Depression=brutal truth motivation

Options
Nanaluvs2sweat
Nanaluvs2sweat Posts: 97 Member
in Motivation and Support
No coddling and the brutal truth is what I needed to get me started on my weight loss journey.

I’m 46 yrs old and ended up in the worst shape of my life due to clinical depression. I steadily gained on average 20 lbs a year for the past 4 years. I went from a size 4 to an 18.

I know what I have to do to be in the same shape I was a few years ago. Saying and doing are two different things and it can be easier said.

I just decided I was tired of being tired. I’m tired of not being able to paint my toenails without gasping for breath due to the fat around my belly. Tired of laying around in my own misery and eating my emotions. And when I say I was depressed I am telling you I had it bad enough to put me in the hospital numerous times so believe me if you are overweight due to depression I GET YOU.

I just got started on my weight loss journey. It’s gonna be tough but in order to not just lose weight but maintain a healthy lifestyle you really do have to make new habits. For me, it’s low impact cardio boxing every morning to build my endurance. (If you are new to working out like me I would recommend watching some of Body Fit by Amy low impact videos on YouTube) NO DAYS OFF. I cut out all sodas and sugary drinks. No bread. No processed food. No refined sugars. I read it takes approximately 30 days to instill a new habit so that’s what I am banking on. I also stopped thinking so much about the future and what my weight will be. Just take it one day at a time. We can do this. Do what works best for you. If you need brutal motivation like me then I would suggest you look up Subcutaneous fat and look at what is hanging on the inside of your body. Good luck everyone!!

Replies

  • bellesmom84
    bellesmom84 Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    I also suffer from depression and I gained 60 lbs in 4 years. In the past year I have lost half of it. It has been a real struggle but I already feel better. I'm here with you! We can do it!
  • Nanaluvs2sweat
    Nanaluvs2sweat Posts: 97 Member
    Options
    Hey that’s amazing!!! Way to go! How did you do it? I know battling depression and trying to make myself move has been a challenge but I honestly believe the extra weight and lack of movement made my depression 10 times worse.
  • darklyndsea
    darklyndsea Posts: 56 Member
    Options
    I have double depression (dysthymia + major depressive disorder).

    You know how random people who don't have depression say that working out makes you feel better, and you roll your eyes because they're the same people that say to just do things you enjoy (but depression makes it impossible to enjoy anything)? Yeah, I roll my eyes at them too. But I recently read an article that said that there's evidence that exercise causes your brain to manufacture neurotransmitters--primarily GABA, but also serotonin and dopamine, and maybe others. And depression is neurotransmitter deficiency. So exercise really can help.

    I set my goals low, because when I know that something's easy I'm a lot more likely to try, succeed, and then do more on top of it. When I set difficult goals, there are a lot of days when it seems completely impossible, so I don't even try, and I get nothing at all accomplished. So I have a daily goal to walk to the park--a bit less than 2 miles round trip, which is an easy walk for me. Some days that's all I do. A surprising amount of the time, even when I'm feeling blah, I walk even further, frequently as far as 6 miles. And I set my food goals low, too. Aside from tracking calories, the only change I made was to switch some of my junk food snacking to healthy snacking. Not even all of it, just some of it. A lot of people set their goals and changes high from the very beginning, but I figure that, especially with depression, the harder you go at the start the easier it is to fall off the path; and if you go easier at first and introduce changes slowly, it's easier to stick it out.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,287 Member
    Options
    I admire the strength it takes for any depressed person to diet and get fit. The journey is hard work enough on its own..let alone struggling with something you have zero control over..like depression. I pray life brings you the person, people, or thing you need to get a genuine sense of well being.
  • Pickle107
    Pickle107 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    I have chronic depression, too. 7 years since breakdown number 2. Wrecked my life but things are getting better- I even have a full time job interview on Tuesday. I know exercise doesn't hurt me but I totally lack the motivation 99% of the time, even for a walk with my dog. I have put on 2 stone through not moving and over eating. I lost most of one of them in a 12 week weight loss period earlier this year without exercising due to bad fatigue (my major symptom remaining as my mood stabilises). I've had a weird throat virus this past week which has kept me in bed but I'm building up the get go to pull on my trainers and go for a little trot once I'm well. I find flicking through Runners World or looking at fitness posts on Pinterest helps me ramp up my interest a bit. I signed up for a marathon in October at the start of the year but I've really just missed the deadline for minimum sensible prep time so I'm readjusting my goals to a regular run schedule then I can sign up for next years and do it justice.

Categories