Hi, i desperately need help to loose weight. I had a temporary ileostomy after giving birth 2years ago, last year i had it reversed.

[vharvey]

I have become attached to food since my illness. It makes me feel better if i am feeling off colour. I need to change this but the psychological affect of this leaves me dauntec and afraid. I don't know how to overcome my fears. I need the energy to look after 2 small children so i always turn to high calorie foods. Anyone any help or advice?

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Have you considered hypnotherapy? Your issues with food have come from a major high stress event and you're under a lot of pressure (parenthood) still. Another possibility might be psychotherapy or cognitive therapy but I think you're very aware already of triggers and causes.

[Fran182716 Prediabetic]

Hello to you,

I dont know a great deal about iliostomy reversals and don't know if you have been given any dietary advice specific to this.

However - I've done quite a lot of researching regarding emotional eating trying to get to the bottom of my stress related eating and weight gain and found you need a two fold approach. 1. You need to tackle the reasons for bad eating habits, it sounds as though you're already aware of what's caused this but it can be useful to see if it's a pattern that started earlier on in your life as the better understanding you have of how bad habits got established makes it easier to understand what you've got to find alternative coping strategies for. There are a couple of websites that give helpful information mayoclinic.org/healthy-life... and helpguide.org/articles/diet.... Also a good website is b-eat.co.uk/ an eating disorders charity which gives some good info on binge eating and comfort eating.

2. You need to look at what you're eating as the foods people tend to eat a lot of when they're upset or stressed can be highly physically addictive and this doesn't help your psychological dependence on food. This is particularly the case with highly processed sugary foods due to the high rise in blood sugar and subsequent high rise in insulin then sugar crash which leaves you feeling weak and hungry, so you eat more and there starts the vicious cycle. There is a huge amount of information out there about this. As far as fat goes we know the evidence all the current government advice is based on was substantially flawed and there is a gradually growing body of evidence to support the theory of lower carb higher fat diets being healthier. I'm certainly tweaking my diet this way (though not following it completely, I still eat carbs that have a good range of other nutrients just in smaller quantities ) and it's made a big difference in eliminating cravings for junk food and keeping me feeling satisfied for longer after eating. A good website to explain this is dietdoctor.com but just be aware, if you read people's comments the only real criticism of this diet is that it doesn't take into account emotional eating which isn't related to hunger, so you do still need keep an eye on portion size. This is what I mean about a two fold approach the psychological and food aspects are closely interlinked and can either make each other worse or support each other to improve. Phew this has been a mammoth post, hope you can take something helpful from this, good luck x

[vharvey in reply to Fran182716]

Thanks for your reply, you are right about early years eating habits and yes there were issues then, i was a poor eater, very thin till i reached a point where i mentally crashed. Then i found in my early 20's i started to enjoy food and realised it made me feel better, i slept, got rid of headaches et . I didn't worry cos i was so under weight. Of course i startec to put on weight gradually, but having children and being so ill has made me more dependent on bad foods. And the weight gainec increased and now i feel imprisoned to food! Instead of being my helper its become my enemy! Anyway i shall look at those websites. Your message has been very helpful. Thanks.

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Just a suggestion, I do understand that there are issues here I am not qualified to address, but you might consider looking into the Low Carb High Fat diet. More and more research is indicating that fat does not create body fat, carbs do. You can eat as much as you want as long as it isn't starchy carbs or sugar-laden stuff. That's what your body converts to fats. Take a look at dietdoctor.com if you are interested. On this plan, calories don't matter, watching carb intake does. And to reiterate one of bananacakes' points, part of your problem may well be an addiction to carbs- they are extremely addictive, especially anything made from wheat. I was floored when I read Wheat Belly- the consequences of eating the kind of flour we use now. He claims that so-called healthy whole wheat will spike your insulin worse than sugar.

[vharvey]

Thanks, will look into lowcarb high fibre thing,

[vrwat]

I have found the Weight loss through healthy choices CD/download by Maggie Howell's to be really effective in helping me to change my habits. I certainly drink more water, choose my foods more wisely and have lost approx 3 kilo's so far. I know I have a lot more to loose but this has been a real kick start. A side effect has also been that I have felt more relaxed and in control with our teenagers.

[vharvey in reply to vrwat]

thanks

[Jeanbean55]

Hi, not easy, been there and find it hard. The only thing helps me is walking and stretching and eating fruit with yogurt and/or carrot sticks with homemade hummus to fill me up and weighing some of my food as i take too large of portions. For example I was taking twice the amount of porridge in the morning and was shocked to see really how much i should be having. When i am alone in evening when i tend to snack i go to the bath or do something to distract myself. Always plenty of ironing in our house with kids. I wish you well and I believe small changes will get you there

[vharvey]

hi thanks for your words of encouragement. I did go on the GP referred exercise scheme to help get fit and that has helped with fitness but not weight loss. I have started to weigh my food and count calories to see where I an going wrong.