Which Came First: Depression or Weight Gain?

First off, I want to clarify that I don't have the answer to the question, "Which came first: depression or weight gain?" This doesn't matter because depression and weight gain typically go hand in hand; weight gain can cause depression, and depression can cause weight gain. It is therefore important to manage one's weight in order to manage depression. 

Junk Food: The Enemy of Stopping Weight Gain While Depressed

Junk food is bad for your body and mind. I can mention endless studies that show the impact of junk food on one's body. I can even find links to research on how junk food affects the mind. But it is common knowledge that unhealthy food like potato fries and creamy cakes cause weight gain. And in my personal experience, junk food makes me put on weight and makes my depression worse. If I eat unhealthily, even two days in a row, I feel a lot more depressed on day three.

Now, I'm one of those people who have chronic or long-term depression, which means my depression isn't going to go away if I make good food choices. However, I have noticed that when I do eat healthily or even just reduced my intake of junk food, the black dog (depression) is a lot easier to manage. 

Weight Gain Due to Pandemic Depression

Like me, I know a number of people who have relied on their favorite comfort foods to cope with the pandemic. This is exactly why we have put on weight. In fact, I have officially become overweight, and this has impacted my physical and mental health.

I find myself more prone to mood swings and the blues have also become more intense. I am finally watching what I eat for the past week and I have noticed a slight but definite improvement in my health. In the past, when I used to hit the gym, my instructors always stressed that diet is more important than exercise to lose weight. Therefore, I am focusing on eating healthy food to get my weight down to the recommended range. 

Managing Depression and Weight Gain

Watch the video below to know the importance of diet on depression -- and how one can eat better even if they are too depressed to care about their food choices. 

That said, some of us cannot help being overweight even if we exercise and watch what we eat. Please note that my aim is not to body shame anyone or encourage dieting, but to raise awareness on the link between weight gain and depression. 

If you have an answer to the question I posed in the title of this article or simply want to share your views on this topic, please leave a comment below.