People with Depression, how do you stay on track during a low?
supermysza
Posts: 167 Member
I can do really well with healthy eating and exercise when my mood is alright but as soon as I slump back down it's all pizza and chocolate. What are your tips for staying on track during a bad period?
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Often I don't stay on track. I do, however, make sure to take classes with my trainer (running) 2x/wk so I am obligated to show up and get my money's worth. If nothing else, THAT goes right, and sometimes the endorphins get me through the better part of the day without food obsessing me. Of course, then there is the evening to deal with.....1
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I can't. But my low points generally result in hospitalisation.1
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Working out has been the only thing that keeps my depression in check and prevents me from having low points. For me, workouts are my treatment for depression.7
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I always go over my calories- I am very slowly learning to control my emotional eating. I still try to log everything I eat and instead shift my focus on doing some kind of exercise. When I am down it is the hardest thing in the world to force myself to get up and move but makes me feel a lot better afterwards.5
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Really good q - I'm ok right now but he be been doing good yr bad yr for 7 yrs now. Hoping getting back in shape will form habits that'll keep me going if I have relapse (live in hope I'm going to be ok tho!)1
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I end up going over but then punish myself by working to deprive myself the next so many days. (Like today. Went over this weekend so I am depriving myself to make up that overage since I haven't gone below 160 yet. Limiting myself to lunch and a light dinner and will probably throw an extra workout this evening to deepen my calorie deficit. Trying to eat only 1K calories since I can't seem to keep food out of my fat mouth)1
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It's hard, especially if I'm feeling particularly negative. I just try to remind myself that the low point is only temporary and I will feel better again. If I can't manage to find the energy to exercise (depression usually makes me feel more tired than usual), I make sure to at least track my food. It helps to keep me from overdoing the pizza and chocolate. If I do over do it, I try to be extra vigilant during the times when I feel good to make up for it. Generally, I also find that the weight loss and just being more involved in life helps to keep the relapses in check.3
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At a low point, I just do what I feel like I can manage. If you feel like you need the pizza and chocolate, maybe try just eating one or two pieces instead of a whole pie or a whole chocolate bar. If you can't keep up with your typical exercise routine, try pushing yourself to go walk, even if it's only for 5 or 10 mins. Anything is better than nothing. And worst case scenario, if you're barely able to fend for yourself because you're so low, and you can't do anything, just get back on track when you come out of it. Don't beat yourself up for the low points you can't help.8
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Get up and move. Exercise is the enemy of depression. If you're feeling down try to force yourself for a long walk. Keep junk food out of the house. Remind yourself outloud that if you eat pizza and donuts it will only make the depression worse. These are all things I practice. Losing weight and staying active has significantly reduced any depression in my life. It still happens from time to time, so you just have to fight it the best you can. Just always keep moving. Depression loves to sit around like a bump on a log, don't let it. Keep your surroundings clean as well. Depression loves dirt and clutter. A clean environment fosters clean thoughts.6
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Log my food regardless of what I eat (you'll see it, 6 tablespoons of peanut butter, a bag of chips, or a Little Debbie cake when I am trying to avoid sugar... yes to keeping my binge foods out of my house) and go to the gym. Sometimes I skip the gym, but it always results in a worse day; it helps to have a SO who tries to motivate me, but who also knows when I actually do need a day off.1
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I don't have the answer. I just wanted to say I get it. There are many forms of depression and people react very differently so its not a one size fits all solution. Obviously see a doctor if you believe it is depression. If its sadness go for a walk if you can, take a shower, get a massage and be gentle with yourself however you see fit.
If you go to bed torn up and wake up every morning pleading that something just ends your life but you can't afford to be hospitalized then I say eat if it numbs you but also get help from were ever you can- places like NAMI. Being fat is better than being that depressed. I'm now 50lb heavier then I was last year but I'm not mad about it I'm just now able to face this part of the damage. And in reality I'm thankful my vice is food and not booze or drugs because those can really cause you damage really fast.
I guess I'd say focus on balancing your mood in healthy ways first. Practice self compassion. If you feel like exercising awesome, if you make it around the block walking thats fantastic just don't feel guilty or beat yourself up if there are days you can't. Exercise does not treat depression but it can be part of a healthy way to work yourself out of a depressive cycle -if you are even to make it out the door.9 -
There is a lot of really good advice posted here.
As others have mentioned, I try for a couple of short walks a day. Investing in a treadmill or other machinery if you are stuck in the house and have the means to buy. I also like to have exercise video's on hand for those days I can't leave the house, if I am up to it.
Talking to someone, be it a friend, family or counselor is a relief for many people. Journaling is also beneficial, as could a blog on MFP which can be for your eyes only or open to the public.
If you stay inside in bed or on the couch, simply opening the curtains and shades to let the natural light in helps greatly.3 -
I don't have the answer. I just wanted to say I get it. There are many forms of depression and people react very differently so its not a one size fits all solution. Obviously see a doctor if you believe it is depression. If its sadness go for a walk if you can, take a shower, get a massage and be gentle with yourself however you see fit.
