breaking free of anxiety and starting my weight loss journey

Welcome to MFP. There's lots of good information & support on these boards, take a long look around.

Are you working with a therapist? Anxiety and depression are tough.

Good for you to decide to make a change. A food scale will be invaluable for accurate calorie counting. You can keep eating everything that you enjoy - just less of it. Adding exercise will give you more calories to work, besides being great for mind & body. Start with something doable - a morning walk, for instance, or a short home DVD workout - and build up as you go along.

My advice would be to not rush the process. There's plenty of time.

illusionist121 wrote: »

Thank you so much for all your advice, yeah I'm currently seeing a therapist and trying to get my mental state in more of a stable position, I feel deep down it's may be only then that I will truly change otherwise my eating habits and patterns won't change, I currently find I'm starving myself for multiple days then eating loads of rubbish at weekends

That's often the problem with a lot of restricting. You're going along, going along and then bam! You raid the kitchen and throw all caution to the wind.

A sensible (read: not too aggressive) calorie goal will be your friend in this endeavor. It's always good to have more calories! Exercise can play a key role here. But exercise is not necessary for weight loss. It's all about the food, and staying under that calorie limit.

Well, 700 calories a day isn't nearly enough. In fact, you really shouldn't eat under 1500 per day - unless you have medical orders mandating otherwise.

I hope you've disclosed this to your therapist. It's really not healthy.

It's a lot to sort out, and I can appreciate that it may feel overwhelming. But you're starting down a much healthier path, so feel good about that.

These forums are filled with helpful information. Read up on nutrition, shopping & cooking on a budget, easy recipes to toss together at home, etc. You can do it!

illusionist121 wrote: »

Yeah he knows my diet is bad, other times though I can eat a whole packet of cookies and tube of pringles and milkshake , I don't cook because I'm currently in financial problems

Please only take this as advice from someone who had to be told too, but the cost of healthy food versus Pringles and such often aren't too far apart.

You don't need to cook - raw veg are great for you! I often slice carrots, celery and/or beetroot to eat raw!

illusionist121 wrote: »

Due to my circumstances my exercise levels are quite low

One step at a time, but if you start to push yourself to go for a 10 minute walk (I used to do it at night when anxiety kept me locked up) and to eat better, the energy and the hunger will come!

Exercise can help to relieve depression, which I have experienced first hand! Try not to think of it as "I can't exercise because I am depressed" but as "Exercising can help me feel less depressed" - this really helped me.

Feel free to add or message me - I recently was declared "healthy enough to work" after being signed off for two years with anxiety, so I can maybe relate to what you're going through!

Honestly I'd much more highly recommend Fitness Blender videos from youtube - like insanity it focuses on HIIT (high intensity interval training) and is free so if you can't stick with it, you didn't waste any money!

Great that you're already going for walks!

I'm kinda in the same wagon I have severe anxiety and depression. I take it out on food though . I wake up in the middle of the night and binge eat sometimes I don't even know what I ate till that morning when I see the wrappers. I'm trying hard to drop 100 pounds

illusionist121 wrote: »

Yeah I completely understand that , just remember although it might not happen as quick as you would like just remember it will eventually happen of you persist on working hard enough

You already sound like a pro

Is very basic and important that you eat every 3-4 hours

That's great you're deciding to be proactive! I think it's brave of you to post this, I know most people don't like talking about mental illness. I'm also hoping changing my lifestyle and getting into fitness/healthy eating will be a positive thing to keep my mind on (and out of the house). I hope everything works out for you! Best of luck! And feel free to add me if you need some motivation, I'm new to this so I'm still trying to figure out how everything works!

I understand how depression makes you feel. You are working on it and that is great news. Try not to isolate yourself too much and keep reaching out to others. You are severely restricting your caloric intake and I am positive that this is setting you up for failure. Also this cycle is going to add to you feeling worse about yourself. Please don't overly restrict your calories and you may want to try 15 mins of exercise (helps boost your mood) If you do this in a healthy way your whole outlook will change. Set your self up for success, this is a journey not something that will change overnight. Small changes over time= big changes for a better life. Blessings to you.