Dieting/weight loss with depression

[christina1612]

Hi all

I'm hoping someone can give me some advice and support. I'm a SAHM to two monkeys 5 & 2. I suffer quite badly with depression and anxiety and currently take medication to help. I'm probably about 15st at the moment and I'm desperate to lose weight and eat better but my depression makes me feel so low I don't even know where to start. I've done slimming world before and the plan is good but I hate the groups and I also can't afford a weekly fee. Money is an issue for us so another reason I say I can't afford to diet. I want to exercise but always put it off. I would love some advice and support if anyone else feels in a similar boat or has been!

Thanks in advance!

 

[ClairAye]

I use My Fitness Pal. I have depression and bad anxiety and I am a comfort eater. I take it one meal at a time and have an Instagram account where I log my meals and follow others who do too for a mix of support and ideas. Good luck!

 

[c1403]

You sound alot like me at the moment. I know what I need to do and cut out of my diet, but on bad days I can't help reaching for the cupboard

I've thought about groups/gym etc but I just don't have the time or money with my little ones. Mon-Weds I'm super busy with work, school etc so I do great but come the end of the week I slip back to old habits. I've noticed my anxiety has got a bit worse too. It's quite a viscous circle really.
Good luck. Sometimes it's helpful just to talk to people.
X

 

[topsy]

I second my fitness pal...and lo e my step counter on my phone it syns with my phone.

I suffer with serve depression and anxiety ( and am trying to loose half my body weight-weigh 22 stone now ; ( was 25.) You can do it.

Do a diary hunny in the section people are supportive with each other.

If you want to do slimming world there ARE loads of group on fb about slimming world from home so no groups.

Aldi is fab for food if you have one near you hunny. You CAN DO it xxxx

 

[BSBMOM579]

The struggle is real. Have you checked with your physician to be sure the medication isn't fighting against you regarding weight loss? Most likely not, but it would be worth checking into. I use myfitnesspal as well; and I have found something called 'faithful workouts' that are just 30 minutes (more if you want) and encourage exercise, nutrition, health and well being...just a healthy lifestyle. I can do it when ever convenient...just requires being faithful to it. Depression and anxiety are difficult enough to manage without adding to it, so I wish you well on your journey to rid yourself of things that add to it.

 

[Bonnie11]

I know you said you can’t afford slimming world but honestly that will be the best £5 a week you will spend. The support you get in group is worth ten times that and it is less than you would spend on ‘bad’ food or treats etc. I got so much support in group, it’s scary initially admitting there is a problem but everyone is there for the same reason. I was exactly the same as you 16st when I joined and I went on to lose 4.5 with the group support and am going back again after I have my baby to lose what I have put on (and a bit more!). There are loads of budget recipes online and healthy food isn’t more expensive than rubbish food if you buy in bulk and batch cook. It does seem scary initially but it becomes so easy after a while and with the help of the group when you are having a shit day you can get through it. My anxiety and depression were so so much better when I started losing the weight and although they have returned a bit because I feel huge at the moment and I know I am not eating as well as I should be, I know that when I go back to group it will be so much better. We have moved house now and I’m starting a new group which I’m a bit nervous about but I know the principles are the same and people are so welcoming. Having someone to answer to and to weigh in each week is absolutely the best thing you can do, when you do things from Home it’s so easy to throw in the towel. Good luck, start a journal on here maybe? I have seen a slimming world thread on here but doesn’t seem rob get used much! My old group had a fab Facebook account which kept me in check through the days I wasn’t at group. You can do it xx

 

[christina1612]

Thanks everyone for such lovely messages! I've been to a slimming world group several times before but the group near me I don't find the leader to be very supportive or inspirational! It just seems so long for her to get round talking to everyone and often discussing inappropriate things that she doesn't have time to discuss new ideas etc.
I've tried myfitnesspal before so I may look into that again it was very good. I've been setting myself small targets to achieve each week (not diet related) but they are making me feel so much better once I'm achieving them!

I do have an ALDI nearby and I love shopping there it is so cheap and great quality!

Thanks I will definitely look into the faithful workouts too that sounds ideal.

 

[caz_hills]

Hi! I have suffered from anxiety and depression and have medication for them as well. I started on a fitness programme through beachbody last October and haven’t looked back! I feel more confident, have reduced my medication and feel so much happier. I’ve also lost 10lbs since then too. The exercise and healthy eating has sort of compounded in me and I feel better physically and mentally. I know I needed to find my workout programme that suited me so I tried a few and this one was the one for me!

 

[red_head]

I do slimming world online as I didn’t like the groups l, but needed that weekly weigh in. I find that getting starting when you’re depressed is the hardest thing - I started taking my dog to the woods for an hour every day, which helped my depression and made me feel fitter, and then I found I wanted to lose weight and so doing slimming world was easier. I think the best thing for me was finding a cheap activity that I really enjoyed, and I also starting taking lots of nature photos (auto correct changed nature to mature which would have made this sentence really disturbing!!) and putting them on Instagram which really kept me motivated too as it was something I liked to do. Even if you do something like find a park to walk through on the way to picking your kids up from school, or joining a health walk in your area so you’re walking with other people to motivate you and are in the same position (as they’re specifically for people with physical and mental health difficulties to get them outside and improve everything) I honestly found it so helpful to get me started. Good luck