gained 5 lbs in 6 days :(

earthboundmisfit

I was in the hospital for treatment of depression, couldn't exercise and ate tons. Now I'm bummed because of weight gain. I'm in a crisis stabilization program right now (inpatient). We have group therapy almost all day and I have almost no time to exercise. They have an elliptical trainer, which I did only 10 minutes on, not being used to it. We're not allowed to go outside unsupervised, and don't want to pace the halls because people would think i'm "agitated." I know this program is the right place for me to be at the moment, but it's discouraging to think i'm getting fatter and fatter. Any suggestions would be welcome. If you want to bash me for self-pity or anything else, don't worry, I can hurt myself better than anyone else can hurt me.

fushigi1988

I can gain 5 lbs in a day due to hormonal changes.
Don't beat yourself up, it's normal to have fluctuations, and you were working in your health.

Supertact

You ate 17,500 calories over maintenance?

LiminalAscendance

Are you sure you actually gained?

My weight used to go up by 4-5 pounds in one day, while I was losing, after splurging at a buffet. And this was a regular occurrence, and I weighed religiously, so there is no doubt.

Of course, it wasn't actual fat gain, and, since I was rocking a fairly good deficit, I ended up lighter by the end of the week. Always.

However, it seems like you shouldn't be concerned about your weight at this particular moment, although there's nothing to be worried about anyway!

angdpowers

Why not let those working with you, know that losing wt is not only important for your health, but overall well-being. Letting them know this will allow ample to time to workout and have better food choices provided to you. But YOU have to not feed your depression high calorie foods to soothe yourself. But They are helping you in Other ways, they can surely help with this. Good luck sweetie!

pettywon

Stay positive! It is a minor set-back. If you can get a hold of some weights, do some strength training. Rome wasn't built in a day! I keep telling myself that it took years to get here so I just need to keep at it and stay positive! I am praying for you!

SIMAKRA

Try Pilates or similar things, yoga etc. Better than nothing, once you have a "reputation" as a sport freak, start running up the stairs

HeidiCooksSupper

And remember, a lot of it is probably water weight if it came on so fast. Ask your therapist whether you should avoid scales until other things are under control. I know depression sucks but I've learned a whole lot from the various counselors I talked to over the years. Best wishes to you for a good outcome!

JosieRawr

The food was likely high in sodium. As supertact stated 17500 calories OVER maintenance would be required to gain that in fat. Keep at it. Also certain medications, stressors, hormones, etc can lead to water retention which will level out in the end. Watch what you eat and keep at that elliptical, but don't let this be another stressor. Try to eat at maintenance or slightly below for now and focus on what you're there for. Again, it's unlikely that that gain was pure fat.

TipTopMMR

I would also let them know that you feel better when you are able to go on a walk or get some exercise; I am certain they can accommodate that, as it is a really reasonable request! Also, I am sure it is water and/or a different scale than you usually use!

andythecurefan

I was in the hospital for treatment of depression, couldn't exercise and ate tons. Now I'm bummed because of weight gain. I'm in a crisis stabilization program right now (inpatient). We have group therapy almost all day and I have almost no time to exercise. They have an elliptical trainer, which I did only 10 minutes on, not being used to it. We're not allowed to go outside unsupervised, and don't want to pace the halls because people would think i'm "agitated." I know this program is the right place for me to be at the moment, but it's discouraging to think i'm getting fatter and fatter. Any suggestions would be welcome. If you want to bash me for self-pity or anything else, don't worry, I can hurt myself better than anyone else can hurt me.

You can lose weight solely by watching your intake, so the lack of exercise doesn't bear too much. Instead of focusing on eating, perhaps try to divert your attention to other efforts. Make friends with the therapy group. Play cards with them. Watch tv. Whatever else that might distract you from going over your caloric goals.

_HeartsOnFire_

No you didn't gain that in 6 days. As someone else said your body can fluctuate +/-5 lbs a day. Relax. Focus on your treatment. :flowerforyou:

Machdude

No one should be hurting you, not even you! We all go through challenges and ups and down in our lives. Important things is you are where you need to be right now. That's priority one. Do the best you can with the limited exercise and less than optimal food choices. This phase of your life is temporary, you had the good sense to get the treatment you know you need. Just get that out of the way and you'll be ready to tackle any weight issues when that time comes. Hang in there, you can do this.

NikiChicken

Right now, your mental health is far more important than a number on the scale. That being said, focus on the things you CAN control. Make better, healthier decisions at meal time. I'm sure they offer fruits and vegetable, lean proteins, whole grains. Focus on that and skip the fried, fatty, processed foods that I'm sure they also offer. Weight is lost in the kitchen, not the gym, so being unable to exercise isn't a deal breaker. Above all else, remember that this is a TEMPORARY situation.

Good luck and please take care of yourself.

earlnabby

I agree that you should bring up your weight concerns in either a group or individual therapy. Perhaps others would like some kind of physical activity and you could walk the halls together or maybe a staffer wants to exercise also, you can all go outside and walk around the block or grounds with that staffer.

Good luck, sweetie. I've been where you are.

BTW: are you comparing your weight to a check-in weight or to your latest weigh in at home. Weighing on different scales can make a difference and you may not have gained as much weight as you think. Also, the weight you have gained is mostly water weight that your body wants to hold onto because of the stress and the changes in schedule, sleeping habits, food, etc.

Aemely

No bashing allowed... Just concentrate on feeling better about you, and try not to sweat the small stuff. If you are worried about weight, mention it to someone you can trust, but I'd think it's more important to just concentrate on your mental well-being. :flowerforyou: Best wishes, and good luck!

larryandmarie

When we're really sad, anything can get us sadder. So first of all, good step taken by getting treatment! Angry cat is probably your avatar for more than one reason, but I suggest a happier pic for you. Portray yourself as happy and eventually happy will be your reality. Supervisors cannot fault you for walking the halls for exercise, so prove to them that you are exercising by keeping a log . "At this time every day I walk from point a to point b." Then follow through. If you need more, cable channels have exercise options . If that is available to you, you can do chair exercises right in your room. Asking for a 1200-1400 calorie food plan may be an option. Meds may bloat you, or you may just be lactose intolerant. Milk, dairy, cheese, etc can cause bloat and gas. Everyone farts on occasion. But if you do it often, and it smells, something is not properly digesting and you are likely intolerant. Find your passion, and explore it. The less time you have to dwell on sadness, the smaller it seems, till someday you will find yourself smiling. Nothing happens overnight, but everything starts with a first step..... God bless you on your journey. You got this ! .

earthboundmisfit

You ate 17,500 calories over maintenance?

No, I didn't eat that much. It's probably mostly water weight, who knows how much salt they put in nasty hospital food (I limit my sodium intake when I prepare food for myself at home). I feel embarrassed about what I posted. Probably overreacting.

larryandmarie

No need to be embarrassed.

love8383

probably not. once you start eating healthy again it will come off faster than before the first couple of weeks. a lot of times the body retains water and waste when you start eating differently and more all of a sudden. You may have gained a couple of real lbs the rest will fall off.