Has losing weight helped you?

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Medicine

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I have tried everything concerning exercise , healthy and diet apart from getting really lean. I am not overweight as such, but I thought that maybe getting right down to the lower end of “healthy weight” on a BMI scale and carrying only a small amount of body fat could help (currently at the upper end of healthy). Think I’ll try it anyway, but Input and personal experience helpful.
Thanks
 
I have tried everything concerning exercise , healthy and diet apart from getting really lean. I am not overweight as such, but I thought that maybe getting right down to the lower end of “healthy weight” on a BMI scale and carrying only a small amount of body fat could help (currently at the upper end of healthy). Think I’ll try it anyway, but Input and personal experience helpful.
Thanks
Hi Medicine,

Welcome to the forum! I have the feeling there's possibly something to this. I gained quite a bit of weight during my worst bout with fibro, and have managed to just about get back down to my normal size now, which is pretty slim. I've changed so many things over that time, and learned how to manage my symptoms better, but suspect that it all contributes. I also found that fasting for a day could knock out a pain flare, although I don't have the will to do that every time! Not an expert, but would consider the ideas that weight loss can reduce inflammation and may increase autophagy, which is the clearing of junk cells in the body. Perhaps these kinds of factors could help. If you go ahead with your experiment, please let us know how you get on - I'd be really curious!
 
I can only speak from my own experience. Everyone is so different in this syndrome, so my experience is only that, and can't be taken as a guide for everyone on this particular thing.
I am far too thin. I have very little body fat; I am at the lowest end of BMI that you can get.
And, I have fibro and I don't think it helps me one bit to be so thin.
Ideally, I should weigh 15 to 20 pounds more than I do.

Actually, I wish I could have just a little tad more weight than ideal, because then if I got sick and couldn't eat I would not be in trouble so fast as I would be now. If I lost 5 or 6 more pounds I'd probably need to get medical attention.
 
I can lose weight on an 800 calorie, protein and salad only diet. I can lose weight on a sensible 1200 calorie diet--as long as there are no carbs in it. The moment I add 1 slice of whole wheat bread, piece of fruit, or bowl of oatmeal, I gain 5 pounds. Nobody can eat like that forever. Nobody should. All the vitamin pills in the world won't supply the nutrients you aren't ingesting. The charts say I'm overweight, but when I was at my "perfect" weight, my bones stuck out. My shoulders, hips, and ribs are size 16, not size 10. And, guess what? I hurt more when I was skinny. The brain fog was awful. My skin got sallow and lifeless from lack of fat and its vitamin A. The insomnia and fatigue were already so bad I didn't believe they could get worse, but they did.

Arthritic hips and knees don't like extra weight. Fibromyalgia doesn't care what you weigh. If you have arthritic joints, losing weight is worth a try. If your pain is muscular, or in your tendons and ligaments (mine is at the attachment points, not the belly of each muscle) losing weight is something that you should consider if you have other weight-related health issues. But don't expect your fibromyalgia to melt away with those pounds. It probably won't.
 
I can lose weight on an 800 calorie, protein and salad only diet. I can lose weight on a sensible 1200 calorie diet--as long as there are no carbs in it. The moment I add 1 slice of whole wheat bread, piece of fruit, or bowl of oatmeal, I gain 5 pounds. Nobody can eat like that forever. Nobody should. All the vitamin pills in the world won't supply the nutrients you aren't ingesting. The charts say I'm overweight, but when I was at my "perfect" weight, my bones stuck out. My shoulders, hips, and ribs are size 16, not size 10. And, guess what? I hurt more when I was skinny. The brain fog was awful. My skin got sallow and lifeless from lack of fat and its vitamin A. The insomnia and fatigue were already so bad I didn't believe they could get worse, but they did.

