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STARTING NEW EATING HABITS BUT NOT FEELING WELL

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Posted 6/2/2015 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
hi everyone,
i'm trying to lose weight. i need to lose at least 40 pounds. i lost 1 so far within 2 weeks.
my issue is now i;m constipated because i barely eat carbs now and carbs worked for me and my uc. now im suffering.
its so discouraging. i was crying today cause i finally started to correct
my eating habits and i'm so depressed from the results.
i dont want to suffer with constipation but i want to improve my health for my uc.
i may try the FODMAP diet. do any of you have luck with it?
i know everyone is different when it comes to eating certain foods.

i just need some advice. im just not happy :-(
any words would be great.
donna ~~~~
Posted 6/2/2015 1:50 AM (GMT 0)
Add some soluble fiber to relieve constipation.
Changes in diet are always hard but harder when you have a GI issue like UC.
Do it one step at a time.
You didn't gain 40 pounds in a month so take a long view of changing your diet for the purpose of weight loss while still keeping your UC quiet.

The best way I have of losing weight is getting out of the house and away from food. Taking walks or doing things where food is not available. Just eating less food basically and staying away from temptation.
Go slow and steady. 1 lb in 2 weeks is not bad, it's a start.
Posted 6/2/2015 3:34 AM (GMT 0)
ditto on fiber. I like Triple Fiber from Renew Life
Posted 6/2/2015 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
I've been doing the low FODMAP no fructose since April 6 specifically for my IBS-constipation (now that crohn's colitis is in remission) and I still struggle with constipation, it was getting a bit better then recently downhill again....I'm soooooooooooo frustrated at this point. And I take metamucil fibre pills daily as well as increasing my safe FODMAP fruits and veggies, BUT, please don't let my experience discourage you from trying as it might be just what you need.

Best of luck, I know how difficult and painful the constipation can be, especially when there's still daily frequency....might not be as bad if I only had to go through it once/day but 5 or more really gets painful and annoying.
Posted 6/2/2015 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi
First of all good for you for taking charge and deciding to use diet to get better. Because you have ibd traditional dieting may or may not work well for you. There are some dietitians who specialize in ibd. I would see if you can arrange to meet one. If your insurance does not cover it they may be willing to talk to you over the phone. I am not sure where you live but university of Chicago medical center has an excellent dietician who works with the ibd team that you can see outpatient.
Good luck with dieting and hope you feel good soon.
Posted 6/2/2015 9:24 AM (GMT 0)
Stick with your diet change, give it more time, and don't loose hope. I'm trying to loose my winter belly and it's slow progress as well. Loosing weight is two things, reducing your caloric intake (sometimes by a few hundred calories a day) and increasing your exercise levels. To be healthy, weight loss should be slow, so you're doing fine. Keep at it :-)
Posted 6/3/2015 7:30 PM (GMT 0)
hi everyone.
cant thank you enough for all your responses.
i walked at least 3 miles between yesterday and today. its a start and its helped a great deal on moving "things"along. :-)
one day at time on my new eating habits. its only been 2 weeks so i wont give up :-)
i jointed MYFITNESSPAL on line and it helps me control how many caleries i eat. also, looking at a food diary helps me to stay on track.
right it didnt take me a day to gain the weight. my gi doctor said give it 1 yr to lose it. i was crying so bad but he showed a different side and took my hand and talked and supported me. it was nice.
one pound at a time !!!
Posted 6/3/2015 8:26 PM (GMT 0)
Good for you. Walking helps on multiple levels: cardio, keeping bowels happy, staying away from refrigerator and kitchen in general.

I play pickleball twice a week for 2-3 hours each time. It's the only way I like running haha and nice people to have fun with. It's even indoors with air-conditioning, how amazing and the county offers it for $2 drop-in. Other sports (racquetball, basketball, etc) could be equally fun but this way I don't need to join a team or pay for a club.
Posted 6/3/2015 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Take some magnesium citrate (keep doubling the dose til you are better, I like Solgar from Amazon)! Intense exercise AND GI issues AND constipation = magnesium deficiency! Cheers!
Posted 6/3/2015 8:52 PM (GMT 0)
For constipation one important thing is to drink a lot of water. I always carry a bottle of water with me where ever I go. I got one that I like with a little handle and grab it when I switch room, bring it in my car... Totally every where.

I have also been doing the low FODMAP it has help me with gas and pain but not with the constipation.

I too have weight to loss. It seems that with UC ( and premenopause) there was a bunch of crappy food that made me fell better and I have been gaining weight. I have first focused on finding the healthy food that agreed with me.

