Any advice? Personal Subject..

[shannonleigh]

I've always had problems with weight, I used to suffer from anorexia and that's turned around completely because now I'm overweight..Not much but it's enough for me to notice and I hate it.It's all down to comfort eating, so it's easy enough for people to tell me to 'just lose weight' etc but I find it hard, now I'm pregnant I really want to change my eating habits and I want to get some help..I can't do it on my own..I was going through depression before I was pregnant and a lot of other issues and I wouldn't say they have completely gone now but I feel happier just down to the fact I know I'm having a baby. Please no judging..but before being pregnant I had a drinking problem also, Instead of eating to comfort me I drank, but I haven't been anywhere near it since back in early September when I found out I was pregnant, I didn't want to go anywhere near drink I just wanted my baby, it wasn't planned but when I found out I changed and became more motivated to stop and be better, although I didn't drink I still wanted to comfort myself by eating now and then when there was no need to, unfortunately that pregnancy ended in a MMC. Now I'm pregnant again and so far it's going well I was wondering if anyone has any advice? Could my midwife help or send me to see someone? It doesn't help that all my cravings are unhealthy food. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[MgreenM]

I would absolutely talk with your midwife! I have had issues with depression and anxiety since high school and been on medication since high school. I stopped my meds in Nov. and was doing well until a couple weeks ago...got my BFP yesterday. The first thing I did was email my psychiatrist so that I could get his advice on what to do about meds (since I was having so much trouble and I didn't know I was preggers yet, a week and a half ago he said to just treat symptoms with xanax). He is now asking me more questions to better guide my treatment. A medical professional is always a great place to start. I plan to continue seeing a therapist throughout my pregnancy and after. Perhaps meeting with a nutritionist/dietician would be a good idea as well! If you need support, feel free to message me.

 

[RaspberryK]

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles!
Yes your midwife will absolutely help you.
I've joined slimming world in order to keep my weight abs eating in check.
Xx

 

[shannonleigh]

Thank you so much for your replies, I did have counselling for a while and was on a waiting list to see a professor but it takes so long!! I was taken off my medication too so don't really know what to do with myself, I'd never let my problems get in the way of the baby when it comes along and even now I'm pregnant but it would be nice to have some help, I'll try and get in touch with my doctor or even a midwife so they can do another referral to a specialist. I hope everything goes okay for you MgreenM
RaspberryK, I'll have a look at joining somewhere to help me. Thank you!!

 

[2have4kids]

My sister was anorexic and has been in recovery for at least 10 years. I was over weight and lost 70 lbs last year and learned how to eat healthy so that I could keep it off.

For my sister I notice that exercise is really important to her. Like you she gets depressed and I think it helps her stay ontop of depression. For me, I can't have too many carbs. I like a paleo diet and use protein powder in my shakes to get my mornings started. Ie fruit/spinach protein powder smoothy 7am, 10am fruit & cottage cheese (1/2-3/4cup), salad & soup with some kind of protein for lunch, nuts & fruit snack (nuts protein), stir fry dinner, dark chocolate and or Liberty yoghurt (protein MUST be more than the carbs in yoghurt otherwise it's too sugary and winds up making me more hungry). When you consume sugary foods ie high carb yoghurt or breads/pasta/potato/rice it spikes your insulin. You then crash in an hour and feel ravenous again along with egging on ms (ms gets worse with fluctuating & tanked low blood sugar). Protein doesn't spike your blood sugar while it keeps you full for a loooong time.

Saying that, my cravings have been for hot oat cereal, rye bread so I have carby cravy foods before dinner. Your body doesn't burn very much energy after dinner so carbs contribute to your weight if consumed in the evenings-for me anyways. I also rarely drink my calories. So no juice or if I have juice it's pure cran (no sugar, the super tart real stuff) and cut it with sparkly water. Or coconut water if you get muscle cramps from the gym. This is what works for me but it may not work for all. My bff is a nutritionist and LOVES her carbs and fruit (she'd never put spinach in a shake it'd be super sweet pure fruit no protein powder). I can't even look at her diet without packing a 25 lb weight onto my arse-and she's a nutritionist!

I went to a bariatrics clinic to learn how to lose the weight. I'll never go back to eating carbs with every meal. Because I don't, I feel I can have those nachos at the bar when I want to and I don't put on weight. I can cheat or have those craving foods as long as my normal stays without carb loading at every meal. When I'm at a restaurant I eat the veggies and meat off the plate first, I might have a few bites of the rice or bread if I'm still hungry.

I want to say maybe see a nutritionist but they aren't all knowledgeable in losing weight and keeping it off. Weight watchers would never work for me because they still promote carbs at every meal. I guess you can look for a nutritionist but my doctor recommended a bariatrics clinic, one that doesn't do weird stuff like expensive B12 or Hcg injections. Also I highly recommend a therapist to help you through your depression. I hope it gets better soon for you. Please feel free to message me if you ever want to chat.

 

[MgreenM]

Most of the time since I have been off the meds, I have been doing well. It's just been recently that I have had a tough time. But I also have a lot of transitions going on. We adopted a dog 2 weeks ago and I am changing jobs next month...so I am sure this is all part of it! I love my psychiatrist! He is very responsive and really listens to me. It helps me a lot even to just consult him when something comes up. I hope that you can find someone that will be a good match for you!

 

[shannonleigh]

2have4kids thank you, I'll have a look into it..Yeah you're right about weight watchers. I always get told 'some junk is okay now and then' but I don't want to hear that, I want to cut it out completely or I never will and it will be never ending. It's so strange I went from being underweight and finding it hard to eat anything, now overweight and I find it ridiculously hard to keep it off, my body just consumes everything I eat and makes it fat even if it's barely nothing. I look at a fry and I'm half a stone more!! MgreenM it's nice to hear you've got a supportive psychiatrist, mine have never been responsive and it takes month to be seen.

 

[wookie130]

I'm sorry you're struggling with this. My only advice, would really to be to seek some professional help, and make these issues well-known with your midwife or OB. Instead of focusing on all of the junky things you may be craving, and how that may be feeding negatively into your eating disorder, try to take the focus off the food entirely, even it takes help for you to do so. As far as the drinking goes, I do encourage you to seek a 12 step program for that during your pregnancy. You need to get to the bottom of why you drink, and also why you engage in anorexic behavior...and the healing should begin before the baby arrives. You want to be the healthiest, best mother you can be to your LO...physically, mentally, and emotionally...and you can't be any of that if you fall back into the drinking and anorexia once the baby is born. Get help now, and work on you...because in several months' time, it'll be all about giving the best of yourself to the new little person in your life.

 

[shannonleigh]

Thank you. I've cut out drink completely and would never turn back, since finding out I was pregnant I haven't even thought about it and don't think I will from now on, I want to focus on my baby and future. I know I need to sort these unresolved issues out before the baby arrives though so everything can run smoothly.