Well, my cause for depression outbreaks was finally linked to something... my weight.

When I was young, I was overweight and got teased for it a lot. In 6th grade I weighed 160 lbs .... now at 21, I was down to 134, but a few weeks ago, hit 140 which seems to be my breaking point. I've been working out non stop for the past 2 weeks and have seen gain instead of loss. On top of that, I began taking raspberry ketones in an attempt to help shrink the fat cells.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, I'm done being depressed. I want to get down to AT LEAST my comfortable 135 again but nothing seems to be working :(

Any advice you have would be great - i'm up for anything. Exercise that maybe i'm not doing, a diet plan that worked for you? A pill (hell i'm against them, but i'm literally dying inside right now) ... anything ...

EDIT: Update: So today when I weighed in... I had dropped back to 136. It's so odd! I always weigh myself first thing when i wake up and yesterday morning it was 141.

THANKS to all the info you guys have provided. I think I made a pretty balanced diet plan with fruit, veggies, and even the dreaded meat (because of fat i stayed away from meat for almost a year) But the diet i came up with keeps me full (mostly, there's some tweaking to be done yet) and eating fruit, veggies, meat, grains and dairy at approx 1200-1400 calories a day! Also thanks for the videos - i checked em out and am enjoying them

Friendly Ping:

I "unofficially" went on Weight Watchers about two years ago, meaning I didn't actually sign up and pay I just found information for it online and tried it out. When I started I weighed 210 lbs. and today I'm down to about 133. I'm not really one for exercising so I didn't do any vigorous workouts everyday, and just the diet alone helped my lose the weight. However, being a teenage girl, I still feel incredibly overweight and I don't like what I see in the mirror. I have to constantly remind myself that it's not being skinny that makes a person happy or more liked and it's hard to believe, but it is important to be in this mindset when losing weight. I've been taking medication for my depression for about three years and it never really makes it go away, but it helps a lot. I thought that when I lost all the weight that I would be happier, but here I am 77 lbs thinner and I don't feel any different. Some days the depression hits me far worse than it ever did before. I apologize for rambling, but gaining 6 lbs isn't a major strikeout, plus from all of the working out you're doing you're probably gaining a lot of muscle mass which weighs more than fat so that could be contributing to your weight gain. Good luck!

What kind of workouts are you doing? The weight gain could be muscle, or it could be a mix of things, including muscle, water retention (I find myself feeling heavier during times before my period) annnd if you're not consistent with the time of day you're weighing yourself, it could also be the stuff inside your body (um...like...you know, your bowels). 6 lbs doesn't seem like a lot. If you're working out a lot and eating (and drinking) healthily I wouldn't worry too much. If you've been exercising a lot more than usual muscle gain is rather likely, and it's a good thing. Muscle will help you lose weight as it speeds up your metabolism.

I hope my response won't be too textbook or generic but...

Keep working out, increase the intensity of what you're doing little by little, but don't burn yourself out, and don't view these things as temporary, as you should be active throughout your life. Try working out different parts of your body, and don't stick with doing the same thing everyday. Try getting engaged in some fun sports like swimming, biking and maybe rock climbing to help you out. Anything that will give you a good time, that's new and interesting...go for it. Seriously get out there.

Also if you have friends or close family who are supportive then go to them. Having good relationships and getting out really should help with your depression, and should help motivate you further.

Also, try to be patient. I've lost a lot of weight before after doing intense workouts, eating healthily, reducing my portions, and drinking lot of water. Believe me, those things will work, lol. I stopped doing them and since then (that was 2 years ago) and I've gained 20 lbs. :P I imagine if I had simply stuck with those things I'd be at an ideal weight right now. Depression sucks, it's not caused by my weight for me though, I've linked my own depression to loneliness. I never get out, and I don't know anyone outside my family, so I'm not terribly motivated to work out these days...hence why I'm telling you to reach out and have fun while being active, if you can.

Hopefully you have money to engage in the activities I mentioned (if you want to, I mean). I don't have money myself so...there's another reason I don't get out :P

Don't be like meeee. Don't give up on working out.

Hiya! :) Like you, I'm starting to try and diet due to depression and comfort eating and all that not-so-joyful stuff.

I got recommended the "killer buns and thighs" work out (you can search it on youtube instead of buying the DVD), as my friend went from a UK size 22 to a UK 8, and that is a mean feat and a total dream. She said it's really good because you can see the results working, as well as feel them. She does it every other day or so I think. But because it's on youtube, it's free. There are actually quite a few on there, so if you got bored of one, you could move onto another.

:)

This is going to sound harsh..

Jay you need to work on your insides before you work on the outside. Without the self worth and confidence you are lacking you'll never be happy with your outside.

