Weight loss and IBD

[IBDdiet]

Hello, I've name changed for this thread.
Does anyone know how to successfully lose weight with having IBD.

I find it incredibly difficult to eat 'healthy' raw foods such as salads and veg or fibre rich fruit which would no doubt help in weight loss.

Dieticians have been of no help. The advice is to eat to keep my gut calm and so processed food is easier to digest.

I have about 2 stone to lose to be a healthy weight.

Any tips for food ideas most welcome.

Thank you!

I have UC and have the same struggle, although I've a lot more to lose - 6 stone.

Healthy foods like fresh fruit, veg, salad, seeds, nuts, whole grains, etc cause my condition to flare up including extreme bowel irritation, inflammation, urgency, diarrhoea and bleeding.

I try to eat more homemade soups, well cooked veg, protein, but it's so difficult to sustain.

Hopefully someone will be along soon who can help.

I have had UC for ten years and in mid-2023 began experiencing a huge flare up. I found that medication was doing nothing for me, but adapting my diet has stopped the flare up and I’ve also easily lost two stone in the past four months without any extra exercise or effort. I do, however, eat the same things pretty much every day because I know they keep my gut calm, but it’s incredibly boring. Here’s what I’m eating:

Breakfast - 3 rice cakes with peanut butter and blueberries

Lunch - jacket sweet potato with goats butter, with a side salad of lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and green olives

Dinner - rice or rice noodle stir fry, using garlic infused oil, sesame oil, gluten free soy sauce and veg (usually cabbage, carrots and broccoli)

If my stomach has been nice and calm that week I treat myself to a Saturday night takeaway of a pineapple fritter and a small pile of chips from the chippy. Prior to starting this eating regime I was piling on weight but now seem to be reversing that.

I’ve also cut out all caffeine and alcohol. No fizzy drinks or squashes with artificial sweeteners in either. It’s not fun, but for me, it has worked and currently I’m medication (and pain) free.

Thank you both very much.
I think because IBD and what causes flares is so different to all, it's hard to pinpoint what is a good diet. I really struggle to explain to people why I am overweight but cannot eat salads. I appreciate the tips.
Wishing you good health.

And you, OP. People who don’t have it often completely
underestimate how challenging and painful IBD is.

One other thing that I meant to ask in my previous post - have you tried doing some fasting? I know someone with Crohn’s who has had a lot of success with it, both for weight loss and controlling her symptoms as it allows her body time to rest. Might be worth considering?

I totally get this problem (although have the opposite problem now). I'd suggest that cutting out sugar and dairy might be helpful while making sure you get oats, chicken, rice and sensible portion sizes.

I've lost nearly 2 stone by still eating my "safe foods" but just making sure in a calorie deficit.

I also do intermittent fasting (a combination of 5:2 and at least 16:8) and take vitamin supplements.

The IF has honestly worked wonders for my IBD

Thank you all. You've been so helpful.

I'm now trying to cut out UPF and eat smaller meals. Something should work without flaring up my condition 🙏

I had a major flare followed by big surgery then sepsis. I was very underweight. Once I got better and my new meds work. I'm now the most overweight I've ever been.
It is so difficult. I love not being ill and pain but this weight gain is really depressing. I'm 3st away from my ideal weight.
I'm away to go to a dance class tonight. I need to get exercising as well as watching what I eat.

Best of luck with it all @elfintinsel it is so draining and mentally upsetting at times isn't it.
Have a lovely time at the dance class

How are you getting on OP?

Hi @RomeoMcFlourish thanks for asking.

I've lost 2kg since i started but I'm not sure if that's just hormonal!

I'm making an effort to reduce UPF above all else.

It's the act of not buying it in the first place so as not to tempt.
I hope it helps with weight loss and symptoms. Time will tell 🙏

Hey
totally understand as I want to lose weight and I have crohns
my weight fluctuates
I had a very nasty flare up a few weeks back and decided I can’t go in like this and will be doing intermittent fasting and then more fasting during a flare up and only having liquids
I pass nasty stuff including blood and infected mucus so I figure giving my bowel a rest will help.
it can’t make it worse

weirdly I crave sugar and high calorie food in a flare up 🤷‍♀️

first weigh in tomorrow!

Have you looked into the diet recommended by Traditional Chinese Medicine? It’s basically very little/no dairy, very low in gluten and no raw vegetables/fruit.
The idea is that difficult to digest, raw vegetables deplete us of energy (Qi) which is the most important thing that keeps us alive.
Even if this sounds like woo woo (it does to me) lots of the recommended foods are healthy and varied and the general advice actually makes a lot of sense with eating local produce and in line with the seasonal changes (so no lettuce in winter), using various pre-processing methods: so it’s not just cooking but also baking, fermenting, frying - the idea is that vegetables should not be raw but they don’t have to be necessarily cooked, eating bone broth, resistant starches and organ meat.