Weight Control

[Anonymous]

I am just starting to explore treatment options with my Doctor. (My first appointment is on Monday). In addition to all the other work/life issues, I have struggled with my weight for many years, yo yo-ing from 16 to 135 to 190 to 130 and back up to 215 now. I start diets and do well for the first few weeks and then fall off the wagon. (Sound familiar?) Has anyone noticed whether they have had an easier time maintaining a healthy weight after starting on medication? I would really like to know if this is one of the benefits I can look forward to.

Thanks!

REPORT ABUSE

[JimC.]

this may/may not relate…here goes. I quit smoking in 1987 and shot up 20-25 lbs. Ever since then, I’ve been trying to lose it but the ice cream gets in the way. and the snacks, treats, cookies, buns, you name it.

1) get the temptations out of your home; if it’s not there it’s not calling to you. I’ve never had any luck with supportive spouses with this, but now that I’m single again, it’s easy to just not have all that cr@p around.

2) find a sport or exercise you like, and do it regularly. Take care of you; make that time work, and dump anything/anyone that gets in the way. I love to cycle, so do it every chance I get.

Bottom line: I keep my weight in line, and slowly I am dropping a pound here, a pound there.

Be good to you – with exercise and fun, not food. Sell all your diet books and buy yourself a present, then make a plan.

Good luck, Jim

REPORT ABUSE

[purlgurl]

*Waves hand* I’ve been up and down (highest = 228 lbs, lowest = 169 lbs, current weight = 192 lbs) over the last 10 years. I find that WeightWatchers really works for me (I even achieved “Lifetime” status at 169), but as soon as I go off-program (when I get stressed out with school/work/life), the weight comes back on. I really need to journal and track both my food and my exercise, and I know that I feel so much better when I do…but…

I haven’t found this to be significantly easier on medication – but my schedule is “stupid busy” at the moment (work hours 25/week and going to 35/week at the end of March, class hours 13/week, commuting hours ~16/week, freelance hours ~3/week, study hours – whatever I can fit in), so I’m trying to be kind to myself, and recognizing that getting back on track will be significantly easier when the end of April rolls around.

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Since we (or I at least) have trouble maintaining or sustaining anything I start, including losing weight, I have had to make a couple of decisions and moves. First I decided that I couldn’t be result oriented for my success. In other words – I couldn’t say that until I lost 5 pounds there was no success. The success comes in smaller chunks – not eating the chocolate bar – not eating the second portion – going to the gym.. every one of those is good… regardless of the result they might achieve. My problem has always been – since weight loss is slow, I haven’t done ‘good’ until the weight comes off and i can’t wait that long.. not with ADD! So my mind set is now I did the right thing.. pat myself on the back for it.. and carry on. The biggest issue is beating myself up if I don’t do the right thing.. if I eat the chocolate bar, etc. Since I have started to recognize the power of ADD.. we simply can’t sustain things real well.. I am starting to give myself a break…

None of this is easy… but there is some light at the end of the tunnel simply by understanding who and what you are while living with ADD…

I try not to use it as an exuse, but simply to better understand why i can’t sustain attempts… attempts at weight loss.. attempts at organzing my office… attempts at doing anything that requires sustained concentration or action over time…

I wish you success… small ones every day..

REPORT ABUSE

[Bettyboo]

Hi, weight, organizing…all of that is not only an issue for those with ADD and non-adders. I’ve have a money issue I spend it as fast as I make it so knowing that I have decided one day at a time which leads to a full week with leads to another week and before I know I’ve actually accomplished something for a full month…and then you know…leads to a year…etc

I know that adders are big picture thinkers so we can already see the weight off, a organized desk, money saved in the bank 1 million dollars etc…we are great big picture thinkers. I have learned the the big picture thinker is okay and then I need to break it down to one day at a time, which leads to a full week…etc. I find that if I just think that i will only sustain it for a while then I’ve already self-sabatoged myself…that’s just no fun. If I miss up one day or one hour then I acknowledge that and keep moving…otherwise I know myself to well. This is what I say to my self “You did it again – who are you fooling” not very nice then I guarantee all the symptoms float to the top and I want to hide.

I have decided that it takes time and as hard as it is for me to weight I some how keep myself in tune with it because I know what the bigger picture looks like which reminds me of what I want. It’s all practice…sometimes we get it sometimes we have to practice some more…Happy Practicing!!

