Tips to reduce Depression

[Eilonnwy]

Adrian is correct, Dotard. You don't understand how losing weight works.

Study after study shows that the best way to lose weight is to maintain between 1200-1500 calories for women and 1500-1800 for men. Any less than that puts you into starvation mode and you store fat and don't do anything to help your weight loss.

Eating more filling foods like green veggies, protein, whole wheat, fills you up with less calories, and by eating regular meals you boost your metabolism so it burns fat better. I know many overweight people who eat one meal a day and that's it and they look like someone who eats 10. Studies also show that keeping a food journal significantly helps you lose weight. I'm very happy I joined weight watchers because it's helping me make lasting changes instead of just losing the weight so I can gain it back in a year.

The fact is, my efforts are already paying off. I've lost 5 pounds. I can already feel my clothes are getting lose. (Since I don't have much weight to lose as it is, 5 pounds makes a noticeable difference.)

[Meatball]

Losing weight is simple. Follow two steps and I guarantee you'll lose weight.

1) Eat healthier.
For some, this means eating less. For most, you can just change what you're eating.

2) Get more exercise.
Go to the gym 3 times a week. Go for a 30 minute walk every day.

While these two things are simple, they aren't easy. For some, it's not even possible. I know diabetics who are unable to exercise or dramatically change their eating habits due to a delicate blood sugar balance that needs to be maintained. Some people cannot exercise due to injuries. For the most of us, we're aren't committed to making lifestyle changes.

As far as depression goes, padriac posted the best results. Depression is a medical condition that should be treated by professionals. "Feeling blue" every now and then is normal, and is not the same as depression.

[Eilonnwy]

While these two things are simple, they aren't easy.

Hit the nail right on the head.

As far as depression goes, padriac posted the best results. Depression is a medical condition that should be treated by professionals. "Feeling blue" every now and then is normal, and is not the same as depression.

Agreed. What helps some people feel generally better about themselves isn't the same for all, and if you are consistently depressed, time to talk to someone medically qualified about it.

[fr0d0]

I had depression in my late teens and my opinion of mental health care is a lot less than complimentary. Not saying I don't agree... seeking professional help is essential always. Just my experience was bad. It happens I suppose. Our first child's birth was handled appallingly too.

[Rhizomorph13]

Fr0d0,

Yeah, I have had several bad experiences with professional health care ranging from a Rogerian who shouted at me blaming me for all the woes in my household to a kindly woman who seemed to just arbitrarily cut people off mid-sentence to increase chaos!

The one therapist who seemed to "get me" was shunned because she told me to "cuss up a blue streak" if I am angry. The reason I was pulled away from her was due to her advice not agreeing with my mother's theology!

Rhizo

[Eilonnwy]

I had depression in my late teens and my opinion of mental health care is a lot less than complimentary. Not saying I don't agree... seeking professional help is essential always. Just my experience was bad. It happens I suppose. Our first child's birth was handled appallingly too.

I dealt with it my teens too, and I unfortunately, have the scars to prove it. I hated the mental health doctors for the most part, but I did learn some things to help me deal with it on my own. That's the reason why I said "qualified person" and not doctor or therapist. It can be a psychiatrist for someone, a doctor for another, a therapist for another, and a group meeting with people dealing with similar problems for others.

[Dotard]

I do know how losing weight works. I don't disagree that the "best" way is eating healthy, excersize yadda yadda yadda.

If you stop eating you WILL lose weight. Your body will not go into some so-called 'starvation mode' and you will not lose pounds.

You don't eat, you lose pounds. Period.
Is that healthy? No I won't advocate it is, never did. You want to drop those 20 pounds really fast? Stop eating. Simple. Been there, done that.

If you know some fatty-fat-fat-fatty-fat people who 'claim' they eat one meal a day and look like they eat 10, then I would maintain they lie to you. They are closet cheeto chompers.

If you shed pounds only to regain them then that is only because someone re-opened the pie-hole and got to filling it.

MY personal eating habits everyone here, the medical community, studies would call "unhealthy".
I've had these habits for many many many a year now. I don't eat breakfast. Sometimes, rarely I'll grab a small child size burger or 4 chicken nuggets for a 'lunch'. Rarely. Most times I just keep working. I eat a meal usually somewhere between 3pm and 8pm. A good meal. Meat, taters, veggies. NORMAL portions, not a pile 2 two feet high like you see the bi-pedal cows at the all-you-can-eat buffets lugging to their tables. And I work hard. I don't do a desk job. My living is made outdoors sweating and working hard.

I am not 'skinny'. I'm 5'8" tall and weigh 195lbs. A lean 195. Small amount of belly-pooch, normal I'd say for a 47 year old man. According to height/weight charts I'm a good 40 or so pounds overweight! LOL! Those charts are such bullshit.

I also come from a family of fatty-fat-fat-fatty-fats. Everyone of them are 'buffers'. All fat-asses with a couple easily identified as obese. I am the 'skinniest' of the group, and they all call me "Fat Fred". Funny stuff.

Fat reserves are there for you to survive off of when food is unavailable. Stop eating and you will survive off of those fat reserves. Your body will not go into some kinda 'lockdown' and not use those reserves.

Sorry Elio, what you are saying looks suspiciously like a sales pitch from weight watchers or Jenny-Craig or some other looking to make a buck from the fatties.

[Eilonnwy]

Sorry Elio, what you are saying looks suspiciously like a sales pitch from weight watchers or Jenny-Craig or some other looking to make a buck from the fatties.

Just because I like a product or service doesn't mean I'm telling everyone here go get it, I'm just saying it works for me. I think people who want to lose weight should do it in a healthy way, whether they do it on their own or with a company.

Fad diets are ones trying to make a buck without delivering results. But groups like Weight Watchers, and Jenny-Craig, while for profit, do provide a valuable service at a reasonable price. Yes, it's a capitalistic company, but to knock the service it provides because it's capitalistic is silly. Not everyone can lose weight on their own and there's nothing wrong with people who seek help to do it. I decided to use Weight Watchers because I knew people who have had a lot of success with it and I can afford to do it. What I've learned from it and how it helps me, I think, is worth the money I paid. For people who can't afford it, they honestly have bigger problems on their plate because it's not expensive at all. (There are also free options for support groups)

I'm not telling everyone here, join Weight Watchers, it's the best thing ever. I'm just saying it's what I use and it's important for people to lose weight to chose a method that is not only healthy, but works for them whether they use Weight Watchers or not. Liking a product or service doesn't automatically mean sales pitch.

[Dotard]

Glad you like it. Sincerely hope it works out for ya.

Srsly.