I have always had problems with mild depression that I kept under control by
running, meditation, and other management techniques that worked for me, but
when I had a combination of 3 really stressful life events, I began
suffering deeply and went on an anti-depressant. Along with helping my
depression, though, it absolutely killed my desire to run and I gained
weight.
I have been able to take off most of the weight and recently have gone off
the meds and again manage through exercise. I have always been lacrimose,
and if I let up, I can feel that weepy feeling coming on and it motivates me
to hit the road running.
I am not at my goal weight and I have to be very careful about depression,
but I am for sure out of that negative spiral. I think what helped me was
FINALLY getting treatment for a sleep disorder. I had had different doctors
tell me I needed to go to a sleep clinic but I just didn't follow through
until I was desperate. I am allergic to a few common things and while I
am OK with basic precautions, found that my throat closes up at night. I
have been on a breathing machine, with very mild pressure, for about 3
years, and I now have the energy during the day to make the right choices.
So I am being long- winded - but I guess I am saying that I have been there,
and there is hope. Have a good medical checkup and make sure that there are
no underlying physical conditions, but just keep plugging away with the
medications and other things that are proven to work for depression.
Exercise and good cognitive behavior therapy are statistically as good as
meds in treating depression so you could try a triple-whammy. (I started by
walking my dog every night for a week, then he guilted me into it and it is
now just what we do - I don't even think about it.)
My totally non-medical advice is based on anecdotal evidence from myself
only, but if you don't get over the depression, you will not have the
emotional energy to sustain weight loss. Weight loss comes from your head,
but you also have to make "structural" changes - finding new recipes, making
new habits, changing your appliances even, making healthy easy and unhealthy
hard - and that is a lot to deal with even without depression. Try not to
gain, but don't worry about losing. Low-carb for sure can make depression
worse, so avoid that.
A lot of people don't like this, but I am most successful when I get on the
scale every single day. I automatically do a better job of weight
maintenance, and it is easier for me to cope if I just face it first thing
every day and get it out of the way.
You will be able to pull out of this - one day you will realize that you
have reversed course and are feeling better, lost half a pound, needed to
go walking instead of making yourself, or whatever else is important to
you.
On Sat, Nov 21, 2009 at 3:38 PM, PamelaT <pamteel173@yahoo.
>
>
> I have been really struggling with my weight lose for a while now, I
> dropped a total of 51 lbs in a matter of a couple months a year ago. I have
> been dealing with depression for about two years, but after losing the
> weight it seem to help until about 10 months ago when the medicatation
> stopped working for me and I had to change to diffrent anti-depressents. I
> gained a total of 30 pound back, and the depression has continued to get
> worse because of the weight gain, as well as other things. I have come to
> the conclusion that to be absoulutly successful at losing weight and keeping
> it off I first need to work on the underlying issues. This feel's impossible
> for me. I have tried many of Renee's suggested techniques for
> self-acceptance and I just cannot find it with-in myself to accept who I am
> and how I look. Can anyone give me some advice on how I can learn that I am
> okay even though I may not be perfect??? Please it seem's that everyday that
> goes by I seem to get more and more frustrated with this circumstance.
> Thank you so much
> Pamela Teel
>
> Oh and I want to congradulated all those who have been so successful with
> your journey, and to those of you who are new it is very nice to meet you
> and good luck with you journey
>
>
>
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