Depression and Weight Loss. Please Help!
Nada_2021
Posts: 31 Member
Hello everyone,
I'm 5'1" tall and weigh 194 pounds and 22 years old. I need to lose 70 pounds to be healthy
and I wanna do it the right way by eating well, exercising and losing it slow.
But, I'm suffering from depression, most of the time I don't want to eat and usually can go 10 days without eating any meal
and only few small bites here and there. I also don't exercise, just walk. I know how bad and unhealthy this is.
I do NOT want to end up sick or with saggy skin. Right now I'm forcing myself to eat and thankfully I limit my food to things that
are healthy or healthy-ish, but I can only manage to eat maximum 800 calories. Usually I'm between 400 and 600 calories.
I don't have the motivation to exercise thanks to depression and that itself is depressing me, and being a full time student
has its own effects. Also, from what I've read in this forum if you dont enough calories your body will go on starvation mode
and you wont be able to loss weight as much as you should.
Any advice, suggestion, information, support is really appreciated.
Thank you :flowerforyou:
I'm 5'1" tall and weigh 194 pounds and 22 years old. I need to lose 70 pounds to be healthy
and I wanna do it the right way by eating well, exercising and losing it slow.
But, I'm suffering from depression, most of the time I don't want to eat and usually can go 10 days without eating any meal
and only few small bites here and there. I also don't exercise, just walk. I know how bad and unhealthy this is.
I do NOT want to end up sick or with saggy skin. Right now I'm forcing myself to eat and thankfully I limit my food to things that
are healthy or healthy-ish, but I can only manage to eat maximum 800 calories. Usually I'm between 400 and 600 calories.
I don't have the motivation to exercise thanks to depression and that itself is depressing me, and being a full time student
has its own effects. Also, from what I've read in this forum if you dont enough calories your body will go on starvation mode
and you wont be able to loss weight as much as you should.
Any advice, suggestion, information, support is really appreciated.
Thank you :flowerforyou:
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Replies
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First I would like to wish you good luck. Depression is a horrible illness and can affect us in many ways. Take each day at a time and don't punish yourself if you have a bad day.
One thing I would suggest is try to eat a handful of nuts a day. Nuts contain many minerals that can help with depression and its also a way of getting the calories up. Just found this on a website - The best nuts for depression are Brazils, Peanuts, Hazel Nuts, Cashew Nuts.
Try typing into google diet and depression and you will find food that may help.
Also noticed you dont have time to exercise but try a short walk everyday - exercise also helps with depression - I know it can be hard to find the get up and go but getting out in fresh air can make a difference.
If you would like to add me please do.0 -
It's amazing to me how many people suffer from depression in this site. I'm one of them. I definitely know how you feel in regards to not wanting to work out. For me, I had a voice in my head tell me I couldn't do it. I had to prove that voice wrong and once I got not a regular routine of working out I actually started to feel better. I was diagnosed with major depression in 2010 and it's been a struggle to treat it and get better but you will. Take it one day at a time. Feel good about the goals you reach and don't beat yourself up over the ones you don't quite make.
Feel free to add me, maybe we can motivate each other!0 -
Stop suffering and do something about it.
Do you see anyone like a therapist or something? You are the one in control. You have to learn what's going on and where the depression is coming from
And don't use depression as an excuse not to exercise. it's well documented that exercise helps your mood. Do you WANT to get better?
And yes, I've been there. I know it's hard, but you need to take control of YOU. You need to realise YOU have the choice.
ETA I work full time and study part time and work out 3 times a week0 -
I can totally empathise with you I've been there myself. Depression can be totally debilitating and the simplest things in life may seem insurmountable. I would recommend you go see your family doctor. Sometimes it can be something as simple as a B12 deficiency. If not, if you've been feeling depressed for a long time sometimes medication can help. Diet and exercise are great ways to help with depression but it sounds to me that you need a little more help than just that.0
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Fantastic you are reaching out. Depression is a nasty beast. You need to set up a good support system both where you live and online so people can help you get out of bed and motivated. I think it will help once you start losing weight regularly too. Exercise and endorphins actually help with depression. The hardest part is getting your butt out the door. That happens to me too. I have the toughest time getting out the door but I never regret it once I start exercising. Good luck. Now go build a good network that you can lean on when things get tough for you.
