[Soon2BSlender]

Hello all!

Over the last few years I've had my slight ups and downs, but in the past 9 months I've gained about 30 pounds. I am at my highest weight and my health has spiraled out of control. I just cannot seem to find the right balance and the weight will not come off. I am eating a healthy and low calorie diet, but that is not doing it.

I have:
Asthma
IBS - C
Hypothyroidism
Migraine Headaches

I tried eating a high protein/low carb diet and that seemed to be successful from a weight loss perspective, but had my stomach in excruciating pain. I've tried eating whole grains and fruits and vegetables, but I cannot lose any weight. Right now I've eliminated red meat and most bread and I try to eat about 1000-1200 healthy calories a day (chicken, fish, eggs, lentils, blueberries, greek yogurt, etc). My weight has stabilized, but my IBS is still in full force. I've tried things like coffee and prune juice, with no result. I know working out would be a way to up my metabolism, but I'm coming off of several months of basically being bedridden for respiratory issues so I'm taking it slowly with workouts.

I'm very frustrated and would welcome suggestions...

[Jovichick]

I totally understand and so frustrated. I continue to gain weight also. I am trying to eat healthy, but it doesn't seem to matter. I have several health problems and I am constantly in pain.

I had open heart surgery a year ago due to a hole in my heart. I have constant pain in my chest. I have a disease called Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension which causes shortness of breath and fatigue due to lack of oxygen. I also have several torn discs in the lumbar of my back so I have pain daily and sit with a heating pad often. Exercise is really tough due to my pain. I am so frustrated.

[kaplods]

I have most of your same health issues and a few others (fibromyalgia, diabetes and autoimmune issues). No migrains, my asthma is currently in remission, and my IBS usually is more prone to diarrhea or out of the blue, emergency poos than constipation, though I do get both (though daily yogurt and a probiotic capsule has almost eliminated the constipation element).

I too find that I lose best on lower carb, but my IBS flares were triggered when I tried to make the transition suddenly.

For me, any drastic change in diet will aggravate the IBS symptoms. I find that (once I get there, by small steps) I lose weight and feel best and have way fewer IBS attacks on a high veggie, moderately high fruit, moderate fat, moderately low red meat, low dairy diet. I have to avoid fresh dairy, but can eat yogurt and other cultured/aged dairy (small amounts of cheese).

I've drifted away from my optimal diet, and I'm now working at drifting back. It's frustrating because I will always have to use baby steps to get back or I will experience excrutiating IBS flares (only with IBS can you have constipation and diarrhea in the same day).

For the IBS especially, I would recommend making any diet changes slowly. Fiber usually helps IBS greatly, but you can't make any changes suddenly. So while increasing freggie intake eventually will help, you have to do it slow and gradually, babystep style or you'll suffer for it.

Unfortunately it's very hard to make even babystep changes, because the only way to find out if you're step is small enough is to take it, and see what happens. If you get a painful reaction, you have to step back until the pain stops and then make the next step smaller.

Eventually you'll get better at gauging how big a step you can take and the best pacing between steps.

It's slow and frustrating, but we can't "run with it" like people with cast iron digestive tracts.

[Soon2BSlender]

Great advice about making changes slowly! I tend to make sudden changes and then get sick so I switch.

I am feeling so sick tonight! I just want to curl up in a ball and cry

I made an appointment with a new endocrinologist to try to adjust my thyroid. Hopefully, that will assist with weight loss and boost my energy levels. I also saw my pulmonary specialist today who told me she believes my asthma is triggered is being aggravated by something in my environment.

I just want to feel healthy and get back in shape!

[Occheermommy]

Also don't forget low carb diets r notoriously constipating. Try fiber supplements if u go that route. And probiotics are great for everyone.
I think the thyroid thing may help too.
Good luck

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by Occheermommy

Also don't forget low carb diets r notoriously constipating.

Not if you do them right. Only the freggie-hater (low-fat, no-fruit, low-veg, low-fiber: "meat & lettuce only") low-carb diets are constipating.

If you're eating only low to moderately low fat meat and lettuce as your only veggie and only 3 cups or less of that, constipation is virtually inevitable.


However, if you eat lots of high-fiber, watery, low-carb plant foods (** 6-10 servings of whole, non-dehydrated, non-starchy, low-sugar, low calorie, veggies and fruits), a moderate amount of medium fat meats (or low-fat meats and added good fats), and a reasonable amount of liquids (1-2 liters), constipation shouldn't be a problem.

** for plant foods, a serving being:

1/2 cup of low-sugar fruits, such as berries
1/2 cup non-starchy veggies, cooked
1/3 c canned beets or cooked carrot
3/4 raw carrots or raw snap peas
1 cup of most non-starchy veggies, raw (veggies like broccoli, cauliflower...)
2-3 cups of super low-carb, super low-cal veggies like lettuce, spinach, cucumber...