bipolar disorder and weightloss

L0singMoreThanMyMind · March 2013

i am about to embark on a 2 year journey to permanent weight loss. i have bipolar 2 disorder and often go from motivated (now) to completely unable to manage showering nonetheless weight loss! is how i got here in the first place.

i'm about to start seeing a psychiatrist, and therapist, and working through this, with the help of meds etc. but i'm still terrified that my journey is going to be a LONG dark one. is anyone else here bipolar, or a similar heavy duty mental illness and have some advice on how to cope with this process?

beets_yum · March 2013

I have found that when I eat well, exercise (and by that I mean just walking outside on a regular basis--short daily walks are better than two bursts of 90 minutes) I am MUCH MUCH better. At times, I have "cured" myself (bipolar type II supposedly) wih diet and exercise. The biggest help for me, ever, more than any med or dr or therapy has been regular yoga. I felt the best I've ever felt in my life when I've gone to yoga three or more times a week, combined with a diet low in grains, sugar and alcohol.

It might help for you to do a "whole 30" program or cleanse type thing to rid yourself of bad habits and food dependencies. When I quit sugar in early Feb I couldn't believe how much I'd been relying on sugar as a mood lifter! I have a lot of alcoholism in my family and sugar addictions run alongside alvoholism. (A great book I highly recommend is Potatoes not Prozac--silly name, lots of good info on the biochemistry of food and mood disorders.)

Anyway. I find it much easier to stick with something the more strict I am. It SUCKS at first but then It's much easier. It seems contradictory/counter-intuitive but if you struggle at all with a sugar dependency, eating none is wat easier than eating a little bit. I ate a bit of sugar weekend before last and now I'm climbing out of a pit--with my mood alongside my sugar/simple carb cravings. Yes, some people can do fine with moderation and portion control--but chances are if you have mood disorder you will also struggle with food addictions.

Another thing to try is relaxation/self-hypnosis. I really have had wonderful success with the David Illig tracks from Health Journeys. The Belleruth Naparstak tracks are also good. I believe long-term wright loss/lifestyle change requires a lot of mental work. It's not just "willpower."

Well, that's all! Hope you find something helpful here.

Heads90 · March 2013

I've never been formally diagnosed as bipolar, but I highly suspect that it's the case. I am manic most of the time... unreasonably happy and bouncy... no one can keep up with the level of energy I have. But when I crash, I crash hard. I have spent weeks in bed without showering or speaking. Anyway, that sounds bipolar to me.... WARNING: WALL OF TEXT INC

This may not be the right/best way but this is what I do:

-- I keep a freaking journal. This has been the single most important factor in changing my life. I make sure to document how I feel most days so that I have something to look back on when I'm having a downswing. I usually hate everything and everyone when things get bad (and I'm too depressed to write much), so having something in my own handwriting that says I loved everything yesterday or last week has helped me so much. I compliment myself in it if I do something worthy, I write down things I'm thankful for and I keep track of my progress in all aspects of my life. I have a calendar in the journal... not just one... each habit I want to change gets its own month's worth of boxes. I X off boxes when I've worked out.... or stretched... or programmed.... anything I want/need to do on a regular basis gets a list of X's that is a testament to my progress and willpower. I make written promises to myself to do things on a certain date/time and include rewards in the description. This seems so simple but it blew my mind. I've been keeping a journal for four months now and HOLY CRAP! It's working so well!

-- I play mind games with myself. I will think, "Oh... I feel like **** today... I'll just walk a block then go home... it's better than nothing." But the act of motion can usually veer me in a better direction mentally and get me back on track.

-- I don't use the scale. **** the scale right in its stupid face. I hate that conniving, condescending ****bag...pardon my French. :P I have lost 8 inches from my waist, 8 from my hips... and quite a few inches from everywhere else as well. Guess how much the scale changed? 2 lbs!!! THAT'S IT!!! So... just forget it. It'll just depress you and fuel those downswings even harder. Get a cloth tape measure or something and take LOTS of pictures.

-- I make a collage with my pictures! Using just MS paint I have taken all of my pictures and made a collage that I can look at whenever I am overwhelmed with negative thoughts about my progress. There is very clear evidence that it's working and I can't deny it.

-- I do not fear/loathe food anymore. Check out EatMore2WeighLess, it's a group here on MFP. Or go to http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ I lost 100lbs in a year a few years ago but I did it by starving myself and working myself nearly to death (literally). Now I have a healthy relationship with food and have made HEAPS of progress eating 1800-2500 calories per day. I'm not sure what triggers you, but ****ing up my "plan" or "diet" or whatever would send me on a downward spiral easily and it happened all the time when I was trying to eat 1200-1400 per day. When I am fueling my body, my moods stay much more stable.... it's not perfect but there's a HUGE improvement.