Seeing a doctor is also great. It could be a simple vitamin defficiency as mentioned above. Get your blood checked first thing.0 -
Are you taking any medication for your depression?
I have been suffering with depression on and off for 13 years (since my first child was born) recently I hit a really bad spell and like you I wasn't eating and had no interest in anything. Since starting to take medication things have started to improve, exercise is great at boosting my mood as it is time for just me and I feel in control of that even if of nothing else. Try and give your self a target, like walking for 10 mins and then increase by 10 mins each day/week, when you hit your target it will give you a boost as you have achieved something.
Try to eat smaller meals but a bit more often that way you are increasing your calories but not having to force big meals, don't try to go from your current 600-800 cals straight to 1200 but increase week by week.
Feel free to add me as a friend and we can support each other.0 -
I suffer badly with depression and anxiety.... I made it on a fluke to a gym, and now that is the thing that gets me through the day. My doctor said I could not be helped with pills alone as I've tried many, so this was the only thing to do. I am not back to my old self yet, but I feel like I am doing all I can to help myself get through this. Motivation. Is hard with depression, you just have to make it a conscious effort, good luck
Feel free to add me, I am open with my buddies when I have good days and bad, and the encouragement from them helps too 0 -
Exercise is great but you already know that. Research shows exercise works as well as meds and talk therapy in many cases. If you find yourself unable to exercise because of the depression then meds or counseling can help boost you until you can get to a point where you feel up to doing more. During the winter the lack of sun can impact some. I would encourage you to consider what others mentioned regarding adding some vitamins and adding vitamin filled foods. I know this is hard but the smallest changes can make a big difference. Keep up the great things you are already doing ( making yourself eat, small walks, and reaching out to others) it can get better.0
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Exercise is one of the best things you can do to boost your mood, but when you're severely depressed it can be all but impossible to get yourself to do anything, let alone exercise. The fact that you aren't eating enough tells me you need to get this treated before your physical health is jeopardized as well. Are you seeing a therapist or psychiatrist? You don't have to suffer with this. It can and will get better when you seek help.
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Stop suffering and do something about it.
Do you see anyone like a therapist or something? You are the one in control. You have to learn what's going on and where the depression is coming from
And don't use depression as an excuse not to exercise. it's well documented that exercise helps your mood. Do you WANT to get better?
And yes, I've been there. I know it's hard, but you need to take control of YOU. You need to realise YOU have the choice.
ETA I work full time and study part time and work out 3 times a week
Glad someone broke out the tough love
Ditto above. I suffer from depression and anxiety disorders as well, so I know how hard it can be. It's a viscious cycle of being depressed because you're fat and being fat because you're depressed. It has to end somewhere.
Exercising releases endorphins - the 'feel good' drug in the brain. Certain foods help too, like those listed above. There are ways to get calories without eating a lot of food. Consider a protein shake - those can easily get upwards of 300+ calories, and if made right, have all sorts of healthy things in them.
Have you or do you take medication to help? If not, consider it.0 -
I'm right there with you. I've been suffering with severe depression for almost 13 years (during which I've been to more hospitals and doctors than I can possibly count) and have had an anxiety disorder for about two years. I'm on three different medications, the most recent one has cut my appetite horribly. I still force myself to eat because if I don't, I wind up sick. I haven't had the motivation to exercise in months. I'm hoping once winter is over, that will change because on top of my normal depression, I have seasonal anxiety/depression disorder, which is the worst during the late fall and winter. I do my best to look positive and happy for my daughter's sake, but it's hard to keep it up all the time. Don't worry, you're not alone. Just do what you can, and if you're not seeing a doctor yet, please do and get on medication for your own sake. They will do whatever they can to help you. If one medication doesn't work after a couple of months, keep working with your doctor until you find the right one. My combination came in the form of Pristiq, Celexa and Ativan. I'm being weaned off the Pristiq (plus it's too expensive, I can't afford $50 a month for that!) but the Celexa is working wonders. Good luck!0
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One thing I can say is that, yes, getting started is hard. But once you're rolling, the endorphins and other hormones that your body secretes when you exercise can actually alleviate the depression. It's really a matter of getting it started, or at least that's what I found. I never was diagnosed with anything, but I know usually the dreadful months of winter take a huge toll on me. This year I've been active and I've had a few bad days, but overall I'm doing so, so much better!
