Is there a safe exercise-free weight loss diet for people with ME?

[Artorias]

When I first became ill I was around 11.5 stone, but thanks to inactivity my weight has crept up to almost 14 stone over the years (I am a middle aged male of average height).

I need to stop gaining weight, and reverse the gains to bring myself back to a healthy weight. However, I am mostly housebound and can't exercise at all apart from moving around my home to prepare food and do chores etc.

I am diabetic and have already cut out all chocolate, sugary desserts etc from my diet. I never add sugar to anything. I have a bowl of bran flakes with soya milk for breakfast, lunch is a slice of buttered bread with microwaved vegetables and some tinned fish or some chicken, and about 150g of plain yoghurt for 'dessert'. Sometimes I will eat sausage or meatballs instead of fish/chicken.

Once or twice a week I do pig out for lunch with a big plate of chips and a dollop of low fat mayonnaise, because if I don't I feel quite weak after a few days of strict dieting. Dinner is usually a bowl of soup with a slice of buttered bread, but as again with the lunches, a couple of times a week I will eat a full dinner. I do often have a couple of digestive biscuits in between meals, it's hard not to snack.

I know I need to cut out the weekly pig out meals and stop eating the occasional biscuit in between meals. Would that be enough do you think? I was thinking maybe I could replace the bread with rice, that way I wouldn't need butter.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ljimbo423]

I know I need to cut out the weekly pig out meals and stop eating the occasional biscuit in between meals. Would that be enough do you think? I was thinking maybe I could replace the bread with rice, that way I wouldn't need butter.

I've lost 20 pounds or 1.4 stone from eating a low carb diet, about 85-90 grams of carbs a day.

I still eat over 2,000 calories a day but that is mostly from healthy fats, like olive oil, cashews, almonds, peanut butter etc. I also eat a lot of protein which helps keep up my energy, about 100 grams a day.

 

[keepswimming]

I lost two stone following slimming world. I didn't join the classes, just bought a book off ebay. I found it a good diet. It didn't feel restrictive, I was actually surprised every week to find I'd lost weight. It encouraged me to eat healthier food. And not feeling restricted made it easier not to snack between meals.

 

[keepswimming]

(the book encourages you to exercise, but I didn't increase my activity levels at all, just followed the diet)

 

[Pearshaped]

You could try to just avoid the bread at lunch and dinner,if thats an option.
You could put the (melted) butter on your veggies instead.
Starch is sugar,too.
So if you are diabetic,it could help to avoid bread,rice,bran flakes etc.

you could try to avoid these foods at home but give you a treat when out once a week.
That way it can help you to stay motivated.
Or you could replace one meal a Day with a good quality protein shake.
Hope you find somthing that works for you.

 

[Wolfcub]

How are you sleeping? I know that lack of sleep can make me feel way more hungry. I think the body craves energy, and if it doesn't get at least a decent boost from sleep, it craves more high-energy food instead. There's nothing wrong with that, from time to time, but it interferes with weight loss plans.

If I have slept badly I will get genuinely hungry much faster than normal.

Oh and I love those digestive biscuits. I have run out of them at the mo. But am eating oatcakes instead if I ever want a tiny snack with a cuppa. Oats have a low glycemic index, and because of that seem a little more filling (or last longer) than ordinary biscuits. Yet there are 36 calories in 1 (Nairns) oatcake compared to 71 in 1 digestive biscuit!

The chips and mayo.... Yeah I know....tasty and filling. But there has to be a healthier lunch which is also filling? A bit of grilled meat or fish....some green beans.... or a warm steamed veg."salad" sprinkled with toasted seeds?

 

[Artorias]

I've lost 20 pounds or 1.4 stone from eating a low carb diet, about 85-90 grams of carbs a day.

I still eat over 2,000 calories a day but that is mostly from healthy fats, like olive oil, cashews, almonds, peanut butter etc. I also eat a lot of protein which helps keep up my energy, about 100 grams a day.

Hmm. Do you do any exercise, maybe some walking outdoors? I might actually be eating the same or even fewer carbs than you. My 60 grams of bran flakes in the morning have about 40 grams of carbs, and the two slices of bread will total about 30 grams of carbs. Add the sugars from the soya milk, carbs from veg, and carbs from the soup and it's still probably less than 100 grams, which is considered a low carb diet.

So if I'm already eating a low carb diet I'm not sure what else I can do.

 

[Artorias]

How are you sleeping? I know that lack of sleep can make me feel way more hungry. I think the body craves energy, and if it doesn't get at least a decent boost from sleep, it craves more high-energy food instead. There's nothing wrong with that, from time to time, but it interferes with weight loss plans.

If I have slept badly I will get genuinely hungry much faster than normal.

Actually my sleep is pretty bad, I wake most nights, sometimes two or even three times. I've just started trying to sort my sleep patterns out by going to bed earlier and getting up earlier in the morning.

 

[Mary]

@Artorias - I would cut out the big chip meals. I love chips, salty and greasy, more than sugary snacks - but never buy them. They would be my downfall. And I'd cut out the digestive biscuits too. They're not nutritious or good for you - basically empty calories and carbs.

For snacks, try eating something with protein and fat - e.g., nuts, cheese, olives. They will keep you sated. I've gotten fond of sunflower seeds, in the shell for a snack. They satisfy my craving for salt, and are a good source of protein and fat. The shell is important - it takes some work to get to the seed itself. Otherwise it would be too easy to overeat them. I use these crackers with cheese - Finn Crisp Caraway Sourdough Rye Thins - they're delicious with cheese and low calorie.

Overall I think low carb and high quality fat, and medium protein would be best, similar to what @ljimbo423 said. Instead of bran flakes, you could try eggs for breakfast, or some other high protein food. Maybe fewer carbs than ljimbo423.

 

[ljimbo423]

Do you do any exercise, maybe some walking outdoors?

I do a bit of walking, about 2 - 2.5 miles week maybe. I also tend to loose weight easier than most people.

 

[Wishful]

I abruptly started gaining weight just before developing ME (not sure whether that played a role). What worked for me was simply smaller portions. Also, you need a moderate amount of fat in your diet to avoid switching your body into 'famine' mode. A certain amount of fat in your diet helps your body burn fat. Below that amount, your body avoids burning fat, at least as far as I understand it.

 

[skwag]

I agree with the low carb suggestions. I would even suggest trying keto after you adjust to lower carbs. Lots of people with diabetes seem to be doing well on a low-carb high-fat diet. If you are interested, check out the forums at diabetes.co.uk. It's an excellent resource.

 

[Artorias]

@Artorias - I would cut out the big chip meals.

Nooooooo! You're probably right though

Thanks for the other suggestions, I might switch the bran flakes for eggs and see how it goes.

 

[Pauline91]

Keto ! It works wonder. You need to cut out sugary food, but also all carbs, which means no bread, pasta, potatoes, carrots...
I like my keto breakfast: bulletproof coffee + scrambled eggs and bacon. Yum!

 

[rel8ted]

Keto ! It works wonder. You need to cut out sugary food, but also all carbs, which means no bread, pasta, potatoes, carrots...
I like my keto breakfast: bulletproof coffee + scrambled eggs and bacon. Yum!

Second this. My DH & I both lost over 100# on keto and have kept it off over a year staying that way.

 

[Timaca]

I suggest a whole food, plant based diet. It will help you lose weight, and help you get rid of your diabetes (if you have type 2 diabetes). Check this out for more info: https://www.forksoverknives.com/ Here are some success stories: https://www.forksoverknives.com/success-stories/#gs.7r5mfn
Good luck!

 

[Pauline91]

Actually, a "plant-based diet" can be very high in carbs, and thus losing wait is very difficult... from what I have heard, many people with CFS are doing better on a keto diet, or even a carnivore diet. Not good for the planet, sure... also, the keto diet does help to get rid of diabetes too (that make sperfect sense, since there is no carb intake on keto)

 

[Mary]

the keto diet does help to get rid of diabetes too (that make sperfect sense, since there is no carb intake on keto

Actually I've read there is carb intake on a keo diet, but it tends to be very low, around 20 or 25 grams. e.g., an apple has 25 grams of carbs so that would be one's total intake of carbs for a day. The keto diet is supposed to be very good for diabetes and I think can even help reverse it, along with exercise, which of course, we can't do.

 

[Sickandtired36]

I’ve found intermittent fasting has helped for me. I have a cup of tea and a cup of coffee in the morning around 7am with a splash of milk and then try not to eat again until 12pm when I have lunch. I eat lunch, snack in the afternoon and have dinner around 7-7.30pm. Having that long period of time between my last meal and my next one the next day is helping me maintain my weight. And I’ve noticed I don’t really miss having breakfast. I think I was just eating it because that’s what I’ve always done

 

[*GG*]

I agree with the low carb suggestions. I would even suggest trying keto after you adjust to lower carbs. Lots of people with diabetes seem to be doing well on a low-carb high-fat diet. If you are interested, check out the forums at diabetes.co.uk. It's an excellent resource.

I would 2nd this, if you want to Drop weight, go into Ketosis (Keto diet) and eat under 20 grams of carbs a day. That is what I have been doing on and off for about 1 year now. Down at least 30lbs, want to drop another 10 to 15lbs.

GG