In the past 6 months, I have gained 32.5 pounds. Bipolar weight gain is terrible and extremely difficult to control. The weight gain began when I was in the midst of yet another depression, before I started taking Clozapine. Then, during the first couple weeks on Clozapine, I noticed that my hunger was never-ending and as a result, my weight was increasing even more. It was one thing when it was just 10 pounds, but now it’s more than 30. I have been through many depressive episodes, and I’ve gained weight during each of them. The largest amount of weight I gained during a depressive period was 80 pounds; that was when I was taking Risperdal. I will never take that medication again. During most of my other depressive episodes, I gained somewhere between 40 and 60 pounds. I always manage to lose the weight and get back in shape; I even keep the weight off, as long as I’m not in a major depression.
I decided, while I was on vacation, that I would start a new food plan when I returned. My husband said he wants to lose weight as well. It always helps to have another person in the house eating healthy and exercising. I have decided to go back on a zone (block) food plan from CrossFit, which I was given several years ago from my personal trainer at the time. It requires a lot of measuring and weighing. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all 3 block meals, and both of my snacks are 2 blocks each. After a couple of weeks, I will lower my snacks to 1 block each. I just want to give myself time to get used to eating on a schedule again. I think that starting with 2 block snacks will give me a bigger chance for success. If anyone is curious about the CrossFit Meal Plan, just follow this link, Crossfit Meal Plan PDF. The document explains what a zone meal plan is, what blocks are, it has a block chart showing what foods are worth, and example meal plans.
The meals are plenty for me to eat and they taste good; I’m not hungry. I still want to eat, but that’s just because I always want to eat. I eat compulsively; I overeat pretty much all the time. I wonder how long I’ll be able to follow the plan without overeating. Once I eat off my meal plan, the rest of the day is doomed. My mind doesn’t work right in so many ways, and food is one of those ways. I’m particularly proud of myself for choosing to start this meal plan. I really hope I stick with it and follow through. It’s a sign that my depression could be improving. I still feel depressed and have suicidal ideations, but even the smallest improvement can make a huge difference. My husband suggested that we work out together; he used to be my workout partner years ago, and we had a lot of fun. It sounds like a great idea; I just have to figure out how to manage my anxiety. Plus, I should probably only do one thing at a time; maybe I should wait until I’ve been on the new food plan for a couple of weeks before adding in a workout at the gym.
My Side of the Pole 
I think Risperdal may be similar to Zyprexa in that area…Zyprexa makes most people eat 24/7. I took it for a short time and then actually stopped it and I refuse to ever take it again.
Whenever I want to implement change, I usually want to do everything at once, but it never sticks when I approach it that way. I burn out or just quit everything (I’m so all or nothing, it’s ridiculous). I do better with one change at a time even though I am impatient. Do you think you are more likely to stick with it if you ease into it versus throwing in exercise immediately?
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I do think I am more likely to stick with it by easing into it. I’m not like this normally. I’m usually an all or nothing kind of person.
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I was on Seroquel. Disaster. 10 years. Then in an eating disorder program switched to a ‘weight neutral’ that didn’t control my mania and very stimulating. Tardive Dyskinesia. 3 years later, we find that Clozaril and Xenazine provide near complete symptom relief. Gained 60 lbs the biggest weight gain of my life. I did lose the weight. I read current research. I wish you well but I think you should read I wrote, a low level blogger for bipolar magazine. I am doing a complete metabolic series. and yes, I’m still on Clozaril. This story, if you’d do me the huge honor of clicking and reading it, will explain some of it. And there is a part one. And there’s more. Cinnamon helps. There are treatments being studied precisely for this and they are only studying those on Clozaril. Please read this and tell me what you think.
Bphope Three Sizes of Clothes Facebook
I lost it, kept off, no fancy diet. Lots of little helpers. Stay in touch ok? I battle this on a daily basis. Allison Strong
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I read your post for BPHope and I think it’s great. I also keep clothes in several sizes because my weight seesaws. Healthy eating is a way of life; it’s a life change, whether you’re trying to lose or gain weight. In my opinion, it’s not a diet. When a person diets, they end up gaining it back as you said how it happened in “The Biggest Loser”.
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