Also, being active is most likely going to make you a little more hungry, so there's that!
Sit down and have a talk with yourself. Decide what you want. If you really want to, you'll find a way to fit it in. 15 minutes of bodyweight circuit upon waking up might be all it takes. If you have time to be posting in the MFP forums, you have time to do that, so no excuses there! 0 -
Exercise actually helped me get over my depression. I was horribly depressed. Didn't want to get out of bed. I started exercising, eating right, sleeping right and my moods improved within 1 week.0
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Honey, I feel your pain. As someone who has suffered from depression for a long time, it does have a detrimental affect on my weight loss. I am particularly bad for comfort eating on bad days, as any one of my MFP will be able to tell you! But if you haven't seen your doctor about the depression already, then please go do so. It's not something to be ashamed of or embarassed by as so many people seem to think. Get onto a proper plan with medication. It does help, I promise. I used to not want to exercise all the time as I thought "What's the point?"
Now I can focus on my health more and I can see the bigger picture. It's still really, really hard. Depression sucks. But take it one step at a time. Get your medication sorted and try to focus on your health. You're not doing yourself any favours by not eating at all or enough. But like other's have said, you are in control. You can help yourself through this, one step at a time. But you need to accept the help that is there for you. See a doctor.0 -
Eating more will increase your energy. When the body is depressed (in this case, through eating too little) it can have disastrous effects on our moods. For someone in the grips of depression, it can be devastating and a never-ending cycle. As someone who suffers from mental health problems (to the point where this time last year, I completely dropped out of my life, sleeping 20 hours a day, etc), I ask you to seek treatment.
When the depression has reached the point where you physically cannot take care of yourself (and your eating habits are those of someone who is not), then it has reached levels that could be life-threatening.
A google search of your town + mental health treatment can give you results of where to go. There may even be low income clinics that can help you. (That's where I have to go.) The internet can give great support, but it will not lift you out of bed enough to eat. This is a very serious problem for you right now, you need every tool you can reach.0 -
Exercise will help your mood. Try to start off slow. Get up and see if you can do 2 min of something (run, w/o video, whatever) If you do the 2 min and feel like you can do more, than do it. If not stop. See if you can add on a little each day. It might sound silly, but sometimes things seem so overwhelming when your depressed that you don't do anything at all. Try to do the same thing with food.
I've suffered from depression my whole life. Therapy and meds never seemed to work for me. I can honestly say, I'm the happiest I can remember now that I'm eating properly and exercising.0 -
Stop suffering and do something about it.
Do you see anyone like a therapist or something? You are the one in control. You have to learn what's going on and where the depression is coming from
And don't use depression as an excuse not to exercise. it's well documented that exercise helps your mood. Do you WANT to get better?
And yes, I've been there. I know it's hard, but you need to take control of YOU. You need to realise YOU have the choice.
ETA I work full time and study part time and work out 3 times a week
THIS!0 -
First I would like to wish you good luck. Depression is a horrible illness and can affect us in many ways. Take each day at a time and don't punish yourself if you have a bad day.
One thing I would suggest is try to eat a handful of nuts a day. Nuts contain many minerals that can help with depression and its also a way of getting the calories up. Just found this on a website - The best nuts for depression are Brazils, Peanuts, Hazel Nuts, Cashew Nuts.
Try typing into google diet and depression and you will find food that may help.
Also noticed you dont have time to exercise but try a short walk everyday - exercise also helps with depression - I know it can be hard to find the get up and go but getting out in fresh air can make a difference.
If you would like to add me please do.
Thank you so much for your wish and your suggestions. I started eating nuts after reading your reply. I'll try to get out more. It does feel nice sometimes when I'm out.It's amazing to me how many people suffer from depression in this site. I'm one of them. I definitely know how you feel in regards to not wanting to work out. For me, I had a voice in my head tell me I couldn't do it. I had to prove that voice wrong and once I got not a regular routine of working out I actually started to feel better. I was diagnosed with major depression in 2010 and it's been a struggle to treat it and get better but you will. Take it one day at a time. Feel good about the goals you reach and don't beat yourself up over the ones you don't quite make.
