Most of us have experienced this - it can be a real struggle to control weight when on corticosteroids. Until I tapered to under 12 mg even a very low carb diet did not have a significant impact on my weigh gain - and I was trying. Now at 10.5 mg weight loss has become MUCH easier. But this experience has taught me not to be judgmental about others as well who may be struggling with a health condition or circumstances which induce weight gain and/or prevent weight loss - appearances can be very deceptive and we live in such an obsessively body focused world ... and unfortunately many doctors also make instant conclusions !
I must admit it does annoy me when you see people talking about obesity on TV and they disdainfully say all people have to do it eat less and exercise.
And if you only do one and not the other the weight doesn't shift easily either. As I can't excercise (not what most active people say is adequate). I eat very little but I reach a weight I can't get below (tried to lose 3 1/2 kilos to get back to my desired weight and I just can't). My BMI is fine, but that last 1/2 a stone........!
I totally agree Rimmy. I used to be one of those "obesity sceptics" until I got ill (GCA/LVV). I've always been quite a skinny and muscle'ish build, never put on weight in my life, not had a particularly healthy diet, but well exercised and always been pretty constant metabolism. Then I needed major surgery after which I went off food for a while and only ate the bare minimum for about two months - lost all appetite (maybe it was the hospital food lol). Then suddenly (literally overnight) it felt like a total chemical change inside (that's the best way I can describe it) and I started eating and couldn't stop - I just ate and ate and ate. And it wasn't making up for loss of appetite, it was a lot more than just that. I must've put on 2-3st in a single month (unheard off before) and I was very puzzled. It was down to post surgical reovery in the end and it eventually levelled off. But it made me realise that there's more to this obesity thing than meets the eye, and I now have a lot more sympathy with people who can't control their eating. It's definitely an irrepressibly metabolism change, one's body can "take over" and demand food, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience AND the link to a great article,
As an overweight woman I’ve come a long way to loving myself and not getting caught in the trap of comparing myself to others. As part of my work I deliver a number of workshops focused on embracing body positivity and self-esteem, as well as intimacy and chronic pain/illness. During these workshops participants often share about how damaging and interruptive weight gain and pain can be in their relationship with self and others.
I loved that in the article it was acknowledged that when you lose weight while having a chronic illness, people can make the assumption that if you look good, you must automatically feel good, like somehow (in my case) the PMR has vanished along with the pounds lost. Nope!! I’ve had to remind folks close to me that it’s still here, I still have to take medication, I still have to constantly watch my food/carb intake, I still deal with medication side effects, I still have mobility limitations and need to rest in between activities, I still get down at times, about having a chronic illness.
Weight and weight loss/gain remains a big issue for a lot of us. While the mass media focuses on the “pretty people”, those of us who don’t live up to that ideal can feel “less than”. Add to the mix a complex chronic illness and things can seem hopeless at times. I’ve made a conscious choice to be the best I can be and stop waging war against my body. Indeed, I quite love myself, even those parts that don’t “measure up”. Having a supportive partner helps. So I try and educate folks and lead by example.
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