can i reach my goals w/ dep/anx?

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hellothere1212
hellothere1212 Posts: 248
in Motivation and Support
i have a lot of depression and anxiety. i am an emotional eater so all my weight gain is due to eating a lot of unhealthy food when i feel this way. my weight loss efforts have failed because i always give into the feeling sorry for myself/emotional eating. after failing so much im beginning to think i cant reach my fitness and weight loss goals with depression & anxiety. i am on meds yes but they dont seem to be helping (and i have tried diff doses/pills etc). ive tried therapy in the past and that hasnt helped either. is it possible that i cant reach my goals feeling this way? should i stop trying since it only leads to failure? im also telling myself negative things like my body is already destroyed through bad eating so there is no hope in getting my figure back.

Replies

  • scootinalong
    scootinalong Posts: 26
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    It is a much harder struggle to lose weight when you suffer from dep/anxiety. Sometimes the side affects of the meds can also be weight gain.

    You should first get yourself leveled out. You stated you have tried different meds? Have you also tried a diff doctor?

    you can lose weight but it is a much harder struggle is you do not get your symptoms under control.

    You could also look at making lifestyle changes. Work on one issue at a time until it becomes a habbit.
  • RichardLevine
    RichardLevine Posts: 5 Member
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    Just want to say I have been there with chronic depression/anx and I feel the best advice I can give is to know that you do not have to accept the helplessness and acceptance of inferior motivation and inferior determination that the mental health industry (not on purpose) seems to instill. Sure there are groups, and one-on-ones, and M.D. visits once a month that seem to help. The only thing is, the only thing that can really help is our own determination and biological competitiveness that breeds lasting motivation to become the person we want to become. Hang tough girl!!
  • RichardLevine
    RichardLevine Posts: 5 Member
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    :glasses:
    Just want to say I have been there with chronic depression/anx and I feel the best advice I can give is to know that you do not have to accept the helplessness and acceptance of inferior motivation and inferior determination that the mental health industry (not on purpose) seems to instill. Sure there are groups, and one-on-ones, and M.D. visits once a month that seem to help. The only thing is, the only thing that can really help is our own determination and biological competitiveness that breeds lasting motivation to become the person we want to become. Hang tough girl!!
  • jess6742
    jess6742 Posts: 146
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    Getting my diet straightened out and exercising has helped me keep my depression and anxiety in check. It's difficult because when you are depressed the last thing you want to do is workout. And when I am anxious all I want to do is eat. BUT I force myself to do it because it makes me feel better. I keep myself on track my journaling a few times a week and tracking on mfp. If that doesn't work try therapy again. Try to find a cognitive behavioral therapist.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
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    i have a lot of depression and anxiety. i am an emotional eater so all my weight gain is due to eating a lot of unhealthy food when i feel this way. my weight loss efforts have failed because i always give into the feeling sorry for myself/emotional eating. after failing so much im beginning to think i cant reach my fitness and weight loss goals with depression & anxiety. i am on meds yes but they dont seem to be helping (and i have tried diff doses/pills etc). ive tried therapy in the past and that hasnt helped either. is it possible that i cant reach my goals feeling this way? should i stop trying since it only leads to failure? im also telling myself negative things like my body is already destroyed through bad eating so there is no hope in getting my figure back.

    I suffer from depression and anxiety and have been in and out of therapy, on and off meds, since I was 5 years old. I also have had an eating disorder since I was 15/16 years old and slowly but surely recovering from that way of thinking & getting healthy. I have found that anti depressants made my anxiety worse and that they did not help me in the long run. The anxiety meds were okay to help get rid of sudden panic attacks, and used short term. The only thing that truly helped me was seeing a counselor. It took a long time to find one that really helped and that I could connect with, but when I finally found her thats what helped me. You have to learn how to cope with your negative emotions in a healthy way, instead of a negative way. I think you should consider therapy again until you find a counselor you like... and try natural depression/anxiety remedies because I think they are a lot better for you than taking anti depressants.. those always made me worse.