Feel free to add me, maybe we can motivate each other!
I'd love to add you! I was diagnosed with sever depression less than 6 months ago, however I've been depressed since I was 14. I used to do sport so I know how much exercising makes a person feel better and alive I guess. Thanks for your support 0 -
Stop suffering and do something about it.
Do you see anyone like a therapist or something? You are the one in control. You have to learn what's going on and where the depression is coming from
And don't use depression as an excuse not to exercise. it's well documented that exercise helps your mood. Do you WANT to get better?
And yes, I've been there. I know it's hard, but you need to take control of YOU. You need to realise YOU have the choice.
ETA I work full time and study part time and work out 3 times a week
I am. I'm really doing my best.
I do have a therapist. The reasons of my depression are still in my life and can not be rotted out. I'm trying to work with my Drs to find ways to overcome them and deal with them. This process will take no less than 2 years and I'm just in month 5. With all the issues I live with I'm using whatever strength I have to keep my 4.0 GPA up and not lose my chance of getting a master scholarship and finish my work for two different businesses. Your right about excuses, but honestly right now I'm just too depressed and the amount of will power and strength that I can manage to pull out of me barely keep me out of bed and do my everyday tasks. I do have better times where I can self motivate myself to go for a walk or even a run. But right now, these few months I'm in, I'm just glad I've stopped junk food, soda and emotional eating.
And I'm really happy for you! Wish you all the best in work, school and weight loss.
Thank you so much for this, it really means a lot
and I WILL get better and take control0 -
Hi! Experimental psychologist here. Just going to throw out a few interesting thoughts.
Some studies have actually found that exercise is just as effective as antidepressants. Granted, it's different for everybody (and certain severities of depression may not be affected by exercise). But the research is out there.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) take ~30 days for you to start feeling the actual clinical effects from them. For people with depression, the same is also true of exercise. Around 30 days into it, they start feeling the same changes that others do with an antidepressant.
In other words: You have a group of people with depression and split them up into three sub-groups: a group that will take an SSRI for 30 days, a group that will exercise for 30 days, and a group that will do nothing for 30 days. At the end of 30 days, those who exercised and took the SSRI will begin to feel the same effects and alleviated depression. The group that did nothing will be the same.
For you experimental people out there- yes, there have been blind and double-blind studies that found the same results.
For some neuro stats: People with depression have a "shrunken" hippocampus compared to other individuals. Exercise causes what is known as neurogenesis, or the "birth" of new neurons, which is one of the only ways to "grow" more brain matter as an adult. These new neurons travel to the hippocampus and, over the course of about 30 days, cause it to enlarge. Keep in mind that these changes are microscopic, but do have enough effect to alleviate depression.
Anyway. Diet is also extremely important for this process, and perhaps I should start another thread for it. But anyway, I know depression can get in the way of starting/maintaining an exercise program. Just know that it is very likely to make a difference, perhaps not immediately, but soon. Keep your head up kiddo... I know it's hard, and especially hard to think positively about what is to come. You don't have to do that just yet. But keep trying.0 -
First I would like to wish you good luck. Depression is a horrible illness and can affect us in many ways. Take each day at a time and don't punish yourself if you have a bad day.
One thing I would suggest is try to eat a handful of nuts a day. Nuts contain many minerals that can help with depression and its also a way of getting the calories up. Just found this on a website - The best nuts for depression are Brazils, Peanuts, Hazel Nuts, Cashew Nuts.
Try typing into google diet and depression and you will find food that may help.
Also noticed you dont have time to exercise but try a short walk everyday - exercise also helps with depression - I know it can be hard to find the get up and go but getting out in fresh air can make a difference.
If you would like to add me please do.
Great Post with a lot of insightful ideas!!!0 -
I can totally empathise with you I've been there myself. Depression can be totally debilitating and the simplest things in life may seem insurmountable. I would recommend you go see your family doctor. Sometimes it can be something as simple as a B12 deficiency. If not, if you've been feeling depressed for a long time sometimes medication can help. Diet and exercise are great ways to help with depression but it sounds to me that you need a little more help than just that.
Thank you so much for that. I'll check if I have B12 deficiency! Thank you.
