[Wham6429]

Hi. I have been an over-eater for years now. I am constantly gaining and loseing. Since I'm also bipolar and in a bout of depression its even harder! I need to lose weight but my doctor said that this lose than gain cycle won't stop until I'm in a better mental state. But my body can't wait for that...

Does anyone have ideas on where to start to stop eating. I was thinking a support group but it doesn't seem like this one is very active... I hope I'm wrong.

I also have been a weight watchers member for a few years now too but its not working in times like now. :-(

[waggiedog]

Hi there and you certainly have my sympathy. The trouble with waiting until things are ''in a better place'' is that place hardly ever comes. I don't know how you have usually managed to loose and gain weight in the past but if it's by basically binging and then starving ~ then carrying on like that won't work. I've been doing this method for the last 30 years and while it did kinda work, these days it does not. One reason is because I've messed up my natural metabolism by this method of weight loss and second is I now take mood stabilising meds which encourage weight gain (Grrrrrrr!). It's dreadfully difficult to pay attention to a regime when you are depressed, I so understand that BUT, if you can just try to not binge or starve, you stand a much better chance of finding a way of fairly healthy eating (not a ''diet'') and sticking with it. I'm having to listen to my own advice here because I STILL haven't found a fail~safe healthy eating regime yet, I'm working on it though. I wish you well with your on~going struggles, I'm sure you'll get there in the end. I think a lot of us here understand how difficult it is to be ''healthy'' when we're feeling so down on ourselves and everything. Maybe knowing you're not alone may help. I send you big HUGZZ and lots of LOVES. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I am not one to give advice on healthy eating, but just know you aren't alone. I tend to binge too... I don't lose as much as I gain but I do tend to lose some and gain a lot then lose a bit again and so forth so I know what you mean. It is frustrating esp when you are depressed and all you wanna do is eat/binge... but I hope it gets better for you. I have faith it will... maybe journal? even if it doesn't make you feel 100% maybe it will help get feelings out and maybe you will binge less.

[Froggy57]

I am also not one to give advice on healthy eating, since I do the same thing. I am here looking for the same answers because years of doing this are affecting my health. I sit with my primary doctor who really is trying to support me, and ask how I can have all these health issues and STILL not be able to get on track. She tells me, because all I want when I am bingeing is sugar, that I am trying unconsciously to boost my serotonin levels. I think it is just that much more difficult when food really becomes an addiction to boost your mood.

When it works, I don't do ANY diets. They just set you up to feel like you failed. To get started, and I am not even there, I usually tell myself that I will eat regularly every day (I usually skip breakfast which has been proven to be so unhealthy for you), and I will not eat junk food. So I let myself eat until I am full, except that I will fill up on a lot of vegetables. I do not count calories! If I can do this for two weeks, then I consider ways to improve my eating.

My problem is that then, when I am ready to try to lose weight, I become all or nothing. When I go on a binge, I don't get right back on track.

[GALAXYGAL]

I am also Bipolar and took Seroquel for two years. I lost the battle with weight gain most people do while taking psych meds. I was still binging after I stopped the Seroquel and started Latuda which is weight neutral. I have been binging and dieting for years so meds alone are not an excuse. Be honest with yourself and your doctor about what side effects are acceptable to you. Make a list of pros and cons about your meds. This might help with binging.

Also, push yourself to exercise if you can. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain called Endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness. You are more likely to have a tall glass of water than food after a workout.

Easier said than done - I know.

[Just keep swimming]

When I'm depressed it's hard to take even the smallest step to get healthier. And then I feel even worse. And I just can't seem to imagine things will get better. A couple of times this has gotten really bad and I tried to just numb myself with food to get through the days. Sometimes I've tried to ride through it on my own and sometimes my psychiatrist would suggest a change in meds (strength or type) and I'd be able to start doing things again. I know that telling others about where I am almost always helps. So that's what I'm trying now. I'm grateful that I can still raise up enough hope to try to move in a somewhat healthier direction. I worry that my body won't be able to last long enough while I keep trying and changing. So for know I'm keeping a focus on learning what I can do to at least stay hopeful another few days and I'll worry about how to do the other things I need to later.