Weight Loss Advice Needed

[desperate2Bfit]

About a year ago I lost 40 pounds on the weight watchers program. My top weight was 174. I was excastic to have lost the weight but I never quite made it to my goal (124). This discouraged me and bit by bit I stopped following the program. Since late 2008 the weight has started to creep back on. I am now at 150 and I am scared to death that it's just going to keep piling on and I'll be right back where I started. I feel like I have tried everything to stop this. I've tried going back to weigth watchers, herbal magic, other diet pills. My main problem is that when I get too hungry, my plan goes out the window and I just eat to my heart's content. I am also in this circle of being depressed and eating and that gets me even more depressed.  I really want to get back in shape as my weight problem has major effects on my emotions. I am depressed alot and want to stop swirling down this spiral. Please help.

[Barb135]

Welcome.  One of the main things is that you need to eat regular small meals, several times a day so you don't get so hungry that you start binging.  

You need to eat 5-6 small meals every day - not just 3 meals and trying not to snack in between.  Eating small meals will help your blood sugar steady and you won't get so hungry that you just eat and eat.  

In addition to the small meals, make sure you get plenty of protein and fiber during each meal/snack as they fill you up more quickly and keep you feeling fuller for a longer period.  I read an article the other day that suggested that we should get a minimum of 60 grams of protein.  Other articles say we should get at least 35 grams of fiber/day.  

Try changing your exercise pattern also - if you do the same things in the same order every single day, your body becomes used to it and it's not a challenge so you won't lose.

Last, but certainly not least, make sure that you check with your doctor to make sure you don't have any underlying medical issues that might cause weight gain/retention such as thyroid, insulin resistance, pcos, etc.  

Don't give up and keep posting here.  We'll help you get there.  Good luck.  

[LeniuXenobia]

Barb has given you some pretty sound advice.

Also to help control hunger you can drink water with your meals so you don't end up over eating.

Stay away from foods with MSG in them. MSG is an addictive neurotoxin that will kill off your receptors in your brain that lets you know when your full.

Keep healthy snacks in the house, such as protein bars, slimfast bars, fiber bars, fruit and veggies.

Hope this helps!

Tiffany

[suzzie61]

I found that the key to your weight gain is probably mostly due to your depression.  I am depressed quite a bit.  I have Leukemia, and although I am in remission I have other health issues.  I get in such a rut just from everday life, and its not all from having cancer.
I find that once I pick something up to eat, I start looking for a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Between the Economy, finances, health issues, and on and on.
Also, my medication that I have to be on for the rest of my life causes Weight Gain.  I am in a group with others who are on the same medication.  A good 75% are having the same problem I am having.  Others are just too sick to eat.
I really need to correspnd more often with others going through the same thing.
I really believe the mood your in is what makes us eat.  I am trying to stop and think about why I am eating.  Am I really hungry or is just something to occupy me.
You have to get to the root of why.  Be willing to share with you anytime.  Good Luck

[Barb135]

I understand that your situation is depressing, BUT are you eating because you are depressed or depressed because you are eating so much.  There IS a difference and although I'm not saying that suzzie61 is wrong, at first glance your situation doesn't really sound like hers.  Suzzie IS right, in that some meds will cause weight gain so if you are taking prescription meds, make sure that weight gain/retention is not one of the side effects.

I'll give you a short explanation of what I mean by that.  I was once diagnosed with depression because I was tired/fatigued all the time.  My doctor insisted that I was tired because I was depressed and needed an antidepressant, so he prescribed Paxil.  I started taking the paxil and only got more and more tired.  I'd get up in the morning feeling 1/2 way decent, but once the paxil "kicked in", I had no choice but to sleep.  I finally quit taking it because it made me even more tired (and depressed) than I was before.  I mean, if I'm suffering from fatigue, why prescribe something that is going to make me even more fatigued???  

Not too long after I quit taking the paxil, I changed doctors and though it took a while to get him to "listen" and do appropriate testing, I was finally diagnosed with pernicious anemia, which is a vitamin B12 deficiency.  I was started on weekly B12 shots to bring my levels up, then dropped down to monthly, which turned out not to be enough so am now on every 2 weeks.  My "depression" is gone because it never existed!!  

My point is:  I was depressed because I tired, NOT tired because I was depressed.

I hope this makes sense, because I've seen too many people end up on meds for depression when depression isn't the underlying problem.  

You lost weight on WW - I just think your problem is that you are letting yourself get so hungry that you don't stop with a small amount of food - if I don't eat every couple of hours, I do the same thing.  That's where the 5-6 small meals/day come in.  They will keep you from becoming so hungry.

There is NO herbal magic and if you DO find something that will cause weight loss, you will probably regain once you stop taking it.  Whatever you do needs to be changes in your eating/exercise habits that can be sustained for the rest of your life or you will continue to lose/gain/lose/gain........  

Healthy eating and moderate exercise are the keys to permanent weight loss, provided that you don't have underlying medical issues.  

Now - I'm not saying that you should not seek help if you really ARE suffering from depression; but if you are just going through a depression because you can't/won't/don't stop eating the wrong things, it's not the same thing.  

Keep posting with us.  Good luck.