Hi. Does anyone have any tips on losing weight when you’re in pain all the time and have reached a certain age (female 47). I used to be fairly active and eight and a half stone consistently. In recent years, I have put on quite a bit of weight (I won’t weigh myself!), been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, anaemia at one stage, a fibroid, chronic daily headaches, migraines, a weird undiagnosed abdominal wall issue and for the last couple of years a back/hip problem. I am on antidepressants (changed recently from citalopram to duloxetine) which I am wondering if they increase my appetite. I don’t eat junk but do eat more than I used to. I’m vegetarian but find I am stuck at an uncomfortable, bigger size than I’m used to. I would like to lose some weight which might help my back/hip issue. Any tips on what to eat to not feel hungry all the time but not get fatter or activity that doesn’t hurt dreadfully would be gratefully appreciated. Thank you.
How to lose weight with fibromyalgia - Fibromyalgia Acti...
How to lose weight with fibromyalgia
Like you I wish someone could offer help with this, so hard to do anything when in pain,
It’s difficult isn’t it. SnazzyD, below, has suggested reducing carbohydrate intake to lose weight. I’m already missing my multi-seed bread thinking about it, but it is worth a try.
I have just put in a reply which you might like as well.
Hello there, during previous bouts of acute illness and latterly with high dose steroids I have always kept my weight and blood sugar under control with a very low carb diet, reasonable protein and never low fat. I just cut out or severely down pasta, rice, bread, potato etc even wholemeal.
Hi. Thank you for the reply. I am probably quite heavy on the carbs so I will have to give some thought to addressing this. Thank you so much.
We have all been there. I was an underweight 8st 2 , now I'm over 10stone because of changes in my activity ( from various conditions not Fibro alone ) and the different drugs I am on. At one point I went up in weight to over 11 stone while my drugs were corrected to allow me to do activity of any sort.
I lost the weight using these tips and I know I can get close to my happy weight because I have done it before just by making healthy life choices ( as my drug weight will stay and I will happily carry it for life as it improves what I can do ).
Your aim is to have a diet you enjoy for Life , not just for dieting . You just have more portion control when you need to lose some weight.
Some drugs can produce drug induced weight gain , and up to half a stone of that often won't go until those drugs are finished or you need to alter your diet and routine to reduce any more weight change if you need those drugs for a better everyday life.
Some drugs change your insulin resistance and where you store fat on the body so you can sometimes put on weight with those in places you didn't before, on your stomach or chest . Things like steroids do that but it can happen to people , especially women , with other drugs that might effect how your hormones work in the body.
This sort of weight gain benefits from you eating less calories than you use each day until you have lost much of the weight you have gained . Then sticking to a diet with small portion complex carbs ( wholegrain wholewheat, skin on , seeded, pulses , lentils , buckwheat or beans) and rare "white" carbs ( white bread, potatoes, rice, sugar, pasta) , no processed food , low sugar, and only good fats. A small amount of exercise within your comfort zone each day also helps .
Basically a Mediterranean Diet which is high protein with as many varieties of fruit and vegetables that you can eat within your range of tolerances.
Wheat free , Gluten free or Lactofree often helps if part of your weight gain is from swelling that can occur for some with wheat, gluten or full dairy. Reducing Sodium , unless your health requires it ( like mine) also helps improve your body function.
Drinking more water each day is important for everything , including weight loss . Often , our hunger pangs are not for food. Constant snacking can happen because your body is actually dehydrated from all the internal work it must do to cope with illness. The brain sometimes sends out the message that you are hungry not thirsty. Even if you don't feel thirsty , drink more each day , especially before hitting the snack cupboard.
Taking a vitamin and mineral supplement with your fattiest meal of the day , to improve its absorption , also helps us reduce weight.
It takes a lot of nutrients to help the body detoxify and convert stored fats into energy while we are on a lower calorie diet , and the nutrients help you get balance back to your metabolism , as well helping the body heal and reducing your Pain.
Eat five smaller lighter portions in a day instead of three big meals , it can reduce post meal after effects and put you off snacking on carb high foods.
