Weight Loss after Antidepressant?? (clinic, hormone, depression, carbs)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by yukiko11

eat one gram of protein for each pound you want to weigh every day.
eat as many high protein foods and use soy protein powder in drinks to make up the rest.
eat about 7 cups of vegetables a day.
Cut out all carbs for a about 3 months

This may work, but I wonder how many people would actually be able to do this.

[Lol_Stacey]

The high protein/ low carb has been suggested before, I find it difficult to eat so much protein. What can you eat besides meat? I don't really care for cheese and it tends to upset my fungal balance. I do drink milk and eat yogurt and was under the impression that these products are actually off limits on a high protein/low carb diet. Is that incorrect? I know there are tons of diet plans like the generic version you just gave me, do you think any are better than others?

Excuse me if I sound dumb, but 1 gram of protein for each pound??? I would like to weigh 130 pounds....and I probably couldn't eat that much protein in 3 days. Currently eating about 40 grams protein a day, I realize I could increase this, especially if I can't anything else, but 130, really???? There is no way I could eat that much.

[yukiko11]

Originally Posted by Lol_Stacey

The high protein/ low carb has been suggested before, I find it difficult to eat so much protein. What can you eat besides meat? I don't really care for cheese and it tends to upset my fungal balance. I do drink milk and eat yogurt and was under the impression that these products are actually off limits on a high protein/low carb diet. Is that incorrect? I know there are tons of diet plans like the generic version you just gave me, do you think any are better than others?

Excuse me if I sound dumb, but 1 gram of protein for each pound??? I would like to weigh 130 pounds....and I probably couldn't eat that much protein in 3 days. Currently eating about 40 grams protein a day, I realize I could increase this, especially if I can't anything else, but 130, really???? There is no way I could eat that much.

one scoop of soy protein is 25 grams. I am lactose intolerant so I mix it with crystal light orange flavor. It tastes like a smoothie. If you use 2 scoops for each drink a couple of times a day and fill in the rest with lean meat, vegetables and high fiber fruits like apples you have it made. You cannot live on the drinks because you will become constipated and cause yourself more problems than you already have.
You can buy a quart of soy protein powder at Wal Mart for about $10.00. The crystal light or similar sugar free drink will cost you another $4.00. If you choose to mix it with milk or soymilk that will be a little more expensive, but not much. If you choose a canned diet drink like Slim Fast, it will cost you about the same amount per week.
That is enough for a week. If you don't have food allergies, there are also other sources of protein powder. If you are lazy you can drink a product like slim fast and add a scoop of powder to double the protein to about 50 grams, however slim fast does contain a lot of carbs..
You cannot live on protein drinks and you have to eat some foods, just don't mix meat and carbs together. Have meat and veggies or pasta and veggies. Try it for one month. If if doesn't work for you at least you tried.
By all means, keep up your exercise. The extra protein will give you more than enough energy to do it.
There are all types of diets for all types of people. All you can do is challenge yourself with the one that is best for you. Don't stop yourself from suceeding by making excuses or not trying.
By all means, don't put yourself in diet prision. There are just some days when you need a cheesburger or slice of pizza or a margarita. Just consider that a treat and don't do it more than once a month. You will win in the end.

[Meggan123]

Newbie here but with some possibly helpful information...more or less specifically for Stacey. I was on Paxil from 1997-June 2009, consistently. While on Paxil, over 12 years, I gained 90 pounds. I was able to take off 50 of those pounds the last year I was on it. Ok. I have researched this issue to death. Every one of my doctors, and pharmacists mind you, said there is no connection with Paxil and weight gain. Uh huh. I finally located an M.D/PHD who specializes in antidepressants. Most of the comments on here about eating less, doing protein diets, blah, blah, blah, don't work. Yes, that works for the average person but not for 90% of those who used SSRI's for the long term. Please allow me to tell you what I've learned.

First and foremost, I urge you to Google, for example, Paxil and Liver, or Effexor and liver, etc. There you will find many links to the damage these drugs do to the liver. Please also note that this goes for most SSRI's but NOT all of them.

The liver is responsible for metabolizing carbs and fats. When on an SSRI, your liver function slowly shuts down. Your metabolism quickly reaches a standstill. In order for me to have lost the weight I lost, while on the pill, it required me to eat 1500 calories a day, exercise 30 minutes a day 6 days a week, and keep fat at 10grams a day or less. That's tough for the average person to do.

Once I was off the Paxil, I met with the MD/PHD looking for help. I was continuing the same exercise and eating plan but was losing NOTHING. I dropped the calories to 1000 a day and still NOTHING. So we ran a complete blood panel and found the liver to be completely out of whack. One of the most notable deficiencies was Vitamin B. I am currently taking vitamin B-12 injections, Methione, Inositol, and Choline tablets (amino acids) as well as Omega 3 tablets and 3000mg of vitamin C daily. The above are necessary for the liver to do its' job correctly, especially after stopping an SSRI. It's only been a month since I've been doing this but have lost 15 pounds so far.

