Losing weight and not my mind

Post date: 2020-08-12 19:20:02

I'm losing weight, but I'm also going crazy. I'm stressed out, irritable and can't think about anything else. How do anxious people diet without going off the deep end?

I'm a 30-year-old cis woman, was at what I feel is my "ideal" weight of 135 lb. for most of my 20s, then I started taking SSRIs a couple years ago, then quarantine happened and I stopped going to the gym...so I ended up at 155 this year which is bordering on overweight. By increasing my exercise and reducing portions & fattening foods for two months I've got down to 145.

I should be happy about this, but I feel that focusing on dieting has made me weird and obsessive, and my anxiety levels shoot through the roof. I'm thinking about calories and measurements all the time. I'm in a sour mood when I weigh myself in the morning and have gained half a pound. I get cranky when something comes up and I have to skip a workout, or when my partner wants to order takeout. I check my stupid weight loss app multiple times a day. I'm way more critical of my body than when I was 10 lb heavier and less fit. I don't want to be this person!

I also find myself frequently getting angry and impatient that I'm not losing faster, even though rationally I feel like 5 lb. month is a pretty healthy and sustainable way to go.

For the record I don't have a history of eating disorders, but I have struggled with depression & anxiety for years. And I only want to lose 10 more lbs which would put me right in the middle of the healthy BMI range. I just feel like the act of dieting triggers some kind of crazybrain for me and occupies way too much headspace. How can I soothe the anxiety & obsessive thoughts while I lose the rest of this weight?

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