I'm a bodybuilder with schizophrenia

hey hey hey there! I’m a bodybuilder with schizophrenia. My problem is that I can’t function. Antipsychotic medication treats it but it always causes me to gain fat. Antipsychotic medication stimulates the body into producing fat. What should I do about my problem?

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Nothing lol I exercised 5 days a week and is still obese, best you can get to is overweight and it depends on the individual

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Welcome to the community!

Have you discussed weight loss options with your doctor(s)?

There are new options that can help.

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Hi! Welcome! Yeah weight gain is a BIG problem around here but there are other options I’d talk to your pdoc ( meaning psychiatrist) about it, see what they say, good luck!

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I do pump twice a week.(weightlifting)
And spinning four to five times a week and I’m still chubby.

I’m on latuda but it does make me gain weight even though chances of that happening are less than olanzapine that I was previously on.

I eat a healthy vegan diet but I just don’t look toned or muscly or slim.

A few years ago my body looked more toned and muscly but I was starving myself said my dietitian.

When I was younger and not on medication I could eat whatever I wanted and be slim or normal weight.

Now I have accepted I will not look like I exercise even though I do but that’s ok.

I don’t want to get liposuction anymore.i can’t afford it but even if I could I rather be natural.

I unfriended a Facebook friend for hating on obese people.

You can be obese and healthier than a skinny person.

I don’t want to fall to society’s views of beauty anymore.

I have my own stand and beliefs.

I am healthy!

I may not look perfect or even healthy but I am healthy.

You are doing good.
You may not look like you are doing good or like those who do less workouts than you may look fitter than you but it’s nothing to get upset over just be proud of yourself for exercising.

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Welcome to the forum by the way.:slightly_smiling_face:

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Welcome to the forum @BodybuilderShane! Glad you found us!

I lost 100 pounds (45kg) in one year by working out several days a week and restricting my calories. Diet is hugely important when it comes to losing fat.

A few tips on things that confuse newbies:

Cake day is the anniversary date of when you joined.

The 1515 or other numbers at the end of peoples posts are because there’s a 15 character minimum to post. So people put 15s after until they get to the minimum characters to post.

To tag someone, put the @ followed by the name.

Here are the moderators if you need them:
@Bowens @anon55031185 @Moonbeam @rogueone @anon4362788

I’d say to not value your physique so much, but clearly you have a value system in place that places great importance upon your appearance and the constructs that stem from it. You’re going to struggle more than others because you have this illness. I personally struggle a lot. I’ve lost 70 pounds and gained it back. I’m at the point now where I’ve found peace within myself. I don’t give a fudge what most people think of me. The ones that love me will love me and the ones that want to hate me will hate me. Can’t change the world and wouldn’t want to. Make peace with you imperfections is my advice, but hey, I’m not you and I know nothing of your perspective. I just know that, for me, the prospect of struggling my whole life got tiresome, but you may be ok with that idk.

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Yeah it’s twice as much work but you can have some good gains still. Talk to your shrink and it’s lots about what you eat and how you exercise. They aren’t much fun but most of us have the same issues. Just depends on what you want to try and do about it.

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I have a very low body fat percentage and I have the look of a bodybuilder. Bodybuilding is my passion, I workout five hours a day at the gym and eat a very strict diet. Putting on fat is a bodybuilder’s worst nightmare. My doctor told me that not only does antipsychotic medication increase appetite but it tells the body to store fat. That means you can eat an average amount of food and still gain fat. Functioning is very difficult for me without antipsychotic medication but I guess I have to choose one or the other. By the way you guys are too cool! :slight_smile:

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Welcome @BodybuilderShane yeah buddy

Definately choose to take your AP! It’s super important.

Not all APs cause weight gain. Abilify is weight neutral, I believe. So is Aristada.

You have to decide what is more important, looking good or being mentally functional.

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You know that saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it”? Well, like most maxims, it has exceptions. What I’ve observed is that some people can only see it after they believe it. I have really found a way to effectively treat my schizophrenia without antipsychotics. I have never felt better, even when I was on antipsychotics! The negative symptoms are going away which has never happened before! If you think creatine won’t treat schizophrenia that means you don’t know what creatine is or what creatine does. I am living proof that it does treat schizophrenia. I personally think antipsychotics are bad because that extra fat will cause nothing but health problems. There are better ways to treat schizophrenia that don’t cause fat gain.

You’ve only been off ap for less than two weeks. You need to let us know how it’s going in a month.

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I’m on Geodon and it’s weight neutral. Caplyta is not supposed to cause weight gain in most people. I know I have to be on an AP. I hope you can find one you like.

Hey colleague, I am personal trainer, been in bodybuilding for 7 years. Actually steroids are the reason I ended up bipolar, than i went into psychosis. I was competing in bodybuilding shows. Have lots of experience. Man, illness struck me like thunder. Lost all my gains and became fat. Olanzapine made me put around 30 pounds. For bodybuilder that is living hell. Watching all your hard work slipping thru your fingers just puts you in even bigger depression. Thank God I am stable and psychosis free now. I lost most of my body fat and regained 80 percent of muscle mass. I look pretty good now. But getting back to gym was fcking hell this time. I had to put my olanzapine dosages to 7,5 mg and I still struggled with extreme hunger. Still I made it, it took me around 5 months to get back on track.
I count every single calorie, even on cheat days. I kill hunger with lemonade, gums, candies, zero sugar drinks. Once you build up more muscles it will be easier to lose fat. Your basal metabolism will increase and you will burn more calories. It is hard at beginning but as you build momentum it just gets easier. Just dont give up bro, no matter how hard your day is drag yourself to gym. You will thank yourself later. It will be easier with depression a lot.
Hope I helped a little. Wish you to lose that fat and get desirable physique. If you need some help contact me in massages.

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Try zeldox its weight neutral

Im a schizophrenic bodybuilder