If you are going to snack try healthier options of fruit, pre chopped veggies with just a spoon of yoghurt base dip, one handful of nuts , one strip of good dark chocolate, jellies.
If you keep them ready in the cupboard or fridge you won't be tempted to grab the crisps or sweets.
Finally , if you are a vegetarian or vegan it's good to check the ingredients in those premade products or vegan alternative dairy and other foods. They are often packed with coconut variants and palm oil which increase your saturated fat and pile on the pounds.
And keep off the alcohol and non alcoholic fizzy drinks (even most diet ones) , or, if you have the odd alcoholic drink choose options with less calories and sugar in them .
Fibro Pain and Fatigue also reduces with diet and lifestyle changes so there is an added bonus to changing your diet.
Getting a good sleep pattern also helps you maintain a healthy weight as well as reducing Fibro symptoms.
Exercise wise . Start small , inside your comfort zone , and work your way up as you get used to being more active . No pain , no gain is a dangerous myth . Pushing past the limit is not good for anyone whom wants to exercise consistently, especially those with Chronic Health Conditions.
Try just beginning with some very gentle 5 minute morning and evening stretching which will loosen the Fibro stiffness as well as helping your fitness.
Try starting with a few 10 minute strolls each day , before or after meals is a good time . Then you can extend the time you do this . A few small low intensity exercise times in a day can actually burn the same fat as one cardio burning one.
Swimming , or walking and doing exercises in water, reduces the pain and pressure on your joints but the resistance of the body in water also needs more calories to do much less activity.
Tai Chi and short sessions of low impact Pilates are pain friendly too.
Have fun with it though , exercise should be a pleasure not a chore.
Hope that helps , Bee
Lots of good healthy advice Bee xx
Hi, thank you for your advice about weight gain. I have never put on any weight because l watch what l eat. I have been on steroids for 3 to 4 years now. I have other health health conditions that l take other medications for. My point is although not putting on weight my body shape has changed, l have a big belly and big love handles that l never had before, am l stuck with this, l have tried to eat less but to know avail.
Yes, unfortunately one of the effects of having to take steroids is body shape change as we both know.
The positive side is that as you have a good diet you haven't also piled on the pounds as many can with your health conditions .
When the need for steroids finally comes to an end , and you can be more active again , your efforts to eat healthily and keep Type 2 Diabetes at bay will mean that you will lose those steroid pounds and get your shape back much quicker.Take care , and I hope your PMR journey will come to an end soon. Bee
Thanks Bee
Thank you so much Bee. I’m so grateful for how much detail you have provided. I suspect I have lost motivation generally and where I used to be quite strict with myself about what I ate, I now comfort myself with chocolate or biscuits which I never used to do. Fortunately, I don’t drink alcohol or fizzy drinks and I keep hydrated with lots of herbal teas. I go for a walk down my lane most days but probably need to increase this. I will try to find some recipes that incorporate pulses, etc. I’m actually getting quite emotional at the thought you put into your response, I’m definitely at a low ebb today. Thank you again, Bee, I appreciate it so much x
Oh , thank you for your response. I hope it helps you to feel more positive about these things in the future.I understand the need for comfort food.
Actually , a Diet for Life , lets you do that and stops you losing that motivation.
My Aunt used to say , " A little of what you fancy does you good!"
She was absolutely right , especially with food , long calorie restricted diets can make you give up if you have a day when you don't stick to them.
My family have always incorporated one day whilst losing weight, or two days while maintaining weight , a week when you can eat what you fancy just in small portions , then , having the simpler , healthy diet on the other days.
It means you can change your weight guilt free for that day when you have a coffee and a slice of cake with friends , or go out for dinner , or have a roast dinner or your favourite chocolate bar.
It also helps you keep to your new diet for life because food doesn't feel like punishment , and treats are positive rather than feeling negative during comfort eating.
It is actually a trend with athletes to eat like that , it's called Cyclical Dieting . You make sure you have a much lower calorie day after your treat day. The theory is that it stops plateauing because you metabolism doesn't get used to the body getting the same calories everyday and conserving its energy which stops it digging into its fat reserves.
