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.