Not working out.

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piratemerdi
piratemerdi Posts: 212 Member
in Motivation and Support
I've been trying to lose weight since November (gained like, 20 or so pounds because of anti-depressants), and while my weight has stabilized at about 140, It's not coming off at all, and I'm getting really discouraged. I feel like I don't deserve food, and I feel guilty if I spend money on food, and it's starting to become an issue that I don't want to get out of hand. I'm currently in counseling for my depression, and anxiety, and will talk to my counselor the next time I see him about this. Some kind words or motivation would be nice; school is extremely stressful and I'm not coping with anything well lately.

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  • danika2point0
    danika2point0 Posts: 197 Member
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    Hi!

    Keep your head up the best you can. Maybe check out some of the success stories? Everyone has lows and it sounds like you are in one of them. Maybe try and keep your calories at TDEE - 20% rather than something extremely restricted. Check this out: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    If you start doing some exercise, any exercise at all, it should help you feel a bit more energized. Plug in some happy music and try and move a bit.

    Good luck and just know you aren't alone. A lot of people have been where you are.

    I am glad you are seeking counselling. Best of luck with it and come back here and use MFP as support too!

    x
  • Sexyarabian
    Sexyarabian Posts: 2
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    yes!!! do it you'll love your bod gettin sexy for spring break!
  • imtrinat
    imtrinat Posts: 153 Member
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    It's hard to stay encouraged when you feel like you are doing everything you can and you're not seeing any progress. It sounds like you are definitely doing what you need to maintain, so that solves the first problem you had. Try reminding yourself that you need food and it's not your enemy. The right amounts with the right nutrients are your friend. It will help if you change your mindset about diets. This is something you want and it's entirely possible to have. You Can Do This! The wonderful thing about weight loss is that it will happen, you just have to play around with what works for you until you get it figured out. I 'm glad you are going to talk to your counselor about your feelings toward food. Hopefully they can give you some pointers on how to change your perspective.
  • RosscoBoscko
    RosscoBoscko Posts: 632 Member
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    Don't think of food as an enemy or luxury, think of it as a necessity to live, up to a certain level.

    I have suffered from both depression and anxiety, and one of the ways I pulled myself back from this was by focusing on my eating, exercise and health. Celebrate/feel proud of the fact that you have managed to have a successful day in terms of hitting your calorie target or doing some exercise, but don't get to hung up if go over, think of it in terms of the week as a whole.

    Use it as a learning experience to discover new recipes for healthy versions of your favourite foods, and make the cooking a hobby rather than a chore.
  • Sunny_fit4life
    Sunny_fit4life Posts: 157 Member
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    In my later teen years I gained 60 pounds dangerously fast because of a medication I was not even supposed to be on, so I know that can be frustrating. From reading your profile you sound like a really cool, unique girl and you are also very pretty. It sounds like you have a guy who loves you very much (just based on the assumption that guys don't tend to propose if they do not lol). This doesn't sound to me like a person who doesn't deserve food-- not that I think anyone doesn't deserve food-- but it sounds to me that perhaps somewhere in there you have a thought that is not based in logic and leads you to the conclusion that you're worth less than other people. I know I don't know you and could be totally off base, but it's either a hunch or an assumption based on my own experience.

    Would you hold other people to that same standard? Would you look at every person who is 140 pounds or more and say "that guy doesn't deserve food". I doubt you would, because I don't think there are very many people on this earth who are that mean to others. You have to look at yourself with the same kindness you would show to other people. My opinion is that you have to love yourself and be your own cheerleader because the world is tough and you cannot count on anyone to do it for you.

    I know talking to random people on a message board is no substitute for a counselor, but until you can talk to your counselor I hope you can find some comfort... and I'm going to copy and paste what was given to me when I went to counseling for low self-esteem. Perhaps you have seen it and perhaps you haven't... but any time you catch yourself having a negative thought, ask yourself these questions...

    http://www.smartrecovery.org/resources/library/Tools_and_Homework/Other_Homework/Rational_vs_Irrational_3_questions.pdf

    And as far as being stuck at 140, how long have you been stuck? How many calories a day are you eating and how much are you working out?
  • BeetL
    BeetL Posts: 5
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    Hi Piratemedi,
    I feel for you. It is frustrating when you are trying and things don't work out. Have you talked to a medical doctor about trying a different anti-depressant? Also, if you haven't already, get your thyroid checked. A small change in medication can make a huge difference in how your effort to loose weight pays off.

    Also sounds like some kind of change in your life is needed for you to be happy. So I hope you can figure out what that change might be - job, home, relationships?

    In the meantime, eat healthy unprocessed food and get some exercise every day. Loosing weight is just a numbers game - your body needs to use up more calories than you eat. Food is fuel, not a reward. So don't punish yourself if you don't feel perfect right now. None of us are perfect, but we can be better by taking care of ourselves.

    BeetL
  • piratemerdi
    piratemerdi Posts: 212 Member
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    I've switched to welbutrin xl, which does not cause weight gain, and I got my thyroid checked about a month ago. I was trying to stay around 1200 calories a day, since that is what I've been told is the minimum that people should eat to avoid putting their bodies into starvation mode and inhibiting weight loss further. As far as exercising, I do a decent amount of walking around campus to get to classes, and I try to either run, or play DDR a few times a week, whenever I have time. I'm taking 18 credits this semester, and all my classes are 300 level or above, so I don't have a lot of spare time as it is, but I try to at least get a little bit of cardio in a week.

    Thank you everyone. Your encouragement does make me feel a bit better that I'm not alone.

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