struggling losing weight with i.b.s

carlyp1990
carlyp1990 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, tried every diet you can think off been on here a while now on and off! lost 2 .5 stone in just over 3 months by having 1,000 cals or less, put a stone back on (gradually) lost 11lbs of it now my weghtloss has come to a holt! i suffer a lot with my ibs can fluctuate between 2-5 lbs every day because of it its so difficult to keep positive as seeing the scales bump up like that is a real struggle. i wondered if any of you have i.b.s and if you have any tips for me? thank you! :)

Replies

  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    I have IBS and honestly I've never found that it has hindered my weight loss. In fact, exercise and a healthy, balanced diet seem to help it quite a bit. My weight can go up or down by 5lbs in a day but the overall trend is down (I've lost 11lbs in the past 8 weeks on 1900+ calories a day from a starting weight of around 170lbs).

    Your diary isn't open, so I can't really comment on what you eat, but 1000 calories or less a day is far too little!

    Perhaps if you provide a little more detail about yourself, what you eat, how much exercise you do then people would be able to help more.
  • Tara1B
    Tara1B Posts: 78
    I suffer from IBS and like you, my weight does fluctuate due to this (even though I'm small at 5ft it can jump up 3-4lbs from day to day). My advice would be to not worry about the number on the scale so much - take measurements. I exercise regularly so I know my body hasn't changed even if I feel bigger due to bloating and the scale says so!
  • megan1869
    megan1869 Posts: 166 Member
    I have IBS and honestly I've never found that it has hindered my weight loss. In fact, exercise and a healthy, balanced diet seem to help it quite a bit.

    Ditto!... and I have found that my IBS lets me know when I'm putting the weight back on... its like sucky built in skinny jeans but I guess its better than knowing far too late.
  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
    I agree, long term it shouldn't affect your weight loss, just try not to weigh yourself too often.

    Eating fewer than 1000 calories a day, on the other hand, is neither healthy or sustainable. Strongly recommend that you input your height, weight and weekly weightloss goal into MFP and eat the recommended number of calories that they suggest.
  • sara0ann
    sara0ann Posts: 57 Member
    This happened to me awhile back as well! You might know some of this already but, these are things that I learned:

    1. Nutritionists and doctors say that no matter what your height or weight, eating under 1000 calories a day is not good. Under 1000 is the point at which your body starts to store fat in fear of starvation.

    2. You should change your workout- drastically. I always heard this and changed my workout a little bit here and there, but not enough to make a drastic difference.

    3. The TYPE of food you're eating is as significant as the amount of calories!

    4. Don't change your routine weekly because you're not seeing progress! Stick with each program at least a few weeks to let your body to adjust.

    5. DO NOT give up! You'll be more mad at yourself in 2 months when you've given up altogether, than in 2 months when you know you've put in a valiant effort!

    I hope some of this helps!
    Add me if you'd like! :)

    Sara
  • megot78
    megot78 Posts: 31 Member
    Like another responder said, we can't see your diary, but my gastroenterologist has always suggested a high fiber (25-30g/day) diet to curb my IBS and it really helps. Make sure you're getting enough fiber & it should help combat the IBS symptoms. Plus, as an added benefit, it makes you feel full sooner. The days where I get a lot of fiber in, I feels a million times better than others. Honestly though, if anything, tracking my foods and calories has helped curb my IBS better than anything else ever has and has had no negative effect on my weight loss. Good luck to you!
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    I agree, long term it shouldn't affect your weight loss, just try not to weigh yourself too often.

    Eating fewer than 1000 calories a day, on the other hand, is neither healthy or sustainable. Strongly recommend that you input your height, weight and weekly weightloss goal into MFP and eat the recommended number of calories that they suggest.

    If you're using this method, don't set unreasonable goals i.e. 2lb a week is only a reasonable goal if you are morbidly obese, 1lb a week is sensible if you're overweight and remember to eat back most of your exercise calories. The "In Place of a Road Map" method is very popular here for good reason.

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