Antidepressants and Weight Loss
Hi all - antidepressants and other mood stabilizing meds can cause cravings and a feeling of never being full no matter how much is eaten. The result is weight gain and difficulty losing weight. This can be so incredibly distressing! But it's not your fault. Medications can be such a help one's mood but the fact that they cause weight gain and make it really hard to lose weight is a terrible side effect. Scientific research conducted at MIT by Judith J Wurtman, PhD has shown that if you eat low fat, low protein carbs in the late afternoon or for dinner, your brain can make serotonin which can give you a mental boost and take the edge off your appetite so you can feel satisfied eating less. Try a handful of pretzels at 4pm to see how it works. The reason it works is that eating carbs sets off a series of reactions that allow the brain to make serotonin, the body's feel-good chemical that shuts off your appetite and is comforting (hence "comfort foods" and always carbs - it's just that the fat in those comfort foods adds too many calories and can make you feel sluggish - next time try fat free or low fat comfort foods). The reason for eating carbs in the afternoon and evening is that is when serotonin levels are naturally low and that's when most people tend to overeat. Let me know if you want to learn where to read more on this topic.
Most Active
Recent Topics
