[maggiepot]

So can any one offer any advice I need to lose weight and all I seem to do is comfort eat . Any advice

[kittyfaye]

I'm trying to lose weight too. It sucks.
Try getting rid of all junk food in your house. If it's not there you won't be tempted. When you want to snack try apples and peanut butter or something healthy like that. There's also a lot of healthy snack ideas on Pinterest.

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[maggiepot]

Thx Hun. It's a horrible cycle. I eat when am down then cause av ate a feel like **** then eat again !!! Will try increasing fruit xxx

[supportjessica100]

I was always skinny, without effort even, until about 3 years when my depression became so unbelievably severe that I just completely stopped functioning. I have gained more than 70 pounds since then and believe me I know how much it sucks and feels like life is impossible. It's even more difficult because unlike many other people I have every resource available to me imaginable and I still struggle. Depression/Bipolar is as much physical as it is psychological - one cannot improve without the other. I was always a very beautiful, perfectly dressed, perfectly made up girl who took great pride in my appearance so this has been a very difficult blow. At the same time though it's been blessing as it has made me realize that I don't be and look perfect. You are always your own harshest critic.

Some things that I have learned and that have helped me cope:

1) Sounds crazy, but just accept and embrace it. Stop judging what you look like, hating how your clothes fit, and comparing yourself to others. Stop asking "why" and ruminating about how you let this happen. Just take comfort in the fact that you are the way you are right now. Look at this like a chance to not have to obsess over your body/looks and know that your goal right now to is *feel* good.

2) Know that you are beautiful and there are so many other ways to show your beauty other than being a size 2. A lot of times I'll go to do my hair or makeup and I don't do it thinking "what's the point?" Eventually, using DBT skills, I would not look at taking care of myself and getting dressed decently like an option. Another thing I would do - I would make myself do something like getting a manicure whether I wanted to or not, almost like taking your medication, and that little thing would give me a boost. It would make doing the next thing in terms of self-care easier.

3) What would you tell your best friend if she were in the same situation? Stop being so hard on yourself.

4) Binge eating and comfort eating is a coping mechanism, but it's a coping mechanism that can be changed. There are many other healthier ways to cope - make a list of mindfulness/distress tolerance (DBT) skills. You can even make a rule that you wait 10 minutes before you take a bite of something you are aching for. Maybe you won't get over it every single time, but maybe there will be times that you do. I also notice that making a healthy choice, as uncomfortable as it is, makes the next healthy choice easier. You start feeling a little better, even after just a few healthy meals, and you feel motivated. Do NOT starve yourself!

5) Don't look at self-care as all-or-nothing. Start off by just taking better care of yourself overall, diet included. It's about feeing healthy. Instead of having Cocoa Puffs for breakfast, have special K or a bowl of fruit. If that's too hard, just have a smaller portion of whatever it is that you're craving or usually have. You'll be surprised how quickly you get over wanting that particular food after a few minutes. Strictly denying yourself will make it impossible. Don't think in terms of dieting or not dieting.

6) If you are trying to make better decisions and "mess up," don't give up. Just move on to the next meal. Also, think about things in relative terms. Give yourself credit for the better choices you have made relative to what you ate last week for example.

7) Remember that this is not permanent. When you're trying to recover from depression or another mental illness, there are many aspects of life that you need to rebuild. This is coming from someone who was suicidal for 20+ years, hospitalized 5 times, almost committed suicide twice, who underwent dozens of ECT treatments, and someone who was convinced it was impossible to get better. I would have bet anything that I would never fully recover, that I would never ever stop having suicidal thoughts. I was convinced that I'd never lose the weight. I'm not perfect by any means, but my life has improved to the point that I am hopeful. I am still definitely struggling with my weight and comfort eating, but it is getting easier.

8) The biggest help has been going to support groups. Individual therapy is great, but hearing that others are experiencing the same struggles gives you hope. There's something about feeling like you're not the only person in the battles that motivates you. You are not alone, there are many others like you, and there are many more that have recovered.

Everything will be ok!

[cryingontheinside]

I have the same problem and recently bought a blender to so can make soup and fruit smothies. I still buy the odd naughty snack though lol. I think if the diet is too strict its easy to give up.
Ive also started eating tinned fish (cheaper than fresh) and salad or veg with a little rice and a small amount of mayo.
But this evening i am eating crips, bit nuaghty but better than how i ate before.
Ive only just started a week ago so ill let you know if it works.
Good luck.

[Angelique67]

Last night I found some yogurts in the back of the fridge and they're still good. But I ate one and then I was even hungrier. I don't know what's coming over me lately. I might start taking the Garcinia I bought again. Just to try to control the hunger. : /

I feel for you. When you're hungry, you're hungry. And it HAS to be comfort food.

I second getting rid of junk food. There are alternatives...A couple of my favorites:

Progresso makes 100 calorie soups. Warm, comforting very tasty.
Walden Farms zero calorie zero fat caramel sauce. This and an apple for dipping is yummy.
Sugar free cocoa mix. Good as cocoa, but I used to open a packet and dip into it with a banana, too.
Diet pudding cups = no guilt.

