Losing weight with health conditions!

[CarlyMarie1188]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know of a way I can successfully lose weight whilst suffering from several health conditions?

I eat 2-3 meals a day (occasionally miss breakfast). I avoid processed/pre-packaged food as much as possible, mostly cook from scratch but I do snack (chocolate and such like). I don't always hit my 5 a day and my weakness is carbohydrates. I have tried Slimming World, counting calories etc but nothing seems to work.

I suffer with -

Hypothyroidism and I am currently on 175mg Levothyroxine

B12 deficiency/Pernicious Anaemia (received loading doses, awaiting my first 12 weekly jab)

Low vitamin D (currently supplementing),

Ferritin and Folate are borderline (taking a multivitamin).

I don't always have the energy to exercise as much as should but this is due to my conditions as they mainly affect my energy levels, however I do try to walk several times a week.

Thanks in advance

[Stentatron]

Hi CarlyMarie,

I have bi-polar and have to take several types of medication to keep me away from being sectioned or high buildings. The medication works (touch wood) however it has some unwanted side effects such as sapping me of my motivation and energy, causing me to gain weight through slowing my metabolism and making me sleep far too much.

I get through this by making the right choices everyday like you are doing. I ensure I eat 'clean' which means I eat lean protein, lots of vegetables and low GI carbohydrates getting my good fat from oily fish and limiting the amount of red meat I consume. I also make sure I get plenty of water and avoid snacking by having a little fruit. Oh and no alcohol, all this keeps me ticking over quite nicely.

You will obviously find exercising harder than most with your medical conditions but what you have to do is find things that motivate you. What is your goal? Write it down and remind yourself every day, stick your weight to your mirror in the bathroom / bedroom. Read things that inspire you, listen to your favourite music do whatever it takes to get off the sofa and out for a run / in the gym / to that exercise class.

Remember you can have excuses or results but not both.

Good luck

[Penel]

Hi Carlymarie

Having read through your list of medical problems I wondered if you had been tested for coeliac disease or problems with gluten? Low B12 and vit D are very common with coeliac disease.

Some people with thyroid conditions find that giving up gluten containing foods can be helpful, even if they are not coeliac. Although if you do give up gluten, you need to make sure to avoid the ready made gluten free foods as they are full of sugar and other additives, not a healthy choice!

Good to hear that you are cooking from scratch as much as possible. I tend to get most of my carbs from vegetables but try to keep my overall carbs fairly low, for example, I don't eat breakfast cereals or other processed carbs. If I wanted bread, I would make it myself. I make sure to eat red meat regularly as it is a good source of B12 and include natural fats, like butter and olive oil. I avoid low fat foods because so many contain sugar and other additives.

Different things suit different people, especially if you have specific medical conditions. The NHS 12 week plan can be a good starting point, but the carb recommendation is too high for me to lose weight.

[CarlyMarie1188 in reply to Penel]

Thanks for your reply Penel.

Yes I have been tested for coeliac disease and GP said was negative (1.1 U/ml range 0-4). I understand this test is quite unreliable though.

Will have a proper look into the NHS 12 week plan, but as carbs are my downfall I reckon it won't suit me fully.....but worth a try

[Penel in reply to CarlyMarie1188]

This is one site I find useful, although you don't need quite so much protein as suggested.

authoritynutrition.com/12-b...

Hope you can find what works for you.

[HRHGaby]

Welcome, I hope you find what you need in this community. You'll find many motivational posts here! Start by dowloading an app on your phone to keep track of calories (Fat Secret, My Fitness Pal...), it's a great aid! And you'll have to reduce your snacks. Good luck!