Weight loss after stopping Zoloft (9+ ways to lose weight)

In this blog, we will learn how zoloft induces weight gain in individuals. We will also learn about 9+ ways to lose weight efficiently and keep it off. When it comes to weight loss, there are no shortcuts especially when your weight gain is associated with the use of antidepressants. 

It is not an easy task but we are here to help! Stick with us if you wish to know tips that can help you lose weight after stopping zoloft.

9+ ways to lose weight after stopping zoloft

Here are a few ways that can definitely help you shed those pounds after stopping zoloft:

• Intermittent fasting
• Get more active
• Stay hydrated 
• Read food labels before you eat them
• Cut down on alcohol
• Add seeds to your diet
• Eat mindfully
• Have a good breakfast
• Cut back on sugar and refined carbs
• Balance your gut bacteria
• Manage your stress levels
• Sleep well at night

Intermittent fasting 

Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that involves a short term fasting period and an eating period. This way you can eat almost everything but only at the timing which is supposed to be your eating window. 

The most common Intermittent fasting methods include:

Alternate day fasting (ADF): In this method, you fast on alternate days and eat normally on non-fasting days. This method is used by many celebrities and athletes. 

The 16/8 method: In this method, you fast for 16 hours and eat only during an 8-hour window. It’s totally up to you to decide which time you want your eating window to end. 

The 20/4 method: In this method, you fast for 20 hours and eat only during a 4-hour window. 

One meal a day (OMAD): In this method, you take your meal once and fast the rest of the day. Make sure your meal has at least 800 to 1000 calories, as you’re eating just once. 

Get more active

Exercise is considered crucial when you’re trying to lose weight. Make sure you work out the best way possible. Add cardio, strength training, yoga and stretching, all in your exercise regimen. 

Don’t stick to one kind of workout session. If you’re running for an hour one day, try doing a 10-minute high intensity interval training (HIIT) session the next. 

HIIT is known to burn equal amounts of calories as you burn while running on a treadmill for 50-minutes to an hour. 

Stay hydrated 

Don’t forget to drink lots and lots of water. Water boosts your energy levels and it’s a calorie free beverage. Avoid drinking soda or energy drinks, which usually have high sugar content. 

Sugar tends to make you lethargic. You can add fresh fruits in your water like berries, kiwi, oranges etc. You can also try adding cucumber, lemon, ginger in your detox water. 

Read food labels

Make sure you read food labels when you buy yourself snacks. Cereals also have a lot of sugar in them so always read labels before you consume any such thing. 

They are packed with sugar instead of nutrients. So the next time you see a ‘whole-grain’ cereal, make sure you read about a hell lot of sugar, hiding in it. 

Cut down on alcohol 

If you wish to lose weight, you need to cut down on alcohol. When we specifically talk about wine, it contains a large proportion of calories, somewhat similar to a piece of chocolate. This clearly indicates that drinking too much wine will make you gain weight.

Add seeds to your diet

Add seeds like flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Seeds are filled with good fats. They are a pretty good addition to a weight loss diet. 

They are filled with protein, fibre, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and  minerals like vitamin E, magnesium, folate, zinc and copper etc. Seeds are friendly when it comes to shedding a few pounds. 

Eat mindfully 

Mindful eating is of great importance when you’re trying to cut back on consuming too much calories. Techniques for mindful eating include:

Sit down and eat in a proper way: Make sure you pay attention to what you’re eating and how much you’re eating.

Turn off your TV, laptop and smartphone while you eat: Do not watch TV, or turn on your laptop, or start using your phone. These distractions don’t let you keep track of your calories and you end up eating more. 

Chew your food slowly: Studies suggest that slow eating makes you eat less as compared to when you eat fastly and mindlessly. 

Eat nutritious food: Choose foods which have high nutrition in them. Avoid eating fast foods like burgers, sandwiches, french fries, nuggets etc. Don’t think that I’m asking you to quit them, but save them for weekends and enjoy! 

Have a good breakfast 

Breakfast is an extremely important meal of the day. Do not skip breakfast. Add protein rich foods like eggs, as proteins are the building blocks of your body. They provide the right amount of fuel you need to start your day. 

Cut back on sugar and refined carbs

It’s nothing new to know that you need to cut back on sugar, if you wish to lose weight. Again, don’t quit eating your favourite desserts, but don’t make them a part of your routine. 

If you crave something sweet, go for a piece of dark chocolate. It actually has health benefits. But again, portion size matters a lot. Anything that’s good for you will end up harming you if you consume too much of it. 

