The great diet debate: I was interested... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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The great diet debate

ladymoth profile image
9 Replies

I was interested to see the post about possibly setting up a section to deal with diet and weight loss issues, recipes etc., so have put together a few thoughts. (this is Moffy with her serious head on for once!)

There is no magic cure for overweight, except maybe bariatric surgery, which in my opinion is well worth considering if you have a serious health-threatening weight problem, otherwise, sensible eating and small frequent bouts of gentle exercise is about as much as you can do if you have fibro.

Walking is my exercise of choice, as you can stop and sit down, but swimming is best if you can manage it.

The diet bit is not easy, and it's true that any chronically painful disease will give you sugar cravings, and the inevitable boredom will also have you reaching for a snack.

Many medications will increase your appetite, so you have to be doubly careful.

The best thing to do is to increase your intake of fruit and veg as much as possible, and in that please include potatoes. They are wonderful fillers, and not as fattening as people think. This will also improve the IBS that so many fibromites suffer.

Keep fat and sugar intake as low as possible, but eat a portion or two of oily fish each week. If you don't like, or can't tolerate fish, then it's probably a good idea to take a vitamin A&D supplement

Eat wholemeal bread, porridge, brown rice and stuff as opposed to refined white goods.

Snack on dried fruit and nuts instead of sweets and biscuits.

If you don't wish to use an artificial sweetener, make your cereal more interesting with a few chopped dates, sultanas or raisins.

Don't eat fried food. Grill everything. Lovely chips can be made by brushing them lightly with oil, then baking them - or use one of the light oil sprays.

Use cottage cheese and low-fat yogurt as opposed to cheddar cheese. Cheddar is 37% fat, so about 30 grams a day (a matchbox size piece) is the most you should eat.

Use skimmed, or 1% milk.

Avoid alcohol except on special occasions.

Avoid fruit juice and smoothies like the plague - they are marketed as healthy, but are absolutely packed with sugar. Eat the fruit instead, then it will fill you up and give you lots of fibre! Juiced vegetables are OK.

Drink water with a slice of lemon, or sugar free squash if you don't mind the sweeteners.

Remember that no-one ever died of feeling a bit peckish - real hunger is almost unknown in our society, so when you get the munchies, have a drink of water and distract yourself with some quiet, interesting hobby or a good telly programme.

Eat when you're really hungry and your tummy rumbles - it's actually quite a nice feeling, so meditate on it for a few moments, and value it, then enjoy tucking into something healthy and tasty.

These are just a few tips. Food and nutrition is my special interest, so if anyone wants to message me with their particular problem, I am happy to do my best to help.

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ladymoth
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9 Replies
webby profile image
webby

maybe we should do a virtual diet club with everyone chipping in with ideas this is a good blog thankyou

ladymoth profile image
ladymoth

Good thinking, Webby ... let's you and me be the 'founder members'. LOL x

tess10 profile image
tess10 in reply toladymoth

Hi Ladymoth just to let you know just added a new blogs regards this as I approached admin yest and we come up with a plan, would you mind if I copy and paste your above idea to the page hugs and smiles xx

ladymoth profile image
ladymoth in reply totess10

Hi Tess, yes - please feel free to use the text as you wish!

Luv .... Moffyx

what a giood idea as alot of members seem to suffer with weight gain i am the opposite i have lost weight i was onlty 8 stone 4 anyway but am now just over 7 stone but i am in the minority most seem to gain weight either because lack of movement and exersize or the medication or both so i think it would be great for people to do that why dont you e mail or private message someone in HU they mayu be aboe to help you with it good luck and look forward to seeing it on here if itmis approved bty the powers that be lol love diddle xxxx

ladymoth profile image
ladymoth

Awhh, Diddle - not sure if you're lucky or not! I'm slim, but only 'cos I work very hard at it, and am certainly not underweight!

Well, you can stuff yourself with goodies, but do remember to eat your fruit n'veg and get plenty of protein - even skinny folk need to do this!

Luv --- Moffyx

That was a great post Moffy! Thank you so much! I was very slim before being diagnosed with Fibro, could eat anything and stayed the same weight since I was a teenager, even after having three children. Now I've put on two stone and hate it! Fortunately I am tall, 5' 8" so it doesn't notice too much, but I am still desperate to lose it!

I seldom leave my house these days but hope to when I feel better, so exercise away from the house is a no-no at the moment. We eat only natural foods, no additives, artificial flavourings or sweeteners, no preservatives. What would you suggest to help me shift this darn extra bit I am carrying around with me, it really needs to be sent packing. We have a family wedding coming up within the next few months - HELP please Moffy lol! ;) I suffer from migraines so cheese is out, also too much citrus fruit too and no chocolate!

(Forgot to say we never have puddings, only a yoghurt and a low fat fruity one after dinner and we always drink water with our meal.)

in reply to

Forgot to say I am sure my weight gain is largely down to my meds and inactivity as my appetite is less and also my meal portions are half what they used to be.

renrobin profile image
renrobin

This is a great post and I wholly agree that eating healthily helps. I have suffered IBS for many years and find that eating only a small amount of wholemeal bread seems to help.

This morning I had a hot cross bun and then a sandwich for lunch - too much bread as my tummy is bloated and IBS symptoms are starting.

I'd love there to be a section devoted purely for food and nutrition. I'm on Facebook and am friends with Holistic Health - they give excellent advice.

Soft hugs, Ren Robin...xxx

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