How to Lose Weight After Prozac

One common side effect of taking antidepressants is weight gain. There is not a conclusive reason as to why they often cause weight gain. According to Dr. David L. Katz, Prozac alters the level of serotonin in the brain, which can have an effect on appetite. He also states that alleviating depression may restore appetite, which then leads to weight gain. There really is no way to tell whether or not someone will gain weight while taking Prozac. If you have gained weight, there are ways to lose it after Prozac. It will take some lifestyle changes as well as a change in diet, exercise and supplementing with vitamins.

Things You'll Need

• Fiber- and protein-rich food
• Gym membership or exercise DVDs
• Supplements such as chromium picolinate and vitamin D (Optional)

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Instructions

• 1

  Add fiber and protein to your diet while also reducing simple carbohydrates and sugar.
  One way to lose weight after Prozac is to eat food that is filling, nutritious and lower in calories. This allows you to lose weight without feeling hungry. Good sources of fiber are whole grains and vegetables. Beans, chicken and egg whites are examples of protein sources.

• 2

  Add more activity into your daily life. This allows you to burn calories while going about your daily life. Take the stairs rather than ride the elevator, do squats while cooking dinner, and walk to places rather than drive whenever possible. A simple 30-minute walk during lunch or before work is a good way to lose weight as well as improve general well-being.

• 3

  Lift weights. Weight training is a good way to improve body appearance as well as spur weight loss. Muscle burns more calories than fat. In addition, being stronger allows you be more active, which in turn burns more calories. Begin with five- to 10-lb. weights and train two to three days per week for 30 minutes each session. This can be done at a gym or by using exercise DVDs.

• 4

  Supplement your diet. Vitamin D and chromium picolinate are both recommended to assist with weight loss. Vitamin D may play a role by diverting calories to be used for muscle rather than fat. A standard dosage is 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily. Chromium picolinate appears to have an effect on insulin and fat storage. A recommended dosage is 130 mcg per day.