Diet and Anti-Depressants- How do I keep the weight off?

I had been doing really well on the South Beach diet, but the doc started me on Lexapro and ever since I've been craving chocolate and fatty foods (cheesburgers). It's a REAL effort to stay on the diet - I've actually gained a few pounds back. Anyone have suggestions as to how I can get back on track?

BTW - I've been doing cardio every other day; dropped the weight lifting due to tricep injury. Anyway, I don't think excercise is a factor, but maybe muscle loss is? Asked by ProtonAgonist 50 months ago Similar questions: Diet Anti Depressants weight Health.

Similar questions: Diet Anti Depressants weight.

Choose a non drug approach to anti-depresssants Weight GAIN is a huge side effect of anti-depressants. I would suggest a non drug approach to this. Walking outdoors daily in sunshine, regular body work and a meditation practice will boost serotonin and make it so you don’t need these dangerous drugs.

Also, be wary of the South Beach diet! Agaston is thumbs up on artificial sweeteners which cause SWEET CRAVINGS and can make you depressed! Diets in general do not work, they are unsustainable.

Dump the diet mentality and work with a health counselor who can help you attain better health thru food and lifestyle modifications that you can stick with for the long term. It’s NOT about losing weight! It’s about gaining health!

Strive for that goal in a smart way and the unwanted weight will melt off as a happy side effect! Sources: Professional experience, I've worked with many clients to get them off unnecessary meds. Dr.Susan's Recommendations Death by Supermarket: The Fattening, Dumbing Down, and Poisoning of America Amazon List Price: $16.95 Used from: $10.10 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 18 reviews) learn about artificial sweeteners, MSG and other food products that can keep you sick and fat!.

Here are a few suggestions... Here's what I was able to find, and have found to be helpful for me. There is some indication that women who are overweight may actually crave more sweetened fats, such as chocolate and ice cream. To deal with the cravings, try these suggestions: Eat mini-meals.

Eat small meals at regular intervals, ideally every two to four hours. Eating smaller amounts of food more frequently will often stop cravings. Eat protein and a little fat.

Try to include some protein and small amounts of fat in each of your meals. Often women try so hard to limit fat that we don’t get ENOUGH protein or fat -- which in itself can cause hunger and possibly cravings. Protein foods include dairy products such as skim milk and non-fat yogurt as well as beef, chicken, fish, peanut butter, eggs, legumes and tofu.

You could try: half a turkey sandwich with an apple; a small container of yogurt with whole grain crackers; one to two ounces of cheese with a piece of fruit. All contain protein and some fat, as well as carbohydrates. Try to relax.

Stress can often cause carbohydrate cravings. If you feel you’re under stress, try a stress-management course or relaxation exercises. Exercise.

Lack of exercise can contribute to stress, so make sure you get regular exercise at least every other day. Don’t skip meals or restrict calories. Restricting calories too far can cause hunger, which we can interpret as cravings.

Allow yourself to eat when you are hungry. Avoid skipping meals. Make sure you are eating at least 1,600 calories per day.

Get some rest. Make sure you get enough sleep. If you’re so busy that you don’t have time to sleep, try to rearrange your schedule.

If you have enough hours of sleep but don’t feel it is quality rest, talk to your physician. It could be stress, lack of exercise or a medical reason. People who are chronically tired often overeat carbohydrates.

Eat carbohydrates wisely. Make sure the carbohydrates you do eat are nutritious ones! Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain essential vitamins and minerals as well as carbohydrates.

These are preferable to candy and nutrient-poor sweets. Go easy on caffeine. If you drink more than two cups of coffee or two cans of soda each day, try to cut back.

Caffeine seems to make sugar cravings worse. I have found for me, that eating some extra protein does make a difference on cutting back my cravings. Sources: http://diet.ivillage.com/issues/icravings/0,,1kdv,00.html .

Talk to your doc about changing to a weight-neutral drug and up the cardio to 5 days a week. While the official word from the pharmaceutical companies is that Lexapro is "weight-neutral," I've heard too many people say they gained while on it to believe them. Unless Lexapro has been a wonder drug for you, I suggest talking to your doctor about switching to Wellbutrin, which is actually being studied as a weight loss drug.It's an antidepressant, too.

Prozac appears to help with weight loss, too. Many studies say that cardio must be at least 5 days a week, for one hour a day, whether you are on weight-gaining meds or not. This isn't realistic for most people, but that's what they say.

My favorite psych drug website, which gives you info you wouldn't get elsewhere, is crazymeds.org. Good luck! Sources: My opinion, based on experience .

I take Vit A, Vit D3 and zinc and it cut my depression in half. Some antidepressants have fluorine in them that.. blocks the iodine used in the thyroid and makes you gain weight. I was given the wrong antidepressant.It was given one for high histamine people and I was low histamine (high in copper).

I was extremely tired from this and all I did was sleep. Depression maybe from low oxygen to the brain. Coenzyme Q10 and biotin and rhodiola help, phosphdatidyl serine/DMAE help.

Fish oil,Krill oil, lecithin,evening primrose oil help. Celiac diet helps.No dairy or gluten grains. Celiac's crave dairy and grains.

Celiac causes depression, since it lowers the thyroid and deprives you are nutrition as it wrecks the intestines.Www.enterolab.Com stool sample and cheek genetic test, blood tests don't work.

What is the latest on anti-depressants and side effects.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.