the kilos piling up ? what to do!!!

[ingemlb]

Hi Everyone. Finally after 2 weeks of returning home from hospital I had the courage to jump on the scale and SHOCK HORROR :scared: I put on .7 of a KG in JUST 2 WEEKS.

So the BATTLE IS ON.

Last night I bought a treadmill. Perfect timing. I am worried about going out walking and finding after 10 minutes I can't cope any further. I am also a bit worried of all the germs in the pool and at the gym given the state of my immune system.

So at the moment I am hibernating at home and just walking around the house was not much of an incentive hence after 2 weeks of researching best options decided on a treadmill as that is the equipment I used most frequently and for the longer stretches at the gym. It's not a nice piece of furniture to have to cram into our family room but so be it ... hopefully it will arrive some time today. Bought it on ebay, 2nd hand which means it's already assembled and the kind seller is driving 2 hours to our place to deliver it himself which is what finally persuaded me to buy from him. I was dreading assembly of such a heavy object and also paying a fortune for 2 men to deliver and carry into the house.

Foodwise I am avoiding all white starch and any sugar I can that is not occurring naturally in foods. I limit my fruit to the odd banana (slow release sugar which helps prevent hypos) and unfortunately the odd fig which is very high in sugar but our tree is overloaded and I simply can't resist them.

Had to stop the low fat approach as it was aggravating the constipation.

So my diet consists of bacon and eggs for breakfast or veggie omelettes. Lunch is meat/fish/poultry and well cooked veggies and dinner a bit of salad and cold meat or fish. Snacks are bit of cheese now and then and I have to give up the crackers. Yoghurt with either blueberries/strawberries or bananas. I may make some Hommus and use some celery sticks to dip in as well.

I am also checking out diabetic friendly muesli bars.

My main projet has to be to control portion sizes. Last night my husband cooked a yummy lamb roast with roast veggies. Unfortunately I also ate couple of potatoes (normally just stick to sweet potatoes) and I overindulged by getting a second helping and within 30 minutes my bowels were complaining bitterly. so I hope I learnt my lesson to REDUCE those portion sizes.

I am already too heavy as I put on too much weight again last year after losing a lot the year before so this is serious now. When I was in hospital I made a decision to lose 30 kg so that next time I am incarcerated it will be easier on the nurses should I not be able to move. I saw how hard it was for those even bigger than me. They were so uncomfortable on those mattresses and I am determined that won't be happening to me.

Any advice on how others have managed to reduce or keep off the kilos despite this illness and it's ravaging treatments would be gratefully appreciated :)

[gilders]

"My main projet has to be to control portion sizes"
That's been my problem. I've had days when I'm thinking this is great I'm not constantly hungry today, I'll just have a light snack for lunch. BUT as soon as my mouth tastes food that's it, I turn into Cookie Monster. The pred must stop "feeling full" signals reaching the brain as I have occasionally carried on eating and not realised how much I've ate until my stomach is in physical pain.

My problem is not only that exercise is extremely tiring during this relapse, but my recent deep vein thrombosis means as soon as I walk my leg begins to swell and become painful.

My only advice to keep off the kilos is to stick to what you already have planned - sensible portions, sensible diet (just watch out on the cheese, most are HIGH fat and calories) and use the treadmill. Maybe use the treadmill while watching your favourite program, it might distract you from the tiredness you'll feel.
Another trick I used when I used to use my rowing machine, was to think of a destination I'd like to visit, find out how many miles away it was, plan a tough but do-able distance to travel each day and when you "virtually" reach the destination reward yourself (maybe even book a break away at the destination).

[ingemlb]

Great advice Gilders :) Thanks!! Yes the feeling of fullness hits me about 15 minutes after eating. My fatloss fitness coach has been trying to get me to slow down for years but .... I will just have to try harder. He claims a meal should take 30 to 45 minutes to finish. I seem to gobble it up within 5 to 10 :)

[renidrag]

I started this journey as a thin man. Gaining 70 lbs turned me into an obese man, lost 20-25lbs and now I am, I think a fat man. At 6'4" I can carry it. Now I just put my feet together and click my heels while repeating "I don't want to be fat, I don't want to.......we'll you know.
Dale

[Debbie C]

Slowing down eating is a good idea. After each bite ,put your fork down and chew slower. My boyfriend is the same way ,when we go out he usally has to wait a half an hour for me too finish. You should also try some yoga moves. Not only is it great for stress but also helps the stomach issues. Good Luck,you can do it. I should talk ,I have been trying to loose 10 lbs. forever. ( i don't know the difference between pounds and kilos )

[BookNut]

It sounds like your techniques should work. It sounds similar to the low carb, high fat diet I have followed since Nov. How long have you been doing this? The high fat part of it is SO opposite of what we hear every day bere in the U.S. that i can't help but worry about its effects on my cholesterol etc. I go for a blood test soon, so hopefully that will put my mind to rest. The big thing for me is the weight loss, and feeling of fullness. I eat much as you do, and i make sure to eat full fat yogurt. i was miserable for a week or so...and then all of a sudden i got over the "wheat belly flu" and realized that I was no longer constantly grazing. I get hungry every 4 hours, instead of every 2 hours.

