Go easy on yourself mgran. There aren't very many people that don't eat a little junk food now and then. Certainly we should all watch what we eat and exercise, but for some the side effects are weight gain and it's at no fault of the person. Not everyone experiences the weight gain, but for those of us that have it's highly frustrating.

I weighed 125 lbs. since I was 18 (I'm 5'7"). After being diagnosed at 31 and put on psychiatric meds I gained a total of 60lbs. It really bothered me when people (including my pdoc) suggested I watch what I ate and exercise more. I did cardio and weights 5x / week and ate well. The weight continued to creep on until it leveled out at an extra 60lbs. It was devastating for me. The meds that caused the weight gain was risperidone then serequel and lithium.

I have now been switched to lamictal and have started to lose the weight (30lbs. so far). It definitely is coming off much slower than it came on. The last pdoc appointment I had she commented on the weight loss and asked what I did. I told her I had done nothing differently and it only started after I was put on the lamictal. I wish my pdoc had discussed other medication options. I had assumed I had 2 choices: be fat and stable or fit and crazy.