Help! I've been unemployed for a year. It's really starting to get to me to the point I'm eating things that I shouldn't. Everyday, I find myself eating more carbs and less protein. I want to get back on track. I'm only 4 months post op and I'm 2 lbs from reaching my 50lb weight loss. Any suggestions?

I suffer from depression too. My advice would be to get some exercise if you're not already. That alone will make you feel some better. Are you on medications? If so; be sure to take them like you're supposed to. You may want to contact your doctor to get your meds adjusted. Get out of the house some. It helps. If you don't have one already; find someone that you can lean on. Sometimes we just need to feel loved. Speak positively. Say "I feel great" over and over again. Soon your brain will start to believe it. And finally, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! Do not let it get the best of you. Give it all you've got. You haven't come this far to give up now. Hang in there. You've got this!

Shoot, I don't know what to say to help you except, get back on the original plan and clean the pantry. Start from square one and I agree with dnanevett, get that exercise. Sometimes changing something that you do to make yourself look and feel pretty always helps me too.

Good Luck!

Thank you for the advice. I think getting out the house and exercising would be helpful. I would be so upset if all of this hard work was wasted. I definitely need to find something positive to refocus my energy (or lack thereof) on.

I think it helps to have something "to look forward to." Try to find something that you get joy out of -- getting together with a friend, reading a good book -- whatever it is and SCHEDULE it into your day/week. That way you know you have something to look forward to.

As for the unemployment, a friend of mine is in an industry where she finds herself in periods between jobs. She treats unemployment as a job. She sets up a schedule with time block for certain activities (research on jobs, phone calls, applying, etc.). She also makes a priority of setting up appointments to meet with people. She shoots for doing at least one a day. This helps with keeping busy, social and networking to find additional work opportunities. The other advantage is that at the end of her "work" day, she is done and does not have to spend all day/night focused on being unemployed. She knows she has done what she has needed to for the day and can give herself some mental time off.

Good luck!

Edited February 24, 201511 yr by Elizabeth21

I am unemployed/on disability and have mobility issues but some things that have helped me:

- Have at least one major goal a day.

- Do at least 60 minutes of exercise every day

- Make at least one phone call a day

- If you are able to get out, take some classes and/or join some groups (ex. check your local library for job search classes, exercise classes, book groups, etc)

- attend support group meetings

- Do something creative/artistic

You've received some great advice already from previous posters. Best of luck. You have a great opportunity to regroup and focus on you.