Depression and Weight Loss

 

Depression is a tough condition to live with and I know that the weight gain experienced by people who suffer from depression is an added stress. Taking anti-depressants over a long period seems to contribute to weight gain and makes losing weight more difficult. .......

Depression and Serotonin

Serotonin is the brain chemical which helps us stay happy. Eating carbohydrates helps to increase serotonin levels and may explain why we sometimes crave these foods. So if you suffer from depression, do not follow a carb-restricted or low-carb eating plan, although it is very important to eat 'good' carbs and avoid refined carbs. Good carbohydrates include foods like oats, whole wheat bread, pasta, basmati or wholegrain rice, and beans/legumes.

Depression and Selenium

Small amounts of selenium has also been effective in the treatment of depression. Selenium can be obtained by eating foods such as whole wheat bread, bran, Brazil nuts, tuna, onions, tomatoes and broccoli. Include some of these foods on a regular basis.

Antioxidants

Include plenty of vegetables and salad in your diet and include a couple of meals with fish each week. The antioxidants and fatty acids found in these foods help protect the brain cells from both aging and depression.

Breakfast

Breakfast is an important meal for anyone who wants to control their weight, but especially so for patients with depression. So make sure you eat good breakfast and ideally include some 'good' carbs like oats, All Bran, Shredded Wheat, whole wheat bread, fresh fruit.

Exercise Improves Depression

New research suggests that exercise may be more effective than drugs in treating mild to moderate depression. If you don't currently exercise, then if possible, start with 20-30 minutes each day. A brisk walk, cycle or swim is an excellent way to begin. Increase your workout gradually up to 45 minutes each day.

Eating, Exercise and Lifestyle Routine

A regular routine helps to maintain stable metabolism and blood-sugar levels, which in turn improves mood, and should therefore help to alleviate some symptoms of depression. So eating and exercising at regular times may be helpful if you suffer from depression. Above all, avoid going too long between eating - ideally, eat regularly throughout the day, even if it's only a piece of fruit or small snack.

Weight Loss Tips For People With Depression

Don't set yourself over-ambitious goals. Weight loss is always easier if you set realistic achievable goals. Why? Because achieving them makes you feel good and keeps you motivated.

When dieting, don't fall into the trap of trying to be "perfect". Why not? Because when you have a bad day, or go on an eating binge, you will feel so guilty and useless that you may quit your diet altogether. A better approach to dieting and losing weight is to ASSUME you are going to make mistakes - after all, who's perfect? Then make a plan for what to do when the wheels come off your diet-wagon! Knowing you have a plan to help you overcome this type of diet problem will make you feel much more relaxed about the whole idea of dieting.

Losing weight is not a race. It's a journey. So don't get stressed if you have difficulties following your diet-and-exercise plans. A bad week may slow down your weight loss, but it doesn't mean you should quit. Simply take a break, allow yourself to relax and settle down, then re-start your diet. Many dieters think that if they overeat at the weekend, or eat too much during the week, they might as well give up dieting and stay overweight. This isn't true. Most successful dieters have tons of bad days - the only difference is, they roll with the punch and then re-start their diet. They know that losing weight is a steady journey with lots of pauses along the way.