Thinking of you, sweetie. I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I do agree with Holly though, and I mean it in the kindest way. Sometimes it is the things inside us that make a difference with the rest of our lives and bodies. While you work on getting your weight to where you'd like it, make sure to take some time to focus on finding healing and strength for the hurt places in your heart, k? <3

That said, I have always been too thin. People called me stick and skinny and skeleton. It made me feel unattractive and I know how hard that is for us ladies. I do want to note that our hormones change as we get into our mid 20s. It doesn't mean we get fat, but it can mean that the way our bodies process things changes. Our muscle can weigh differently, and we may not weigh the same as we did in our late teens/early 20s. And that's okay! As long as we are healthy, and the weight is not just fat, as hard as it is, sometimes we have to come to terms with it.

Even though I didn't like being called skeleton, when I went from 108 lb at 21 to 122 at 26, it was hard for me to not feel like I had to be fat. Truth is, I didn't have any excess fat. I was just finally settling into my normal adult weight. I'm not saying this is what is happening or tat you shouldn't loose weight, but do remember that with growing up comes some subtle changes and don't be too hard on yourself, k? :)

Personally, I have seen friends struggle and struggle with weight. They exercise like crazy, starve themselves, diet...no luck. I have studied health and such a little, and I believe that sometimes that's just going about it the wrong way. Our bodies NEED nutrients. We need to give them a balanced, healthy diet. We need to eat regularly, especially if we're exercising.

If we are putting out a ton of energy but not giving our bodies the right kinds of food, they'll hoard the fat because they don't want to starve. It's crazy, but eating two or three good, balanced meals at regular times (and decent portions--not too much) can make a huge difference in how you feel. You SHOULD exercise regularly. Walk, run, swim. Do something you enjoy. But don't starve yourself. :)

A lot of people I've known/worked with have had success when they stopped eating as much dairy & refined sugars and started eating more raw and less processed fast foods. I'd do baby steps, because it is a lifestyle change more than just a diet you go on for two weeks and then leave.

If you are use to eating a lot of processed foods and sugar (sodas, especially!), start cutting them out and replacing them with something better. Find ways to give yourself tons of good nutrients. Smoothies if you aren't big on eating piles of fruit. You can hide veggies in smoothies too, and they taste great but you get those nutrients!

Sugar is one of the biggest offenders in hard-to-get rid of weight though. Don't give it up all the way, but maybe let it be a treat once a week?

Thinking of you!

Hey hugs

First off, I completely understand what your saying and am there myself. Although, I'm much larger than you and personally don't think you need to lose weight, your weight sounds perfect. I agree with what Holly said. Until you work on that self confidence and become happy with yourself, nothing is going to make you happy. I've dealt with negative self esteem my entire life and been fat for most of it too. It's not easy dieting, lord knows I've tried them all. As someone over 200 lbs, it does take a toll on you. You aren't nearly my size though! Starving yourself will only lead your body to hold onto EVERYTHING you eat and turn it into fat so it can survive. Never starve yourself, I learned that the hard way.

2nd: It sounds like you aren't adding enough cardio to your workout and working out the right areas. I would recommend talking to a personal trainer. They helped me out! I learned how to exercise properly, how to use the machines properly and how to eat properly too. It sounds like you have been gaining muscle mass, which is great too! Cardio speeds up your heart and helps your body burn off fat stored. It doesn't gain muscle mass though. I would look into cardio for atleast 30 mins and slowly work your way up. I noticed a change after I cut out all the bad processed foods and went to straight cardio.

3rd: Have you checked in with a doctor? One that is willing to check your hormone levels and see if something is off track? Even a simple hormone level will mess up people's weight.

If you ever need to talk to someone, please hit me up. I'm always willing to talk to/rant to or just for advice. I'm here for you :)

Thanks everyone ...

I guess I know I don't look bad... but deep down I just hate it.

As long as I lose it in a healthy way, I think I will be happy... so more cardio is coming my way. And I went out and bought a big ole bag of carrots and grapes and granola cereals :)

Sweetie, if I could I'd give you a big hug. Firstly, you are not overweight. You are not fat, nor are you unattractive. Based on what you've chatted about you are a much loved and attractive girl. There's nothing wrong with wanting to take care of yourself but you need to remember that taking care of yourself is getting your weight right. First things first, are you certain that 135 is right for your build? If so then make that your goal weight. The second thing is not to rush things. I don't know if I told you thins but at one point I was so desperate to loose weight I went on an extreme diet and I nearly collapsed at work from it. The weight poured off me to such a point that my body couldn't deal with it. The doctor had me on a strict diet with regular weight ins to make sure I was balancing out. Of course I put the weight back on since I couldn't sustain my new diet and now I'm faced with a similar problem. I need to loose a little weight but can't do the diet from before because it hurt me. You need to loose weight at a steady and sustainable pace. So keep excersising but look carefully at your diet. What do you eat in each meal? Try exchanging one thing in your diet which could be better. For example, I changed my sandwiches from cheese to lean ham. It's a small thing but my weight gain has slowed right down. How much fruit and vegetables do you have a day? Scientist suggest anywhere between five and ten pieces per day. I suggest eating a little more honey for that sugar hit. It's easily absorbed by the body and is less likely to come round as fat. It means you can treat yourself to a nice cake if you like every now and again without too much worry. As for excersize, I suggest looking into a professional program. Try all of this before pills. They should really be your last resort and don't worry too much about instant results. Slow but steady is best as it means you're more likely to keep the weight off.