Arthritic hips and knees don't like extra weight. Fibromyalgia doesn't care what you weigh. If you have arthritic joints, losing weight is worth a try. If your pain is muscular, or in your tendons and ligaments (mine is at the attachment points, not the belly of each muscle) losing weight is something that you should consider if you have other weight-related health issues. But don't expect your fibromyalgia to melt away with those pounds. It probably won't.
That's very low numbers in terms of calories. The charts are definitely not right for all of us - we simply aren't all built the same! If you wanted to be able to eat more flexibly, you might find it interesting to listen to some of Layne Norton's Youtube lectures on reverse dieting. He's a nutrition scientist/coach and works with a lot of athletes who have trashed their metabolisms. He helps them restoratively get their daily calories up, so they can enjoy life and feel better. I found his stuff really helpful, although he doesn't mince his words, so some people find him a bitter pill at times!
 
I can only speak from my own experience. Everyone is so different in this syndrome, so my experience is only that, and can't be taken as a guide for everyone on this particular thing.
I am far too thin. I have very little body fat; I am at the lowest end of BMI that you can get.
And, I have fibro and I don't think it helps me one bit to be so thin.
Ideally, I should weigh 15 to 20 pounds more than I do.

Actually, I wish I could have just a little tad more weight than ideal, because then if I got sick and couldn't eat I would not be in trouble so fast as I would be now. If I lost 5 or 6 more pounds I'd probably need to get medical attention.
Wow, Sunkacola. Yes, I imagine you must feel quite vulnerable to getting ill. A friend of ours is similar, and we were all very worried about her for that reason when she got covid. Do you have real difficulty holding weight on? Gainer shakes can be really useful in those instances - supporting not only weight gain but also lean mass - just to lift the resting numbers a bit.
 
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Wow, Sunkacola. Yes, I imagine you must feel quite vulnerable to getting ill. A friend of ours is similar, and we were all very worried about her for that reason when she got covid. Do you have real difficulty holding weight on? Gainer shakes can be really useful in those instances - supporting not only weight gain but also lean mass - just to lift the resting numbers a bit.
Yes, I have tried to gain weight but not managed to do so. Ultimately I gave up trying specifically to gain.
I have always hated the fact that people who carry extra weight are made to feel ashamed of it in our society, and felt great sympathy for those who try to lose weight unsuccessfully, but having had the experience of trying to gain weight unsuccessfully has increased my empathy for those who try to lose it. For some people it just isn't an easy thing at all! I was a good weight until 8 years ago when my partner died and I lost 10 pounds suddenly. I have not managed to get it back since. I used to feel celebratory if I gained 2 pounds but learned they'd just vanish again. It must be so similar for those who are trying to lose weight!
 
Yes, I have tried to gain weight but not managed to do so. Ultimately I gave up trying specifically to gain.
I have always hated the fact that people who carry extra weight are made to feel ashamed of it in our society, and felt great sympathy for those who try to lose weight unsuccessfully, but having had the experience of trying to gain weight unsuccessfully has increased my empathy for those who try to lose it. For some people it just isn't an easy thing at all! I was a good weight until 8 years ago when my partner died and I lost 10 pounds suddenly. I have not managed to get it back since. I used to feel celebratory if I gained 2 pounds but learned they'd just vanish again. It must be so similar for those who are trying to lose weight!
Deepest condolences for the loss of your partner. I think things of such magnitude can trigger huge physiological shifts. You're right, it is a silver lining indeed that every challenge graces us with greater empathy.
 
Thanks for the posts.

I am in constant pain (bad) and it doesn’t really change, so I’ll try it. As mentioned by Jemima, you could try weight gaining shakes sunkacola, just to get into the low point of healthy bmi range - that’s if you want to gain weight

I try to exercise and walk as much as I can, because the pain is constant (everywhere - all joints, tendons, muscles) and never really changes so I exercise still when I can - currently keeping carbohydrates as low as possible - do try to get enough fruit, vegetables, protein, fat , water

I was thinking being lighter is going to make moving around easier / reduce the load on the body - leading to reduced pain. To be honest nothing has really worked, so not holding my breath, I also remember being very lean 7-8 years ago and don’t remember being much better but going to try it anyway
 
Medicine - you haven't said anything about medicine ;-), as many of the ones used for fibro add weight. I wdntve thought, but after 4 months of amitriptyline last year I'd put on 6kg, and haven't lost all yet (which is OK tho).
 
