Depression and Weight Loss. Please Help!

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  • keya729
    keya729 Posts: 166 Member
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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.

    Great Post with a lot of insightful ideas!!!
  • Nada_2021
    Nada_2021 Posts: 31 Member
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    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.

    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.
    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.

    Thank you <3
  • Nada_2021
    Nada_2021 Posts: 31 Member
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    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 much :heart:

    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 :)

    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 support
  • Nada_2021
    Nada_2021 Posts: 31 Member
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    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 :heart: 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.
    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. :heart:
    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.

    Thanks for your advice :heart:
  • shano25
    shano25 Posts: 233 Member
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    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.
  • YepLilly
    YepLilly Posts: 129 Member
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    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!
  • Nada_2021
    Nada_2021 Posts: 31 Member
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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.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    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. :)
  • Nada_2021
    Nada_2021 Posts: 31 Member
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    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!
    Thanks for sharing your story with me <3 I'll give my current medz more time, I might ask my doctor to increase my intake.

    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! :)
    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.
    Thank you for helping <3

    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.
    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.
  • Nada_2021
    Nada_2021 Posts: 31 Member
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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 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.
    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.
    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.
    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.

    Thank you for taking the time and replying.
    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.
    Thats really great to hear. I'm trying to do bit by bit. I did 10min today and hoping for more tomorrow.
    Thanks for your help <3
  • GoffGirl1029
    GoffGirl1029 Posts: 93 Member
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    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?
    I'm sorry, but this REALLY bothers me. It's NOT an excuse, it's a reason. When you literally can not make yourself move off of the couch, can not make yourself do activities of daily living, then how the heck are you supposed to just up and make yourself workout, which is usually harder than say, brushing your teeth and hair.

    To the OP, I have suffered from what I thought was just depression for over six years, but finally decided in the last couple of months to go see a psychiatrist. It turns out I am actually Bipolar II, which means I trend on the more depressive side of things with much fewer manic episodes. It has taken getting on meds to even be able to start working out like I want and eating better, and to just do things other people do on a day to day basis with no thought.
    I really would go see a doctor if I were you, preferably one who specializes in mental health. I think that could help get you on track. Best of luck and feel free to add me if you'd like!
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    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?
    I'm sorry, but this REALLY bothers me. It's NOT an excuse, it's a reason.

    i agree 100%. The post that told the OP to not use depression as an "excuse" really bothered me too, and i'm glad someone finally spoke out.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    Some studies have actually found that exercise is just as effective as antidepressants.

    YES. i am an example of this.


    and to the OP: good luck girl - we're all here to support you!
  • wormy80
    wormy80 Posts: 64 Member
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    bumping for later
  • corneredbycorn
    corneredbycorn Posts: 267 Member
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    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?
    I'm sorry, but this REALLY bothers me. It's NOT an excuse, it's a reason.

    i agree 100%. The post that told the OP to not use depression as an "excuse" really bothered me too, and i'm glad someone finally spoke out.
    Same here. Depression isn't something you can just choose not to experience. I hate when people seem to think that just because they were able to overcome something, then everyone else should be able to as well. That's the kind of stuff that just perpetuates the myth that depression is just someone in a bad mood who needs to snap out of it. It's just so not that simple.
  • youngmommy26
    youngmommy26 Posts: 6
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    I know exactly what your going through. I have been suffering from depression since I was about 8 years old. My dad tried to kill himself when I was 8, which followed with my mom and him getting a divorce, and then them fighting with each other all the time and putting me in the middle of their childish behaviors. I am 26 now, and have always used food as an anti-depressant. I have been to so many psychiatrists, and also have been admitted into a few psychiatric facilities. but about 6 years ago when I found out I was pregnant with my son, I had to stop taking my Xanax, which I was on a pretty high dosage for extreme panic attacks as well. I have sort of learned how to deal without any medications, I will admit, I do still have really bad days where I sit on the couch all day and don't want to move and I eat, and eat and eat to try to feel better. I just joined this site today because I want to get healthy, I have 106 pounds to lose, I keep telling myself that I can do it, but the voice in my head keeps telling me I can't, but I know I can, I am in control of my own actions, the negative needs to stop, I think we all need realize that we can't let bad thoughts take over our life. I really hope that you can find a place in your thoughts where you can overcome this, I'm still searching for it myself, I am officially starting my diet on the 9th when I get paid again and can buy better food for the house, I wish you the best of luck, and always remember, your not alone...:)

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