Good Luck on today,

Elizabeth

REPORT ABUSE

[Jennifer]

I totally hear you on the weight issues. That has been a lifelong struggle for me – my highest was 316 lbs. I have since lost about 140 lbs but gained back a bunch during some rough times when I resorted to eating as a comfort mechanism (yeah, not a great plan).

I was worried about weight gain when I started on Adderall a couple of years ago but was surprised to find out it actually has a common side effect of suppressing appetite (so much so some Hollywood types resorted to abusing it by taking it to help them from feeling hungry when they were starvation-dieting).

Not sure what medication your doctor will prescribe (if any, since not all ADDers end up on meds). When you get the prescription your doctor can answer questions about the side effect and you’ll also get details on what they might be in that print-out the pharmacist gives you when you get the meds. The manufacturer’s web site should also be able to answer questions on that one too (admittedly not the most exciting reading, but hey, at least it’s detailed!).

Here’s a list of the main ADD/ADHD meds, the names of their manufacturers, and links to their sites:

Strattera – Eli Lilly Canada – http://www.lilly.ca

Adderall and Vyvanse(new med introduced in 2010) – Shire – http://www.shirecanada.com

Concerta – Janssen-Ortho – http://www.janssen-ortho.com

Biphentin – Purdue Pharma – http://www.purdue.ca

Hope you and your doctor find a medication that works well for you!

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Hi

In my opinion, ADD and weight control are definately linked. I weighed 356lbs and I was despirate. I had lost hunderds of pounds over the years and I knew every diet by heart. I always failed. How can a smart women fail at such a ‘simple’ task? I had undiagnosed ADD which made following a diet for any length of time impossible. I went to see a wonderful Dr who recognized the link between some people’s inability to lose weight and ADD. I was diagnosed, treated with medication and coached. I lost 60 lbs but recognized that having to lose another 150 lbs would take too long for my ADD brain to handle! I decided to have surgery and with the support of my drs I have lost the remaining 150lbs. I am struggling with 30 lbs that I have put back on and I need to take a look at my bad habits I have slipped back into. I am still struggling daily with ADD challenges but doing it with a lot less pain (knees, back etc)

The dr has done a study linking ADHD and weight control and is waiting for publication. He found that in the morbidly obese population there is a higher rate of ADHD than in the normal weight population. It does not mean that every person with ADHD will be overweight nor does it mean that every morbidly obese person has ADHD. It does mean that for some people, ADHD is a factor in thier inability to effectively lose and maintain weight loss.

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for your insight. I guess just like everything else it is something that is very individual. The truth is, I just hate to excercise and I need to find something that my ADD brain enjoys enough to hyper-focus on, rather than try to get away from.

REPORT ABUSE

[Anonymous]

I read this post and felt I have something to contribute now I’m a ADHD’er…lol,

Healthy eating is only one part to a good body weight, something even the normal person can struggle with. Exercise for 30min a day 3 times a week can actually make a huge difference.

I know everybody hates a gym, but have you ever asked your self before you even walked in Why? Why Am I going to the gym? I know when I first went to the gym almost 4 years ago I new that Exercise actually helped relieve stress and allowed you to focus on the task at hand. As an ADHD’er the gym has become one of the biggest tools in my life. Eating we can all agree is not an issue…I know this. But Exercise is actually a choice to allow your Brain to get addicted in a positive matter to something that is going to befit you.

I was reading in another forum that we( ADD, ADHD) people tend to work better under the gun which is so true, The problem I had was making Bad choices. I feel that these were the easiest choices. I feel when I am making a decision now (presently) along with my medication I am also looking at what is a good choice for my life and stability.

I’m quit smoking for 5 years this coming August going on 4 years at the gym, which if anybody tells me WOW you look great I can confidently tell them that physical features was the last reason on my list to why I went to the gym.

My trainer has also taught me about healthy eating because again its another tool in the chest.

I just want everybody to know that when trying to over come something like eating sometimes we have to look at it a little differently. And make a choice, and choose in our head what going to get us over that bump. For me it was hitting a point in my life where I had no other way but to turn a round…the kind of pressure we all thive on …in some sort of way. Harnessing that Gift in a good way can really help break some of these walls we all fight daily about.

REPORT ABUSE

[Author]

Posts