Honestly I have found that if I adhere to a strict diet and exercise programm then I am ok but if I fall off of the wagon, I put on weight...I have a lot of food cravings and they are usually the culprits...sugar and more recently salt...so I try to offset it with increased physical activity...it works well but I still need to watch my intake carefully.
Sharon

I am the same as Sharon. I tend to put on weight if I do not watch what I eat. Since implementing the Paleo Diet on January 1, my weight has gone from 196 to 165, with a very moderate level of exercise consisting of 45 minute cardio workouts about 4 times per week. Which was my same exercise routine pre-weight loss.

If I eat carbs and sugars weight flies onto my body, and if I stop eating carbs and sugars, weight flies off, as the fat is consumed. This is of course common sense, but people have different metabolism levels and the effects of any diet may be different.

CC, my sister has hypothyroidism and has struggled with her weight her entire life. Recently she lost 76 pounds. Her weight has been up and down ever since we were kids. She takes some meds for her hypothyroidism but I do not know what else she is doing. Her weight loss seemed to be related to her biking activities although I am not certain of all that she is doing.

Thank you both for responding
Exactly what does a normal daily intake of food consist of.I will read in to your diets.I look as if I am also triggering diabetes.

Not such a happy person these last few days.I had another blockage two weeks ago.
Thanks to this forum I avoided going to the Hospital again.
I eat sparingly a good variety of foods.Excerise is there .Thank you for for any guidance.



Cassiecass
Thyroid disease and diabetes tend to co exist.

Maybe it is the type of pouch since the my pouch is continent but I can't lose weight at all. I hardly eat due to not even having a real stomach left, maybe 1k in calories a day. I always joke, 'How much more do I have to removed to lose weight!?"

I had to go on a 960 calorie/day diet to loose significant weight. This was over about 5 months. The past few years, the weight has been creeping back on. But, the formula has been low calorie, low carb, and keep the activity level up (to prevent a reduction in metabolism). I have not gained it all back, but it is a struggle, to be sure. Your genetics have a lot to do with it, as many of us were designed to live through famine, so packing on pounds when food is available is a survival thing. Unfortunately, famine is not common anymore.

I am also type 2 diabetes, so losing the extra weight was important. Losing the weight got me off the diabetes meds (I was lucky to not be too far gone, my husband still needs the meds to keep the blood sugar in line. He went on the same weight loss program.) I have my blood checked every three months.

If it helps to know you are not alone, you are in GREAT company!

Jan

quote:

Unfortunately, famine is not common anymore.

Okay, that's *funny*, Jan.

Yes, "tongue in cheek," it is. I suppose my ancestors were built to survive long ocean voyages and long periods of scarce food supplies (the skinny people did not survive). Plentiful food is not such a wonderful thing, for me, at least.

Of course, it is fortunate that famine is not common (at least for those of us living in a modernized world). Certainly there is famine, but those folks are not generally bothered by post op complications and other issues we deal with here. So, I try not to complain too much that having plenty of food to eat makes me fat.

Jan

We are blessed to have a lot of good food around in North America. I was a consummate foodie for many years going to 5 star restaurants like Equus in Tarrytown NY. I eventually realized that such a lifestyle cannot be sustained over time.

I note the recent tragic death of the talented actor James Gandolfini, a well known foodie who had put on weight in recent years. When I saw him in Zero Dark Thirty I thought he looked way too big. He actually gave a recent interview in which he said he had started to look like a toad and joked that he should be getting offers to do comedies. Then I read about what he had eaten the day he died and it did not sound good. He was just 51 way too young and just a year older than me. I think he just got seduced by the foodie lifestyle and it was not sustainable for him. You have to eat to live and not live to eat. I heard a seminar given by a cardiologist's dietician recently on these issues.

I have committed myself to eating healthy and it is not as hard as you think. You can eat healthy and enjoy it. Cassieacass maybe the FODMAP diet is worth a try for you. I believe sugars and carbs are big culprits as well, at least for me. The hypothyroidism may have an effect on your metabolism and I would speak to your endrocronologist and also see a registered dietician as well to assist in designing a diet. Good luck

Oh yeah, don't go on a highly restrictive diet without first getting the OK from your doctor. My 960 calorie plan was through a medical weight loss program through my health plan, so we were carefully selected and monitored for safety. The key was to get used to small portions and realize you won't "starve" on a minimalist diet. You'd be surprised how little you need to maintain your normal body weight. You have consume 3500 calories less than your body needs to lose 1 pound. So, while what you eat matters, how much you eat REALLY matters! Small frequent meals works because you don't get so hungry.

Once your body gets used to fewer calories, then you can learn how to cook correctly. I used to fool myself that as long as I was preparing wholesome, fresh foods, cutting the fat and empty calories, I was OK. That may have worked when I was 20 and with a sick colon, but not 50+, post menopausal, and no illness sucking up my calorie load.

But, I still am a foodie and will probably always will be. I love to eat and cook. I just try to keep the reigns pulled back and be mindful of what I eat.

Jan

I don't think that anecdotal information about the death of someone who allegedly died from a heart attack is helpful to a person who may have concerns about weight gain (cassiecass may not be concerned but there may be people who are).

There is absolutely no evidence that the alleged heart attack was caused by food choices. There are people who are prone to heart attacks whether overweight or not. There are people who eat very well and exercise regularly who have heart attacks.

