I'm am/was a keen hill walker, gardener and runner.
I now have bursitis and tendonitis mainly in my left hip and knee. Arthritis in my toes and flat feet. Which is driving me nuts as I can't sleep with the dull nagging pain!
All of theses things would be improved if I lost weight and gave up sugar. So here goes.
Any advice and/support Of what I should and shouldn't ear would be welcomed.
I agree with BigLeg- dietdoctor is the place to start. And I thought I'd add the little I've found that has helped my joints. I'm 63, and arthritis is becoming an issue. I had read that lots of people have been helped by cutting out the gluten, so I tried it, and over the past 2 months I have indeed seen improvement. I had burning in toe and well as finger joints, but now it's mostly subsided. If you cut down the carbs as dietdoctor recommends, you'll be greatly reducing the gluten anyway, just don't confuse the 2- gluten free won't necessarily let you lose weight since there are so many gluten free products that are still made from grains. I wish you well!
Hi, Well done for thinking about getting started that's definitely the first hurdle!
Personally I wouldn't go Gluten Free, I eat gluten free items sometimes, particularly cakes but I don't think getting rid of gluten from your diet is the way forward if you don't suffer from intolerance.
Reducing sugar intake is so so important and will make a big difference even if other changes in your diet are minimal so a few tips that I have learnt and seen others use;
1. If you take sugar in drinks stop - people often suggest moving to sweetener but my family have now all removed sugar from hot drinks entirely and all agreed it was easier to go cold turkey so to speak. It might take a little getting used to but if you have a couple of teas/coffees per day that could automatically be saving you a whole load of calories!
2. Give up fizzy drinks and check pure fruit juices are "not from concentrate" otherwise you may as well just be drinking sugar.
3. Avoid breakfast yoghurt drinks like actimel as they are super high in sugar.
4. Try and ration bread - This was tough for me because I just love my hot buttered toast or my bread and butter with dinner. Yes I miss it and I do indulge sometimes but it has made a massive difference to how I feel and reduced the bloated feeling I had, plus I have shed a few pounds although I often still have toast for breakfast.
5. Increase the amount of vegetables - I bulk out my meals with veg rather than potatoes, bread, pasta or rice and actually I often cook a mixture of veg so I won't be bored. It also means that I won't feel hungry but the nutritional value is great and it is also super cheap!
6. You can't eat what you can't buy - I realised that as a family we would buy things to eat when we all met up so we have literally stopped buying it. It might sound stupid but I will eat biscuits if they are there so by making sure that they aren't really helps - yes it means that often I won't have biscuits if people pop in (Or I have started buying ones that I don't like) BUT everyone is so supportive that they enjoy sharing in the diet a bit too.
7. Be creative - choose a batch of new recipes to try to bring in some new flavours, it will off set the downside to being on a diet. Using things like beans and lentils a lot more makes it a great change because they are filling but healthy!
8. Weigh food - I never realised quite how big my portions were until I started measuring them - I never measure vegetables or anything it is really only for pasta, rice and potatoes but boy has it made a difference and again where the veg bulk out helps to ease the pain!!
9. Eat plenty of fruit - if you are serious about really cutting down on sugary foods then fruit is the perfect solution, particularly in the first few weeks. When I first gave up sugar I got headaches and felt quite faint so eating some grapes, an apple etc. can curb the feeling and give you an energy boost. Also don't worry too much about the sugar content in fruit - yes eating grapes constantly won't be ideal but if you have a mix of fruit then it will give you balance and keep you sane!
10. Try and enjoy it - don't make it a chore but a positive thing (a challenge I know). I actually record on myfitnesspal which sets you a daily calorie target etc. based on your daily routine and as a competitive person this has been a life saver for me, so just play around and find what suits you best.
Best of luck, if you are anything like me you will crave mac and cheese, a slice of cake or a custard cream with a cuppa but it really is worth it when you can actually enjoy those things without needing several!
What a lovely post. I'm glad I'm not the only one "going large" with the comments. It is one of my tactics for keeping my fingers busy and out of the biscuit tin!
Hi Starbear,
Loving both your name and your pic, which I have "borrowed" as I do too (hate it). CVK has given you loads of brilliant ideas all of which I fully support. Would a hot water bottle comfort your feet a little and allow you to drop off. I am sure if you could relax and get some decent rest, your feet and your dieting would be easier. Have you seen a podiatrist as they can prescribe various things that might help some of your issues. They might well suggest that you give up running though and just stick with the walking. Just until you have your conditions under control. My joints are so much better since I shed 5 stone. All the problems climbing the stairs seem to have gone entirely. Just got to shed the Christmas weight and get back to goal now. I presume you have looked at the NHS advice within the 12 week dieting programme. I am still working my way round it, but it all looks good.
Venus
I use Honey and stevia they are the only sweeterns that don't mess with your glycemic index, also they fight my cancer insted of feed it.
Nothing to add apart from my arthritic pain is dramatically reduced following weight loss and gentle (but regular and fairly strenuous) exercise regime 😊😊😊 good luck
Ps I can't sleep without hot water bottle as my legs hurt so much- good tip 😊😊😊
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