Weight loss

[Novice]

The crohns contradiction huh, we're all expected to be malnourished and underweight.

I'm not overly heavy I weight between 140-147 on bad weeks lol but I'm only 22 and 5'3 I've not even had kids to blame lol.

I lost a whole bunch of weight when I first got sick but ever since I was introduced to steroids ie always struggled to lose the excess ive gained.

Don't get me wrong I'd rather have a bit of cushioning than be thin and sick but my mum has started to scrutinize my diet. I eat fairly healthy home cooked meals daily but after getting te my fitness pal app on my phone on average I consume less than a 1000 calories it's usually around 700 if I snack

We noticed I drink next to nothing so ie started focusing on getting 2 liters of water in me per day which is actually fairly easy if I keep a bottle on show all day.

But as for losing weight I don't understand how I'm so heavy when I eat so little, I struggle to exercise cos I'm so tired and achey alllll the time. Probably cos I don't consume enough calories! Viscous circle but I'm never hungry.

I want to shape up so I'm adding home juices and smoothies to my diet n I'm trying to snack more but I'm scared ill just gain more weight...

Does anyone else struggle with weight loss? Any advice? It's rwal hard when everyone around you eats so much yet the girls are all so skinny lol I need to get fit enough to get back to the gym...

Please any advice I'm so grateful!

 

[Jennifer]

How long has it been since you stopped taking steroids (I'm assuming Prednisone) and what dose did you start at? Less than 1,000 calories per day is not healthy. Since you're never hungry perhaps you could try to use a timer/alarm (if you have a hard time watching the clock) to get you to eat something at certain times of the day (diabetics have to do this to help control their blood sugar but I imagine with you this will be temporary). By not eating enough you may be slowing down your metabolism which can result in keeping on the extra weight.

"Drastically reduced calories send signals to your body that there is not enough food available. Radical diets might result in initial weight loss, but the body soon adapts to the sharp reduction in fuel by shutting down and putting itself in protection mode. Metabolism and energy levels drop and calorie needs drop further. The body further responds by slowing down metabolism and storing any extra calories as fat." http://www.livestrong.com/article/244490-do-low-calorie-diets-slow-down-metabolism/

It'd be good to have your vitamin levels tested through blood work by your doctor (GI or GP can test for vitamin deficiencies) to see if you're low or deficient in anything since you're feeling extremely tired. While it may be food related a number of things can cause extreme fatigue so its good to rule out as many things as you can so you can start feeling better sooner.

 

[Novice]

You're right, I heard that not eating enough sends starvation signals n it ruins your body lol I just guess its a bad habit! I always tend to be out on IV steroids for like 5-7 days n then I tend to go through like a 40mg taper. But it happens every year the same time of year it's a pain I used to get right back into shape and go back on the pred lol but now I'm not even erring in shape... I'm gunna try putting more calories into my diet and I see my doctor next month so ill get my vitamins checked too although I take a supplement I guess it might not be enough! Although I guess it's the calorie thing as I know it's ridiculously low, I always assumed I ate enough lol

Thanks

 

[Price]

140 at the height you're at isn't big at all!

And yeah it's true that if you don't eat anything at all that your body does consume as little energy as possible making you burn less calories and that. Although it does take a little while for this to kick in.

As far as diets go I've heard Intermittent Fasting is a good one. Essentially you keep all your meals to a few hours window, say 18/6 (where 18 is fasting and 6 is your eating window). It does all kinds of science that's good for you on the whole, just whatever you do don't eat 200 calories like the news was suggesting not too long ago. My head hurt just reading that.

If that is quite difficult, which it can be, you can always calculate your TDEE and then lower your caloric intake. Your TDEE is your "Total Daily Energy Expenditure", so eating just a few hundred below that and you're sure to lose weight. Like I just checked it up now for kicks and it puts you at around 1.8k to maintain the weight you're at, so yeah dropping it by 800 would likely cause some metabolism issues

Not sure how helpful you'll find this, but it's the way I gain/lose weight when I want to.

 

[xmdmom]

I have studied weight and weight loss and "diets" per se are often counterproductive as they frequently only work for a while and then people regain the weight and sometimes more. On the other hand, people who change their diet to a healthier one that they enjoy and can sustain for the long run, are often able to lose weight or avoid weight gain. 700-1000 calories are too low.