Unless there is new evidence that Mr. Gandolfini died from his diet choices I don't think it's relevant here.

kathy

Cassie,
We all have very different metabolisms and those modify with our lifestyles, ages and activity levels...even though we need very few calories to maintain our basic body weight we can help our metabolism to work better by increasing our activity level on a regular basis...Better to walk 1/2hr/day 5days/week than to play some strenuous sport for 5hrs 1xs a week...your body loves habits and does its best to maintain them...So if it is used to a certain weight then it will fight like the dickens to keep you at that weight, if it gets used to the same calories but more activity then it will let go of some of that weight and if you reduce the calories by 10% and increase the activity by 10% then you should see a significant change over time (I usually say to give it about 6 weeks before seeing major changes if you are significantly overweight and 4 weeks if you are moderately so)...
I am not a great believer in 'crash diets' but in behaviour modification and dietary changes that last a lifetime...it is a lot easier to not add or eat the fat than it is to try to lose it...I am way too lazy to go on diet after diet (I am not very good at that level of sacrifice) so I just avoid breads, cakes and cheeses/milk products (still having problems cutting out ice cream)which keeps me from balooning but I have to learn to cut out the sugar to really see a change.
For now, I keep the activity and exercise levels really high as compared to most North Americans (no car, I walk everywhere, carry all of my groceries, push/pull buggies full of produce over a mile each way, climb tons of stairs and exercise at least 1hr 4xs/week)...
You need to find something that works for you and your lifestyle that is sustainable...even if it is very moderate...
Sharon

Sharon - here in California one is born attached to an automobile. Heaven forbid if we ever got out of them and smelled the air. We can't even really get public transit going.

In France (and other countries I've visited), even those who are overweight seem to be in very good shape because they walk everywhere. I wish that were the case here.

kathy

cassiecass,
I am hypothyroid and have been dealing with it for 20 years, more than UC. They had an extremely hard time getting my medication adjusted after my surgeries for over 18 months to the right levels. Having the wrong level can affect so much, weight, energy and hair loss to name a few. I suggest you do not go on a diet under 1,200 calories a day. I'm not a medical professional I've just been on a lot of diets. When we go on diets too few in calories our bodies go into a sort of protection mode and learn to live on less which defeats the purpose. I was on a 900 calorie day a diet more years ago than I care to count The diet company (plan) I paid to go on that diet with went out of business a few years after I was on it. Subsequently what I found out is it is not good to starve your body. I do not mean to put down Jan Dollar's diet but as she stated she was on a specific diet for her medical problem.

I'm guessing your current weight gaining might be caused by lack of exercise, just because that is my problem. I can tell you to walk more etc. but I'm not doing it myself. I have remaining pain and other health problems and am not exercising myself..

I have changed my diet to include making myself eat my fruits and veggies by making a protein smoothie each day using the product PlantFusion daily. I also eat Greek yogurt, eat a deck of cards size of meat serving a day and try to eat beef only once a week. I love mashed potatoes and baked chicken. I also eat bread, crackers and cheese. Somehow I am maintaining my weight while not exercising at all. I lost 65 lbs after my surgeries, that I had gained from prednisone and still need to loose 15 lbs to be at a normal BMI. I am not trying to loose weight, maintaining is fine because I still feel like hell.

My main message to you is to not starve yourself plus eat plenty of good protein, no fried foods and get in your fruits and veggies. Take care and good luck.

Thank you all for responding.My endocrinologist is questioning the function of the pouch.He thinks I am not working all so well.He has increased my T4 medication.I am excersing daily but will increase the time I do it.As far as diet I watch what I eat.2 weeks ago I was back in trouble.Because of this forum I made it thru without running to the ER.I had 3 days of being uncomfortable after 14 hours of horror.
I was also warned about being a diabetic.Weight Must come off..
Again Thank you all who responded
Cassiecass

There is no easy fix, particularly when you have metabolic problems. The weight loss program my husband and I went through was through Kaiser, and the the "crash diet" portion was for quick results, which was very motivating.

But, you have to keep the activity level up, otherwise the body goes into "starvation mode" lowering your metabolism. The classes were led by a Registered Dietician and a Diabetes Instructor, so we were taught good daily habits and lifelong strategies. We had to go in weekly for classes and weigh-ins. It wasn't just a "buy the diet food" program, and we could continue the support classes forever, but it was a pain to take off work early once a week.

By the way, my j-pouch and Steve's UC responded well to the diet shakes and bars. I was the first j-pouch patient they had, so they were curious how I'd do. The worst part was that it was boring, but I think that was part of the point (you don't over eat what you are bored with).

Maintaining a healthy weight is not easy, so you have my full understanding and sympathy. Good luck!

Jan

Your endo is probably right and your thyroid function might be affecting your pouch function. A year ago my GI at the Mayo clinic said that mine was affecting my pouch function via IPS. Therefore it is important that your metabolism via thyroid function be within the normal range. If it isn't then you are going to have a much harder time loosing weight too. If it is off then your body goes into the conserve mode which makes it store weight too.

Exercise does combat conserve mode and speed up your metabolism but you are fighting an uphill battle with your thyroid off. It makes you tired and is slowing you down.

I hope your levels are back to normal soon!

Someone was previously questioning the linkage of weight and overeating to James Gandolini's death, but renowned cardiologist, Dr. Chauncey Crandall, says excessive overeating of fatty foods likely contributed to James Gandolfini's Death:

http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/M...1&utm_source=taboola

"On vacation, Crandall reports, “You eat excessively, indulging in fatty foods, and this causes the blood to thicken. The result is a blood clot, which can rupture, resulting in the blockage of blood flow to the heart, causing heart attack and sudden death.”

"This exact situation appears borne out by news sources, which report Gandolfini dined on a final meal that included at least eight servings of alcohol. In addition to the rum and beer, he reportedly consumed two orders of fried prawns along with foie gras, a delicacy made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been purposely fattened."

The final meal of Gandolfini described in that article is the meal of a big-time foodie. As Dr. Crandall says it is these kinds of meals that can cause a thickening of the blood and resulting heart attack. The fact that Gandolfini was already overweight, according to Dr. Crandall, really did not help matters.