-- I take Magnesium and 5HTP supplements. I've noticed a positive difference in both mind and body.

-- I quit drinking. As fun as it is to be drunk, I only get hammered once every few months. I will still enjoy a glass or two of moscato every other day or something, but that's it. I am way too unstable when I drink frequently.

-- I do arts and crafts and gardening with my boyfriend's mom to relax myself. I thought it was stupid at first... I'm a math/science girl, so I thought "**** farts and craps." But I tried it.... I just make cards and have a little garden... I only do this stuff once a week or two, but it's something different to change the flow.

-- I have a point system in my house for getting **** done. Chores, exercise, programming.... everything has a point value. Rewards have a cost and there are levels and classes (I have a level 2 Necromancer lol).... have fun with it . ^^ I personally love the spa, so once I get to a certain amount I can get a treatment. When I want to sulk in bed for days, I can look at the points and be like... "****, only 30 more until I can go get a massage!"

This part is probably what you don't want to hear... but it still isn't completely fixed. I have crashed 2-3 times since I started working hardcore (working out 6 days a week and generally giving it my all) in January, but I climb out of the hole so much faster than I used to. That's usually where the mind games come in. I have still made incredible progress (I can show you my collage if you need proof) despite the couple-ish weeks I've spent ****ing off in bed, eating **** and feeling like death on a cracker. Don't give up. It doesn't matter that you fell off the wagon or even the length of time you spent on your *kitten*, just get your *kitten* up again. That's ALL that matters. Also... pets... fluffy things won't pull me out of the hole, but they will make the hole a little better.

Good luck! You'll kick bipolar disorder's *kitten*! Feel free to add me if you need some encouraging friends on here!

Graelwyn75 · March 2013

Diagnosed bipolar too among many other things but never medicated for it as they decided they were not 100% sure and could not be bothered to continue investigating. I mostly get down moods, interspersed with manic phases where I want to do everything, learn everything, buy everything, eat everything and sometimes, they come out as just a lot of rage and aggression. It is hard. Not used any of the methods Heads suggested but sure intend on trying some. I am currently in a 'struggling to drag myself out of bed each day' phase. I get easily bored with life and also have OCD to quite a bad degree, so sometimes my way of loosening the grip and finding relief, has been to binge on lots of rich, sugary, wheat and dairy based foods. Of course, that sort of food does nothing to help with already changeable moods.

Oddly, I have two bottles of htp5 sat in my drawer, and been too afraid to try it in case it makes anything worse. Also have to get off my sleeping pills before trying it, and take the chance it will help with my insomnia. Hope you find answers and strategies that work for you.

monicarcaro · March 2013

BPii here - let me know if you need anything

leahartmann · March 2013

Bipolar 2 as well. I´m medicated with 3 different meds and it has helped me a lot along with an early retirement. To be brutally honest, the medication makes it difficult to lose weight. I´m sorry to say that! But if you eat very unhealthy or binge a lot, the stability- or whatever comes close- will make up for it, when you start eating healthy.

And yes, I go for a walk every single day. Even on my bad days, when I´m dragging myself out, not knowing how in the world I should overcome it- and find myself much better when I get home. Do something you like. Even small workouts is workouts. And they are necessary.

I hope for the best for you.

kari_russell · March 2013

I'm bipolar too, as well as general/social anxiety and PTSD. I'm actually in the midst of a mixed state, which is hell. I was just released from a psych ward less than a week ago.

Today was a "low" day for me, and I did about an hour of Just Dance on the sweat mode, and I already feel a bit better. I also signed up for a gym membership.
I'm dieting and exercising mostly for my mental health (I'm also overweight and want to feel better in my skin). I STRONGLY believe that a healthy diet and exercise is as important as meds.

I'm just starting this weight loss/new psychiatrist/new meds thing, too. Add me if you'd like.

rebelate · March 2013

manic depressive, here and am unmedicated and don't see anyone - out of choice.

i have learned how to be honest with myself, and people around me. it's helped me a ton in this. if i don't like people, or cant be honest with them then i don't keep them around. i write down how i feel every day when i wake up, and if i get into a manic mood what i think caused it, and what i can do to talk myself down rationally. i used to force myself to go out, and socialize because it was "better than staying in" and i thought it would help me. it didn't, at all. it took me years to realize that i am actually happy staying in with my partner, or hanging out at home then going out, being miserable and "maintaining friendships."

honestly, just being honest with yourself, and going after anything that you believe will help you is a great step! it is a long, and hard ~journey. there's bad days, and good days, and you'll have to fight through them, and enjoy them. if you find something that works for you, then stick with it. i've learned not to go to extremes, and not to be too hard on myself. i have to stop and look at the "big picture" because i get too tangled up in tiny details.

bipolar disorder and weightloss

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