I’m struggling to lose weight because of depression and Asperger’s. What do I do?

allie_oopsiesTK

I’m beginning to realize I am not mentally strong enough to lose weight. I am 182 and I just want to be 150. It’s not a lot of weight to lose when I think about it but that means giving up the only thing that makes me excited: food.

I don’t have any friends, and I am single with no kids so I don’t have a lot to do outside of eating. I’m a teacher so I’m off during the summer but finding a routine is proving to be difficult and when I’m depressed I only feel better after eating. What do I do?

mulecanter

Nothing insurmountable here in my opinion. Boredom is always my trigger for snacking like so many of us. I suggest taking up some hobbies that kill two birds with one stone. Imagine if you joined a running club. You would be taking time out of the house (and away from the food), you would be burning calories instead of consuming them, you would be generating endorphines to improve your mental state, and you might meet some new people and make some new friends via shared experiences on the trail. If you are new to running the folks in the club will be delighted to coach you if you have a good attitude. Get out of your comfort zone (which is small for Aspies--my nephew is one too) and have some fun.

kimny72

allie_oopsiesTK wrote: »

I’m beginning to realize I am not mentally strong enough to lose weight. I am 182 and I just want to be 150. It’s not a lot of weight to lose when I think about it but that means giving up the only thing that makes me excited: food.

I don’t have any friends, and I am single with no kids so I don’t have a lot to do outside of eating. I’m a teacher so I’m off during the summer but finding a routine is proving to be difficult and when I’m depressed I only feel better after eating. What do I do?

You don't have to give up anything, just eat a little less!
Set your goal to lose 1 lb per week and just start logging what you normally eat. This will start to make it a habit, plus you will begin to see where you are wasting calories, where you can make little tweaks or substitutions, that sort of thing.

Exercise is a great thing to do if you're bored. Take a walk. Sign up for a class. Find some fun workouts on you tube.

I actually found planning out my day, prelogging food, switching stuff around to make it fit, was kind of fun but maybe I'm weird like that It was like a little project to me.

I would add that if you are depressed, seeing a professional is really a good idea. It can make everything more difficult until you deal with it. Good luck!

Xerogs

There are so many different food options in the world, some healthy and many not so healthy. Look at focusing on healthier options and see if that is just as exciting as the unhealthy options. Then tailor those healthy options to a point where you can lose a pound every week or two and see if that helps with your depression (otherwise seek some guidance from a professional). Focusing on the optimal nutrition for your body can be engaging, challenging, and fun. I would start with small things like setting a set block of time for meals and/or physical activity of some sort like a walk. Look at your calorie intake and see if there is room to cut back in areas. These small accomplishments might make you feel just as good after eating and you will realize just how mentally strong you are. I am constantly working on replacing bad habits with good ones, its a work in progress every day.

Junk food can activate pleasure receptors in your brain and become addictive. Corporations spends millions on research and development to create food like products that take people to their bliss points leaving them craving more. Eating real whole foods and less sugary refined foods will shift your palate and break that food addiction. For example, since I change my eating habits I've noticed that a bowl of blueberries is far more appetizing to me than most sugar filled processed foods and they don't leave me craving more.

bisky

Alle - I am sorry about the cycle you are in. It is hard to get excited about making changes when you don't have the energy due to depression.

Do you like music? One of the ways I fought out of depression was starting a walking program listening to my favorite music. It helps to have everything you need to walk laid out the night before, clothes, music (iPod charged) and water bottle.

As far as foods goes try writing down everything healthy you love. I love mangos, blue berries and no sugar almond butter. Then write down healthy food you like, example: salads with fresh fruits and nuts, salmon, shrimp, crab, tuna, oatmeal, fruit smoothies, grilled mushrooms, hummus with carrots & cucumbers. Then write down your favorite comfort foods that you don't want to give up. Mine was chocolate AND coffee. I can give up cookies, candy, cakes, fries, bread etc. but not chocolate or coffee and I don't mean sugar free chocolate. Then put your focus on getting your favorite healthy foods in rather than focusing on giving up your favorites.