Unfortionally I can't have a good support system at home where I spend most of my time. As for my friends, only two ones and they are doing their best. Online, I don't have any friends, and I just started in this forum but seeing everyone's reply here was very nice and encouraging. I'll start working on that network.Fantastic you are reaching out. Depression is a nasty beast. You need to set up a good support system both where you live and online so people can help you get out of bed and motivated. I think it will help once you start losing weight regularly too. Exercise and endorphins actually help with depression. The hardest part is getting your butt out the door. That happens to me too. I have the toughest time getting out the door but I never regret it once I start exercising. Good luck. Now go build a good network that you can lean on when things get tough for you.
Seeing a doctor is also great. It could be a simple vitamin deficiency as mentioned above. Get your blood checked first thing.
Thank you 0 -
Are you taking any medication for your depression?
I have been suffering with depression on and off for 13 years (since my first child was born) recently I hit a really bad spell and like you I wasn't eating and had no interest in anything. Since starting to take medication things have started to improve, exercise is great at boosting my mood as it is time for just me and I feel in control of that even if of nothing else. Try and give your self a target, like walking for 10 mins and then increase by 10 mins each day/week, when you hit your target it will give you a boost as you have achieved something.
Try to eat smaller meals but a bit more often that way you are increasing your calories but not having to force big meals, don't try to go from your current 600-800 cals straight to 1200 but increase week by week.
Feel free to add me as a friend and we can support each other.
Yes I am.
I'm really happy to hear that your improving! Medz did get it better for me too, I no longer cry all day or feel suicidal. I started going back to school and now I'm able to force myself to sit with people and do most of my tasks. I'll do as you suggested an give myself small targets.
and thank you for the small meal suggestion, but I'm not sure. The idea of eating frequently throughout the day makes me feel like a pig. I've tried it once and it ricked me. I felt bad for eating every time.
Thank you so muchI suffer badly with depression and anxiety.... I made it on a fluke to a gym, and now that is the thing that gets me through the day. My doctor said I could not be helped with pills alone as I've tried many, so this was the only thing to do. I am not back to my old self yet, but I feel like I am doing all I can to help myself get through this. Motivation. Is hard with depression, you just have to make it a conscious effort, good luck
Feel free to add me, I am open with my buddies when I have good days and bad, and the encouragement from them helps too
I know whats that like, aside from medz I need to do a lot of cognitive therapy and work on different aspects of my life. I'd love to add you and get to know you and motivate each other.
Thanks so much for your support0 -
Exercise is great but you already know that. Research shows exercise works as well as meds and talk therapy in many cases. If you find yourself unable to exercise because of the depression then meds or counseling can help boost you until you can get to a point where you feel up to doing more. During the winter the lack of sun can impact some. I would encourage you to consider what others mentioned regarding adding some vitamins and adding vitamin filled foods. I know this is hard but the smallest changes can make a big difference. Keep up the great things you are already doing ( making yourself eat, small walks, and reaching out to others) it can get better.
Thank you so much I'll keep doing the good things I'm already doing and I've singed up myself to my university sports club with my friend as a way to force myself to work out. So hopefully I'll be moving more soon.
I'm seeing both actually, they both keep my thoughts on the positive side, when it comes to food I haven't talked to them about this yet. My psychiatrist told me to sit with my family during meal times to help me eat and he even told dad to call me for lunch or dinner. But I can't sit with them so that didn't work. I do however eat with my friends sometimes which helps a lot.Exercise is one of the best things you can do to boost your mood, but when you're severely depressed it can be all but impossible to get yourself to do anything, let alone exercise. The fact that you aren't eating enough tells me you need to get this treated before your physical health is jeopardized as well. Are you seeing a therapist or psychiatrist? You don't have to suffer with this. It can and will get better when you seek help.
Thanks for your advice 0 -
My first suggestion would be to start taking Vitamin B as well as Omega 3s. Studies have shown they help with depression and anxiety (I take them to manage mine.) Getting Vitamin B and Potassium will also help get your energy up.
Have you tried yoga? It has been amazing for me and it's what I credit with getting me off my anti-depressants (and from preventing things from coming back.) You can go to yogajournal.com and under poses you select therapeutic and there you can find poses that will help with things like depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, stress, etc. Even if you're able to do a few poses at night or throughout the day it will help you physically and mindfully. Yoga is also good if you're feeling the physical effects of depression (the aches and back pains that I had were the worst part of it.)
