There are quite a few parts of being an ulcerative colitis patient that we just might all have in common. And today, I think its time we had a posting about maintaining your weight while you are in a colitis flare, or while you are in full blown nasty colitis. And, also, how to maintain your bodies weight while you are in remission.
Again, I am just a mere peasant with UC, not a doctor, dietician, or politician, so eat your grain of salt now. One major disclaimer is I am medication free, a believer in the specific carb diet for UC, and my diet may be way different than yours. For example I don’t eat many of the carbs I used to eat like grains, high fructose corn syrup, and stuff like that. And super MINIMAL dairy save a drop or two in a coffee which I’m struggling to kick as well.
But, I do have UC, I have gone from 165 pounds down to 130 and back again to 165 and I’m about 5 foot 9 3/4 but lets call it 5’10” right…
How to Maintain your Weight During a Colitis Flare or when times with UC are Rough:
First off, difficult question, and I surely don’t have “THE” answer. When I was losing weight, and doing the 10 plus bloody craps per day, you bet, my weight was going down. And I was totally freaked out. I was beginning to feel like a strong breeze could push me over and end me for good. Pants were falling down, new notches on belts needed to be created. And on top of all this, I was taking massive amounts of prednisone steroids which for many people cause you to gain massive amounts of weight. So, I don’t have a solution, just an experience with losing weight. I remember back in those days, when it was finally time to get out of bed in the morning(after multiple wake ups during semi-sleep for toilet breaks) I had a hard time deciding on what to eat. But, after some time, I started to really just enjoy throwing on two or three fried eggs and eating them up. And I started to do that a whole lot. It was two dozen eggs a week at my place back in those days. So, for me, I think eggs are good for you, even if you have UC. And I think they are easy on the digestive system too. Also, this thing called bacon. I have always like bacon, and that didn’t stop when I had UC. Everyone knows its full of fat, and some protein and some salt etc… I ate it then and I eat it now on my new diet, and my UC seems to enjoy it too.
I know the above paragraph doesn’t have tons and tons of answers to the question. I hope others will write in comments with more ideas. And without saying it right off the bat, I think that the best thing to try if you are losing weight and having a never ending ulcerative colitis flare is to try the diet that is working for me. It’s not a save all, save everybody deal, I know several people who have legitimately tried the diet, and it has not worked for them(and that really bums me out BIGTIME), but it seems to be working for me, and I’m grateful.(At the top of the site, there is a section called SCD, which is posts geared towards this diet)
Maintaining your Weight when Ulcerative Colitis is in Remission
I have had my UC under control now for about 9 months minus a mini flare that lasted about two weeks. And I have gotten back to the 160-165 pound range which is where I was at prior to getting all messed up with horrible UC. What’s my secret: eating a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and some snacks just like regular people. I follow the SCD diet very strictly, and I eat quite a bit of honey, you will surely catch me unloading a ton of nearby coffee houses honey containers in teas and the occasional coffee so watch out honey jar. When its morning, I usually make a morning smoothie, video below, or the other breakfast below in video. For lunch, I usually eat out, often at a local Mexican restaurant for tacos with corn tortillas(not SCD legal, but they work for me, never flour though as that wrecks my bathroom experience), and I often put down a few almond flour banana muffins during the week for snacks.
Speaking of snacks, I love fruit, always have, and probably always will, and it all works great for the SCD diet, and my colitis in particular. I always wondered how bears can survive hybernation off eating blueberries…how can that work out calorie wise? Well, I don’t know, but I am sure I get quite a few calories from the natural sugars in all the fruits I am eating, and I think you should too.
I used to think it was amazing that I was not losing tons of weight on this diet. But now, after seeing for several months I have sustained a great weight, I know its possible. For sure all the steak, chicken, fish, and other proteins I pound all the time is helpful for not only my ulcerative colitis, but for keeping the weight constant too.
One last disclaimer before this is over, although we are going to have a professional bike rider trying the diet who is concerned about getting enough calories per day to complete and win races, I am in no way a mega athletic type, and not in the gym several hours per day burning massive amounts of calories which may be another reason why I am not losing weight on this diet…but I don’t think that’s it either. I do excercise, daily walks, sometimes small bike rides, and stuff like that. It’s been a great ramble, thanks for any feedback you have, and yet another post that has gone off on a tangent(sorry past english teachers). and feel free to email at ihaveuc at ihaveuc dot commy if you have a story you want posted. It would make my day to hear some friends I’ve met through this site say they are feeling better!!!!!
Smoothie video:
second favorite breakfast video:
I started site shortly after being diagnosed in October of 2008 with severe pancolitis (when my whole colon was inflamed).
For me, it was a very rough start with severe symptoms. Getting bounced from medication to medication was not easy or too helpful. But, I did meet another UC’er, changes several parts of my diet, and of course the rest is history.
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I’ve written 2 different ulcerative colitis ebooks, you can check them out here.
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