Hi Ellen, sorry to hear of your problem, but it’s great that you are ready to tackle the side-effect. You will feel so much better for losing the weight, both mentally and physically. I would suggest going to see a dietician, if you have a local clinic offering this service you may be able to access it at no cost. Aside from that, aim to have plenty of fresh, healthy options available and prepared for when the hunger pangs strike. Also watch your serving size closely – we are eating much larger meals than we used to. I find that when I feel stressed and wanting to reach for comfort food, if I have a glass of water, put on my walking shoes and head off for a brisk walk, I no longer need the food when I return home. Do you have a neglected hobby that you can immerse yourself in, or maybe something you always wanted to try? Good luck with your challenge, you can do it – and remember don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up, just accept it and know you will make your goal.

Before you try to get too heavy into it, make sure you see your go and make sure you are on track health wise (like levels e.g. Iron) cause you will run down and be burnt out too easy which for me triggers my anxiety and depression because I am so low on everything!

Sorry you have been through such a difficult period but good on you for talking steps to feel better about yourself. Exercise is great for anxiety, depression and weight loss so find something you love to do and enjoy it. The weight loss will come

Oh I would love that! I am fairly new also so am still getting used to how this all works. Does anyone know how to make this possible?

Firstly, I’m really sorry you’ve had to go through such a horrible time, but I hope my tips help you with your weight, I know how it feels to have medication mess with the way you look. I have found that simply eating well and exercising wasn’t enough – I had to do the right type of exercise and eat the right food. Unfortunately, this is all trial and error. I lost 3kgs in one week simply by cutting out wheat. It just didn’t sit right with my body. I also make sure to keep myself hydrated (I drink lots of water and eat foods that are high in it too, like carrots). I also found that with the exercise, I benefit most from doing Just Dance at home on my Wii, I do the kickboxing/dance crossover program. Some people benefit more from weight training than from cardio, so maybe give a few things a go. Swimming is supposed to be a great all rounded activity (I personally hate it though). Goodluck with everything!

P.S. I’m a new user so I dont know, but if there is a way for you to message me at all, I’m more than happy to send through a few recipes that have helped me

I have a fitbit and it has been instrumental in helping me lose weight. It’s a pedometer but has extra feature. There are loads if different brands on the market you can look at. Jawbone, Garmin, Sony are a few I can think of right now. I aim for 12,000 steps per day or 8kms. It also keeps track of how fast I walk in the form or active minutes. You can start at 8,000, 10,000 whatever you want to start with and build up. I usually make it to 12,000 step with no problems so I focus on active minutes to get me heart rate up.