes first, the depression and anxiety or the weight. Am I obese because I am depressed and anxious or am I anxious and depressed because I am obese? I am currently the heaviest I have ever been and also feel the worst I have ever felt. I know I feel better when I am exercising and eating well but I feel that my mental state often makes that hard to do.

I feel like for me I have depression and anxiety because of my size. I don't even know what to believe anymore about it though. My boyfriend tells me I need to start eating more and stop starving myself because I'm too skinny, (which I am not starving myself at all), my parents say I'm looking better and a healthy weight but when I look in the mirror and at pictures of myself I'm overcome with self-loathing for how I look.. I don't know who to believe.

Self-loathing isn't something that will get fixed by losing more weight. That is your depression talking, and depression lies.

Take care of yourself.

tabletop_joe

Yeah, I have to really watch myself when I lose weight. Because I get really into it and I conflate self esteem with what is actually probably mania. Once I hit my goal weight or just feel relief from being fat for a while, my baseline mood re-establishes itself. Because depression lies. It tells me I'm better when I'm not, and then it comes from behind and cuts me off at the knees. Beware, losing can help but a long term plan the integrates weight loss and depression management is better.

xsmilexforxmex

I have noticed my depression has gotten worse since I have had my injury and gained weight. It's much more under control when I'm working out and eating healthy - not 100% resolved by any means but manageable. Requested to follow you on IG - Blonde_Fit_Life