You know yourself comfort eating becomes a vicious circle but sometimes it's hard to stop it anyway. It spikes your blood sugar then when it drops you feel lethargic and crave sugar again. I helped myself by distraction.
I'd make a cup of tea , drink that first.
Or say to myself , no wait half an hour , if you still feel like it have a biscuit then.
Then , if I did , I'd only take one out if the pack or box and put it back in the cupboard. It's too tempting to finish half the pack if you take it with you.
If you have these smaller light portion meals you get into the habit of saying , it's only another hour until I can have my real food.
When I do eat the treats I really let myself enjoy them , and eat them slowly enjoying the flavour and each bite.
If you feel up to it do include more steps or a little extra distance each day. You can also do 30-60 seconds at a quicker pace near the end of your walk , as long as you are stable on your feet.
On my daily walk down the lanes near my house I usual take my camera and take pictures of interesting things like flowers , butterflies , even funny things I pass. It makes exercise less if a chore and helps you to reconnect with the world around you.
Take care , Bee
Thank you Bee. I do the same when walking! I’m always examining every little thing on route and photographing trees, plants and insects. I love being outside. I will try to follow your advice with regards to food. Thank you.
I too was so active pre fibro. Unfortunately with osteoarthritis and fibro and a couple of other labels I put weight on.
I managed to lose 4 stone with Slimming World - it's the change in attitude to food and the need to realise that it's not a diet but a change in the way you view food that keeps the weight off. Looking at what makes you reach for food, distraction ideas and portion size all have a place in regulating weight. Wishing you luck and will power on your weight loss programme.
Thank you. Well done for losing 4 stone, that’s an amazing achievement 😊
You have received some excellent advice above. The only other 'tip' I'd add foodwise is to use a smaller plate at meal times too.
I do so agree with many of the comments above, particularly listening to your body, & rhythmical exercises such as walking & swimming being especially beneficial.
Gentle exercise is a way forward such as Tai chi & Qi Gong, & yoga.
Some great gentle exercises by Canadian therapists here which you can modify as to your ability, i.e. do sitting or standing:
youtube.com/watch?v=XMps5-P...
youtube.com/watch?v=KEjiXtb...
Great inclusion .I never know how to upload things into replies.
Not just Fibro fog , I'm a tech dummy , I've been told how to so many times but still can't get it.
This is very similar to what I do myself to keep going.
I also do my tai chi moves in water which is very uplifting for the Mind as well as the body.
Hope you are well this week , and good news for me , I hadn't ended up fracturing my hip when I last dislocated it and I'm finally managing to get up and wobble around a bit again , take care , Bee
Hey Bee. Give it a shot, maybe it'll click this time.
When you are at a website you want to share, highlight the title at the top of the page so it turns blue.
Now you're going to COPY that. Touch the control key at the same time as the "c" key.
Yay! You just copied the link. It's on the computer clipboard.
Now you're going to PASTE that link -- into HU for instance. Touch the control key at the same time as the "v" key.
You should be all set. Let me know if I wasn't clear.
I do try , I've even got the instructions written down on paper by my OH to follow and I still don't seem to manage. I think my Brian fog and lack of skill is always going to win!😆😆😆
Thank you so much. I will give this a try.
Hi there, you may like to take a look at the HU weight loss forum. It's very friendly with great advice and support.healthunlocked.com/weight-l...
Momo
Thank you Momo, I shall have a look.
Thank you. I’m going to have a look through all the options 🙂
I've joined this group especially to find out the answer to your question - I could have written that exact same question!
I hope you have found some answers that have helped , Bee
Hi. I hope all the replies have been helpful to you. It’s difficult trying to exercise when everything hurts. I wish you the best 😊
My weight ballooned when I started taking antidepressants, so has my daughter.