If you go to bed torn up and wake up every morning pleading that something just ends your life but you can't afford to be hospitalized then I say eat if it numbs you but also get help from were ever you can- places like NAMI. Being fat is better than being that depressed. I'm now 50lb heavier then I was last year but I'm not mad about it I'm just now able to face this part of the damage. And in reality I'm thankful my vice is food and not booze or drugs because those can really cause you damage really fast.
I guess I'd say focus on balancing your mood in healthy ways first. Practice self compassion. If you feel like exercising awesome, if you make it around the block walking thats fantastic just don't feel guilty or beat yourself up if there are days you can't. Exercise does not treat depression but it can be part of a healthy way to work yourself out of a depressive cycle -if you are even to make it out the door.
I agree self compassion is key. Insight into your illness, how it affects you because it affects everyone differently and to just celebrate the small things you can do helps. I saw a post about a woman who'd showered and brushed her hair for first time in three weeks...depression had made her almost catatonic.0 -
I force myself to exercise too. It can be the hardest thing I know. Keeping a schedule and doing exercise on auto-pilot can help. Logging everything, no matter what, and being kind to myself about binge eating, were hard in the moment but helped.
@Geocitiesuser I agree about de-cluttering, if I can throw things away or do some cleaning projects I do feel better and I'm moving around too.
I also agree with others' thoughts on seeing a therapist/doctor, and practicing being gentle with yourself. I hope you come out of it soon.
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I go over my calories all the time but I force myself to do some sort of exercise, I feel better afterwards but it's really hard to get going.
I hope you can find something that helps but remember please don't be too hard on yourself if you aren't able to get up and do anything 1 day. It's okay ❤️0 -
When I start to feel low I work out or get outside in the sun. It doesn't always work but sometimes it does. My new problem is not eating at all. I used to eat my feelings now I starve. I don't think either is healthy at all. I hope you can figure this out. Maybe keep healthier snacks around so when your low your options are at least a little better.
Good luck, I wish I could help more.1 -
it is horrible-for me I am stress eater-I have been going through depression for the past couple months-I try to workout to relive stress-I love to lift are do something intense-even a long walk-some days I have to force myself-but when I do I feel better good luck0
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Exercise.
When I'm feeling low I try go to the gym it either picks me up a bit of makes it so if I do comfort eat it doesn't matter as much0 -
I do this too. One extreme to another.When I start to feel low I work out or get outside in the sun. It doesn't always work but sometimes it does. My new problem is not eating at all. I used to eat my feelings now I starve. I don't think either is healthy at all. I hope you can figure this out. Maybe keep healthier snacks around so when your low your options are at least a little better.
Good luck, I wish I could help more.
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Try eating pizza and chocolate and staying within your calorie goals. I have shaved dark chocolate on top of a latte made with almond milk and cinnamon every day, fifty calories. Same with pizza, you can make something that will satisfy you and make you happy which is not hugely fattening like takeout pizza.
If you end up eating pizza because you don't feel up to shopping, your first step to staying on track is to ask for help. Call in some favors and get your support network on board to help you take care of yourself. Don't be embarrassed to ask for specific help: Could you go with me to the grocery / do the grocery shopping? I feel like crap today and need some help.1 -
If you go to bed torn up and wake up every morning pleading that something just ends your life but you can't afford to be hospitalized then I say eat if it numbs you but also get help from were ever you can- places like NAMI. Being fat is better than being that depressed. I'm now 50lb heavier then I was last year but I'm not mad about it I'm just now able to face this part of the damage. And in reality I'm thankful my vice is food and not booze or drugs because those can really cause you damage really fast.
I cannot smash the "insightful" button on this enough times. We live in a world where many, many people think the worst thing in the world is being fat. It's not. I'd rather be fat than suicidal (I understand they are not mutually exclusive).
Get professional help if you have the resources; take meds if you need them. Don't attempt to power through bad patches thinking you're a failure if diet and exercise alone don't do it for you. Take a walk if it soothes you. And yes -- eat it if soothes you. Try not to eat until you feel worse about yourself, but just do your best. It's all we can ask from ourselves.2 -
With it being said that everyone deals with it differently, for me it's obligation.
Like taking a kick boxing class or something once or twice a week. You already paid for it, maybe you met some people so they're expecting you to show up, it's not gonna take that long ect.. You'll probably leave the class feeling better. Work out some frustration, burned off a good amount of calories,got out the house for some time, gained some feeling of accomplishment as well as confidence, maybe talked to someone about randomness that took your mind elsewhere for awhile.
OR you go home and feel just as depressed.. At the very least whatever you choose to eat might be one less thing to worry about, maybe even with being depressed still and now with the physical workout you'll be too tired to do much of anything.
