depression? page

[canes84]

For the past 4 years I had been fat. I went from being a one time pro athlete to fat after an injury. I spent those four years pretty miserable and blaming everything on my ankle injury. Last November I decided to stop making excuses for not sticking to the paleo diet (I had been trying to do it for 2 years) and I just did it. I also started doing crossfit 3-5 days a week.

I have now surpassed my goal weight and although everyone tells me that I look great (and I do feel good and comfortable in all of my clothes) I just still feel like my life is a mess. I blamed everything on being overweight for so long and no I no longer have that excuse. It's a very strange feeling. I had never in my life suffered from depression but I think there's a chance I might be now. I still go to the gym 5-6 days a week and eat strict paleo (am doing the whole30 right now) but aside from that I have no interest in doing anything social. I hang out with my family and that's it.

Anyone gone through anything similar? Blamed problems on one thing for a long time then realized that that really wasn't the problem at all?

[primalrob]

i grew up fat, and really ballooned in college and after, so i was sort of adapted to being a little depressed and the world around me. when i started losing weight, though, i really noticed it. people were definitely treating me differently than they ever had, and i was getting bombarded with the "you look so much better" compliments. i couldn't handle them (of course now i love seeing people i haven't seen in a while). i still felt horribly unhealthy, and even more, i felt like i had wasted 30 years of my life. before, i was blaming genetics, an italian family, big boneness, etc. on why i was so big, when all i really had to do was decide to get healthy and do it. i saw my whole life as a big mistake.
i spent about two years as my thinner self feeling like that. then, last year, something changed in me. maybe it was just a moment of realization, but i didn't feel like that anymore. i wish i could say that something specific happened, but really it was just time and acceptance. i love my life, and it probably wouldn't be the same if i hadn't accomplished that weight loss feat. so, slowly, i started to let the old me go. the guy who was fat since he was a toddler...gone. the guy who made a lot of excuses...gone. the guy who didn't like who he was...gone. and, once i started doing that, everything else got easier; even primal got easier. i stopped getting lost in the details, and just enjoyed things.
it might take some time, but that feeling will go away. the thing is--and this is much easier said than done--you've got to let it go away.

[canes84]

Thanks Rob. That just made me smile

[jammies]

I spent at least a decade of my life blaming my fatigue on being fat and out of shape. At one point I finally decided to get in shape and lose weight at all costs. I was sure that it would make me feel fantastic. I cut calories, exercised, lost weight, and really toned up. I was completely miserable the whole time. It was pretty close to the worst I have ever felt in my life. It turns out I had a severe autoimmune disease that was brewing and had a horrible vitamin D deficiency. I'll never get that time in my life back - blaming myself every day for being worthless and lazy. I'm amazed I didn't kill myself.

Depression can be related to diet or it could also be a reaction to losing the weight. Are you eating very low carb? If so, you could try adding in more carbs.

Other things worth trying:

1. Eat bone marrow, liver, brazil nuts, seaweed, and oysters every week. They provide important nutrients that can be missed through a normal diet.

2. Get your vitamin D3 levels checked and supplement to the upper half of normal.

3. Take a good magnesium supplement.

[tanstaafl]

I think a lot of us have been caught off guard by the fact that good physical changes dont mean purely happy emotions. Myself I felt happy but also off balance at the first twenty pounds I lost. Almost like I didn't quite fit myself. I also discovered that I suddenly felt dissatisfied with all sorts of things in my life...as if having overcome this much why wasnt life perfect allthe way around? You may have some chemical issues true so do try supplements and upping carbs but you may also have to simply adjust to your new reality.