I noticed an increase when I first started taking them but then went too far following a major episode of depression and panic attacks and became underweight. Since then I have steadily gained weight. It’s a tricky one. All the best to you both x
Hi as a woman in my 50’s (sob sob ) don’t know where the years have gone in constant pain and got multiple issues I have however managed to lose 12 and a half stone cut down on carbs and fruit as it has a hell of a lot hidden calories I also cut down my portions and allow myself a treat day use more veg and spice my food up make a bread out of ground down oat’s use instead of flour in bread or cake makes a good banana bread hope this helps in some way good look with your journey x
Wow! Well done. That’s amazing. Thank you for the reply and useful tips. The constant pain is a struggle, isn’t it? I wish you all the best x
That is completely wonderful! So hard to lose that much. Wishing you loads of wellness and recovery. 👍🌺
Gosh Purple! you sound just like me, it's like I was hearing my own story reading this. Doctors have put me on Duloxetine aswell. Some of the advice sounds really good, however I comfort eat too, whenever I am down I grab a snack 🙄
Hi. It’s not fun feeling decrepit all the time, is it?! I can’t say that I have noticed any improvement with the Duloxetine but pain management said it could take a while and I’m on 60mg and could go up to 90mg . I hope you get some improvement. And we must try to step away from the biscuits 😭😆x
I really empathise and am reading the replies ( which seem very helpful) very carefully. Good luck x
Thank you. Yes, some very kind and helpful people on here x
Snap me too I'm 45 and very overweight and would love to lose weight. All the best xx
You too! I need to not go down the aisle with the Malteasers! All the best to you x
Hi Purpledelphinium, lots of replies and good advice here from fellow sufferers. I haven’t read them all but just in case nobody has mentioned it, you could try the ‘save it for later’ technique. Exactly as it says - if you’ve got a craving for a snack, (say a bag of crisps) put the bag on one side and go and get a drink of water instead and tell yourself ‘I’ll just eat them in a minute.’ Then go off and do something else. Often the craving goes away and you forget all about the snack! You can repeat this if the craving comes back too and see if it works. The same with biscuits - instead of eating two or three, eat one and save the rest for later. If you’re lucky you will find you don’t really need it! I find the answer is to keep occupied. Evenings are the worst when there is nothing on the tele, stuck indoors, so I go and have a long soak in the bath, away from snacks!
You might say it would be easier to just not buy snacks but if I don’t, I find I think about them more! (Also not easy when you share a home with others who snack!) if I know they are in the cupboard I can just think: ‘I’ll eat it later.’ Then I usually forget.
Give it a try - it may work for you! 
Hi Kariss. Thank you, that sounds like a good idea. I’ve picked up some bad habits with biscuits and chocolate that I never used to have so I’ll give that a try. Thank you 😊
Hello my lovely…. It totally sucks being a woman in menohell…. There’s been no pause for me … weight gain , more pain in my joints , headaches, and those love handles where on earth did they appear from 😂 So I’ve tried lots of things but the things that have worked best is…., curcumin, apple cider vinegar, black cohosh and sage….. weight loss wise it’s fasting it does work there’s lots of advice as to how long and what works best …. But I follow a wheat, dairy, caffeine free diet and I’m vegetarian…. People are telling me I look healthy for the first time in years ….
Can I ask do you really need the anti depressants? (I’m bipolar so I’m not asking in judgment) It’s just doctors do tend to fob us women on the change off with them a lot! (And they may not be helping)
Have you tried hrt? I’m not allowed it due to blood clots (but other ladies swear by it) but I’ve been seeing a homeopath and it’s made such a difference I’ve lost weight and the sweats and hot flushes are down to two a day …. I struggle with exercise but stretching does help allot…. Yoga is a lovely gentle introduction to it ….
Hope this helps …all the best ..don’t give up you are in there and you will get better…. That’s what I always tell myself xx
Hi. Thank you so much for the lovely reply 😊. I’m glad you have managed to lose weight and get healthier. I’m not sure I’d risk hrt as I could not take the pill due to migraines and one sided numbness 😬. I’m on antidepressants due to anxiety and panic attacks. I have tried reducing over the years but the panic attacks get worse. I have read about sage helping hot flushes so I will give that a try. Still early days in the perimenopause saga so it would be nice to get the flushes under control (I have a house full of fans 😆). I’m going to have a look at my diet and see what I can change, I think the Malteasers will have to go 😭. Thank you again for the helpful advice and I hope you are doing ok. All the best xx
A Vogel menoforce sage tablets really helped me as hot flushes affected my sleep badly, as well as during the day.