    Here are some things that should help you feel a little better:

    1. Get enough sleep!
    2. Make yourself follow a schedule: get up at a certain time, wake up at a certain time, etc. Easiest place to start
    3. YOGA! Yoga is great exercise and a great great stress reliever, you can even try just meditating and getting in touch with yourself and your thoughts. Exercising also helps produce happy chemicals in your brain and it will minimize the depression and make you feel more energized.
    4. When you feel like eating due to a negative emotion, STOP, Pause, take a deep breath, think about how you are REALLY feeling & why you want to eat.. Do something positive instead, write down your emotions, take a nice walk through the park, color a picture, read a book, listen to happy music.
    5. Only buy healthy foods when you shop, then you are less likely to have unhealthy snacks to binge on
    6. If you do mess up, reflect on what happened, why it happened, and forgive yourself and move on.


    That is all I can think of right now.

    Message me if you want to talk & also feel free to add me for support :)
  • alyngard
    alyngard Posts: 103
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    i have a lot of depression and anxiety. i am an emotional eater so all my weight gain is due to eating a lot of unhealthy food when i feel this way. my weight loss efforts have failed because i always give into the feeling sorry for myself/emotional eating. after failing so much im beginning to think i cant reach my fitness and weight loss goals with depression & anxiety. i am on meds yes but they dont seem to be helping (and i have tried diff doses/pills etc). ive tried therapy in the past and that hasnt helped either. is it possible that i cant reach my goals feeling this way? should i stop trying since it only leads to failure? im also telling myself negative things like my body is already destroyed through bad eating so there is no hope in getting my figure back.

    I suffer from depression and anxiety and have been in and out of therapy, on and off meds, since I was 5 years old. I also have had an eating disorder since I was 15/16 years old and slowly but surely recovering from that way of thinking & getting healthy. I have found that anti depressants made my anxiety worse and that they did not help me in the long run. The anxiety meds were okay to
    help get rid of sudden panic attacks, and used short term. The only thing that truly helped me was seeing a counselor. It took a long time to find one that really helped and that I could connect with, but when I finally found her thats what helped me. You have to learn how to cope with your negative emotions in a healthy way, instead of a negative way. I think you should consider therapy again until you find a counselor you like... and try natural depression/anxiety remedies because I think they are a lot better for you than taking anti depressants.. those always made me worse.

    Here are some things that should help you feel a little better:

    1. Get enough sleep!
    2. Make yourself follow a schedule: get up at a certain time, wake up at a certain time, etc. Easiest place to start
    3. YOGA! Yoga is great exercise and a great great stress reliever, you can even try just meditating and getting in touch with yourself and your thoughts. Exercising also helps produce happy chemicals in your brain and it will minimize the depression and make you feel more energized.
    4. When you feel like eating due to a negative emotion, STOP, Pause, take a deep breath, think about how you are REALLY feeling & why you want to eat.. Do something positive instead, write down your emotions, take a nice walk through the park, color a picture, read a book, listen to happy music.
    5. Only buy healthy foods when you shop, then you are less likely to have unhealthy snacks to binge on
    6. If you do mess up, reflect on what happened, why it happened, and forgive yourself and move on.


    That is all I can think of right now.

    Message me if you want to talk & also feel free to add me for support :)

    Wow the first part of your post is my story to a "t"!
    Therapy since age 5 and eating disorders since about 13.

    I do completely understand how anxiety and depression can make things difficult, but at least for me I think I used it as an excuse for many years. I was so wrapped up in feeling sorry for myself that I just kind of gave up on myself and life in general. I eventually just got so sick of how I was feeling (and finally excepted the fact that I am in charge of changing my reality) so I decided to make different choices. You really have to just not let the feelings of anxiety and depression consume you (easier said than done-I know!).You take it a day at a time, a positive choice at a time, and before you know it, it becomes habit. I have truly never felt better about myself, and I think it's because I have finally taken responsibility for how I feel. And if it's my choice how I feel, why would I want to feel bad? And of course eating healthy foods, exercise and weight loss can only make you feel better right? !

    Have hope and don't give up on yourself. You deserve to feel better about yourself, and you are in control of making that happen

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