Depression and Weight Gain

Depression and weight gain frequently co-occur. It becomes a vicious cycle when you eat out of boredom, loneliness, isolation or any number of emotional reasons and you gain weight. You get depressed about weighing more and not feeling good about your body image and you turn to food for comfort – to bury the feelings.

The more food you eat, the more weight you gain and the worse you feel.

Things That Contribute to Depression and Weight Gain

1. Stress is a major contributor for both depression and weight gain. When you have too many things to balance and your stress level rises to an unhealthy level, you go into what they call the “fight or flight” mode. When your body struggles with the fight or flight decision, it is also releasing too much cortisol in your bloodstream, which causes an increase in your appetite. So it is not uncommon for people to reach for food as a way to relieve stress when they feel anxious or overworked.
2. Another side effect of both depression and weight gain is insomnia. When you have trouble getting to sleep at night, wake up frequently, have trouble falling back to sleep and rise long before your alarm is scheduled to go off, you are not getting the sleep your body needs. To lose weight, you need to get plenty of sleep.
3. Cold weather also affects depression and weight gain. When it is too cold to get outside for exercise and you are parking close to the door to avoid the cold weather and snow, you are burning fewer calories. In addition, a lack of sunlight (over an extended period of time) can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When you experience SAD, you tend to sleep more, feel fatigued, crave carbs and have an increased appetite. These things also contribute to your expanding waistline.

Help for Depression and Weight Gain

• Exercise helps fight depression and weight gain. Develop a regular routine and stick with it to see lasting results on the scale nad in your mood.
• Ask for support from your family and friends.
• Some depression medication also causes weight gain. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and come to a reasonable solution. Choose a medication that does not list weight gain as a side effect.
• Some antidepressants also offer an energy boost. Take advantage of this side effect if it is available to you to help you get moving in the right direction.
• Follow up with your doctor regularly to see if your antidepressant dosage needs to be adjusted.
• Get regular amount of daily sleep.
• Use relaxation techniques to take your mind off of your worries.
• Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet so you can feel your best and become energized.
• Journal about the experience of depression, weight loss and how the antidepressants make you feel.
• Reduce stress.
• Get help immediately if your conditions worsen.
• Remember that asking for help isn’t a weakness; but a strength.
• Don’t expect weight loss to be immediate, even with the help of antidepressants.

Tracy Rose - Tracy Rose is a powerflifter who holds the state record in deadlifting and has had success in her own weight loss journey.

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