Why do you have trouble eating? You don't want to or you physically don't want to? When I was in my depressive episode, I felt ill thinking about eating and food didn't taste good at all. My doctor suggested taking a children's gravol before I ate to settle my stomach and help me eat. It wasn't a miracle cure but I was able to eat a bit more and this helped me get the nutrients I needed to get my energy back. Because who wants to exercise when they have no energy.
Are you able to do much walking outside? It doesn't take too much energy and the sunlight and fresh air would be beneficial.
I highly recommend a book called Healing Depression the Mind-Body Way by Nancy Liebler. It's all about depression from an ayurvedic perspective. I'm not against traditional medicine for depression - I took anti-depressants for a year and during that year worked really hard at finding natural ways to help. This book taught me a lot of things that help me daily, things like getting 10 minutes of early morning sunshine (6am-10am) before you start your day.0 -
When I was going through some difficult times a few years ago, my workouts were the highlight of my day. I would feel so good during and after them. They helped tremendously and I think exercising was one of the reasons why I never went nuts lol. Good luck!0
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Stop suffering and do something about it.
Do you see anyone like a therapist or something? You are the one in control. You have to learn what's going on and where the depression is coming from
And don't use depression as an excuse not to exercise. it's well documented that exercise helps your mood. Do you WANT to get better?
And yes, I've been there. I know it's hard, but you need to take control of YOU. You need to realise YOU have the choice.
ETA I work full time and study part time and work out 3 times a week
Glad someone broke out the tough love
Ditto above. I suffer from depression and anxiety disorders as well, so I know how hard it can be. It's a viscious cycle of being depressed because you're fat and being fat because you're depressed. It has to end somewhere.
Exercising releases endorphins - the 'feel good' drug in the brain. Certain foods help too, like those listed above. There are ways to get calories without eating a lot of food. Consider a protein shake - those can easily get upwards of 300+ calories, and if made right, have all sorts of healthy things in them.
Have you or do you take medication to help? If not, consider it.
Thank you! I'll look for a healthy shake next time I go shopping. And yes, I do take medz to help.0 -
I was very similar to you before I began losing weight and I understand that it does become a depression and you can't see a way out! Feel free to add me, I would be happy to help motivate you
The best advice I can give you is to start out small. If I were you I'd begin with increasing your daily exercise, which is how I started and back then I wasn't really paying too much attention to my diet apart from trying to add in a few extra bits of fruit and eat out less.
I started out with Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, which isn't for everyone but most people have had great success with it and Jillian can be very motivational once you get into the swing of it.
You will find as you increase your exercise, you will become more hungry and want to eat more because your body will need to food for fuel.
Once you get to this point, that's when you need to start looking at your diet and upping your calorie intake. At the very minimum you need to be consuming 1200 calories per day to lose weight, this is normally advised to people who are very overweight but I had great success starting at 1200 calories, which I have now upped to 1300 calories and combined with exercise I am still losing.
The difficult thing about weight loss is that it is a slow journey and you really can't "cheat" it, which I feel like you've got yourself into a habit of doing by going so long without eating and having a low calorie intake, which is why this isn't working for you.
I started using MFP in January after I had lost weight from October 2012 - December 2012 but I felt like I needed to take a look at my diet to continue my efforts and I have gone from strength to strength with it.
The main thing to remember is not to give up and that you are making a lifestyle change, not dieting! Dieting wont help you maintain a good figure, it will just give you a temporary good figure.