From all of my research...internet, library, bookstores, etc., the above is what I found. It's all about the liver, my friends. Get the liver healthy again and the weight will come off. Make sure you eat low fat foods, healthy carbs (yes you can eat potatoes, beans, etc.), plenty of fruits and veggies, etc. Take it easy on the meat and dairy with the exception of yogurt...eat that daily. No need to pay attention to every calorie but don't load up on junk. No fast food, sodas, etc. Try and exercise at least 15 minutes a day (anything that gets the heart rate up) and you should start seeing results.

Again, get the liver healthy so it can begin metabolizing food again. SSRI's do some serious damage to the body so don't pay attention to those that simply say eat less and exercise more. It doesn't work that way for someone who has been on SSRI's long term (8+ years). Good luck and feel free to let me know if there's anything I can help with.

[missmaggieelizabeth]

LOl Stacy forgive me for jumping in on your thread. I am also having the same trouble you are after I took Paxil. :^( 35 pounds in one month gained and even several years later being off of it I can not loose that 35 pounds and then some more gained

Some where I read stress can affect the adrenals. Even exercising and dieting can cause stress. OH Grrrr I hope it is ok to post this. I have been using Fitday (Free internet site) to keep track of my calorie count and exercise and like you having a hard time even eating more then 1000 calories a day.I pushed it up to 1200 by forcing myself to eat and this was my usual daily intake not me trying to diet. And I am getting some exercise landscaping our yard from scratch. I do believe I am much older than you at 60. Still I am doing lots of digging shoveling hauling compost ,mowing, fencing.

A friend told me to try eating 6 meals instead of the usual three. Eat the same amount as you would in one day breaking it into 6 meals.

Meggan Thanks for your time in posting this information. I think these are close to the same things that also support the adrenals. I am saving your post for reference. And will pick up the things you have suggested here. What do I have to loose. Hehehe but the weight. That would be wonderful and congratulations on your 15 pound loss. I know SSRI's have caused many people more troubles then they have done good. Doctors do not know it all. Sigh.

Maggie

[usedtobethin]

I have been there. 30 pounds after Depakoate and Zyprexa. 3 years later and I'm still 25 lbs overweight. I cycle on my stationary bike hectically 20 minutes almost daily and I eat about 1000 calories. I was always thin at 120lps and now I'm 145. I tried topamax but side effects were crazy and no weight loss, I tried virgin coconut oil, chili juice (bad for blood pressure), Thyrosense (this actually helped a bit), turmeric, apple cider vinegar, b12 vitamins for a higher metabolism. AAAAAARGH. I'm convinced the meds ****ed up my metabolism. Now I try to tell myself I should just live with it, my body wants to be at that weight, at least with yoga and the bike, it's rather fit.

Still, I bet there is a "secret" to reverse the damage the meds do to our metabolism. I bet that if I went back to smoking, I'd lose 20 pounds really quick.

[cokatie]

Originally Posted by usedtobethin

Still, I bet there is a "secret" to reverse the damage the meds do to our metabolism. I bet that if I went back to smoking, I'd lose 20 pounds really quick.

Nope, my friend, smoking won't help either. From personal experience - trust me on that!

[johnhopps]

Same prob here. Was on meds for 7 months and gained 20 lbs. I started reducing the dose on MAy 4th and started to lose weight. Then it started to creep up again. I've been totally off the meds for 3 weeks now and I haven't lost a pound. I do tons of exercise and eat a healthy diet. I wan't this weight off bad. I'm starting to feel demorilized and it's becoming harder and harder to exercise for "NO" reason.

[johnhopps]

Also I'd like to know if your basic metabolic rate is 2000 cal per day and you burn 500 doing exercise and eat 1800 cal for a 700 cal deficit per day and your body doesn't burn fat for energy, then what does it use?

[ladysovereign]

Originally Posted by yukiko11

Figure out how much you want to weigh and eat one gram of protein for each pound you want to weigh every day. You can eat as many high protein foods and use soy protein powder in drinks to make up the rest. Also try to eat about 7 cups of vegetables a day. Try to stick with the green vegetables as they are lower in carbs. You can roast them, put them in salads and make soup.
Cut out all carbs for a about 3 months and take a vitamin B complex.
Keep going to the gym and exercising regularly. You will loose the weight.

This is a pretty good plan for taking the weight off, but I disagree with the Soy Protein Powder as Soy is known to cause Thyroid issues when consumed in large amounts. I do think that's an excessive amount of protein but the veggie part is very good.

Originally Posted by yukiko11

Have meat and veggies or pasta and veggies. Try it for one month. If if doesn't work for you at least you tried.

Here is where you lose me. This sounds like "Food Combining" or "Sommersize", which is proven scientifically that it doesn't work any better than calorie reduction diets.

I have had my share of problems in weight gain from medicines (Depo shots) and although I complained to the Doctors that they caused weight gain for me, I was told that it's 'all in my head' and "Just eat less and exercise more!". Easy for them to say! So to LOl_Stacy, I know what your going through! I have also been told that as women we are steered towards aerobic exercise when we should be doing more anaerobic, like weight lifting. Aerobic activity can make me very hungry, and the more I work out, the hungrier I get which kind of defeats the purpose. Weight lifting has done so much for my mind and body with a feeling of accomplishment, more so than running for hours on a treadmill has.