Dieting

@Josephine66 most people I know all gained weight through treatment, it's one of the worst side effects of it. I put 6kg on through chemo and I am nearly 3yrs post now and it hasn't come off. No amount of exercise which is limited anyway or diet changes it. I too was told it would go back to normal, but it didn't. One of the main contributors is that I was thrown into an early menopause as most women are through chemo, this also exacerbates the weight thing...add on top the AI I take and is very difficult. I am more active now Im back at work full time, so hoping that helps, but menopause weight is an uphill battle. So please know its so normal and there are those who are so wonderfully successful in shifting it. So try mixing things up with lots of things. Hugs xo

@nadi you look amazing!!!

Hi Nadi, thanks for sharing your story. Im mid way through chemo and have already gained 12 kgs. Terrified ill gain that much again by the end of treatment. Yes the Dex does put on weight but i think the chemo does too. I only exercise 1 to 2 days per week due to fatigue being really bad. Every week i go to chemo i get told to try and walk as much as i can but also to be kind to myself and that the extra weight will come off after treatment. Not sure what to think. Gotta say its getting me down. Was 64.5 kg when i met surgeon 3 weeks before single mastectomy, now 81 kgs with another 7 weeks of chemo to go. Every i meet has lost weight or cant eat. Ha im the opposite. Cant wait to have energy again !

Wowie Zowie @Nadi - What determination. Well done! I too am trying to lose weight . I am working on diet and exercise. I am losing about 1/2 kg per week. Rice, potatos and pasta are my downfall - tried no/low carbs, but missed them from our main  meal too much. And forgot to mention  the glass of white wine. Best wishes from jennyss

Well done, @Nadi You must be feeling so much better.  I, too, would like to lose a bit - less for gravity to weigh me down.

@Zoffiel Thanks. I definitely feel better than I did before but still struggle with osteo arthritis in the knees which was made worse by carrying all the extra kilos. Also had an absolute blast buying a completely new wardrobe! 

Holy Toledo @nadi ! You must feel like a new woman. I know we should not let our weight define ourselves but losing so much can change your life. Well done, you!

Hey @Hendrix I lost 7 kgs before chemo because the onc warned me the dexamethasone would cause weight gan, so I started a diet right away after my diagnosis. I gained 9 kgs with chemo, and then once I started to feel good after chemo I began my diet again, lost 32 kgs since and have kept it off for over a year, apart from a trip OS late last year where I put on 5-6 kgs but then lost it again when I got back home. Pics before and after the 32 kg loss are below  (although my hair is now straight). 

I used the anti inflammatory diet to choose which foods to eat. I started by counting calories for a couple of weeks while I 'retrained' myself in eating right After that I didn't need to count calories as I stuck mostly to lean meat, vegetables LOTS of salmon and berries. I also limited sweets to two small squares of dark Lindt high cocoa choc a day, and reduced carbs (no pasta, rice, noodles or potatoes). Arthritis meant no exercise.

Lots of changes in the last 2.5 years, but as long as I am consistent with choosing the right things to eat I should keep the weight off. I still weigh myself twice a day to make sure I hold myself accountable for my food choices. If I want something, I have it, it just means I might have a small amount of smiths chips  and not a whole packet  and then I will cut back on something else that day. I would love to lose another 10 kgs, but at the moment I am ok with where I am.

Hope you find what works best for you.

Hello @primek
I dont think it is related to your not being able to log in and will check tomorrow.

I did  optifast to rapidly drop weight after chemo in prep for surgery. It is a very restrictive plan but elimating choosing what to eat can help at times.

But...I gained weight back  after surgery  (not all if it) and felt this time I needed to really focus on nutrition as I was constantly tired.

I joined weight watchers online. I lost weight with weight watchers years ago and kept it off for years before health issues derailed me.

I have steadily lost weight. The new program is very easy and  user friendly and it is designed to teach  you how to eat your cake and drink wine and still lose weight. 

Just online is around $34 per month.

I now create snack boxes to munch through the day when feeling peckish. Filled with yummy nutritious foods I feel so much healthier and have reconnected in enjoying cooking new food.

I'd attach a pic but the damn thing isnt working. If you are interested and connected to facebook...look up "fred me healthy" with Anna van Dyken. She creates delicious meals and snack box ideas. Honestly you never feel deprived. And if you fall iff...you just jump back on and carry on. 


@Giovanna_BCNA ...any reason you can't attach pics. Is it related to why I couldn't log in?

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