Weight Loss & UC (explicit post!)

Hi all! Sorry I haven't been here for awhile. I was away at Disney with my mother and then got a nasty sinus infection the day after I got home. Anyway, something happened last night with my boyfriend that is just brewing my mind right now. I am on prednisone right now due to joint pain. I started with 25mg and tapering every few days to 5mg before I stop. Right now, I am on 5mg. I will obtain my next Remicade infusion this Tuesday.

Anyway, just to give you a heads up, I am about 80-85 pounds over my "comfortable" weight. Last night, my boyfriend and I were having relations and during a particular position, he lost his erection. This has been happening a few times. I have put on a few more pounds since the prednisone due to cravings, etc. Just a sidebar, my boyfriend is the sweetest and gentlest man out there and I am very happy with him. So, afterwards, we proceeded to discuss what happened. He said that maybe both of us need to start taking better care of ourselves. I asked quite frankly if it was the pressure of my body on him that was causing the problems. I honestly don't remember what he said word for word but the gist of it was the weight issue. My boyfriend and I both have weight problems but he's more broad and wider so it doesn't look like he has any weight issues. As for me, its pretty noticeable.

The whole situation has put a damper on my mood. Has anyone been through this? Also, I feel I am in a hard place since I have UC and IBS. I never know what I can or can't eat. If I eat healthy, I get a flare up. If I eat processed foods, it doesn't bother me as much, but I will get a flare up as well. Its soooo frustrating! Any tips about the weight loss issue?

TIA! You guys are the best. :)

 

LyndaC, thanks for the support. Its just so frustrating.

Wait, I think I read something ONCE somewhere on this forum...now let me see can I remember (rubs chin in thought) erm....what was it...it was just a little post, very subtle and discreet...OH YES have you tried the SCD diet?

(sorry couldn't resist He he!!

What exactly is the SCD diet? Have you tried it? I just want to get the weight off and feel better.

Yeah I feel the same way. I started to let myself go when I dated my ex-husband 6 years ago. Ever since then, the pounds have been creeping up. I just cannot seem to keep a lifestyle change. I told my boyfriend that I don't want to be a "fat" bride again. I found my true love and want to look beautiful for him but most of all, myself, when we get married. I also want to be healthy (well the healthiest I can be with this disease) wife and eventually mom. Wow-maybe I should keep this post and look at it when I get down in the dumps. :-D The main problem for me is not knowing what is right for me. Everything I eat lately bothers me. Its really frustrating as you said. Maybe we can keep tabs on each other, LyndaC. At least we can motivate each other and share any information we find. Let me know if you're interested.

I am going to talk to the nurse practioner at my doctor's on Tuesday before she adminsters my Remicade infusion. My gyno wants me to lose weight as well. She recommended a diet called "The 20 Day Rejunivation Diet" by Jeffrey Bland. Its basically a typical diet where you eat healthy fruits and veggies, lean meat, legumes, etc.

I'm game for it. I'll google the diet and see what it's about.

so when do we start? I'm on holidays for one week what about Monday the 25th to make the change?

I clicked on your username and there was no e-mail provided. If you want, try to click on my username and I believe my e-mail address is available. I don't remember. Anyway, talk to you soon! :)

The 27th works for me...looking forward to it already. 

Lonelylane...WW is great although like hana24 it doesn't take much to convince me that I NEED that cake when I'm feeling down.  LOL!  But I have to do something.  Exercise is the key...I brought my cross trainer back into the house....it's in the living room screaming my name....it just needs to learn to scream louder than the fridge and I'll be fine

will try to email you now.

 

Just wanted to add another diet suggestion. My husband went on the south beach diet and he is the cook in my house. Therefore I was defacto on the diet. I lost a few pounds right away and a lot of bloat without even being officially on it. The book is an excellent read and is more about lifestyle changes than deprivation. There is a 2 week phase 1 where you have minimal sugar and carbs. But by phase 2 you start adding back in some carbs and phase 3 is just a maintenence phase. I was very very reluctant because I didn't think I could handle the healthy foods with crohns. I figured I would start out eating hubbys food (minus things with sugar substitutes) and if I felt sick just start making my own non-diet food. But amazingly it didn't make me feel any worse and in fact made me feel better!! I didn't do it strictly and still had my morning yogurt and other stuff with some sugar. Check out the book at a bookstore. Read a few pages before you buy. I would recommend it thought to anyone. I think my mother in law lost 40 pounds on it.

Good luck with the SCD, ladies. I just started it four days ago. Its rough, but the weight is falling off already (and I was probably considered underweight before I started - thanks to UC). There's a great group on Yahoo Groups for support and info. The book is very helpful, but you'll definitely want the online support. Keep us posted on your progress!

It is somewhat similar to Atkins. Atkins is more of a no carb high protein and fat diet while South Beach is more healthy living, healthy carbs. A lot has to do with balancing sugars/carbs with protein to avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes. I found it very interesting. Since I started eating more protein (yet unlike on Atkins I was eating lean healthy protein) I am full a lot longer. And when I get hungry I just get hungry I don't get ravenous and dizzy and naseuas. But because it recommends a lot of whole grains (not whole wheat, whole grain) I was worried it would be bad for IBD. Trust me, I'm no preacher. If it hurt I would stop it and if it hurts you, modify or stop. But it didn't bother me. I learned to read labels more carefully and find products without the hidden sugars and high fructose corn syrup. Did you know lots of bread has sugar in it? Yet I found a couple whole grain breads that didn't have sugar and they tasted even better!! There is also a book called "eat this, not that." It is more of a coffee table book than a novel. But it has common foods, say pasta sauce, and it demonstrates how two similar sauces just different name brands can have radically different calorie and sugar counts. I found that book very informative.

I don't know if the two south beach diets are the same.

And just to avoid confusion, South Beach and SCD are two totally different diets. I wouldn't want someone reading to think we are talking about one and the same.

In addition to cleaning up your diet, I'd highly recommend working with a personal trainer to get you set up on cardio and weight training programs. Weight loss on diet changes alone is going to be very difficult. Exercise will help you lose fat, add muscle, protect or rebuild your bones from any steroid-induced bone loss and will generally make you feel better and more energetic.

hey ladies... i have some advice...

go ahead and try whatever diet you think will work.  it just might.

but something to keep in mind, if you cheat or fall off the wagon, or just want some yummy food one day.. 

PORTION CONTROL.

you can eat pretty much anything you want, just gotta control your portions.

eat the cake, eat the chips, eat the pasta, burgers, pizza... (unless of course it bothers your colon)..

you just gotta watch the portions.

if you have big portions at the moment, dont just go in and make them tiny, cuz you will feel deprived. slowly make them smaller and smaller.

i did this a few years back and it worked a charm.

it wasn't a quick overnight loss of weight, but it lasted. and i didnt feel like i was on a diet cuz i ate whatever i wanted.

like i said, eat chips, just dont eat the whole bag in one sitting.

or eat some chocolate, just not the whole entire block in one go.

good luck!!!