Stress and not getting enough sleep are two often overlooked common factors that promote weight gain and make weight loss difficult.

Trying to get some more physical activity during each day is helpful especially if exercise is not possible because you don't feel well. Walking, cleaning the house, gardening, dancing --- any activity, is good. If you are not moving very much now, start by adding a little at a time and it can be divided up into a few or more times during the day.

Juicing and smoothies can be healthy but sometimes have a lot of calories in them, so it might be useful to look at that.

 

[Novice]

Thanks guys! I never realised I was eating so few calories but I'd just not feel hungry till like 2/3pm n then I'd snack cos dinner would be in a few hours! Lol so the smoothies I'm doing as I have never eaten breakfast, I go back to college Wednesday n start a part time job tomorrow so I'm def going to end up being more active and hopefully a routine will help me get some more calories in...

I do eat healthy though, rarely eat fried foods I prefer grilled any day I always have veg or salad with my dinner the only unhealthy stuff is usually my snacks of popcorn chocolate biscuits etc lol but no ones perfect n I guess they're what bring my calories so high!

The 1.8 is average for a woman anyway isn't it? So if I just try n come up to at least 1500 that should be better? Many even have some energy to do lose some weight? Lol!

I didn't understand what you said about the intermittent fasting though, but it also sounds too strict for me if u tell me I can't do something unless your a doctor saying nil by mouth I'm going to eat it sorry lol

Thank you for your input its lunch time n still not eaten such a bad start but it's reminded me to do my smoothie!

 

[UnXmas]

I'll swap weight problems with you. I have the opposite problem, but it involves many of the same issues - I sometimes fail to realise how few calories I'm consuming, have to monitor what I'm eating, end up in cycles of gaining and losing because I can't stick to a weight gain diet, etc., etc.

But I don't think it's possible to eat as few calories as you are and not lose weight. The body may go into starvation mode and hoard calories more if you eat that little, but that can only last so long. People who are starving will always lose weight.

So I'm just wondering whether you added up your calories correctly, or are you getting some in that you haven't counted (e.g. in drinks or something?). Or perhaps you've only been eating that little for a very short amount of time so the weight loss isn't noticable yet? It sounds like you do know what you're doing, but something's not adding up somewhere. If you are eating that little you'll lose weight, but it would be better to eat more so you're losing it healthily.

 

[Price]

The UK government suggests 2k for a woman and 2.5k for a man, but I don't like suggesting that since it's based on the average height, average exercise.. etc. I always prefer to check a calculator than just assuming I need that much! Getting 1500 instead of 1000 would definitely be better yeah. Also check what kinds of foods you're eating to reach that calorie intake. If you're too low on proteins/carbs and too high on fats you'll end up feeling tired and that.

IF is pretty good, it's strict but definitely has its benefits. Although I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who's going the toilet a lot since you need to eat then
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/09/14/intermittent-fasting-benefits.aspx

 

[Novice]

Hahaha! Thanks price!

Unxmas I don't really get it either, I was last on steroids in April/may (well that's when I began them) and I lost my appetite not long before that, but that doesn't mean I do t have the odd day where I will eat a lot more, but it doesn't happen more than maybe one a week if that. I went through maybe June to August eating more as I'd just returned from the UK to the US and it was BBQ time haha but still I honestly can say I didn't eat much then either a burger some potato salad n maybe a piece of desert... There has of course been Xmas thanksgiving all those food times I between where I've picked a lil at everything, so maybe that's something to do with it but I'm def as close as I can guess with my portion sizes etc i use the my fitness pal app and get my mum to tell me how big of a portion I had haha! I do also add my drinks but that was a problem too I never drank more than maybe a few cups of tea n a hot choc but I've already changed that been having 2 liters of water everyday for the past 4 days lol (not long but I only noticed last week!)

It's hard I don't know why it's like this I'm guna try n bring it up to nearer 1800 but that seems ridiculous to someone who's never hungry lol n if no change I'm seeing my GI end of feb who ill ask what's going on I'm fairly healthy crohns wise just get bad pain and joint pain but we can't have everything so well see get him to run some bloods cos I've got to have do e some kind of damage to my vitamins eating that little :/ who knows