Antidepressants are also one of those " off book ," medications ( drugs that were created for one use but have been found to work for other conditions too ) that are prescribed by doctors , because they can be used for pain relief and as muscle relaxants in conditions like Fibro , and even for bladder issues , rather than for any Mental Health reason. Unfortunately , people are often put off trying them because of the name. They don't obviously work for everyone , but many people have success with them and they are a first line course of treatment in Pain Management.
Hi, I too put on weight once I was diagnosed, as my gym workouts had become too painful to do. I went up 2 dress sizes and felt so unhealthy.
A couple of months ago I started swimming and I'm finding it really good. I've dropped a dress size and feel much better already.
I'm vegetarian too and I really just needed to control my portions, so that's helped.
Best wishes
😊
Hi Camille. Congratulations on your weight loss 😊. I used to swim in my younger days but it started aggravating a neck injury. I would try again if I wasn’t so self conscious. I’ve gone from a size 8/10 to 14. I think I’d have to wear a wetsuit to cover up! I think I’ll have a look for modesty wear as then it might be a possibility. I’ll definitely try to reduce portions. Thank you Camille 🙂
I am currently struggling with this. The only thing I've managed to do, which is probably what everyone says, look at portion sizes.I looked on British heart Foundation website and NHS, as when I looked up randomly I got US portions which are very large! I am also a vegie on a healthy diet, and have IBS. So at the moment I have just had to accept my portions are based on when I was active, and there isn't a way for me to physically manage to increase activity enough to loose weight. At the moment by cutting my spelt wholemeal pasta to 35g dry weight, brown rice to around 32g dry weigh, potatoes to 130g. My porridge oats for breakfast to 45g. I'm just down to averaging 2,000 calories a day, when I should be on 1800 for my age; but I think I' d compromise my nutrition if I cut more. My diet was previously approved by a nutritionist, and my brain fog can't face messing around with it too much. I don't eat anything processes apart from soys desserts (high calcium) gluten free bread, and pain oatcakes. I suppose soya milk as well but it's sugar free. I think it's hard not to get too obsessed with food/ weight. Aim at healthy diet first and think functional body, that's what I tell myself when I can't do up a zip! We don't need more stress!
Hi. I think you are right. It’s easy to become obsessed about food which is not helpful. I agree, portion size is a simple way to try and lose a bit without getting too stressed about it. I wish you luck x
Hey, we could be twins! I suffer near enough the same symptoms; it's interfered in normal life and living. Don't beat yourself up about loosing weight but, don't give up either. With fibromyalgia it takes double the amount of time to do. Set yourself a goal say something like 7 pounds in two months, I promise you it works! Take a walk down the park, walk the extra bus stop or go out and play with your grandchildren etc a game of rounders or what ever kids do these days. Work through the pain, 10 minute aerobic work outs by dvd after 6weeks increase the amount of time. Adopt a little dog and go walkies animals/pets help with pain this is scientifically known. Fibromyalgia is a heartless desease! So, be in control and do a little at a time to begin with. It can be done, you will have to weigh yourself you dont want diabetes yoy need to be in control. Here's something you probably didn't know people with fibromyagia are more likely to be dehydrated so drink plenty of water, 8 large glasses a day, get off the caffinated drinks I.e. tea, coffee, cola and soda's eat gluten free it's probably why your bloated. Eat breakfast like a king dine lunch like a prince and soup in the evenings like a pauper or something very light. Try not to eat after 7pm and best of all keep a food diary diet is key to fibromyalgia - don't eat pork or too much meat i've started a pescatarian diet and this has helped with seizures, cfs and pains to do with fibromyalgia. No one really has all the answers, one size does not fit all, it is trial and error do what fits you. Book recommended = fibromyalgia for dummies by Roland Staud MD amazon £12.95 plus postage and packing or order through book shop. Worth reading and informative.
Good luck luvvie hope you find the answers and some relief. There is hope so hold on tight and keep positive, lv lizzidolittle x.
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