Interesting aside. I have cut out virtually all grains. Certainly no wheat in any form. I lost 9 pounds in 3 weeks with no exercise AND while I was on prednisone. NEVER has this happened for me. Well, I miss bread and i saw some at a local supermarket that was made from ancient grains. supposedly all non-GMO. I ate ONE piece every morning till the loaf was gone. probably about two weeks. I gained 5 pounds!!! Once the bread was gone, i lost three of the gained pounds in a week. So...when i cheat now, I do NOT cheat with any wheat products. i cheat with an extra serving of full fat greek yogurt (with 2teaspoons of fruit jam) or a half cup of unsalted nuts, or some fancy olives from the olive bar. Even with 2-3 few pieces of Dove dark chocolate. ANYTHING except bread, crackers, cookies or cake.

Good luck and keep healthy!!

[ingemlb]

Slowing down eating is a good idea. After each bite ,put your fork down and chew slower. My boyfriend is the same way ,when we go out he usally has to wait a half an hour for me too finish. You should also try some yoga moves. Not only is it great for stress but also helps the stomach issues. Good Luck,you can do it. I should talk ,I have been trying to loose 10 lbs. forever. ( i don't know the difference between pounds and kilos )
pounds is a hell of a lot better than kilos! thanks for the advice debra. Will get my husband to monitor my eating and force me to slow down :)

[ingemlb]

Like it Jacquie! The bread had a very bad effect on me so I do think white starchy stuff is lethal. I remember a friend who had cholesterol problems went onto Atkins for a few months lost a tonne of weight and after over indulging on heaps of saturated fat (e.g. pork crackling was his favourite) his cholesterol was normal. Hence he convinced even his wife he was on the right track :)

But I don't like the extreme atkins idea of fat and meat and practically no carbs. I lean toward mediterranean avoiding all artificial sugar and white starches and restricting fruits. I found out blue berries, strawberries, bananas are ok for diabetics. And apricots apparently. So I am trying to keep those to a minimum but eat lots of veggies and salads and don't worry about the fat any more. Full cream milk and yoghurt. Bacon and eggs with yolks for breakfast. and I leave the skin on the chicken. Makes my bowels behave and hopefully won't add to the weight gain :)

[Pete]

Hi Inge,

I also think you're on the right track. Watching your portions, eating slower, and getting a bit of exercise should all be helpful. The problem being is that if you're still on pred, any weight loss is going to be slow. I've lost about 2.5 kilos since Christmas, but it's been an up and down thing. Fortunately, I'm down to 8 mg of pred and am in good enough shape to get 30 - 45 minutes of exercise each day. While the weight loss is slow, I feel better, my numbers are better, and my clothes are starting to fit better. The slowness is frustrating to a guy whose daily prayer is, "Lord, please give me patience -- NOW!!!"

Good luck.

[ingemlb]

Thanks Pete :)

Treadmill arrived and ... did my first 13 minutes of walking at 3km ph which seemed comfortable. On a totally flat incline. So will program that in 3x a day for now and see how we go :)

[mishb]

( i don't know the difference between pounds and kilos )

Deb, 1 pound is just less then half a kilo.

By rule we normally say that 2.2 pound is 1 kilo
Therefore, 10 pounds is 4.5 kilos

Unfortunately, in four years I have put on about 35 pound (which is a lot for someone who is already vertically challenged :razz:)
I so badly need to learn portion control.....can I lose 20 pounds by Saturday? I have a wedding to go to and the dress code is after 5 formal wear......arggh

[Wegetarian]

I gained 10kg in the first two months on high pred, and I think 4 kg on the third month. Was pretty annoying to say the least. Did manage to drop maybe 4 kilos by December last year, but gained a few after I started working. It was easier when I was on sick leave and could go daily to the gym or swimming if I just felt like it, now after a day of work and getting the kids to bed its just so late. I do try to go for an evening walk every now and then.

[windchime]

I've gained 22 pounds or there about since Dec. I don't feel that my eating habits have changed (I'm probably in denial). Like today coffee for breakfast and I didn't want lunch because I wasn't hungry. That's typical for me. Don't get me wrong, I've had a day or two where I wanted to eat everything in sight, but not many she says very thankfully. I feel like I have a lot of water weight on board. I do know that I'm miserable. I was overweight to begin with and now I'm the heaviest I've ever been. I managed to get to 20 mg of pred on Sun and so far I've not had the breathing problems that plagued me the other two times I tried. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will work this time.

[ingemlb]

I wrote a long reply earlier today but must have got interrupted before I sent it. I have a bad habit of hitting the "reply" button above instead of the "post quick reply" button below and then I lose all I have typed :( have to be more careful.

Thanks Michelle for giving the conversion. I so feel for you. I spent all of 2012 losing lots of weight then plateaued early last year and the 2nd half started piling it on again. Now I am desperate to lose it again and figure out how I can become sensible enough to KEEP IT OFF. Seems to be I want to party when I reach a milestone and stuff myself with cakes and chocolates :( of course that is now TOTALLY out of the question hence my resolve to remove sugar and grains and any form of white starch out of my diet for good.

