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I have ulcerative coltis and wonder how I can gain weight?  Keep loosing weight all the time.

 Reply posted for Lca.

Thanks for the info.  I eat the meat and seafood.  I also use Ghee too.   My friend is going to help me with the yogurt recipe.  Helping me get it started.  I don't know if diary really makes it hard on my body.  I will be careful!!! 

 Reply posted for carolgeb59.

Has anyone read the Maker's Diet? Thinking of trying it.

 Reply posted for carolgeb59.

I eat beef, lamb and game meats, liver (calf or lamb) and whatever fresh fish I can get. Shellfish have a good mineral content  that can be assimilated much better than artificial supplements. I am sure I was not absorbing enough vitamins and minerals before I changed my diet but now the uc is well controlled I don't think it is nearly such a problem but I do supplement with topical Magnesium oil and vitamin D/k2

Coconut oil is good with ai problems but it might not be helping if you need to gain weight. Lard, ghee, evoo and beef dripping as well as oily fish (mackerel. herring, sardines) might be better but I'm not sure as I didn't start using CO until my weight had levelled out (only because I didn't know anything about it then). I also made a lot of scd French cream when I needed to gain weight but again, perhaps that could be too much dairy.

I am not at all sure exactly what the change was that levelled out my weight but it has been very stable and just about right for five years.

 Reply posted for carolgeb59.

Weight gain is a constant struggle in our home.   My daughter was very young (4) when she was dx and was also dx w/failure to thrive.   She was very, very low on the growth chart for both the height and weight category.   But rest assured, it will come.   We worked with our pedi gi's staff dietician/nutritionist and she was a tremendous help.  Instead of turning to the pre-made highly processed shakes available, we turned to food.   What works best for Liz is to eat more frequent / smaller meals with "safe" snacks in between.   Also adding calories to those meals as much as possible.  It was hard at first because of our mindset, however; the easiest way to remember it is by adding in all of the items people typically cut back on to lose weight (i.e. the gravies, dressings, even a bit of choc dip for a snack, cheeses(she's ok w/lactose)).  
It is also very good that you are doing weight bearing activities, after all, muscle weighs more.   I remember years back when she had a record gain and we couldn't figure out what it was, turns out it was her new coach at gymnastics.......he's a marine and believed in conditioning big time.
Much success.
Lizzies Mom

 Reply posted for nightdancer.

 Ask her today and she mentioned Ensure so hopefully okay.  I knew she was going to set up a colonoscopy on me because I am new and she wants to see how my colon is doing.  Had one in November.  She still is a little concerned about the weight loss.  Hope it is not cancer.  She may do the upper as well as the lower and just check to see that I do not have cronse or cancer.  They got to make their money I suppose.  I just as soon get it over with myself and move on.  I am on Imuran 100mg already cause I kept bleeding all the time last year.   Sometimes I spot with it but it is very mild.  I have no cramping or any other problems.  She did lower my Asacol to 2 pills three times a day and am glad.  I don't think that stuff ever stopped my bleeding.  

 Reply posted for Lca.

I eat vegetables by steaming them first to make them soft and use olive oil and  coconut oil when cooking.  I will remember to cook my meat with the fat on.  Makes sense.  Two years ago I weighed 134 and now I weigh 112.  I thought it was because I have UC and the meds I am on say as far as side effects weight loss.   I figure it does have something to do with it.  Can you get nutrients from the foods you eat even if you have UC?  What kind of meats do you use and fish?  Sorry about all the questions. 

 Reply posted for carolgeb59.

Do you add plenty of fat to your diet? I lost a lot of weight at the beginning of scd because I didn't realise how important the fats were. If you remove carbs they need to be replaced with good fats. I now saute most of my vegetables in olive oil/garlic, bacon fat or ghee/parsley before serving. Don't remove fat from meat, eat plenty of oily fish and don't use vegetable oils.

I can't believe how good my skin is after changing the amount and type of fat I use and I don't get sun burned any more.  I think fats are not emphasised nearly enough in most scd resources. Also make sure to eat good quality protein from meat and fish. Vegetable protein is not ideal for people. I went from too heavy to  underweight at the beginning of scd and it probably took a year to level out but if I had got the fats right then I'm sure progress would have been much faster.

 Reply posted for carolgeb59.

yeah sugar is a tricky bit, but my body doesn't react to it in an extreme way so I use ensure until I'm up to weight then stick to more natural remedies.  Let me know what the doc says too cuz I may use their advice next time :) 

 Reply posted for nightdancer.

I thought you were not suppose to have Ensure because of the sugar.    See that is why I get confused.  Could you give me the name of the protein bars?  Going to my new doc tomorrow and I will discuss this with her.   The Specific Carb Diet has sure made me loose weight.  I need more meat on my bones.  I am lifting weights to build muscle.s

 Reply posted for carolgeb59.

In the society concerned with weight loss I can relate to how hard it is to gain weight in a healthy way!

Protein is a good way to gain weight, protein shakes, I like ensure chocolate shakes for the morning it has 250 KCAL I believe, also bars like powerbar etc.  

I have UC and have had to gain weight too and that's my best way, with exercise too if possible just to stay healthy.  You can also get a calorie counter on your phone and use that to measure your intake and find healthy choices to increase your calorie count and then to keep it steady once you reach your goal.  With UC though you can gain and lose weight no matter your diet, but with tracking I've kept it within a 5lbs gain/loss

Hope this helps!