I don't have any willpower, at all

Exercise works as well as anti-depressants for mild to moderate depression so maybe try that first.

Also try filling up on satiating food to see if this makes you less likely to overeat: http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html

Sorry but you have to want it enough.

Therapy might help you deal with your emotional issues. You might need medication though as well. Talk to your doctor.
Meditation and exercise are good tools for managing stress but don't overlook seeking medical help or therapy.

Willpower is an exhaustible resource. If your diet requires you to constantly exert willpower, you will always fail. The trick is to use strategies so you're not constantly engaged in a battle against yourself.

Here is a long post of mine about lessons I took from a book on change. I hope it has some strategies you can use.

If your main problem is emotional eating, pay close attention to what triggers your eating, and see if you can replace eating with something else you enjoy in response to those same triggers. That's a primary technique used to break strong habits or addictions - provide a different response to the same trigger.

Nor me. The key for me was to start a structured program. I just filled in my weight, height, age, activity level, and age and my goal.

The next step was to see just what my recommended calorie goal actually felt like in real life. Once I did one day,then I thought....oh,shoot, try it another day.

It's only 65 days later, and I sure haven't been perfect.....but I lost 15 lbs so far and am in a healthy BMI range. I am now not losing 2 lbs a week......just one, but it's OK.

Along the way, I've changed some habits, eat better in terms of vegetables, do some zumba gold classes that are fun, and get that full feeling on far fewer calories.

So just start with one step. Don't worry about willpower. I have none either, and it still worked.

lalalalalaurie wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Sorry but you have to want it enough.

You can't even comprehend how badly I want it. I suppose you have never experienced complacent and despondent depression before and that is what led to this comment.

And btw, I have done this a million times already and ended up fat again. I am feeling helpless.

I think you may be expecting too much from a message board in terms of answers/support.

lalalalalaurie wrote: »

juggernaut1974 wrote: »

lalalalalaurie wrote: »

Should I do drugs?

Ummmm...what???

ariana_eatsandlifts wrote: »

What are your stats? Age, height, weight, activity level, etc... and what is your current calorie goal? How long have you been at this?

And drugs are never the answer, unless they're prescribed by a doctor for a medical reason. Do you have someone you can talk to about what is going on in your life?

I am 41, 5'3, 183 lbs, I walk daily at the very least 10k steps but usually more. I have just started running, starting today actually.

My current calorie goal is 1200 but I go higher almost daily recently. I have been at it (counting calories) for about 4 months (not including the million times I went down to skinny and back to fat again in the past)

At first I lost about 14 lbs and gained half of it back already.

I talk to a counselor and it hasn't changed anything for me.

If you've been with this counselor for a while and it's not helping, maybe a different one would be a better fit for you. I've had a variety of therapists over the years and some were much better than others.

I take Wellbutrin for depression. It's a little speedy, which I like. It doesn't have the sexual or other annoying side effects as other anti-depressants I've taken.

No matter how bad the situation is, drugs always make it worse. Smart people don't do drugs. Be smart.

I suggest a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. That doesn't mean that I think you have one! They're just trained in emotional eating issues and would best be able to help you.

Until you have some willpower, try not to worry too much about dieting. There is no reason to beat yourself up over and over for failing.

I'm sure you'll get it all worked out with a counselor. Hang in there!

lalalalalaurie wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Sorry but you have to want it enough.

You can't even comprehend how badly I want it. I suppose you have never experienced complacent and despondent depression before and that is what led to this comment.

And btw, I have done this a million times already and ended up fat again. I am feeling helpless.

I've been having depression on and on for 15 years. It took me that long to want it enough that I was actually ready to make a change. So yeah, I get it. You have to want it enough to actually do something about it. And you're just not there yet. I suggest seeing a therapist as well.

lalalalalaurie wrote: »

oolou wrote: »

lalalalalaurie wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Sorry but you have to want it enough.

You can't even comprehend how badly I want it. I suppose you have never experienced complacent and despondent depression before and that is what led to this comment.

And btw, I have done this a million times already and ended up fat again. I am feeling helpless.

I think you may be expecting too much from a message board in terms of answers/support.

I am not sure what you mean exactly, but I will just ignore that advice since this is supposed to be a support forum and behind most weight loss issues is something very heavy and difficult. If it was easy, most of America would be thin.

Noones issues should ever be disregarded as too much for this space (unless they are hurting others) it's just disrespectful to do so.

I apologise if you found my post disrespectful, but when someone asks if they should do drugs when seeking solutions, I feel they should be seeking professional advice rather than asking such a serious question on a message board. While there may be those who are medically qualified who are members of MFP, on the whole you are gaining opinions of those who are not. That's all.

Firstly I am sorry that you are in such a dark place, you have mentioned that you see a Therapist yet you are still struggling, I would suggest you make the break and find another Therapist/Psychologist that you can relate with and one that hopefully has experience/interest with disordered eating and together you can effectively tackle the emotional issues you are facing.

I'm choosing to take your 'idea' of taking drugs to mean you are asking whether you need anti-depressants, perhaps it is time to take them, this is of course something that you need to take up with your Doctor as soon as you can, as you have been struggling for some time now, on your own and this is obviously not working for you, so Yeah, with good support and the help of anti-depressants you may well find that your issues around overeating and your feelings of failure and depression lessen.

In the meantime, continue getting in your walking and other exercises they can help lift your mood. How about for the moment you eat at maintenance rather than adding in another stressor of losing weight and then bottoming out because you fall of the wagon. Get the other areas of your life together and where you feel happier and stronger then tackle your weight......

Focus on nutritionally dense foods that you enjoy, add in treats that you enjoy in moderation make sure you stay well hydrated and just be you as you are for a while till you can get an effective handle on your depression and negative self-talk. Use this time to nurture yourself in as many ways as you can think of.....what ever brings you peace and joy indulge yourself with....maybe that is getting a massage, manicure, walking by the Sea, reading that book you have wanted to read but have put off....whatever.

Use MFP to log your all foods too.....at least that way you know that during this 'taking a breath' time you aren't going to gain and thus add to your already large load of self deprecation.

I wish you all the best.