From the article: Diet Tips for Weight Loss
Psychiatric medications are notorious for causing weight gain. It's not just psych meds, either -- many other prescription drugs cause weight gain.
Did you make changes in your diet that helped you lose weight in spite of taking one or meds that caused you to gain weight? Share your tips with the many others who are in the same predicament. Share Your Tips
Calories in, calories out
- I've been on Lithium and Depakene and others things for 12 years. I have found that if I limit my caloric intake to 1300-1500 calories a day and then get my heart rate up for an hour a day, I will lose weight easily and predictably. It is a matter of physics, calories in, calories out. My biggest challenge is that my meds make me so forgetful, in the middle of the day I forget about my weight loss plan!
- —Rakkas
weight gain/loss meds
- I gained 70 lbs on Depakote and also gained on Risperdal. I switched to Geodon and Lamictal. I've now lost 100 pounds by diet and exercise, gotta burn more calories than you eat, got a Bodybugg to learn what I was burning.
- —Guest Rachetlm
Keep trying if you want
- I am on a low fat low sugar high fiber diet. This has brought my fat down great. I am at around 15% now healthy for me. And well I have all this muscle that makes me look fat since I weigh in at 190- 196. For me what started working is this affirmation that I got from a book by Covert Bailey, author of the Fit or Fat books. In it the the affirmation is, and I use this to lose fat, "Sure I over eat now and then, but I don't gain weight unless I really pig out." And then I listen to all that other stuff to. Normally I don't listen to affirmations, their to "cultish" for me, but this worked. The more I say the affirmation, the more I lost fat and went from 199 to 190 and down to 14% fat. I also do outdoor walking and indoor bicycling and rowing cross training. I highly recommend Covert Bailey.
- —Guest Michael
change meds
- i'm 50 and overweight. about 160 lbs at 5'4"I'm always watching what i eat. I walk for exercise because the lithium I take lethargy is definitely a problem. this all started with depakote putting 30 pounds on me and 15 came off when I stopped it. But I keep trying new ones. But lithium seems to work without a weight gain and I eat normal. And I"m 50 . I think y ou have to take into account everything., not just the meds. Age, exercise diet etc. I think its the fact these meds make you not care and the weight goes on. and I always try and take the least amount with the most effect. right now I could use to loose some weight but can't afford to join a gym, tried bike riding and fell. so I"ll keep walking and watching what i eat and eventually change meds if i have to. and a doc should not let you gain a hundred pounds thats more dangerous then the disease,
- —ratlover50
Tired of being FAT
- Some of my tablets is Wellbutrin, Seroquel, Camcolit all the tablets that helps with weight gain and decrease of physical strength and energy, on top of it I’ve got abdominal pain, dizziness, light-headedness, excessive sweating, feeling of fainting, drowsiness, dry mouth, swelling of legs and feet, headache, fast and irregular heartbeats, difficulty to balance, especially if you want to work out in public. If someone sees you loose your balance they think you had something to drink, does not matter what time of the day it is. Especially with a history like mine, by doing stupid things. There are so more side-effects but does not encounter weight loss. Where do you get the will power and energy to exercise? It is times like this when I feel like leaving all the medication. Then everything will fall back in place. Please advise me I use to be Gym/Fitness Instructor in South Africa.
- —Guest Helena Erwee
Weight Gain and Loss While on Zyprexa
- I have been on Zyprexa for five years and gained 50 pounds. I may not have reported it all to my psychiatrist. I have lost 15 pounds last year. And then lost 10 more pounds and put it back on. I am going off of Zyprexa. Does anyone have any thoughts on a medication for anxiety that will not put weight on me. I would prefer to be unmedicated but I may still need something. I am 5' 4" and 150 pounds and almost 50 years old. Thanks so much.
- —Guest Ann V.
Steady goes the battle
- I know a lot of people struggle with multiple reasons for weight gain. But when the meds are taken by a erson with Bipolar the task can be insurmountable and feel like it is a lost cause. For me it is a tough road and when I want to give up I remind myself the log ter goal and the fact that I will not quit because I can't. There is something that keeps me going.
- —Bipolar92
It is possible....
- Exercise, exercise, exercise. Despite being on both Seroquel (800mg) and Depakote I've lost over 28lbs in the last year. I can only put it down to increasing my daily physical activity. I still eat an average amount, but the weight has come off and is continuing to do so... I thought it was impossible and was despondent about my weight gain, but I was suddenly pushed into taking a lot of exercise each day and the results have been astonishing... Don't give up.
- —sleepybird
Abilify
- I have lost over 120 pounds being on the Abilify, but I also really watched my eating habits. I have to drink Ensure now to keep the weight steady. I am too skinny now
- —rea192962