I agree with the excellent advice above. As you are a teacher, you can look at it like a lesson plan or project but instead of helping others you are helping yourself. You can do this!

sksk1026

Your thinking is a problem but you can fix it. Start with what you believe. You believe you can't lose weight probably based on the past. Set a goal to lose a small amount. 1 lb in 1 week. But, make it your goal to do it while eating food you love. If you love pizza then go to the store and figure out which is the lowest cal pizza you can buy that you will love? What if you eat half for a meal and get rid of the rest? Can you bulk it up with some roast vegetables? A glass of wine is less than 100 calories, too. Maybe you need to eat less for breakfast that day so you have more calories for your pizza? What about a protein powder drink for breakfast then so you're full with fewer calories. You can lose weight eating the food you like. I love fast food so i researched it on the mfp forums. I now have multiple go-to fast food choices. You don't need to be perfect at this from day one. You can experiment and get better at it. It can be easier to replace a habit than just stop it. So if you snack in front of tv, find lower calorie snacks and plan for them. Also it's easier to change one thing at a time so maybe work on food choices now and leave exercise for later. In terms of being depressed and friendless, that's something you can work on in small steps too. It might be sensible to speak to a doc about depression. Focus on your food for a week, starting today. You had the mental energy and determination to qualify as a teacher so you have more grit and skills than you give yourself credit for.

Diatonic12

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10683464/hey-i-m-allie-does-anyone-have-advice-to-break-food-addiction#latest

You've been given some good advice on both threads.

katphi1618

Get a dog. He'll keep you company and needs to be walked. The worse thing for depression is isolation. You don't have to give up food just match your activities with what you eat beyond what you need to live. I refuse to give up food, I'm a foodie at heart, so I'm making my lifestyle more active.

anl90

I can completely relate when it comes to the depression part - some days I can barely get out of bed, much less go out into the world and exercise. But honestly? From the first day I start adding it back into my schedule, it has turned into one of my 'happy places'. I get genuine enjoyment from my walks. I am majorly an emotional eater, and food was my 'happy place' too, but now I don't really have the urge to eat unless I am truly hungry. I know everyone is different, but I would hope the same could go for you once you give it a try? If you need a friend, you are more than welcome to add me. I love motivating others!

tammythaxton

I don't have depression......but I've also been having trouble getting started. I had breast cancer last year so I had surgery and chemo. I was normally pretty active but I gained 40lbs on chemo from the steroids......then the hormone blocker I was taking after chemo gave me such horrible joint pain that I couldn't exercise. Around January I decided to try to eat cleaner.......nothing crazy........no soda or sweet tea, more water, more salads and fruits and veggies.......I've lost 18lbs so far.......not stellar but better. I finally told my oncologist I was done with the hormone blocker and have just been able to start exercising again so I'm ever hopeful.......again, nothing crazy.........just some elliptical and treadmill. I've noticed that small changes have made a difference.......I refuse to give up bread but I switched to no sugar whole wheat.........I use no sugar salad dressing........take my lunch to work, etc. It all adds up! You can do this!

88olds

Start a food diary. Log in everything you eat or drink that has calories. Keep your diary no matter what, good, bad or ugly. If your brain starts trying to talk you out of logging something in, tell your brain to shut up.

Weight loss is your new hobby. Like all hobbies, it’s time consuming. Calculate a modest calorie deficit, say aimed at 1 lb per week, and try to hit your number. You will find that you have a better chance to hit your number if you have a plan. Make a plan for the week. Make your plan around things you actually like to eat. Work on modifying high calorie dishes. Get and use a food scale to control portions.

Set up regular weekly official weigh ins. Same day, time and conditions every week. Track your progress.

When you encounter problems, make modest adjustments until you work through them. Prepare to spend the time it takes to lose any significant amount. Think about how you will cope when discouraged. Plan for how you will stick with it when school starts and you have less time. Good luck.