Antidepressants and weight gain!!

[bmw103]

Hi everyone, im a bit new to this. Ive been on antidepressants for 2 and a half years, and have put on about 20 kgs, I have been weight training, but this weight is mostly fat. I have successfully been off antidepressants for 3 months, BUT CANNOT LOSE THE WEIGHT!! I have read so many blogs and cant find the answer. Please, if anyone has or has had a similar experience,.. help!!

[bmw103]

thanks guys. Its been a while, perhaps more than a month. I've totally changed my training programme and now do about 40 minutes of cardio a day coupled with two resistance exercises. The main concern that I have is that the antidepressant that I was on messed up my metabolism - which isnt correcting itself. Prior to the antidepressant, I was a huge eater! But didnt put on a pound of weight! I feel that the cardio isnt doing anything! I've lost about 1kg in 2 weeks, which is nothing. How do I get my metabolism speeding permanantly again?

[mammo]

I don't see any folks saying that cardio eats away at muscle.  Most people that are into recreational  physical conditoning don't take the endeavor to extremes; like competitive body builders (their training regimen consists of little or no cardio) or marathoners who lift very little heavy, repetitive weights. You noted swimmers and you know that swimming is an all round sport that requires cross training to maximize a person's potential. Boxing or martial arts is very similar in that it requires cross training as well.  
I guess I am assuming too much to think that everyone knows not to do without good carbs. My mistake in saying to eliminate all carbs, that should have read "bad carbs."  It really all depends on how muscular one wants to be as to how you taper your workout regimen.  My daughter is a competitive body builder, my son a marathoner, ultrathoner and competes in jujitsu. We've had many discussions on what exercises they both do to be able to perform at their best.  I'm 60, and hike at a very fast pace up and down 6 miles of hills every day due to their guidance. Friends my age won't even park at the mall unless they can get a close parking place. Get moving and eat healthy and less, and you will not have any fat, and lessen your chances for serious health issues.

[Paxiled]

Also, when you say you've done away with carbs, I hope you just meant simple carbs such as white flour and sugar.  Vegetables are also carbs, whole grains are carbs, and you need these for proper health.  You can't just live on protein.  It's unhealthy.

[Paxiled]

Again, folks, cardio doesn't eat away muscle.  Cardio burns fat, not muscle.  All body builders integrate cardio into their routines, and a whole lot more than 1 hour a week, which is very little cardio.  But it will take time -- fat, particularly at the abdomen, is very hard to lose, and gets harder the older we get.  All cardio will involve some muscle work -- running, it works the thighs; elliptical machines, it works the thighs and the arms; swimming works the legs and the abdomen and the arms.  Ever seen a swimmer?  They do tons of cardio, but are as muscular as anyone you'll see.  Same with sprinters.  Same with martial artists.  What they do is alternate weight training with cardio, but cardio does not eat away muscle, it just isn't as good at building it as resistance training.

[mammo]

Yes, the cardio can work against you building muscle. If you want to lose weight do it with aerobic type exercises (cardio exercises qualify).  Diet plays a big role, you may need to totally cut out all carbs (especially complex carbs) and concentrate on higher percentages of protein.  Always take a good multi-vitamin whenever you're in a structured work-out program.  Make sure your smaller meals every few hours are small and healthy.  Eat a handful of nuts every day as one of you meals, people who eat nuts everyday tend to lose weight quicker.

[bmw103]

Youre right, it might need time. It was one thing getting off the anti depressants, now to deal with the weight. I just hope my metabolism can be corrected - which im sure its probably related to. As Ive said Ive been doing over an hour of cardio a week, for over a month now with significant weight drop in first week and thereafter fat remained :).
Thanks for the input...

[bmw103]

Im now considering seing a doc. I build muscle,which I cant see, highly frustrating. The more cardio I do, just leads to my muscles depreciating as you've said. Its as if my metabolism has slowed down to a halt and my body's just storing fat. I mean even when I see my doc, he's just going to put me on more drugs right?

[bmw103]

i really appreciate it. The thing is, I've cut out alot of carbs from my diet. Im eating, smaller, more frequent meals, and " doing more than an hour of cardio a week" - reason for me now getting worried. Ive watched my weight decrease over the last month but it isnt fat as Ive lost alot of muscle mass, and the fat is still THERE. I blame this primarily on the anti depressants that i was on - sertzol. Many personal trainers give me similar advice - not taking into consideration the A.D.s

[Paxiled]

Give it some time.  It took me a while to lose the weight I gained on Paxil, but frankly, I've gained some of it back because I went back on antidepressants.  Cardio is important for losing weight and goes along with weight training -- you can't weight train long enough to build muscle if you're not also doing cardio to strengthen endurance and the heart.  Athletes usually alternate the two.  So if you're not doing any cardio, adding it should speed this along.  You also need cardio to burn fat -- weight training does this, too, but not as much as cardio, so you really need to do both to be fit, and not overdo either also to be fit and not injured.

[mammo]

Have your thyroid checked to make sure it's working properly, if it's slow you will gain weight and not be able to lose it.  But it normally comes down to what you are eating. Often we are eating more calories than we're burning, and don't realize it.  Weight training will build muscle but you need exercises to increase your metabolism like cardio, but these two kind of work against each other if you're going for bulk.  Cut back on the carbs, increase your protein and you should see results.  Good luck and take care!

[RubyWitch]

Hmmmmmmm............you've been weight training for three months but haven't lost the weight yet, that would be very discouraging for sure! Perhaps you need to tweak your diet along with the weights? While the weight training is very good, maybe you need to add some other type of exercise to your routine? Is there a gym close by where you could talk with a personal trainer and get some advice?
I would try that and give it a couple of months. If the weight was still not coming off, I'd speak with a doctor. Sounds like you need to ramp up your metabolism somehow? I hope someone else will respond who has experienced what you're going through. Just don't give up and try not to get discouraged.......there must be an answer!
Peace
Greenlydia