Has anyone been able to lose the weight that they gained during chemo? If so how did you do it?

[monalbaki]

I've finished 8 sessions of taxol/Carbo and avastin end of last December. I've started a new line of Femara+Ibrance+avastin in January. Even though I insisted on stopping steroids during this new line of treatment I'm gaining weight like crazy. Excruciating pains inhibit my mobility but I'm doing my best to at least move a bit even if I can't exercise. Has anyone out there been able to lose weight? How?

[Sunfleury-UK]

I found Slimming World worked for me- was easy to integrate it with the principles of Penny Brohn's nutritional advice too... Finding a type of exercise that worked for me was also important. I joined the Zumba Gold local group which is much lower impact and really supportive & then got a dog!!! Sx

[Choski]

Slimming World. Otherwise I was just kidding myself! And it worked too!

Clare xx

[Hidden]

Another vote for Slimming World. I was able to adapt many of my existing recipes to make them 'free foods', which meant I always had plenty to eat. I never felt hungry at SW.

[thesilent1]

Hi, I read on here a few weeks ago a post from a lady who had done the Dr Michael Moseley 8 week blood sugar diet following her treatment and managed to lose all the weight she had gained so I went out and bought and read the book. I am not diabetic, i imagine though with the weight I am carrying that I could be pre diabetic.

Any way two weeks on and I've lost a stone. I don't feel hungry at all. I'm not craving sweets, two weeks ago I couldn't have gone shopping without buying myself a bar of chocolate, a cup of tea without a few biscuits etc. Over the last two weeks I have survived without these.

Basically I no longer eat cereal for breakfast, instead I have scrambled, poached or boiled eggs. I do however have them on two slices of wholemeal Nimble bread toasted, which I'm not supposed to do as its carbohydrates, and these are off the diet. My husband is eating the main meal with me but he continues to have his muesli each morning. He is tall but over the last few years he has developed a tummy and is very conscious of it. He has lost a few pounds and I can see his tummy decreasing. The other thing I am doing against the diet rules is each night after our evening meal, we have a little slice of lemon cake. Its psychological I suppose as it's a little treat and somehow eating cake makes me feel that I am not on a diet. Our evening meal consists of either fresh fish, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, or steak with lots of vegetables. We really enjoy our meal, I have made marinades etc from the book for salmon and chicken that taste devine. If followed exactly it is a very Low calorie diet and can reverse diabetes. As I'm not following it exactly, my calorie intake is a little higher but I know it is still way less than prior to starting it. I am more than happy with it and am absolutely delighted with the weight loss, a lot more to go to get back to my post surgery wright of 4 years ago but I am confident I will get there through these methods.

Ann xx

[Katmal-UK in reply to thesilent1]

Hi Ann

Thanks for the tip - I'm going to look into that. Hope you are doing ok. Kathy xx

[monalbaki]

Thanks a lot ladies for the input. May I ask what Slimming World is? Pls forgive my ignorance because i don't live in the UK. Is it a diet that I can follow online at home or do you have to buy their products?

Ann, do I buy the book? I looked them up their website and there is an online 12 week programme. Which do you believe is more useful?

[thesilent1 in reply to monalbaki]

Slimming world is a diet club. Usually you go along once a week, get weighed and there is a little talk, other members share what recipes they've tried and what they were like etc. It is a very successful method of weight loss. You can do it on line tyoo.

Yes, I bought the book from Waterstones book store. They have the original on Amazon, I got the updated version.

Ann xx

[monalbaki]

Thanks Ann! I have ordered two copies of the book, one for my diabetic friend and the other for me. The reviews are great. I hope that it works. Slimming world will not work for me because my hormone blocker medication is causing me immense pains. In France they try to use painkillers prudently for metastatic cancer patients. My oncologist recommends acupuncture, which I shall venture into next week. Hope that afterwards my mobility increases so that I can start some gentle exercises to help with weight loss.

BTW, any idea how much it takes for the fattening effect of steroids to go away? I insisted on discontinuing them only last April.

[Hidden]

hi

you can read my post here healthunlocked.com/ovacome/...

basically it depends on many things and if you have time for SW I'm sure it'll be good to try. I've got a cook book and will try give it a go at weekend and freeze some stuff. unfortunately I just don't have time to do the whole thing properly.

for me NOTHING worked for Letrozole (Femara) and Tamoxifen.

now I'm just starving and it started moving. and yes, I saw sleep therapist, Macmillan dietician, foots surgeon, spine surgeon, had 2 phisios and eventually just said enough.

I don't have life where I can afford being paralysed and honestly, I did feel better during chemo. you should discuss all this with your oncologist.

my current weight is so high if I have to get chemo again now it will kill me so I must lose my kilos...

if it wasn't for Avastin I'm on, I'd be on Dukan diet for ever and it worked miracle for me before.

really feel for you xx

[Hidden]

anyone on Avastin should be careful with low carbs or low calories diet - it can be too heavy with protein and do permanent damage to kidneys.

same goes for high fat diet - we don't have estrogen to clean any blockages anymore so Keto diets are no-go.

[penibear58]

Defo try Slimming World if you can get the info/books etc. It's such a great regime to follow, there are so many foods you can eat without restrictions.