Another thing before I go, I found that as I started losing weight and became more confident that my depression went away on it's own. The endorphins I get through exercise has increased my general peace of mind so much, combined with results that I can see, others can see and knowing I achieved this all on my own have all been a great help in coming out of a dark place. 0 -
Thanks for sharing your story with meI'm right there with you. I've been suffering with severe depression for almost 13 years (during which I've been to more hospitals and doctors than I can possibly count) and have had an anxiety disorder for about two years. I'm on three different medications, the most recent one has cut my appetite horribly. I still force myself to eat because if I don't, I wind up sick. I haven't had the motivation to exercise in months. I'm hoping once winter is over, that will change because on top of my normal depression, I have seasonal anxiety/depression disorder, which is the worst during the late fall and winter. I do my best to look positive and happy for my daughter's sake, but it's hard to keep it up all the time. Don't worry, you're not alone. Just do what you can, and if you're not seeing a doctor yet, please do and get on medication for your own sake. They will do whatever they can to help you. If one medication doesn't work after a couple of months, keep working with your doctor until you find the right one. My combination came in the form of Pristiq, Celexa and Ativan. I'm being weaned off the Pristiq (plus it's too expensive, I can't afford $50 a month for that!) but the Celexa is working wonders. Good luck! I'll give my current medz more time, I might ask my doctor to increase my intake.
I'm trying, I walked a bit today and I'll just take it one day at a time starting with small goals like some suggested here.One thing I can say is that, yes, getting started is hard. But once you're rolling, the endorphins and other hormones that your body secretes when you exercise can actually alleviate the depression. It's really a matter of getting it started, or at least that's what I found. I never was diagnosed with anything, but I know usually the dreadful months of winter take a huge toll on me. This year I've been active and I've had a few bad days, but overall I'm doing so, so much better!
Also, being active is most likely going to make you a little more hungry, so there's that!
Sit down and have a talk with yourself. Decide what you want. If you really want to, you'll find a way to fit it in. 15 minutes of bodyweight circuit upon waking up might be all it takes. If you have time to be posting in the MFP forums, you have time to do that, so no excuses there!
Thank you for helping
That's so great to hear. I hope that happens to me soon. It's staring that I'm having a problem with. I Would workout one day but then stop for days or weeks and so on.Exercise actually helped me get over my depression. I was horribly depressed. Didn't want to get out of bed. I started exercising, eating right, sleeping right and my moods improved within 1 week.0 -
Thank you for the encouragement. It's nice to know that medz do work, though mine doesn't seem to work that well. I will be seeing my doctor about that. Thank you.Honey, I feel your pain. As someone who has suffered from depression for a long time, it does have a detrimental affect on my weight loss. I am particularly bad for comfort eating on bad days, as any one of my MFP will be able to tell you! But if you haven't seen your doctor about the depression already, then please go do so. It's not something to be ashamed of or embarrassed by as so many people seem to think. Get onto a proper plan with medication. It does help, I promise. I used to not want to exercise all the time as I thought "What's the point?"
Now I can focus on my health more and I can see the bigger picture. It's still really, really hard. Depression sucks. But take it one step at a time. Get your medication sorted and try to focus on your health. You're not doing yourself any favours by not eating at all or enough. But like other's have said, you are in control. You can help yourself through this, one step at a time. But you need to accept the help that is there for you. See a doctor.
Sadly we don't have that in my town, but I'm lucky to be treated by one of the top Drs in my country. I wanted a place where I can get better help than just medz and a 30 min visit per month, but that's not available.Eating more will increase your energy. When the body is depressed (in this case, through eating too little) it can have disastrous effects on our moods. For someone in the grips of depression, it can be devastating and a never-ending cycle. As someone who suffers from mental health problems (to the point where this time last year, I completely dropped out of my life, sleeping 20 hours a day, etc), I ask you to seek treatment.
When the depression has reached the point where you physically cannot take care of yourself (and your eating habits are those of someone who is not), then it has reached levels that could be life-threatening.
A google search of your town + mental health treatment can give you results of where to go. There may even be low income clinics that can help you. (That's where I have to go.) The internet can give great support, but it will not lift you out of bed enough to eat. This is a very serious problem for you right now, you need every tool you can reach.
Thank you for taking the time and replying.
Thats really great to hear. I'm trying to do bit by bit. I did 10min today and hoping for more tomorrow.Exercise will help your mood. Try to start off slow. Get up and see if you can do 2 min of something (run, w/o video, whatever) If you do the 2 min and feel like you can do more, than do it. If not stop. See if you can add on a little each day. It might sound silly, but sometimes things seem so overwhelming when your depressed that you don't do anything at all. Try to do the same thing with food.
I've suffered from depression my whole life. Therapy and meds never seemed to work for me. I can honestly say, I'm the happiest I can remember now that I'm eating properly and exercising.
Thanks for your help 0
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