Woo Woo.... Gained 4 pounds since Christmas

[Rosie]

I was really getting discouraged about not being able to put on weight, even though I have been on the GF, DF and SF diet since last September and trying to eat more. It seemed like I would gain a pound or two, and then any little thing would zip the weight right back off. I'm 5' 5" and have finally been a little above 120 lbs for a week now, and still slowly creeping up. I'm assuming that this is because of continued healing on the diet. The common wisdom here is that it takes a good year to heal, and I was getting impatient. At my lightest I was about 110 lbs, but I've always been slender, and the most I've ever weighed was 132 lbs.

And my appetite is much better. I've actually been excited about eating, and am putting more effort into cooking. For example, today for lunch I grilled a big hamburger patty, and then sauteed a pan of mushrooms and onions to put on top. Then I steamed some asparagus and made a yummy smoothie with orange juice, banana, pineapple, coconut milk, strawberries and honey.

Also, I wonder why some people with MC and CD have trouble with losing too much weight while others put on weight. You would think that with the malabsorbtion issues everyone would be skinny. I know a woman with CD who is very heavy, over 300 lbs. CD runs in the family and she had lots of digestive problems, but her doctor kept telling her that she couldn't have CD because she was fat. She finally got diagnosed after many years, but by now she has severe intestinal damage. But she still doesn't lose weight

At any rate, I'm glad to be on the upward curve. My pants are starting to feel snugger, and in a few more months, my goal is to put on 5 more lbs and then get a new wardrobe!

Rosie

[tex]

Rosie,

Good for you. Now that you've got things going your way, I hope it will be time to shop for a new wardrobe, before long.

I've often wondered about the contrasting weight trends with CD and MC, also. Gluten is known to be capable of affecting virtually any organ in the body, so it must somehow affect metabolism differently, for different people.

Tex

[Gabes-Apg]

Congratulations Rosie
that is wonderful news!

re people and weight loss and weight gain - as tex mentioned everyone has different metabolism, so everyone reacts differently to diets etc
what meds people might be taking has impact, plus the health of other organs that are involved in the digestion absorbtion process

after spending majority of my lifetime with digestion issues, i have never been overly concerned re weight. My aim is to be healthy and have enough energy to work etc

i wonder if healing and being healthy kicks in when acceptance has been achieved?

[Polly]

Hooray for Rosie!

I loved your upbeat post. You GO, girl! Also loved your "irritable BUNKO"! I'll bet you are a "wordnut" - do you enjoy word search or crosswords?

Have also wondered about the huge variation in weight in MCers. I have pretty much always stayed the same wt. and never had any malaborption, so I guess I've been luckier than many.

Love,

Polly

[JLH]

Congrats, Rosie.

Your lunch made me very I wish I could eat all those things......

[ant]

That is good news,




Ant

[tex]

I wonder if an extended period of malabsorption, (years, for example), might cause the body to modify it's metabolism. IOW, if it perceives this as a possible threat of starvation issue, it might modify it's metabolism, in order to improve the odds of survival. (Just thinking out loud).

Tex

[Rosie]

Thanks to all for your encouraging words!

My goal is to get to 125 lbs. That would give me some buffer in case I have a flare, or catch a stomach bug.

Gabes, I think that having a bit more weight is better than having too little. I realize that at least here in the USA, skinny is considered more attractive, but that only works when you are young. "Scrawny" is the old lady "skinny". Zaa Zaa Gabor had a great saying: "As you get older you must choose either your figure or your face". My mother is a great example of this. She was skinny her whole life, but now that she's 93 years old, inactive and in a nursing home she has put on about 15 libs and her face looks fantastic. There is hardly a wrinkle to be seen, as the extra weight has plumped out her face.

Polly, yes, I enjoy word puzzles and crosswords, and have always been an avid reader. My DH and I love to play around with puns and other word games in our conversations. We can really get going sometimes.

Joan, your time will come. I hope that you have found some foods that you really enjoy.

Ant, your good humor and caring words help make this Forum into the supportive, understanding community we all need so much.

Tex, I guess there isn't a known answer as to why some people with MC and CD lose weight and others don't. I was thinking a bit more about this and wonder if appetite is the key. Maybe some poeple don't lose their appetite and others do. I know that before I was diagnosed, I had to almost force myself to eat. Now I'm thinking a lot about food and feeling hungry. On the other hand, I remember in the past before I had MC, it would be common for me to feel really hungry just before I knew I had a stomach bug. I think that my brain interpreted the uneasy feeling in my tummy as hunger. Of course it really wasn't a good idea to eat a lot just before getting sick But maybe a similar thing is going on with people who gain weight with MC or CD..........

Rosie[/b]

[Gabes-Apg]

my acupuncturist said that it is important to have an appetite and look foward to eating, our bodies need that mental reaction to get the saliva and bile juices ready.
if you are not looking forward to eating then it makes it twice as hard for the body to digest the food.

i can well understand that when we are in a flare, we all dread bad reactions and extended period on the
so our enthusiasm to eating decreases. Add to that the extra effort we go to re ingredients and cooking techniques to suit what works best for our bodies, it has the potential to take the joy out of eating. so the meal can become a chore.

I think i have just taken the next step to acceptance, just this week i am enthused about cooking again, (yes i had Dee's inspired terriyaki last night) and am trying new things which is making meals more exciting.