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Post by EJ on Apr 11, 2014 20:03:08 GMT -5
Sarah's blog post on How to Gain (or Maintain) Weight on the Autoimmune Protocol is super helpful (look for it in the Resources From Sarah thread pinned at the top of the Weight Gain board).
What do you think works best to keep weight on? Do you eat more fats? More carbs? Focus on digestion? Sleep?
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Post by gutsybynature on Apr 12, 2014 14:02:51 GMT -5
For me it is more carbs. I don't digest fat very well so loading up on that is not very useful.
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Post by EJ on Apr 13, 2014 10:23:26 GMT -5
Great point, gutsybynature! We always have to listen to our bodies first.
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3ladybugs
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Post by 3ladybugs on Apr 13, 2014 16:43:10 GMT -5
For me it has been the same but with breastfeeding it is even more difficult. I am so glad to see this board as this is a HUGE problem for me.
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Post by Irene Adamson on Apr 13, 2014 17:05:23 GMT -5
I do more fats and more carbs. I thought I had leveled off cause I maintained my weight for 6 months then I recently started losing again. I hope it stops!
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Post by EJ on Apr 13, 2014 21:07:27 GMT -5
Irene, I think that just shows that our bodies cycle and change and we have to be responsive. It's fascinating...and frustrating Hopefully, some simple tweaks will get you back into maintenance mode.
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evawitsel
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Post by evawitsel on Apr 14, 2014 1:19:32 GMT -5
For me it helps to improve my digestion. If my digestion is off, it doesn't matter what I eat, it doesn't 'stick'. In my case this means solving low stomach acid and I might have to try adding in some digestive enzymes to see if that helps.
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nicola
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Post by nicola on Apr 14, 2014 4:31:46 GMT -5
I also struggle with weight gain. I seem to drop weight really fast if I'm not well, like 2 kilos in one day. I'm really frustrated by it, as soon as I put on a couple of kilos I just seem to lose them again. Sorry not to have anything useful to add - just wanted to vent a little and hear others advice
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Post by EJ on Apr 14, 2014 9:55:12 GMT -5
It's totally okay, nicola. 2 kg in 1 day seems like a lot! Have you spoken to doctors about that? This is a frustrating situation...which most people think they would "kill for" But we know how hard it can be to maintain health in this way. Make sure to read Sarah's article I talked about above. And here's another one from a different source: whole9life.com/2014/04/weight-gain-101/
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Post by gutsybynature on Apr 14, 2014 11:42:06 GMT -5
Yes, it is important to first figure out the reason behind the weight loss (or lack of weight gain). For me it usually is digestion. Food is sometimes literally just running through me and actually eating more will just make the problem worse. When that is happening I have to figure out how to tackle the root cause. It could be that I've been eating too many FODMAPs lately. Or too much fat (I don't have my gallbladder, in addition to the pieces of my intestine that were removed). Or perhaps I'm seeing the beginning of a flare up of my Crohn's disease.
Sometimes though it is simply that I'm under-eating. If I'm feeling stressed or sad, my appetite drops to nothing and I really have to be conscious of whether I am getting enough to eat.
And I HATE it when people say "I wish I had that problem.".... No. You don't. Honestly.
((Hugs)) to everyone currently struggling with this.
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deboburke
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Post by deboburke on Apr 21, 2014 8:02:55 GMT -5
Hi all, so thankful for a group that "gets it"! Since my first autoimmune disease diagnosis of Celiac 3 years ago, I have struggled to maintain/gain weight. I have a very limited diet of just 14 foods due to food allergies/sensitivities. (I plan to start testing soon to find the root cause, waiting on insurance.) My question is this, I still have some symptoms of food sensitivities but have not tracked down the culprit(s) because I just can't imagine eating less food. I am hungry many days. But, am I making absorption of nutrients impossible by keeping these foods in my diet? Or is it more likely that I am not absorbing nutrients because of an underlying problem, like SIBO or candida? Has anyone else dealt with this?
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Post by EJ on Apr 21, 2014 10:33:14 GMT -5
My guess (not a doctor) is that it's an issue of underlying problems. It's not supposed to be very common that a person is sensitive/allergic to almost every food out there! If you're down to 14 foods ( ), I would imagine your gut is just in need of serious healing...and once it's better you hopefully will be able to reintroduce all sorts of foods. But it will take time. I definitely wouldn't cut any other foods from your diet. I see your point about not wanting to irritate your gut more...but super strict elimination diets (which you're already on) can stress out your body...which can lead to more symptoms (it's possible this is happening already!). Stick to what you've got currently, focus on nutrient density and healing, and definitely get tested for SIBO or candida if you think those might be a factor. Hope you feel better soon!
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Post by EJ on Apr 21, 2014 12:24:43 GMT -5
deboburke, I also want to add that if you're not seeing someone who can help you wade through your intolerances and symptoms, you could check out The Paleo Mom Consulting for advice. I know you said you're waiting on insurance, but most doctors covered by insurance won't help much. It might be worth your health and sanity to pay cash to see someone who understands what you're going through and works with you to get to the root of your problems. Just a thought
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deboburke
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Post by deboburke on Apr 21, 2014 16:07:13 GMT -5
EJ, thanks for your replies, I am seeing a dietician soon that is trained in functional medicine. If she doesn't work out then I will check out TPMConsulting. I definitely need to see someone!
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Post by gutsybynature on Apr 23, 2014 4:46:55 GMT -5
Yes, sounds to me like you need to do some serious gut healing. Please come back and share what you learn from the dietician.
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