To be in constant sadness because I'm obese

[Busybusybee1]

I was always a normal weight and loved outdoor activities. After having my son I got terrible postnatal depression and was put on sertraline. Within 6 months I had gone from 11 stone to almost 16 stone! I had to come off the sertraline but thankfully my PND went.

I made sure to eat healthily and waited to return to my previous weight. I lost a stone. Then no more. I'm 5ft6 and 15 stone. I'm obese. I have had to stop a lot of my outdoor activities I used to enjoy as I don't have the physical ability to do them. My joints hurt and I'm tired all the time. Even walking can be a struggle. I've no idea why but nothing has shifted the weight.

I used to be attractive. I'd be told all the time I was attractive day to day and have never been without that. I do not suit the extra weight and look incredibly unattractive. My face looks swollen and my features aren't prominent anymore.

I feel so I comfortable, particularly when sitting down. None of my clothes fit so I've had to buy clothes in sizes I've never bought before.

I've been 13 stone before and looked alright. So even if I could lose two stone I would look much better and be much happier.

I'd never have taken the sertraline if I had known what it would do to me.

I have never changed my diet and even calculate how many calories I am eating (2000 or below on average). I don't know why I'm not losing the weight now I'm off the sertraline.

My GP is aware and said my diet isn't one that would cause weight gain but will only cause slow weight loss. I can deal with slow.

My family say to live my life. I'm only going and there's more to life than having being fat. But I'm so unhappy being obese. AIBU?

My 6'3 active teenage son needs just over 2100 calories for weight maintenance. I'm 5'9 and currently 12 and half stone and need to be on 1200 to lose weight. 6'2 son was 16 stone and has lost 12 pounds in the last month on 1550 calories. That's a little fast so he's gone up to 1800.

At your weight and height you need to be eating a lot less to lose weight if you have no other underlying health issues then you need to eat less calories. Portion size is a thing but it has to be the right foods. Some days I'd rather have a small portion of something higher calorie and others I want a bigger portion of something low calorie. The key to it is logging (and being honest) everything you eat and weighing yourself at the same time/clothing every week.

Exercise is definitely a contributor to weight loss and more so to your feelings of wellbeing, but the key factor is always what you put in your mouth.

Hi op I’m in exactly the same position following the same meds and the same weight. I get it..it’s shit; I can only say I’ve found exercise to be my saviour. Just finished couch to 5k; haven’t lost loads of weight but I feel immeasurably happier. You feel like a completely different invisible person obese don’t you..it’s the worst.

What you're doing isn't working, OP. Something needs to change.

The calculators I'm looking at, assuming OP is 35yo & wants to weigh 11 stone, her estimated BMR would be about 1425 (lightly active). I know BMR isn't perfect (I eat about 500 kcal more than BMR predicts, without weight gain), but BMR is a good start when what you're doing isn't working.

Sorry, 2000 is probably much too high to get you down to 11 stone.

OP I have had weight gain on setraline too. But to be honest I gained more when I came off it.

The fact you are feeling so low everyday points to further issues with depression. Are you seeking any treatment at the moment for that? It isn't normal to be miserable everyday whether you are obese or not. Did you just get stuck on setraline and no CBT or have you already had a course of CBT?

I would definitely say the sertraline had a hand. I’ve seen it personally.

It can take at least six months ime for your weight loss to start kicking in!

It is great for depression but it’s a bastard for weight gain. It just relaxes you to the point where you eat and eat and eat!

Do not worry too much. Get out and walk.

OP won’t be back

She might...I tend to leave threads for bit to let all the froth and nonsense blow over. There is often a rich seem of actually useful posts later on....

One word, lipotrim.

I put on weight over the past 2 years ( Not medication related) and for the life of me couldnt work out how, i was logging on fitness pal swore i was eating 1200 calories a day and was mystified!

It got to Jan this year and i did whole30 - im not recomending you do that, its a bit extreme, but i cut out alcohol and all sorts. When i took that all away i realised how much i was picking, finishing the kids food etc and also how much i drank. I've lost a stone so far and am still losing about an lb a month which is fine - i only want to lose another 6.

Anyway, log everything, be honest with yourself and try and only eat proper food and homefully you wills ee progress soon. Good luck :)

Yes, that's what I meant Alltheshoes74 You need to log but be completely honest as it's easy to ignore the bit of spread you had on your toast, the blob of jam you chucked in your porridge, the splash of milk in your tea and the little nibbles you had, even without factoring in actual alcoholic drinks and picking at someone else's leftovers.

I don't drink much anyway but at the moment I'm not drinking at all as I honestly don't like wasting the calories on a glass of wine when I'd rather have a bit of chocolate if I have any calories available to splurge.