New Member in need of support

carlymorton11

Greetings!

I am a new member and I need support/accountability.

I keep eating and eating, and packing on the pounds. I have gained 10 pounds over the last three months. I am trying to start a new diet per recommendation by my doctor, but I am struggling immensely to stick even a little bit close to it. I need to lose the weight I gained. I also need to eat healthier. No matter how much water I drink, I end up binging on food. I cant seem to stick to my eating plan no matter what I do. I have made meal plans, tracked calories, etc. I want to view it as a mindset and lifestyle instead of a diet. But its all so hard. If I keep eating the way I have been, I will keep gaining weight. I just dont have any willpower to stick to an eating plan and its so frustrating to me. Even when I start out the day right, I end up eating a ton later on. Its like I cant resist the food! Its horrible.

Any advice or encouragement is welcome.

Thanks!

carlymorton11

EDIT: I started an antidepressant six months ago (Abilify), and after doing some research I believe that is is greatly contributing to my hunger, cravings, and weight gain. It can also cause insulin resistance. I am stopping this medication and hopefully that will help.

Poobah1972

Good Morning Carly,

Without knowing more I can only generalize... But the first step in starting a new way of life is making the deep down commitment to give it an honest 100% try. I know it sounds easier then it is, but it is easier if you find of Way of eating that you enjoy. I would suggest commit yourself to give it 100% effort for 2 weeks. Some tips in getting started.

Get rid of trigger foods in the house.
Ask friends or family for support, they can help motivate you and keep you in line.
Make sure your eating enough and try to find things you enjoy eating. There are are decent healthier alternatives for a lot of foods and even junk foods that can scratch certain itches without making you feel guilty.

I was a unstoppable eating machine for a long time, unable to not eat when no one was looking. usually in my car on the way home from work. Low carb works for me, and once I committed and had less than a week under my belt the compulsion to eat finally lifted. I believe a lot of this has to do with down regulation of my dopamine receptors responsible for regulating mood. Constant gorging on high sugar low glycemic index foods would release a lot of dopamine over time, and it's the body's natural function to down regulate it's effects to try and balance the system. The "Down regulation" basically makes dopamine have less of a positive effect on your mood (depressing) as it doesn't create the response it should in a normal person. Coupled with constant Insulin spikes and crashes I felt like the walking dead most of the time, and eating lifted my spirits "temporarily". Low Carb seemed to have cured all that in a hurry. (I Don't know for sure this is what was going on, but It seems to make sense). I have no idea if this is you though, but it's food for thought.

Some people would disagree, but eating unhealthy foods can be an addiction as it does have a direct connection to dopamine in your brain... much like drugs. I'm a believer in that.

WaterLily82

I’m a big believer in being a good addict. I think I probably am one. I agree with Poobah, you need to just commit to a couple weeks. At first you may feel as though something is missing but once you see results, on the scale and in the mirror and even just in the way you feel and your energy level, it will be motivation to keep on. I personally do not have good success with restrictive diets. As soon as I can’t have something suddenly that is all I want!! I started out eating 5+ fruits/ veggies per day and making sure to have plenty of protein to keep me fuller longer. Drinking lots of water helps. I love dark chocolate so I keep some squares in my freezer for in case I NEED a fix but really I found I didn’t. I log my food ahead of time so I know when my next meal/snack will be and what I will be eating so I’m never caught off guard by hunger. I cut down on carbs. I haven’t had white potatoes, pasta, rice or bread except in rare cases, and I always go for heartier brown or wheat choices. I was always a HUGE snacker and my appetite felt insatiable but I have had almost no cravings. If I want something I plan for it, I log it and I work it into my eating plan. I ate a whole 12 inch pizza yesterday. But instead of pepperoni I opted for veggie. I feel no guilt. I eat Halo ice cream for a treat instead of Ben & Jerry’s. I just made substitutes for things that worked for me. But the key is to plan and not allow yourself to get too hungry. Eating high fiber, high protein helps a lot with the hunger. Hang in there!!

springlering62

Have you spoken with your doctor about the sudden weight gain? Does he attribute it to the medication? Provide any insight into how coming off it will affect your mental and physical health?

Can you analyze what the difference in eating patterns were before and after? If you were only on it for a couple of weeks, can you make a conscious effort to return to the old habits, just as a base line?

I replaced constant snacking with constant movement. I get up and walk around the hiuse, find something that needs sorting or dusting, or go for a walk outside. It doesn’t have to be a long walk. Even one round the block can distract me.

I drink long slow hot drinks that take a long time to finish. Keeps my hands and tastebuds busy, since I don’t like to eat with hot drinks.

I do a lot of busy work, too. I can’t tell you how many pillows, afghans, and more I’ve made since starting weight loss. Idle hands are the devil’s tool, or, in my case, the devil’s fork and spoon. If those hands are occupied, they’re less like to be shoveling food in.

Many hugs to you. You’re making the effort. Don’t give up. Sometimes it takes a few tweaks of the knob to dial in the right station.

lucy_Jada

I am in the same boat and I find that if I weigh myself everyday,track what I am eating, sticking, and do a 30 min walk or workout in the morning and another 30 minutes later in the day helps me to get back on track. I got depressed during the winter and I found that when I do a little bit of exercise! Walking/strength it lift my mood as well as suppressed my appetite.