Antidepressants can be life changing for those with mood disorders. However, evening out the highs and lows isn’t the only change they make; many of them also cause weight gain in those who take them. From a few extra pounds around the middle to a significant increase in BMI, many people are battling with how to lose weight on antidepressants.
How Antidepressants Cause Weight Gain
We would love to give you a detailed explanation of how antidepressants lead to weight gain and specific ways you can combat that specific mechanism of action. But the truth is that researchers haven’t been able to pin down an exact reason why antidepressants cause users to gain weight. Theories include:
- Antidepressants slowing metabolism, preventing food from turning into energy before becoming fat.
- Being able to feel pleasure again makes food more pleasurable, and thus more appealing.
- When people are depressed, their appetite naturally decreased, then returns when in treatment.
Keeping Antidepressant Weight Gain in Check
Losing weight after antidepressants is possible when you take the right approach. And no, you don’t have to stop your medications. If they are effectively treating your depression, we strongly suggest that you do not. Instead, we recommend the following:
- Start Tracking Your Food and Drink Intake: And we mean all of it. It is very possible that you are overeating without even realizing it. Central to weight loss after antidepressants is getting your caloric intake under control.
- Build Plates Around Lean Meats: Fish and chicken are generally solid choices, though try to steer clear of dark meat as much as possible. Eating healthier gets easier when you start with your protein and then plan around it.
- Move More: This can mean workouts, and it should at least three days a week. But one way to lose weight gained from antidepressants is just to move more in general. Walking instead of driving, taking the stairs over the elevator, and even just pacing while listening to music helps.
- Consider Mexico Bariatric Surgery: This may sound extreme, but if you were already overweight or obese prior to starting your medication and your weight isn’t lowering with diet and exercise, this could be the best solution for you.
Interested in bariatric surgery as your weight loss solution? Now is the time to learn more about your options, diet progression stages after bariatric surgery, and more. Contact us today at ALO Bariatrics.