Wegetarian I know how hard it is to lose weight whilst working. You lose control and hard to slot in exercise. When I was working so many people would bring in cakes or have some kind of lolly/chocolate drive to raise funds for schools and kindergartens and going to the cafe bar became a constant temptation. Then the lunches out and too much of a rush to make something healthy to bring to work but you know. If you add Pred to the mix I reckon we are hopelessly lost :(

Cindy at least the water should disappear once you get off the Pred?

Well you have all frightened me into behaving!!! Off to have my first treadmill session today. Take care all and I pray you all get the strength to fight this weight gain.

[Wegetarian]

Then the lunches out and too much of a rush to make something healthy to bring to work but you know.

Well actually I guess I got a bit lucky, the food where I worked used to be real good. And it is a buffet, so I always ate too much. When I came back from my sick leave they had changed the catering company, who not only raised the price to 10 euros but doesn't make good food. So it was an easy choice to start bringing my own lunch with me. I've tried to eat salad for one meal each weekday - but the last few weeks I've skipped that. It only takes like 5 minutes to make, and I save that time as the office kitchen is much closer than the cafeteria and I don't need to stand in cues.

[ingemlb]

Well the FEAR FACTOR or something worked. It scared 2kg of weight off me in less than a week :) :) TOO early to celebrate in case my scale is playing up!!! But seems like something is working. Maybe the treadmill helping digest the sugar faster? Maybe I AM starting to watch portion sizes. Whatever ... I will KEEP IT UP and report back next week :) :) Here is a typical day's food for me if anyone is interested. I had to add fat back into the diet due to factor constipation. So I am not on FAT FREE but I am on NO ADDED SUGAR, SWEETENERS, WHITE STARCHES of any kind.

Breakfast 9am : usually some kind of eggy dish (omelette with veggies or broad beans) and some bacon (fat factor) I use rather fatty German Speck. Also very yummy. Also take my insulin then which requires a snack before lunch as sugar drops very low.
Snack before lunch: full cream yoghurt with some kind of berry or 1/2 a banana
Lunch 1pm: we try to make our main meal with some kind of meat / poultry / fish and steamed veggies. I take my pred with lunch.
Afternoon Snack: something rather non sweet. maybe a bit of cheese (6 hours between lunch and dinner so it's more boredom than hunger makes me grab a bite. I have had to give up anything too sweet like fruit or muesli bars (home made) as the sugar climbs dangerously high during this period so it really means I should do without any kind of snack during the afternoon but ... long wait for dinner. I have dinner later because of the next lot of meds I need to take that have to be taking on a full stomach.
Dinner 7pm: Usually some kind of fish or meat with a salad plate.
Late night snack 10pm: full cream yoghurt with a banana sees me through the night without the sugar falling too low.

I did some research and now have a lot of non sweet snacks that are great. Made an avocado dip yesterday with celery and carrot sticks for the afternoon. That worked brilliantly for the sugar. Going to try a black bean salad today that looks yummy. Will also be making some Hummus as a dip.

I managed so far 2 or 3 stints of the treadmill most days. Each one either 10 to 15 minutes depending how I feel and vary the speed between 3 and 4 kph but no incline. I can do all that without breaking into a sweat or losing my breath so can see myself upping the anti if I continue to feel good.

ok ... it's early days. Just hope I have the staying power to keep this up :)

[BookNut]

Congratulations Inge!! That is very encouraging. If you give it a couple of weeks and particularly avoid bread and cookies, you will find your need for sugar will drop considerably. Especially by adding back a reasonable amount of healthy fats. I thought it would never happen - losing the cravings - but if you keep at it for 6 weeks it becomes and ingrained habit. I never thought I would EVER drink my morning coffee without sugar or sugar substitute, but the half and half cream did the trick at no extra weight gain. Now I don't miss the sugar even a tiny bit. What bums me out is that I gain weight if I "cheat" with fruit. I really miss bananas - but if I eat them, up goes the scale. I have to figure out another way to get potassium.

[ingemlb]

Thanks Jacquie. That's weird about the bananas. I eat two baby bananas a day as they are slow release sugar and get me through the 2 periods I am in danger of hypos. These are very small made for children's lunches but still I eat them every day so far it's working. Will review if it becomes a problem:) Thanks for the advice. I ditched sugar in drinks ages ago. I now only drink herbal teas, mineral water, water, and a barley coffee substitute. With the Barley coffee (Nature's Cuppa) I do use full cream milk. So I have probably about 3 or 4 of those a day.

Yes cheating with other fruit is very dangerous. Berries like blueberries and strawberries are ok. FIGS ARE A BIG NONO AND I SADLY HAVE A TREE FULL OF THEM RIPENING EACH DAY :( For me it's the SUGAR that goes up immediately :)

[windchime]

Congrats Inge, keep up the good work. :hug3: