Overweight with Crohn's... Advice?

nyx_2713

Ok so I have severe Crohn's... 2 resections, very little intestines left (as much as can be without a bag), and instead of losing weight like many with Crohn's, I was gifted with the complete opposite problem.

I want (& need) to lose weight but I'm at a loss here. As info, I've always been overweight... even as a kid... despite being very active (softball & clogging for years). I am NOT on any steroids & haven't been for years now (diagnosed over 10 years ago). I currently only take Humira which has been working wonderfully for me as I've been mostly in remission for years now (with small flares here and there but nothing major).

Here's my biggest issue: how do I go about losing weight while keeping my Crohn's under control? I've tried eating "healthier" but that's just causing me to start flaring up. And yes, I'm trying to make sure I'm more active as well (though some days it's real difficult as my Crohn's is coupled with PCOS & chronic fatigue syndrome).

Can anyone give me advice on how to go about losing weight while also keeping flares under control?

(FYI: NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE TRYING TO HELP BUT IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM WITH EATING "HEALTHY" WITH CROHN'S, PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND AS YOUR SUGGESTIONS PROBABLY WILL NOT WORK FOR ME AND/OR HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED & FAILED)

sollyn23l2

nyx_2713 wrote: »

Ok so I have severe Crohn's... 2 resections, very little intestines left (as much as can be without a bag), and instead of losing weight like many with Crohn's, I was gifted with the complete opposite problem.

I want (& need) to lose weight but I'm at a loss here. As info, I've always been overweight... even as a kid... despite being very active (softball & clogging for years). I am NOT on any steroids & haven't been for years now (diagnosed over 10 years ago). I currently only take Humira which has been working wonderfully for me as I've been mostly in remission for years now (with small flares here and there but nothing major).

Here's my biggest issue: how do I go about losing weight while keeping my Crohn's under control? I've tried eating "healthier" but that's just causing me to start flaring up. And yes, I'm trying to make sure I'm more active as well (though some days it's real difficult as my Crohn's is coupled with PCOS & chronic fatigue syndrome).

Can anyone give me advice on how to go about losing weight while also keeping flares under control?

(FYI: NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE TRYING TO HELP BUT IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM WITH EATING "HEALTHY" WITH CROHN'S, PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND AS YOUR SUGGESTIONS PROBABLY WILL NOT WORK FOR ME AND/OR HAS ALREADY BEEN TRIED & FAILED)

I'm going to hazard a guess you are eating low fiber to try and control the symptoms. I did this too while I was very sick for about 11 years until finally being diagnosed Celiac. Keep up the low fiber if it helps. Low fiber doesn't automatically have to be high calorie. But tracking your calories will be VERY important if you want to lose weight. Cook all your vegetables you are able to eat, and cook them well. I ate absolutely no raw vegetables while I was sick. Choose white rice instead of brown. And yes, I found white rice VERY helpful while I was sick. Easy on the intestines and absorbs some excess water. Look for low fiber fruits and don't eat them on an empty stomach, eat them along with other foods (ie after a meal). Try staying away from the harsher things lime raw onion and garlic. Just some suggestions

AnnPT77

Bottom line, weight (fat) is about the calories directly. Sure, nutrition is important generically. Ditto for exercise. But calories are the key for weight loss. Nutrition and exercise can have indirect effects through energy level or fatigue, or through appetite. The direct mechanism is still calories. Get your personal calorie intake below your personal calorie expenditure, and you'll lose weight.

Truth in advertising: I don't have Crohn's, though a couple of friends do. I know that condition won't make things easier for you, and I have no idea whether or how your health status affects your calorie needs. But we all have to pick a starting goal, then test-drive it for a month or so, to find out if our individual needs are close to the statistical averages MFP or other calorie calculators spit out. If not, we can adjust the goal based on our own data at that point.

If you have an eating routine that works for you now for managing your Crohn's, you don't necessarily need to change the range of foods you eat. The concept of "diet foods" is oversold. You can eat calorie-appropriate amounts of the same range of foods you eat now. (That's pretty much what I did. . . and I didn't materially increase exercise, either.)

Given your health condition, if you need extra help, consider asking for a referral to a registered dietitian with experience helping people with your health conditions.

Best wishes!