None of this stuff is overly healthy, but neither is it too bad for you. If I remember any more, I'll let you know.
Also, drink a lot of water, but you probably do that already (I find if I use straws, I drink more than just sipping it)
I also read that an apple a half hour before you eat will curb your appetite....I have no personal experience with this.

[Angelique67]

Maybe if I could manage my money better I could order from pea pod more often. Those are great suggestions, sophiesmom!

[Blue_Bird]

Allow yourself a treat now and then, there's nothing wrong with that. I agree with one of the posters who mentioned Pinterest, it's a great place to find some healthy recipes Try eating 3 meals and a few small healthy snacks a day.

Maybe get into some kind of project like scrapbooking or something, because it takes up time and you won't be thinking about eating.

-Take care,

Originally Posted by supportjessica100

I was always skinny, without effort even, until about 3 years when my depression became so unbelievably severe that I just completely stopped functioning. I have gained more than 70 pounds since then and believe me I know how much it sucks and feels like life is impossible. It's even more difficult because unlike many other people I have every resource available to me imaginable and I still struggle. Depression/Bipolar is as much physical as it is psychological - one cannot improve without the other. I was always a very beautiful, perfectly dressed, perfectly made up girl who took great pride in my appearance so this has been a very difficult blow. At the same time though it's been blessing as it has made me realize that I don't be and look perfect. You are always your own harshest critic.

Some things that I have learned and that have helped me cope:

1) Sounds crazy, but just accept and embrace it. Stop judging what you look like, hating how your clothes fit, and comparing yourself to others. Stop asking "why" and ruminating about how you let this happen. Just take comfort in the fact that you are the way you are right now. Look at this like a chance to not have to obsess over your body/looks and know that your goal right now to is *feel* good.

2) Know that you are beautiful and there are so many other ways to show your beauty other than being a size 2. A lot of times I'll go to do my hair or makeup and I don't do it thinking "what's the point?" Eventually, using DBT skills, I would not look at taking care of myself and getting dressed decently like an option. Another thing I would do - I would make myself do something like getting a manicure whether I wanted to or not, almost like taking your medication, and that little thing would give me a boost. It would make doing the next thing in terms of self-care easier.

3) What would you tell your best friend if she were in the same situation? Stop being so hard on yourself.

4) Binge eating and comfort eating is a coping mechanism, but it's a coping mechanism that can be changed. There are many other healthier ways to cope - make a list of mindfulness/distress tolerance (DBT) skills. You can even make a rule that you wait 10 minutes before you take a bite of something you are aching for. Maybe you won't get over it every single time, but maybe there will be times that you do. I also notice that making a healthy choice, as uncomfortable as it is, makes the next healthy choice easier. You start feeling a little better, even after just a few healthy meals, and you feel motivated. Do NOT starve yourself!

5) Don't look at self-care as all-or-nothing. Start off by just taking better care of yourself overall, diet included. It's about feeing healthy. Instead of having Cocoa Puffs for breakfast, have special K or a bowl of fruit. If that's too hard, just have a smaller portion of whatever it is that you're craving or usually have. You'll be surprised how quickly you get over wanting that particular food after a few minutes. Strictly denying yourself will make it impossible. Don't think in terms of dieting or not dieting.

6) If you are trying to make better decisions and "mess up," don't give up. Just move on to the next meal. Also, think about things in relative terms. Give yourself credit for the better choices you have made relative to what you ate last week for example.

7) Remember that this is not permanent. When you're trying to recover from depression or another mental illness, there are many aspects of life that you need to rebuild. This is coming from someone who was suicidal for 20+ years, hospitalized 5 times, almost committed suicide twice, who underwent dozens of ECT treatments, and someone who was convinced it was impossible to get better. I would have bet anything that I would never fully recover, that I would never ever stop having suicidal thoughts. I was convinced that I'd never lose the weight. I'm not perfect by any means, but my life has improved to the point that I am hopeful. I am still definitely struggling with my weight and comfort eating, but it is getting easier.

8) The biggest help has been going to support groups. Individual therapy is great, but hearing that others are experiencing the same struggles gives you hope. There's something about feeling like you're not the only person in the battles that motivates you. You are not alone, there are many others like you, and there are many more that have recovered.

Everything will be ok!

I so relate to you. I used to always be perfectly dressed, have makeup on etc. Then I had a back injury and surgery and omg everything changed. Then I went into a psychosis and ended up in the hospital and a psych nurse put me on seroquel and I gained 50 lbs. It's so hard I think to go from being thin to over weight so quickly.

I'm struggling now, with self care, everything. Thanks for the inspiring post.

[vital]

Originally Posted by maggiepot

So can any one offer any advice I need to lose weight and all I seem to do is comfort eat . Any advice

Food is a super-powerful way to improve your physical and mental health. I suggest you have a look at this

I don't have a weight problem, but I have noticed that if I drink lots of fizzy water (which I love anyway), I seem to consistently have less appetite.

As Steven Colbert says: I'LL SEE YOU IN HEALTH!!

- vital