Help please, need to lose weight - Endometriosis UK

Endometriosis UK

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Help please, need to lose weight

Escapologygirl profile image
43 Replies

Hey lovely people

Have any of you tried losing weight? Need to lose about 3stone and was looking at slimming world as an idea/aide.

Due to endometriosis being a very fatiguing condition I am trying to find a way to balance my eating habits with my absolutely exhausted most days self. Any advice from you amazing people would be much appreciated.

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Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl
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43 Replies
Dorea profile image
Dorea

Hi!

I can't help much but I am on the journey of (hopefully) losing weight too so just wanted to wish you good luck :)

I have introduced more fish (salmon mainly) and anti-inflammatory veggies (Brussels, green leafy vegs, avocado) in my diet.

Also ordered turmeric-ginger-green tea because it can help with the endo symptoms.

So I'm hoping that changing my diet results some weight loss in a long term :)

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toDorea

Thank you so much for your reply and best of luck with your changes

Redhen17 profile image
Redhen17

Hi I struggle with my weight I have pcos as well as endo .

I am on a weight loss journey too and know how pain can really impact on ur ability to exercise . The Fatigue is also a nightmare.

Any ideas would also be welcome .

Wish u good luck with it xx

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toRedhen17

Thank you for your reply and its such a nightmare, like damned if we do and damned if we don't. Best of luck with your journey

mich profile image
mich in reply toRedhen17

I feel the same re chronic pain that fluctuates from severe to just cope able.

I thought about tryingbcbd oil.

I was on duloxetine recommended for bladder issues and chronic pain, need to give it 6 months, it helps but I have gone back to prozac as that helps with pelvic pain, again I suggest 6 months to see what happens.

Also I used serenity cream for 5 years both topically on my wrist and also with an applicator internally with effect. I am thinking of possibly going back to serenity cream alongside the prozac. The anti depressants work as they calm nerves I think but some make you drowsy for a while til you adjust.

Can cause dry eyes also so I use eye drops as needed.

With duloexetine I found I slept much better which in turn helps the body heal and emotionally it helps you to cope.

I am trying to find a comfortable medium mattress as the new soft one I have got seems to make lumber pain worse which impacts on increase in pelvic pain.

So much trial and error.

I use a TENS machine also, used regularly while watching TV or reading after a few months it broke a large muscle spasm I had in my buttock which was due to soft tissue pain.

I would also ask your GP to refer you to the chronic pain team in your local area, they have so much experience. There is lots they can do to help. Sometimes amitryptilyne , gabapentin or similar can give good relief from pain, acupuncture can also help.

It is trial and error.

I learnt about pacing and pain as I get fatigue from the constant pain when it flares badly. Pacing is where you stop your activities before the pain gets worse not when it's flared from the activity you are doing and it is also about resting before things get worse.

BTW Serenity cream has lots of interesting info on menopause, perimenopause and hormones in general, well worth a look at their website.

Hope what I have written will be helpful to someone.

Redhen17 profile image
Redhen17 in reply tomich

Thanks so much for this reply . I’ll look at the pain management team . I recently invested in an eve mattress & it’s made a big difference .

mich profile image
mich in reply toRedhen17

Thanks so much, will look into the eve mattress good luck with pain clinicx

Jane884 profile image
Jane884

Hi there, I did have a lot of weight to lose some years back, after my pregnancy resulted in extended bed-rest and I gained 5 stone during my pregnancy!! I lost that in less than a year without adding any exercise (I'm not a fan!) I kept my calories to 1500 a day, and I I focused on more healthy and filling wholefoods, so I didn't feel the need to snack as much. And I found lots of really low calorie snacks to have in to replace my usual if I craved snacks.

When i started to gain weight recently, due to lack of activity with my endo pain, I cut right back on anything "white", either cutting it out or replacing for brown, and I noticed a difference really quickly. I'd got into the habit of eating instant noodles and crusty bread every lunch time and was spending too much time in bed with the biscuit tin 😂 . So I try to avoid too much processed food as it tends to be full of sugars. I've always been vegetarian too, which I think tends to automatically make your meals less calorific.

Hope some of this helps. Good luck! x

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toJane884

Thank you for your reply and wow that makes sense alright. I hope you're ok and good luck with your journey

Jane884 profile image
Jane884 in reply toEscapologygirl

Thank you, you too. It's hard to approach trying to lose weight or get fit when you have pain and feel exhausted all the time x

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toJane884

Exactly 💯

mich profile image
mich in reply toJane884

I have cut out cakes, biscuits, all white highly processed foods.

Also chocolate and sweets.

I eat flying saucers, muesli bars , suck butter mints if need some sugar!! In the evening. Also drinking BOB milk and banana milk shakes from tesco

Increased veg and salad, remain fish only.

Whole wheat pasta and brown rice.

I am slowly loosing weight and feel better.