Balance gut bacteria 

Every human body has different types and quantities of bacteria in their gut. Some types can increase the amount of energy that a person absorbs from food, leading to weight gain. 

Following foods can help replenish your gut bacteria:

Prebiotic rich foods:  They are found in many fruits and vegetables, especially chicory root, artichoke, onion, garlic, asparagus, leeks, banana, and avocado. Grains, such as barley and oats, are also considered good sources of probiotics.

Fermented foods: They include sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yoghurt, tempeh, miso etc. 

Manage your stress levels

Stress can play a great role in building up your belly fat. Studies suggest that cortisol, which is also known as ‘The stress hormone’, can be a cause of belly fat in people who have high stress levels. 

It is also known to increase appetite and sugar cravings. Make sure you manage your stress levels. Some methods of managing stress include:

• Yoga
• Tai chi
• Meditation 
• Relaxing techniques
• Walking or engaging in your favourite activities. 

Sleep well at night 

Experts suggest that inadequate sleep is responsible for slowing down your metabolism. When your metabolism doesn’t work as efficiently as it should, the ensued energy is converted into fats.

In addition, poor sleep can increase the production of insulin and cortisol, which also accelerate the fat storing process. 

Why does zoloft cause weight gain in the first place?

Research suggests that around 20% of people who take zoloft will experience some form of weight gain, usually only a few pounds. It’s been suggested that zoloft and other SSRI antidepressants can impact our metabolism. 

It makes your metabolism less efficient at burning calories so you might not feel like you’re eating more, maybe your body’s just got less efficient at burning those calories away and more of them are stored around your tummy. 

Some users of antidepressants have reported that they have an increased craving for foods that are heavy in carbs such as breads, pastas, cakes, biscuits etc. Foods that are heavy in carbs lead to an increased blood sugar and eventually lead to more fat cells being stored by your body. 

Some experts actually believe that as antidepressants start to work and the serotonin and dopamine in your brain becomes more regulated, you start to experience emotions more deeply. 

Therefore, when you are tasting food, you’re tasting it with more pleasure than previously and that actually can lead to you overeating certain foods that might be pretty unhealthy and this causes weight gain.

Conclusion 

In this blog, we learned about 12 ways that can help you lose weight after zoloft. It might be a little challenging at first, but if your body can adapt to the presence of zoloft, what makes you think it can not adapt to a better lifestyle change? 

You just need to give it time. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If it feels hard in the beginning, don’t think it’s impossible because literally, nothing is impossible. Don’t give up and stay consistent! 

FAQs: weight loss after stopping zoloft

Do you lose weight after stopping Zoloft?

In order to lose weight after zoloft, you need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. If your depression comes back and it makes you lose your appetite, you may lose weight but this is not the kind of weight loss you want.

Make sure you make good changes in your routine, which will not only help you lose weight but will also keep your depression at bay. 

Does Zoloft cause belly fat?

Zoloft affects people differently. If it increases your appetite and you eat more, you’ll gain weight. For some people it decreases their appetite and they lose. It’s not the medication itself, it’s how your body reacts to it. 

How do I get my metabolism back after antidepressants?

• Cut down on sugar and high carbs
• Exercise every day
• Add fibre, protein and good fats to your diet
• Don’t skip breakfast
• Cut down on alcohol
• Stay hydrated

How long after stopping Zoloft is it out of your system?

The half-life of sertraline (zoloft) is 24 hours, which means that it usually takes a day for the drug’s concentration to reduce to half the original amount. In another 24 hours, the drug’s concentration is further reduced to half of the remaining amount.

Is antidepressant weight gain permanent?

No, antidepressant weight gain is not permanent. You can lose those pounds by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Why do you gain weight on sertraline?

Sertraline is known to increase appetite in some people and spike their sugar cravings. This results in weight gain. It can also retain some water and can increase water weight as well.

References

• Zumin Shi,1 Evan Atlantis – Antidepressant use potentiates weight gain in the context of unhealthy lifestyles: results from a 4-year Australian follow-up study (2017) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5629701/
• Antidepressant utilisation and incidence of weight gain during 10 years’ follow-up: population based cohort study (2018) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5964332/
• 12 tips to help you lose weight https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/managing-your-weight/12-tips-to-help-you-lose-weight/
• How to naturally lose weight fast https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322345
• Gafoor R, et al. (2018). Antidepressant utilisation and incidence of weight gain during 10 years’ follow-up: Population based cohort study. https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1951