Also with my depression, I make sure my doctor knows that my weight bothers me and contributes to my depression so she avoids any medication that has a strong weight gain side effect.0 -
I guess I'd say focus on balancing your mood in healthy ways first. Practice self compassion. If you feel like exercising awesome, if you make it around the block walking thats fantastic just don't feel guilty or beat yourself up if there are days you can't. Exercise does not treat depression but it can be part of a healthy way to work yourself out of a depressive cycle -if you are even to make it out the door.
I wish I could practice self-compassion but I don't have any at all. Most of what I feel towards myself is self-loathing. Even dieting is a way of punishing myself because I let my weight get out of control.
A lot of climbing out of my low points is by sheer stupid stubbornness and a cowardice that won't let me take that final step into the unknown. I'm glad it works for others, I am. For me, there just isn't any.
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Thank you whoever created this thread2
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I'm working on positive thoughts and positive routines. I set goals that are easy to achieve like a small calorie cut and a light exercise routine while practicing to compliment myself on achieving them without overdoing anything. I tend to work out too much, eat too little, get even more depressed and eventually give it all up. So after 15 years of that i changed one fundamental thing: I'm trying to relax. Not rushing into over-/under exercising/eating by focus and breathing, to learn how to stay calm and trust the (very slow) process. That also means forcing myself a lot to say "I'm ok" or "not too bad" to the mirror.0
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I wish I could practice self-compassion but I don't have any at all. Most of what I feel towards myself is self-loathing. Even dieting is a way of punishing myself because I let my weight get out of control.
A lot of climbing out of my low points is by sheer stupid stubbornness and a cowardice that won't let me take that final step into the unknown. I'm glad it works for others, I am. For me, there just isn't any.
[/quote]
Yeah, self compassion feels really counter intuitive. I'm not about to tell you how to feel. My therapist told be me people who are self compassionate live more content lives then those with high self esteem, it was hard to swallow since both seemed equally out of reach. I put it in the back of my mind but after falling deep in the hole again I checked out the book 'Self Compassion' by Dr. Neff. I could of done with out her anecdotes but the book was insightful.
Also this silly video by The School of Life, I love them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kfUE41-JFw
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I'm probably not qualified to write as I fall down a lot. But here are some things that help me. I work out with a personal trainer. I have to do that whether I'm depressed or not, and it really ends up helping me to work out as well as talk to him. Also a huge thing for me is doing self care. Have a self care plan that you've made when you were not depressed, and then follow it when you are. Be kind to yourself. I also try to keep the house free of junk food, but have other food on hand that I really like and can eat a lot of, but that is healthy. Remind yourself, that you will feel better eventually, and just get back up when you fall down with the food thing. It's hard. I know how hard it is. I have bipolar so I have the really lows and the really highs and I can emotionally eat on either one. I'd suggest spending some time with someone you love and trust, even if it's just sitting there not talking. Surround yourself with things that comfort you that aren't food. And see a therapist if you can. I don't want to at all sound like I'm telling you what you HAVE to do, or that these will work for you, I'm just saying what helps me. Sometimes even all of those things don't, but sometimes they do. I get you and my heart goes out to you. Hang in there.1
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KurumiSophia wrote: »I guess I'd say focus on balancing your mood in healthy ways first. Practice self compassion. If you feel like exercising awesome, if you make it around the block walking thats fantastic just don't feel guilty or beat yourself up if there are days you can't. Exercise does not treat depression but it can be part of a healthy way to work yourself out of a depressive cycle -if you are even to make it out the door.
I wish I could practice self-compassion but I don't have any at all. Most of what I feel towards myself is self-loathing. Even dieting is a way of punishing myself because I let my weight get out of control.
A lot of climbing out of my low points is by sheer stupid stubbornness and a cowardice that won't let me take that final step into the unknown. I'm glad it works for others, I am. For me, there just isn't any.
@KurumiSophia - This and your previous comment concern me as being beyond the scope of this thread. I hope you can see clear to seek whatever help you might need, if you are not already doing so. You deserve more than this.0 -
I've seen countless threads like this in my time on MFP (2+ years), but I have to say, this one seems particularly insightful & practical. I like the thought about classes/training that we feel obliged to attend, whether we particularly want to or not. I feel like this easily carries over into areas of life outside of fitness. Reminds me of a phrase I heard many years ago- "Act yourself into the right way of thinking."
I too really feel like exercise has been the main key for keeping things under control, and my simple rule to follow has been, if I don't feel like it (which is the case more often than not), I have to do it for 5 minutes. If I still don't feel up to it, that's fine and I don't have to. But I'd say at least 95% of the time I get the workout in and feel better for it, if only for a short time. It also helps to have a playlist of music you personally find upbuilding & energizing to get you (and keep you) going.
Thank you for the thread
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I ask myself how will I feel if I continue eating poorly. What will it do to my health. My lifestyle. My relationships. My future.1
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