[Pookyl]

I have a whole lot of things medically wrong with me.
I find that many of my specialists are on my case to not put on weight. The only one who isn't is my psychiatrist. She tells me there's no point in being a thin corpse.
Has anyone been successful in keeping both mind and body healthy? And, how did you do it?
Or is it just not possible ?

[Miswimmy1]

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. I know medications can increase or suppress appetite and therefore impact weight.

I am a firm believer that a healthy body and a healthy mind are connected. I think that when you are physically healthy, it makes it easier to be mentally healthy as well and vice versa. I would not say that I'm completely successful but I do try really hard to maintain that healthy balance in every aspect of my life. I work out every day, I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, I try to balance work and school with taking time to have fun. It takes work and time management but I think that I've been pretty successful. It's definitely possible.

[Pookyl]

Originally Posted by Miswimmy1

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. I know medications can increase or suppress appetite and therefore impact weight.

I am a firm believer that a healthy body and a healthy mind are connected. I think that when you are physically healthy, it makes it easier to be mentally healthy as well and vice versa. I would not say that I'm completely successful but I do try really hard to maintain that healthy balance in every aspect of my life. I work out every day, I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, I try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, I try to balance work and school with taking time to have fun. It takes work and time management but I think that I've been pretty successful. It's definitely possible.

Sorry I'm not being clear. But you did a great job in answering.
I am constantly having an episode. So for me this means extra Seroquel with an accompanying weight gain. And all my effort is on trying to shorten the length of the BP episode.
When I'm not having an episode I'm increasing my exercise and focusing on keeping my body healthy.
I just can't seem to stay on top of being healthy all over.

[Miswimmy1]

I also wanted to add that I think that sometimes, you have to make a decision about where you want to/should start. It sounds like for you, treating the episode and getting your mental health under control is the top priority. When you are stable, that would be a good time to really focus on the physical health aspect. It sounds like you are doing a great job trying to prioritize your efforts.

I also wanted to say that being healthy looks different for everyone. As long as your weight is within a healthy range and things like blood pressure and cholesterol are in normal limits, I wouldn't worry too much about weight gain. It's an unfortunate side effect of the medication you are on. And that goes back to your mental health being a priority.

[CaminoDeOro]

Doing some activities for your physical health can also help treat the episodes. Even going for walks. People always say that, but I track my mood closely and it can make a big difference. The hard part is getting out the door, then the next hard part is getting out the door often enough to make it a habit.

I found the most important things were 1) do something I'll actually do (so in my case walking) rather than something ideal, and 2) start small with goals that seem easy, and 3) track them because it will increase your sense of accomplishment unless you are super organized and remember all the positive things you've done every day.

[bpforever1]

I'm physically healthy and my mind is somewhat stable from medication. I used to be overweight, pre-diabetic, and had high blood pressure. I lost the excess weight and am healthy now. I do believe your mind is affected by one's physical health. I don't think I would be as happy if I was physically unhealthy still. I was extremely unhappy and miserable when I was fat. I was extremely stressed out by my situation but after going through hell and back I am doing fine now. I eat at McDonald's so don't always eat that healthy. But, I try to eat salads and don't drink soda usually. I also walk everywhere and am now trying to take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. It has been helping me. I feel great!!

[Row Jimmy]

For me, these are directly connected. I firmly believe that a positive outlook is related to a positive feeling about one's self. I was always a great athlete even into my 40s, probably due to the fact that I was a bit of a "nut" as it were. I used to drive to the beach in the dead of winter and do sprints on the frozen sand. Now, I'm struggling to retain that old glory at my age (51). I am starting to gain some weight due to an issue with my neck which is keeping me away from the gym. I've gone from a solid 205 to a washed out 220. I was in great shape up until February when things started to go south on me. I still hike my mountains and rely on it for spiritual and physical revival. Sitting around doing nothing has never been my m.o. and I feel it's starting to drag me down mentally.