Walk pain permitting.

30 min to 1 hour walk 5x week helps shift weight very quickly and include hills if possible in the walks.

Bebe294 profile image
Bebe294

Hi dearI lost about 10 kg in 7-8 month just by help of few supplements I believe they reduced my appetite significantly.

I found Berberine HCL on amazon, its mechanism is to reduce insulin resistance and it has been in several research. It helps with decreasing blood sugar so if anyone is diabetic must consult doctor before use bcuz its very similar to metformin but its from a fruit.

Also my naturopathy doc gave me Milk thistle in liquid form after each meal it helps liver but I believe it helped together with Berbeine decreasing my insulin resistance and appetite as a result.

I have endo as well and had stomach upset, heart burn etc. She also gave me Aloe vera 2 times before breakfast and before bed.

I am very happy by results I got from these 3 supplements .

Btw Berberin helps with PCOS as well.

I cut them for now bcuz wanna do another ivf and it reduces AFC- antral follicle count ( similar to myo inositol and metformin) and I dont have PCOS although increases egg quality a big deal!

Good luck with your journey hope this info helps you ♥️

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toBebe294

Oh wow thank you so much for your reply and never knew supplements could be like that. Good luck with your ivf journey

Bebe294 profile image
Bebe294 in reply toEscapologygirl

Thank u very much 🥰

Bethleah profile image
Bethleah

Hi. I’m trying too. I find I need to eat more protein to feel full but only animal/ fish works. Also have to avoid some healthy foods as it upsets my bowel. I tried soups and shakes but they leave me hungry so now I’m eating better more balanced , mind fully etc but peri menopausal so another barrier. Been trying since October but not noticed anything yet.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toBethleah

Thank you for your reply and its disheartening isn't it? Its like our bodies get too used to something and just don't want to work anymore, good luck with your journey

Emmeline14 profile image
Emmeline14

I go swimming three times a week and it starts to drop off. Do a minimum of 40 mins (just breaststroke) in the pool and it's relaxing yet still shifts the pounds. x

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toEmmeline14

Thank you for your reply and wow that's brilliant

Emmeline14 profile image
Emmeline14 in reply toEscapologygirl

Try going twice a week, it's really gentle but really beneficial! x

Dachy32 profile image
Dachy32

Hi 👋 I’ve also got Endometriosis and have always struggled with dieting but I’ve actually lost 3 stone. Took about 6 months and I did strict calorie counting using the app my fitness pal. I struggle more maintaining the weight loss but I find calorie counting for me is the only diet I can do. Worth a go. But you have to be strict. Hard at first but you get used to the smaller portions etc. xxx

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toDachy32

Thank you for your reply and ok never heard of this before but will look into it. Good luck with your journey

Jenn2022 profile image
Jenn2022

I lost 6kg in 3 months by switching to 'the endo diet': no dairy, no wheat, no sugar, no caffeine, no alcohol. It was pretty miserable and I don't think it helped my endo at all, but the weight just dropped off.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toJenn2022

Thank you for your reply and wow that's restricted, I keep hearing about endo diet but there's so many versions. Good luck with your journey

Belle76 profile image
Belle76

Have you tried my fitness pal it’s a free app or you can pay. It’s great once you have been doing it for a bit as you have to weigh stuff but once it’s on your list it’s great. You can scan bar codes too. Try and eat more protein too.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toBelle76

Thank you for your reply, I have not but it sounds a tiny bit like slimming world, good luck with your journey

Char411 profile image
Char411

I lost 5 stone on slimming world and the only exercise I did was walk 5 miles every day. Since having endo it was the only successful weight loss after trying various diets!

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toChar411

Thank you for your reply and wow that's a lot, congrats. Before being diagnosed with endometriosis I tried slimming world and I lost stone and a half quite quickly but then my endometriosis started and I stopped doing it as I was gaining weight and craving everything sweet. Did you manage to do this recently?

YummyBear profile image
YummyBear

Well I know it's difficult for sure and I am not overweight! My issue for past 15 years is that I have diabetes and on medication, which can be responsible for other conditions. I was persuaded by a pal years ago that if I took meds, I could carry on with normal lifestyle, lots of sugar, high carbs etc. It all caught up with me in an adverse way and it was made clear by GP that I would have to go on Insulin. On 1st Jan.2022 I decided to go cold turkey and cut out all sugary foods and carbs, or very small amounts (Pasta) Keep a daily diary. Keep daily goals to achieve. Plan 800 cals per day. Try intermittent fasting 16:8hours (eat between an 8 hour window). Last meal 6pm then eat after 10am. Drink lots of water, tea, coffee. Snack on nuts. I don't eat bread; instead low cal rice cakes (with peanut butter as a snack) or crispbread. Celery with hummus. Homemade soup with lentils+beans is a good filler. Main meals, salmon, chicken+ veggies + fruit. Make a food plan and stick to it. Get rid of all biscuits in your house, no temptations! I've lost 7lbs in 7 weeks. (Alas. I dont do much excercise). I have a diabetic blood test in late April which I hope will show an improvement.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toYummyBear