Leo_King84

https://crohnsforum.com/threads/this-is-my-story-and-how-i-finally-overcame-the-pains-of-crohns-disease.85899/

nyx_2713

@AnnPT77

Ok, I will try to explain this as best I can. Yes, calories matter, but what are the least calorie dense foods? Fruits & vegetables. Those fruits & vegetables (aka "healthy") foods are what cause my flares because they are so fibrous. So that essentially leaves me with proteins and carbs... the most calorie dense foods. I've been watching my calorie intake for quite a while with fitness tracker with only about a 5lb reduction. I stay in my range or less 99% of the time (except special occasions of course).

Also, not all Crohnie's are created equal... some have more severe reactions to the healthier foods and unfortunately, I happen to be one of them. Now, I can cook those fruits/veggies down to be more tolerable for me but that not only reduces the nutritional value but also reduces one of the best parts... it's water content.

I have a nutritionist I've seen for years and she's fairly well at a loss on this one. I was in the hospital several years ago receiving only IV nutrition. They monitored my activity (getting up & walking, how many laps I did in the hall, my heart rate, etc) as well as knowing exactly my caloric intake since I was only receiving nutrition via IV and it even stumped her then. She's specifically told me I am the only person she's ever seen who's that body didn't seem to respond in the typical manner. My thyroid and everything else has been checked several times and always comes back normal.

I just feel desperate at this point and no one can seem to answer my questions (not even the doctors) and then to make it worse most people that don't know me think I'm just lying and lazy. I was hoping to find someone who'd been in a similar situation and was able to figure something out that worked for them so I could try that too. Thanks for trying to help but I even have the professionals stumped at this point.

sollyn23l2

nyx_2713 wrote: »

@AnnPT77

Ok, I will try to explain this as best I can. Yes, calories matter, but what are the least calorie dense foods? Fruits & vegetables. Those fruits & vegetables (aka "healthy") foods are what cause my flares because they are so fibrous. So that essentially leaves me with proteins and carbs... the most calorie dense foods. I've been watching my calorie intake for quite a while with fitness tracker with only about a 5lb reduction. I stay in my range or less 99% of the time (except special occasions of course).

Also, not all Crohnie's are created equal... some have more severe reactions to the healthier foods and unfortunately, I happen to be one of them. Now, I can cook those fruits/veggies down to be more tolerable for me but that not only reduces the nutritional value but also reduces one of the best parts... it's water content.

I have a nutritionist I've seen for years and she's fairly well at a loss on this one. I was in the hospital several years ago receiving only IV nutrition. They monitored my activity (getting up & walking, how many laps I did in the hall, my heart rate, etc) as well as knowing exactly my caloric intake since I was only receiving nutrition via IV and it even stumped her then. She's specifically told me I am the only person she's ever seen who's that body didn't seem to respond in the typical manner. My thyroid and everything else has been checked several times and always comes back normal.

I just feel desperate at this point and no one can seem to answer my questions (not even the doctors) and then to make it worse most people that don't know me think I'm just lying and lazy. I was hoping to find someone who'd been in a similar situation and was able to figure something out that worked for them so I could try that too. Thanks for trying to help but I even have the professionals stumped at this point.

Some of us burn more calories, some less, and some bodies are just better at compensating for a calorie deficit by reducing overall movement. All of these things make it complicated... absolutely. This is why I don't recommend tracking exercise... many people's bodies will just straight up naturally compensate for the exercise by reduced overall daily movement. The "lots of low calorie food" probably isn't the best option for you. Something along the lines of keto (very, very high fat, almost no carbs), might actually work better for you.

neanderthin

A common theme I've noticed over the 5 years I've been researching the carnivore diet, which I'm not a proponent of nor do I suggest you try it is the amount of people that report their Crohn's was greatly reduced or their symptoms were completely gone. Also many on a low carb and ketogenic diet find relief as well. BTW people with PCOS also confirm similar results. These diets basically address the active mechanism which for the most part is plant material and fiber, reduce them and inflammation is reduced, which is for the most part, why this problem exists. Weight loss is another effect from most of these low carb classified diets as well. Of course with any health related disease, the need to consult a specialist ( doctor who specializes in gastrointestinal disorders) is strongly advised considering the effectiveness of an intervention with this type of potential for change.