Thanks for the posts.

I am in constant pain (bad) and it doesn’t really change, so I’ll try it. As mentioned by Jemima, you could try weight gaining shakes sunkacola, just to get into the low point of healthy bmi range - that’s if you want to gain weight

I try to exercise and walk as much as I can, because the pain is constant (everywhere - all joints, tendons, muscles) and never really changes so I exercise still when I can - currently keeping carbohydrates as low as possible - do try to get enough fruit, vegetables, protein, fat , water

I was thinking being lighter is going to make moving around easier / reduce the load on the body - leading to reduced pain. To be honest nothing has really worked, so not holding my breath, I also remember being very lean 7-8 years ago and don’t remember being much better but going to try it anyway
I think being lighter in weight is an advantage when you have any kind of physical pain.
Of course, like anything else it can be overdone (ie: me).

Weight gain shakes is something I have looked into. I never found one I felt I could trust, or that I liked the ingredients, so I have not done that. Most if not all of them are designed for male body builders, and while I used to lift weights daily I am no longer able to, so it doesn't seem like the right thing for me. Additionally, my feeling is that, just like a crash weight loss diet, you can do one thing that makes a difference for a while but if the thing you are doing is not going to change something long term then the problem (either weight gain or weight loss) will just return when you stop the losing diet or the gaining shakes.
 
I try to exercise and walk as much as I can, because the pain is constant (everywhere - all joints, tendons, muscles) and never really changes so I exercise still when I can - currently keeping carbohydrates as low as possible - do try to get enough fruit, vegetables, protein, fat , water
I know how hard this is, and I say good for you for doing it. This is where I was a few years ago and I started out making myself do some form of exercise and movement daily no matter what. It really did make a difference, both physically and mentally, and over time how much I could do gradually improved, as did my pain level and the frequency of pain I experience. Nothing's a magic bullet, but movement is extremely important, so give yourself a lot of credit for doing it! I made a point of telling myself Good Job every day and though it sounds a bit silly, I think it really did help.
 
Fair play to you Medicine that's a wonderful attitude and positive approach. It's given me a push and I do hope you get some positive results in future. I need to lose 4 stone or more but it's difficult knowing what to do. I'm 42, unable to exercise as such and on Pregabalin which may affect weight but I'll have to try. Drinking and snaking through stress will have to stop.

Began towards intermittent dieting recently with trying healthier alternatives and keeping it simple as I learn. I try to get up through the day to stretch my legs, gentle activity and nasal breathing. Sunkacola makes a great point with self encouragement..
 
I wonder what would best help us lose and maintain weight while getting sufficient nutrition. A diet that's easy to handle with chronic pain and fatigue. It can be difficult studying what's needed and preparing meals.

I can't use an oven but do have a microwave. Air fryers sound promising for some variety. I've been eating the likes of cereal with oat milk, prune juice and decaf tea at lunchtime. Then frozen veg with rice or a micro meal for dinner. Cutting down on alcohol and junk,.at least that's the idea!
 
The thing about changing your weight is that it needs to be a lifestyle change, or it won't last, and this is why Diets don't work. I have been trying to gain weight, but my body seems to resist that the same way other people's bodies resist losing it and it's a challenge.

I have heard very good things about air fryers, and recommend you get one if you can.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you need to make changes you can live with indefinitely. Cutting out the junk food and alcohol entirely for a while (say, a month) would be highly beneficial to you, because it can reset your body so that it won't crave those things as much and that will help you to keep the intake of such things at a much lower level when you do go back to allowing them. Although, in the case of junk food, please just let it go and find other things that satisfy the same desire (for salt or fat or sugar, whatever) that are healthier to eat. Very dark chocolate, (72%) for instance, is actually good for you.

For me, because I don't like cooking, it helps a lot to make a big batch of something and then freeze it in portions that are one-meal. I also eat salmon because fixing it is so simple and it's very healthy. I buy frozen filets individually wrapped and it's easy to have that and a salad, with or without rice.
 
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