It goes without saying that weight loss can be a difficult battle for just about anyone.
This is something that is definitely true when the health problem at hand is depression. Mental health is something that takes a toll on the mind as well as the entire body.
Can You Successfully Lose Weight With Depression?
The answer is yes, but it may prove to be a difficult task.
There are a lot of hurdles that need to be overcome on both mental and physical levels. If you are not in a decent state of mind, which is normal with depression, it may be that losing weight can seem nearly impossible.
Depression can lead to weight gain because a number of sufferers tend to be “emotional eaters“.
Being overweight and obesity are very serious issues when it comes to all different types of mental illness, since hunger is something that starts as a brain function.
There are far too many that die from this, usually from developing heart disease. So, this is something that needs to be cured.
Another major aspect of weight gain and those who suffer from depression will be the medications that they take. There are some medications that impact hunger, often making someone eat more.
Unfortunately, it can be the depression as well as the medication impacting your weight gain. If you happen to notice this is taking place with you, it is best that you see your physician right away.
Alcohol
Alcohol is sometimes the go to drink for many who are deeply troubled mentally. We already understand that drinking alcohol when depressed is bad idea because it can both exacerbate the issue and also will not fix the underlying causes.
However it is also well known that consuming alcohol is detrimental to your weight and overall physical health.
To someone with a sound state of mind, the occasional drink is not such a big problem, but when combined with mental health problems, alcohol can absolutely destroy your body.
How What You Eat Affects Your Mental State?
There has been lots of research that covers the connection between food and health, and the overwhelming consensus is that how we eat as well as what we eat, affects our mental state.
Essentially, some foods contribute directly to a poor mental state, which in turn can drive us into a depressive state which further leads to a “comfort eating” style of consumption…It is a cycle that is incredibly difficult to break, and one which makes weight loss particularly difficult.
So What Does This Have To Do With Depression & Weight Loss?
Even though weight loss can be possible when you are depressed, this is a road that is not easy.
Taking on a sensible diet and exercising in the right manner will be the best way to lose weight with a mental illness.
The problem may not be all about getting involved in a healthy diet and a good exercise plan, but more about having to have a healthy mind.
If your mind is not healthy, the chances of maintaining proper weight loss could go way down. People starting in on a weight loss plan and feeling like they have to overdo it or they could hit a setback could easily give up.
If you have a negative outlook on not only yourself but also your life, you can be unnecessarily hard on yourself. Coming out of this is a great chance that you could worsen your depression even further, or go on to develop an eating disorder.
Many researchers are having a tough time working to devise solid plans to help anyone with depression to lose weight.
Too many factors are involved and different forms of depression that have brought us to a wide gap in results.
Researchers agree that it is fully possible for those with depression to lose weight. They further agree that it can be a difficult process that involves ups and downs throughout a particular dieting plan.
Making slow, positive changes including the implementation of a healthy diet and exercise plan can help people to feel better about themselves and work on losing weight effectively.
There can be some forms of depression where breaking a habit could be extremely difficult unless there is something to remind the patient that they are making unhealthy choices.
They can try to bring along some sort of a reminder on a card to combat this issue.
Depression and weight loss can be difficult to tackle.
There are a lot of things to consider, but this is something that is achievable. If you happen to have depression and have to lose weight, you need to be sure that you consult with your doctor in order to formulate a plan that is safe and healthy that works for you.
