Mental Health and Dieting

lusearun

Hi,

I'm well within my healthy weight range and reasonably active but recently trying to sort out my diet in an attempt to make myself more energised and happier (which has actually worked thus far!). I was just wondering really if there were any other people out there who have successfully dieted while depressed and were able to overcome or at least control your illness with physical activity and good health. I sometimes get myself into a mindset of 'well it doesn't matter because nothing matters' which tends to be when I eat the wrong things and stop attending the gym, then I get fatigued and can't bring myself to do things to make me feel better ETC. I was just looking for advice on how to manage my depression WITH my diet and healthy lifestyle and inspiration from others who were able to!

AliceDark

I have seasonal affective disorder, which is cyclical depression that tends to recur during the winters. I wouldn't say that I manage it WITH eating or exercise, although they contribute to the successful treatment plan that I've been able to figure out. What I do have is a lot of experience managing a healthy eating and regular exercise regimen while my depression is active.

First, it's important to remember that depression is individual and may respond to different treatment plans for each individual person. Most people use a lot of different techniques and treatments to manage depression, not just one single thing. Is there a reason you want to treat it specifically with diet/exercise? You should do whatever it takes to manage your condition, whether that's diet, exercise, medication, meditation, therapy, whatever.

One of the big lessons I've learned is to be gentle with myself. When I get into the "it doesn't matter because nothing matters" mindset, I find it helpful to tell myself that I need to do something for 5 minutes and then it's okay if I quit. Sometimes I'll quit, and sometimes that 5 minutes is enough to get me into an enjoyable activity that I want to continue. If I really can't face a hard workout, a walk out in the sunshine is also very healthy and beneficial.

gcminton

So far so good here, 60-70 lbs lost and continuing.

I've had severe depression most of my life and I've found that changing my diet to one that is healthier (for me) has had a radical effect on my depression and anxiety. I still have bad days, but they're less severe and much less frequent. Exercise also helps, but for me the change in what I eat has had a bigger impact.

I've been learning how important it is to not moralize food (good food vs bad food) or beat myself up if I go off-plan for a bit (if you wouldn't say terrible things to a friend that went off track, why do it to yourself?). It happens, we're human, and I know I have a lifetime of unhealthy food habits to overcome that won't change overnight. All you can do is the best that you can, take it one day or meal at a time, and continue on.

Just remember it's a process that will take time. I'm always improving a little at a time (my last depressive binge was only part of a day instead of the several days or week it used to be), and hope to keep on improving.

marysjourneytolose

I, myself, suffer from ptsd and severe depression. At the beginning of my journey where I lost over 100 lbs, I was on meds and feeling amazing, now I'm currently not taking anything and my appetite is crap. Atm I have no appetite but there are moments where I crave nothing but junk food. Plus I have zero energy. However, I'm forcing myself to eat and to eat mostly healthy and I'm making sure I at least go out for a quick jog. I know it can be difficult dealing with depression especially when you're trying to lose weight and be healthy, but you can't let that stand in your way. I recommend seeing a doctor and getting on medication for it or try meditation. I'm not on meds atm but I that's going to change real soon. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you can find happiness and some way to combat your depression.