Don't give up. As for physical activities it is hard sometimes to find the energy. Well then I make sure I just move more on these days than the usual but don't push my self into doing sometimes I don't have the energy for. For instance I will turn on the music while doing the housework so I move quicker and dance at the same time. At work I will make sure I take the stairs and so on. It is not much but better than nothing.
Posted 6/3/2015 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
I drink a lot of water too Chantrelle and it barely helps with my constipation, couldn't imagine what things would be like if I didn't drink as much as I do in a day....and to boot now I'm running to the bathroom more frequently to pee all the time, it's a losing battle for me, seems I'm meant to be on the toilet no matter what lol...it's actually pretty depressing.
Posted 6/3/2015 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Donna - so know where you're coming from I started a new eating regime, felt amazing, lost 5 kgs then boom flare. think all the fibre etc. wasn't a good thing. I've now gone off it, am eating junk and crap instead and utterly depressed! So hang in there. Don't let it put you off and go back to where I am, sometimes some tweaks etc. as suggested above can be the answer. And IBD or not most bodies need to adjust. I felt so annoyed and wished I was a 'normal' person without IBD so I could just keep going on the great path I was on. I had a little cry about it too sad

I find the food thing completely confusing and am booked in in a few weeks to see a dietician who specialises in IBD and low FODMAP. I also have IBS rolleyes I've never tried low FODMAP so figure its worth a try.

You're heading in the right direction just keep going. :-)
Posted 6/3/2015 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
runae,

Best of luck with your dietitian appointment...mine also specializes in IBD/IBS/Celiacs and all other gut issues and my GI recommended me to her (she's one of his CD patients as well) she put me on low FODMAP no fructose or inulin diet for about 4 weeks before starting reintroduction again which took another 4 weeks (usually 5 cuz dairy is in the reintroduction but she already knew I was lactose intolerant so we adjusted to that) and I finally finished the reintroduction last Sunday so now I am to slowly add back in the things she took from me and continue monitoring until the end of this month when I am to see her again...it wasn't a bad diet, I mostly struggled with suppers because I didn't want to invest a whole lot of time finding recipes since I knew it was going to be a short-term diet.

My dietitian was shocked that I did so well and never cheated during the whole thing lol, I was almost offended and asked her why, she said she could tell by my reaction to the low FODMAP list that I didn't look too thrilled about it lol and thought for sure I'd either not be able to follow through or that I'd cheat a lot through it...my take on her reaction was why the heck would I spend that kind of money out of pocket to her to ruin it and why would I even bother spending a dime or the time to ruin it and have to keep starting over lol.

So just be prepared that you might find it a bit of a struggle but it's not bad and I learned a lot from her, I wasn't eating properly, never ate breakfast and wasn't eating enough fiber or protein or good healthy fats, I had the mind set for years that the less I ate the less I would poop, she showed me how wrong I was with that thinking....

I recommend everyone with gut issues to see a qualified and certified dietitian and one that specializes in IBD/IBS/Celiacs etc. because for me, trying to figure it out on my own didn't work at all. At the end of this month when I see her again, she's giving me a diet plan to aid with my IBD for the next time I flare again, it'll be a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods, some of which I'm already eating from this low FODMAP diet she had me on (still eating breakfast and lunch low FODMAP style because I actually really enjoy it and it's safe and healthy.

Good luck!
Posted 6/3/2015 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks PB4 the specialist dietician I've booked in with has crohns herself so I'm hopeful.
Posted 6/3/2015 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
I wish there would be a dietitian that knows about IBD and IBS around here. I have my phone App for the low FODMAP but I would not mind a little help.
Posted 6/3/2015 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Chantrelle there isn't one in my area either so I'm doing a SKYPE consult
Posted 6/3/2015 11:48 PM (GMT 0)

pb4 said...
now I'm running to the bathroom more frequently to pee all the time, it's a losing battle for me, seems I'm meant to be on the toilet no matter what lol...it's actually pretty depressing.

Indeed, no matter what, I have to spend a whole lot of time there too.
Posted 6/3/2015 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Runae,

I can't believe I have never thought about it, Skype consult !

Thanks for the idea.
Posted 6/4/2015 12:37 AM (GMT 0)
donna, I think the key to losing weight is to make sure your fridge is full of the right foods, it takes some work, organisation, but I am sure you can do it. Get yourself organized and motivated, fill your fridge and freezer with the right foods for you! Also can you take a 20 min walk every other day? it’s a gentle, low-impact form of exercise that’s easy, free and suitable for people of all ages and most abilities.

If you find you are still struggling why not consider arranging an appointment with a nutritionist via Skype.
Posted 6/4/2015 12:49 AM (GMT 0)

runae said...
Thanks PB4 the specialist dietician I've booked in with has crohns herself so I'm hopeful.

Oh wow that's a weird coincidence eh!!! Where are you, Canada or the U.S.?
Posted 6/4/2015 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
poppie, i try to walk around everyday whether inside doing chores around the house or outside just about everyday. :-)
its not that i eat lots of junk its carbs. :-( . i'm doing so well staying away from them. i'm not a chocolate eater, or sweets. chips sometimes.
no soda, i have a bagel maybe once a week as a treat.
so little by little my body i hope will adjust.
drink lots of water. i carry it everywhere with me.
runea you should just like me right now. i hope you find some light at the end of tunnel too.
Posted 6/4/2015 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Right!... One last thing, remember that if you don't eat enough, you will not lose weight.! I know this because my sister seemed to be on a constant diet when we were teenagers, she ate like a sparrow, never enough, and yet seemed to pile on the pounds.

Best of luck to you.
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