Depression Meds and Weight loss

Sorry I'm not on the meds, so I can't advise that way, but I wanted to encourage you not to give up!!! The exercise is so great for your depression as well and as you lose you may be able to decrease/stop taking (of course under your doctor's supervision) so for goodness sake KEEP GOING!!!! Sometimes people's bodies just need time to change. I'll bet if you took measurements you've lost inches which is just as important as losing pounds!!!! Really, over .5 per week is really good!!!! Don't let this get you down... you're doing GREAT! Focus on taking each day and making it the best day you can, not the scale!

Don't give up! I'm on Zoloft & I have lost 18.5 pounds in the last 6 weeks. You can do it! Keep up the exercise. My goal is 1200 calories a day but with exercise I'm usually below that by 100 cals or so. I am not starving & I save enough calories to have a Skinny Cow treat many evenings. The first 2 weeks I did Slimfast & followed it strictly & lost 9 pounds. Since then I joined myfitnesspal.com & have lost another 9.5 over the past 4 weeks. So.... don't give up - You can do it!!

aubreyjordan-
There are so many factors to take into consideration. I am on the same med (225mg) plus Wellbuterin (100mg 2x/day). I don't necessarily think that it is holding me back. But my philosophy is that "we are making positive changes" and that is really what matters, not the number on the scale. The wt loss will come. You may be building muscle mass, which weighs more than fat in a more compact form - that is why it is always recommended to also take your measurements.
Hope this helps. Good luck and keep it up!!

is it possible for you to walk outside at all, being out in the open air and brisk walking has helped me a lot with depression

I gained over 3 stone on Effexor so I feel your pain! No matter what I did I could not seem to lose weight :-( I switched to Effexor from Fluoxetine as my depression was getting too severe, but now I am back on Fluoxetine and I am finding things easier.

Have you tried or considered other meds?

I wasn't on any drugs but a few years ago I was doing what it sounds like you are doing and I couldn't lose any weight for 3 months. I was doing hard cardio for an hour each day and nothing worked. I also was lifting weights every day as well. I hired a very experienced trainer and although she said it didn't make sense, she, along with cutting out carbs, did help me start losing weight.

1.) She had me stop doing so much cardio, and she made me lift weights but in a faster pace with only about 10 to 30 second breaks.

2.) She made me take a day or two off a week for rest.

3.) I cut out carbs. I went on the Blood Type Diet (for O) but basically that is similar to Paleo Diet or many low carb diets. It helped.

I saw a difference in one week. Some theories on what was going on was that I was working out so hard (and all of a sudden) that my body was completely stressed. I was exhausted each day, and I have since learned that it's not as effective as you'd think. "Work out smarter not harder". Also. . . . I never lose weight unless I cut out all bread, flour-based products, rice, potatoes, starches, etc.

Good Luck.

I took a personal trainer course

I'm also on EffexorXR 150. For many many years now. Because I threw my head through a windshield *LOL* Bad idea.

Anyhow, here's the thing. The drug itself isn't going to cause or prevent weight loss. It will on the other hand increase appetite. But from what I understand the drug itself can't possibly be a cause or hinderance to weight as it's just a matter of caloric intake when it comes right down to it.

Can it make it harder? Harder to practice the control perhaps because of what it does to your appetite. I'm no expert, but that's how I choose to view it

Stay dedicated, stay the course, it will come off I lost over 45 lbs on Effexor before... and plan to do it again.