Thank you so much for your reply and wow that's awful that you were advised like that. Well done on the weight loss that's good steady weight loss and sound dieting advice too. Good luck with your journey

Gilbop profile image
Gilbop

Struggled with trying to lose weight for years up and down the scales the whole time but slowly but surely getting heavier and heavier. Nothing was working but now I'm in Bodyslims and it's not hard you can eat what you want but end up making healthier choices naturally. I'm down 10lb in 5 weeks. It's a 10 week course. Gerard Moran runs the course and he talks so much sense about relationships with food it does sink in. So far, I'd recommend it. Best of luck whatever you decide to do.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toGilbop

Thank you for your reply, I've not heard of this before and well done on the weight loss, a great amount in just 5 weeks. Are you going to keep going alone after the course? Good luck with your journey

Gilbop profile image
Gilbop

Hopefully I'll have created new habits around food and will be far more mindful with my eating and then another 10 week course starts end April which I will do again and hope to get to my goal weight at that point for the summer and then go into a maintenance stage. A few friends of mine like me who struggled with weight have had great success and they're on their 2nd and 3rd 10 week course. The only exercise you're asked to do is walk an hour a day. Suits me I hate the gym!

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toGilbop

Oh wow I can see the allure of it. Thank you I will look into this.

CamBel profile image
CamBel

Hi, I found this woman on YouTube who has endometriosis and she is also a fitness instructor so I’ve started doing her Pilates for endo and Pilates for hips YouTube videos. They are low impact so even with a currently haemorrhaging ovarian cyst, I am able to do them every 3/4 days. It’s not going to help me lose weight at this point but it is building my confidence and I’m hoping I can use it as a starting point so when I’m feeling better I can move to more fat burning exercises. Here’s the link for anyone who wants to take a look youtube.com/c/JessicaValant... There’s also some exercises on the Endometriosis UK website that are a good starting point if you haven’t done exercise for a long time like me xx

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toCamBel

Oh wow thank you so much for your reply and this nugget of information

Redhen17 profile image
Redhen17 in reply toCamBel

Thanks for this suffering with back pain for ages , this looks great

cottoncheekz profile image
cottoncheekz

Hey there. I was able to lose 12 pounds with two months without starving myself or doing intense workout. What I did was create a natural based diet and rotated it. Additionally I created a simple exercise routine that I followed five days a week. For example I drank oats and shakes I made from a variety of nuts for three consecutive days then uncooked fruits and vegetables for three more. The. Chicken and raw vegetables for the remainder of the week. Portions matter as well. Avoid foods that cause inflammation in your body (dairy and gluten for me). Drink plenty of water especially since exercise will remove that from you. I did forty squats a days in sets of ten. 200 jump rope and climb a flight of ten steps ten times. Start slow and you’ll gradually build up. Consistence is key. Hope this helps.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply tocottoncheekz

Oh wow thank you for your reply and thats really helpful

Hi Escapologygirl!I have always struggled with weight loss, but have recently lost a stone progressing towards an anti-inflammatory diet to try to help ease my symptoms.

I don't know your current eating habits, but slimming world has worked for so many people so may be worth the shot? I personally would recommend trying to bach cook your meals as it means you only have to heat something up if you are having a run of rubbish or tired days. Stops you reaching for the takeaway menu or snacks when you just can't bear to stand in the kitchen and cook! I ate a lot of homecooked quick dinners like curries or stir fry before my diet change so the main thing that helped me lose a few pounds and kick start the process was to swap my white carbs for brown (rice, pasta, bread and stir fry noodles) and then reduce the portion sizes a wee bit at a time. I suprisingly found I'm less hungry than I used to be, though I eat a lot less! You get used to the taste/texture of the wholegrain varieties pretty quickly. I'm gradually cutting more out of my diet, and it has helped symptoms and the weight. You could try cutting out oils, or change the the oils you cook with, and reduce your dairy intake too.

Looks like you've had lots of tips, hope you find something that works for you. Goodluck, and hope you feel better soon!

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply to

Hey thank you for your reply. I'm coeliac since 2004 so used to having to adapt. Yeah batch cooking is a slimming world tip alright and smart too as you say temptation days can be a nightmare. Realised that dairy might not be my friend and not a huge fan of alternative options.

EmB18 profile image
EmB18

Try to keep your protein and healthy fat (like avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds) levels up to help keep your energy levels up. Taking out sugary foods and snacks and processed foods can help with endo as it reduces inflammation, but as a side effect of taking them out some people also end up losing weight.

Escapologygirl profile image
Escapologygirl in reply toEmB18

Thank you so much for your reply and yes good advice thank you.

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