Concerning

[Nkbgwti24]

Hi.

I’m a 22 year old female & just this year alone I went from being 8 stone to 11 stone. I honestly didn’t even notice until everyone started picking at me looking “fatter than normal.” I have struggled with gaining weight for years but now that I have, it’s unhealthy weight from binge eating & doing no exercise/hardly any movement. I don’t have a job, I don’t go to uni because of the pandemic, I literally just sit and lounge around all day (love depression!) but now I’m getting worried as it’s very clearly visible on me that I am gaining weight.

I have rang my gp to get a diabetes/glucose test as I’ve been getting recurrent thrush and I think it’s the sugar that’s causing it. I’m not drinking fizzy drinks but am eating a lot of sweets and ice cream. (Comfort food

)
I have been wanting to cut these foods/snacks out of my diet but no matter what happens, even after a full meal I will always find myself reaching for something sugary.
I want to start some form of exercise but my anxiety says otherwise. There is literally a field in less than a 5 minute walk where I can go for running and I’d like too aswell but I’m so nervous and I don’t know why.

I don’t know where to start and what to do.
Any recommendations on how to get myself into a healthier lifestyle?
What can I do, where can I start, how can I start?

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi.

I’m a 22 year old female & just this year alone I went from being 8 stone to 11 stone. I honestly didn’t even notice until everyone started picking at me looking “fatter than normal.” I have struggled with gaining weight for years but now that I have, it’s unhealthy weight from binge eating & doing no exercise/hardly any movement. I don’t have a job, I don’t go to uni because of the pandemic, I literally just sit and lounge around all day (love depression!) but now I’m getting worried as it’s very clearly visible on me that I am gaining weight.

I have rang my gp to get a diabetes/glucose test as I’ve been getting recurrent thrush and I think it’s the sugar that’s causing it. I’m not drinking fizzy drinks but am eating a lot of sweets and ice cream. (Comfort food

)
I have been wanting to cut these foods/snacks out of my diet but no matter what happens, even after a full meal I will always find myself reaching for something sugary.
I want to start some form of exercise but my anxiety says otherwise. There is literally a field in less than a 5 minute walk where I can go for running and I’d like too aswell but I’m so nervous and I don’t know why.

I don’t know where to start and what to do.
Any recommendations on how to get myself into a healthier lifestyle?
What can I do, where can I start, how can I start?

Hello, and welcome,

Okay, so... Carbs are addictive. Hence the cravings. They trigger the same areas in the brain that hard drugs do, (and the derived pleasure is very short lived) so... If thrush and weight gain are a problem, you might want to look into reducing your carb-load. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/blog-entry/the-nutritional-thingy.2330/ is geared towards T2's, but the dietary advice should help you some too.

I have, among other things, social and generalised anxiety disorder. And with everything that's been going on, I've had quite a few people who have never had that kind of problem, ask me about it. Because with lockdowns, the pandemic etc, they are starting to feel the way I usually do. These are strange times indeed. And should your blood sugars be higher than they should be, they too can affect your mood/anxiety/depression. If you can find an excuse to make yourself take a walk around the block, to post a letter or card, to do whatever you can find as a stick behind the door, that'd help. Not just for your weight, but more importantly, so you can slowly get used to being Out There In The World again. And when you are outside, notice stuff. Cats and dogs, christmas decorations, little things that might make you smile. Photograph things if it makes you more aware of them. It'll make the hurdle of going outside smaller and easier to take. (I didn't leave the house on my own for decades, so I know how hard it can be to break that cycle). Eventually, that field won't seem half a galaxy away anymore.

In the meantime, you're young to be developing T2, but it's not unheard of. Ask your gp for a HbA1c test to rule it out, and take care of yourself, okay?

Hugs,
Jo