Thanks... and i know it won't be instant. but over the past week I have put on a pound a day almost and I have no clue why? I eat super healthy (mostly) - mostly cereals, fruits, yogurts, and bagels... Even if I saw my weight go down one day even by a lb instead of up... i think i'd be a little happier but it just won't. Idk if something is wrong or what the deal is :(

That is strange. Okay, I think you need to stop with the pills, drops,etc. and brace yourself. Stop thinking about your weight for a few days and continue with your normal diet but no extras. No pills or snacks for a couple of days and let everything settle. I think you need a clean slate right now before you start loosing weight. Once everything has settled, take a good long look in the mirror. Ask yourself what you want to look like and what shape you want. Then look, really look at yourself and ask is your shape really that bad? Once you've done that, settle down and start looking over what you need to do to get the shape you want.

Not that I necessarily want to encourage you, but sometimes people forget that 'healthy' food can have plenty of fats too. Depending on the way your diet is structured (proteins, carbs, etc.) you may be eating healthy but it can still be a problem. You really need to research a balanced diet, not a diet for weight loss, but a balanced diet.

Besides that, you can eat all the veggies in the world and still screw yourself over. Stress alone, and worrying about your weight, will help add weight. Poor sleep can cause weight gain. Anything that messes with your metabolism.

A person doesn't actually need gimmick weight loss pills to help them, and unless you've got a solid prescription for something awesome, you're wasting money. I'd put your money elsewhere.

Stop weighing yourself. Measure inches, not scaled numbers. There are plenty of women that are toned, tight, and 'thin', that weigh a hell of a lot. People that are worrying about weight loss but toning up will look on the scale and freak out because the numbers might not be dropping, not paying attention to body changes that may boost weight but decrease size, or tone size into a fitter look. Your scale is a great way to freak yourself out yet not actually know what's going on.

Well I don't know about excercise (I only dance to bad pop music once in a while) but anyway, also when you feel like having regular food, just cut out some things. Making boxed pasta? Use water instead of milk and less butter. Don't add oil to everything, get less toppings on things, when you eat out get water instead. I literally eat whatever I want but combined with these tips and generally just not eating too much I lost 10 pounds and have been maintaining it for months. I hope you lose the weight and feel better- I also have body image issues.

As already said it.. sometimes people forget that 'healthy' food can have plenty of fats too. Not only fat, but sugar too. Which is the case with all the products above. Fruits are healthy, indeed, but they contain a lot of sugar. And your body doesn't care if its fructose or glucose. As replacement for candy or chocolate, they are great!! A LOT more healthy. But while they basically don't contain any fat, the more you eat the more sugar you are consuming. Cereals and bagels.. contain a lot of sugar too. I know there are also lowfat and "natural" products, like natural cereals. But even if they didn't add extra sugar to the product, the product itself contains carbohydrate. And carbohydrate.. is sugar. Your body is making sugar out of it. So, if you eat products with (for example) white flour, like a toast, you are basically eating sugar. And yoghurt.. well, depends on the brand and what exactly you bought, right? Just check how much sugar and fat is inside (inside the complete package, not per serving). Dairy products are pretty healthy.. but pretty fat too. (sadly.. i love cheese ^^)

1. Try to cook your food yourself. Or buy food with very few ingredients. So, you want a sandwich? Don't buy one. Get a bit of toast, vegetables (like.. tomatoes, cucumber etc) and cheese or ham, whatever you prefer. Or a pizza? Get the recipe and do it yourself. Its cheap and easy, you just need a bit of time. Make it yourself, so you know whats inside. You won't go ahead and use some sauce and add an extra cup of sugar to it by purpose. But the industry will, because it tastes better.

2. Lots of vegetables. Try to combine your meals with lots of vegetables and less of meat and carbs.

3. No sweet drinks. None. No soft drinks, no juice, no nothing. Stick to water as much as possible.

4. Cut out candy/sweets as much as possible. If you can't do it (because.. too tasty), get small packages. So you have the control over the amount you are eating. ^^

Hey, I've experienced issues with weight and low self-esteem, but now I feel great about myself because I stumbled upon a blog called Blogilates! It's the most amazing thing that has happened to me. o3o I found her on YouTube, and she has so many great pilates videos. Her name is Cassey and her blog is here.

I really think you should check her out because she gives you a lot of motivation! :D There is also a workout calendar on her site, recipes, and everything else. Basically, cut out processed foods, have one indulgence day a week, and be active for an hour a day 6 times a week!

You must not starve yourself or anything. Have a healthy relationship with food because it's what provides you with energy. Personally, I am against pills because of the unhealthy effects I've seen on people I know. :c

If you believe in yourself and think of this as a lifestyle change, then losing weight will come easily. ^^ Now, it's not going to happen overnight, but in a matter of weeks you should see some awesome results!

Good luck, and I hope I have somewhat helped you! c: