[Shezian]

How is it possible to make sure you get all the nutrients your body needs daily, without gaining weight? I have started to up my meals from one during the week, (as l eat more on weekends), to 2-3 and l have noticed today when l put my jeans on, l couldn't pull them up. My bottom has grown. I also haven't been drinking at all, and have been doing my usual exercise, even though l run a bit slower now. But if l eat more seeds and more of the things l know my body probably needs to promote nerve regeneration, l will gain weight.

So now l feel like going back to eating my one meal per day, and being hungry all the time like l used to be.
I don't want to do this, but l just don't know how to eat more without gaining.

I am at a normal weight for height, and have been for years, but it has been a constant struggle, and since getting PN, l wanted to make sure my body gets everything it needs. Everyone l won't gain if l watch portion sizes, but l don't eat huge portions at all. Its just that if l eat more than l normally eat l gain weight.
I love the way l look, and would like to stay this way, without these few kilos l have gained. I just want to help my body heal, without the worry of excess baggage.

Would love you thoughts this.

Sue

[glenntaj]

--about going down that one meal a day slope, especially if you are well within normal/slim weight parameters for your height. (It sounds like you have some body image issues. No judgment, but basing that on your reports, including the cosmetic treatments that may have contributed to the neuropathic symptoms.)

What are your height and weight at this point?

It's certainly true that there are people with slower metabolisms (although such people may just be efficient, or may need a thyroid work-up) who feel like they gain weight far too readily. But even such people need nutrients while restricting calories. What do you typically eat each day?

In general, I tend to suggest people emphasize lean protein, bulky, nutrient-dense vegetables (which help one feel fuller), fruit in moderation, and limited simple carbohydrates (such as breads or pastas). And REALLY simple carbs, like sugars, should be a special treat only (no one needs them every day).

And I still think spacing these out over a day--eating several times a day, a few or several hundred calories at a time--helps with maintaining good blood sugar levels and minimizes fat deposition.

[Marlene]

I too agree that eating only once a day is not the best approach. You need to make sure you get the right mix of protein, fat and carbs that work for you. And then you need to ensure you are consuming nutrient rich food. This means eating mostly whole foods and staying away from refined foods and sugars.

There's a book call Metabolic Type Diet by Wolcott that can guide you.

[Dr. Smith]

Sure, there are a few people who can just coast through life maintaining the same weight decade after decade, but it doesn't work that way for most human beings. Here's ONE article picked at random; the net is full of them.

http://women.webmd.com/features/boost-metabolism

There are no 'one-size-fits-all' answers/solutions for everyone.

Doc

[mrsD]

There is so much contradictory information about weight gain and diet out there. Whoever finds the "golden egg" answer
will certainly be a multi-billionaire and that hasn't happened yet.

But I do think we should listen to our bodies and see what they tell us.

If you follow some eating plan that makes you hungry all time, or is unrealistic in some way, and your body speaks up, then that has to change.

The players so far are leptin, ghrelin, insulin, and glucagon.

Leptin in particular looked really good, but now they are saying there is "leptin resistance" and that changes how people perceive hunger. So leptin as a "diet aid" has not appeared for humans.

Wiki has interesting things to say about all 4 of these hormones.

I'll recommend Dr. Gittleman's book again... Your Body Knows Best. It explains why some people cannot go vegetarian safely, why some people require dairy, why carbs are devastating to some people and not others, etc. The beginning of the book details Dr. Gittleman's own journey thru unsatisfactory eating styles which she "thought" would be good for her. She learned otherwise, and looked at the research and found some answers.
It is very readable, and untechnical, and compelling.

[Sallysblooms]

Eat foods dense in nutrients. I just had my smoothie. It is FULL of only healthful foods. I make sure everything I eat is really good for healing. The more you read and learn the easier it is. I wouldn't worry about my pants, I worry about my nerves healing. Nutritious foods low in sugar and carbs are my answer.

I love "Minding my Mitochondria." Written by a doctor that helped her MS, her nerves ad mitochondria. Looks like some good places to get information on this thread. Learn all you can about what our nerves need, what our bodies need to be strong and heal.

[dyctiostelium]

Hey, Sue,
I'm probably writing this as much for myself as for you. It helps to remember that things do take time in living beings, nothing is immediate. Say, you're completely changing the frequency and contents of your meals: of course that's going to have a huge effect at all sorts of levels and is going to pretty much wreck whatever balance you used to have including your intestinal flora, the way your different tissues use and store energy, your mood, your menstrual cycle, your sleep patterns. And everything affects everything else. So you should expect utter chaos for a while, before the dust settles. And you have to be consistent regardless of the chaos, and pay attention so as to notice what things start slowly to change, hey, slowly to improve.
But the keyword is slowly and that's not really easy to reconcile with the fear and anxiety of things not being as we would like them to, and/or as they used to (dammit).
We're getting older, and heck one day we'll die. Nothing stays the same. But right now we're pretty good, we can still go places, run upstairs, finish the laundry, tell jokes, roll our eyes at the kids and even meet new and kind people who actually *get it* about chronic pain.
If one's going to be sick, it is really a sweet deal to be sick in this era: there is medical care and supplements and if one would ever needs them, there are blessed opiates.
Yeah, probably getting way ahead of myself
What I wanted to say was: give yourself a little break with your waistline, you're fighting a bigger monster here and is not easy and you should pat yourself in the back for trying.
Be patient, keep strong, breathe
As I said above, telling you is probably just an excuse to get it written so I can read it...

[Shezian]

Couldn't agree more with you all.
I know what l should be eating, but sticking to it is the hard part l guess.
Trust me l am at my normal weight for height. I look normal. Mind you l am probably and have been always one of the skinniest mums in the schools. Its the compliments l always get from people, that feeds this problem. I don't want to care what people think of me, and l don't' want to care if l gain weight. I just want to be healthy and happy. But this is much easier said than done. Trying very hard to break this thought process. Because really its the mind talk that l need to ignore, and not pay attention to it, if l am going to break this. Each day l say, right next week, l am going to eat 3 meals per day for a month and see how l feel, you know that week never comes. The fear of weight gain is too great.

The naturopath l saw 2 years ago, revised an eating plan for me, on what l should eat each day. Its the best plan l have ever seen.
Its full of seeds, and protein especially eggs, root vegetable, leaf vegetables, 1/2 an avocado each day, tahinni, bean, legumes, and dairy and no more than 2 pieces of fruit a day. I should includes these food daily. It all looks good on paper, but when l need to actually eat all this each day, l think l would weigh 200kg. I would have to buy myself size 20 clothing. I would love to eat this way each day, and l must admit l have improved, edging myself closer and closer, but sometimes the fear of weight gain overrides and l go back to my old habits, as its safe there, and its familiar territory.

When l told the naturopath about my fears of gaining on her plan, she said l won't gain weight, it all about portion control. My body needs this daily for nutrients and health.
You see the problem is l am just not that hungry. I need to force myself to eat 3 meals per day. Even if l do get hungry l starve till dinner time because that is what l set out to do. If l just said to myself to eat when l am hungry and eat healthy and stuck with it without trying to control it or think about it, l would be better off. Yesterday when l my jeans didn't fit, l thought, well thats it l need to go back to eating one meal per day. I have over done it lately. I was in a bit of a panic.

I do have body image issues, its no secret, and l just wish l could let it all go and just think about my nerves and heal them and stop thinking about all this weight stuff. Slowly is the key, and even though l think l am not making progress, compared to this time last year, l have made huge amounts progress. Last year l wouldn't even eat an apple as it wasn't part of my eating plan.

Yesterday l ate loads of food:
Breakfast: 2 eggs, big piece of grain toast with low salt vegemite.Its an australian spread with loads of B vitamins.
Again wasn't hungry only ate because my little girl wanted me to eat breakfast with her.

Lunch: actually was a bit hungry, Smoothie with 1 huge avocado, 1 tbs tahhinni, 1 tbs camp maple syrup, 1 cup of lite milk. This is what l felt like, It was yummy, but l felt so guilty afterwards. I could see my butt, growing bigger and bigger.

Dinner: Not hungry at all, could have easily skipped it. But again, had to sit with my family and eat otherwise the girls would ask why l am not eating with them.
My daughter wanted me to make this dish, normally l would only eat protein and salad for dinner.
Made wonton soup. Made my own wontons, with lean chicken mince, and Australian prawns. In the soup, was chicken stock(l use the one with the least amount of MSG, as l think they all have MSG.) Lite soy sauce, oyster sauce, and all kinds of vegetables, with rice noodles.
You know l was so full after eating dinner, l thought l was going to pop. I don't normally use sauces like this as l am afraid of MSG, but last night was an exception.

9pm- l had my hot choc made for lite milk and raw cocoa with cinnamon.

I had the best sleep last night and l feel better today than l did in a long time.

This is not my typical eating day. I normally eat one meal per day. During the week its only lean protein and salad, and my hot chocolate at night. Weekends, l eat whatever at night, but still one meal per day. I usually eat more nuts on weekends and l do allow myself treats, only on weekends. But during the week l limit myself quiet strictly.

So there you have it.

Hope all this makes sense.

Sue

[nilram]

Originally Posted by Sallysblooms

... I worry about my nerves healing. Nutritious foods low in sugar and carbs are my answer.

I love "Minding my Mitochondria." Written by a doctor that helped her MS, her nerves ad mitochondria. Looks like some good places to get information on this thread. Learn all you can about what our nerves need, what our bodies need to be strong and heal.

I just got "Minding My Mitochondria" by Terry Wahls, MD, and because I was blown away by the remarkable healing she experienced by eating highly nutritious foods on a paleo-style diet. I'm just starting down that path. And I have to ask -- where did you start out in your neuropathy, and has this diet helped you?

For those who are interested, here's a talk she gave at a TEDx conference:
http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/TEDxI...erry-Wahls-Min
She recommends three cups of sulfer rich vegetables, three cups of green leafy vegetables, and three cups of brightly colored fruits and vegetables. For proteins, fish, and grass-fed meats (and some organ meat once a week). Also that you reduce or eliminate grains, corn, and potatoes. Remarkable, remarkable rebound from stage-2 MS.

[Shezian]

You know l have heard so much on here about his book, and l going to purchase it today and read it.
Not sure about the organ meats.
I had kangaroo last year a few times, to increase my iron, as kangaroo is very lean, and has 3 times the amount of iron as normal red meat, and l ended up with dizziness and other symptoms. So l have to stay away from those kind of meats.

But l can't wait to read her book to encourage me to eat more healthily.

Sue