Weight gain and caregiving. Anyone else?

My advice. This is from personal experience.

Stop looking at your scale when you are trying to reduce your size. It is good during maintenance, not good when you are trying to lose fat.

Low sugar and cabs works best for me. I do not use the Atkins or diets like it, they are too extreme but I only cut back on sweets and cards.

Stop drinking huge amounts of diet soda and similar drinks. There is something in artificial sweeteners it seems that interferes with your metabolism. Research has come out showing that large amounts can upset the good bacteria in your system.

Do not diet. Stop it. Dont do it. Just watch what you eat and stop thinking you are some sort of regimen.

Fruits and vegetables are delicious, rediscover them.

Moderate exercise helps.

I have taken off 40 pounds in 2014 by not spending one day dieting or feeling deprived and basically eating what I want. I noticed that I no longer want to go to Outback for a steak, and there is no Ben and Jerries at home -- I do not like it. I have let my body take care of how I should eat.

Good luck to you.

So... I gained about 25 lbs from 2.5 years of caregiving a person I don't like, and only at arm's length for most of that time. I've just shed it by using an app called fitness pal which is simply an easy way of logging your food consumption! The app has calorie counts for all sorts of recipes - I stopped eating Whole Foods chicken salad when I saw exactly how good it is, calorie wise! I lost the weight by logging everything that went into my mouth and stopping when the register went to 1300. Done. Water after that time. I added a fitbit clip this fall, and having the extra calories allowed for my exercise has caused me to fudge a bit and add back 5. Not supposed to work that way!! :) Best wishes for a smaller future!

I'm up 16 pounds in the last 2 years, since caregiving for my husband. I'm a Jazzercise instructor, so getting enough exercise is not the issue. A recent blood test showed that my cortisol (stress hormone) is through the roof. It's causing a condition called Adrenal Fatigue, which causes weight gain. I just started seeing a doctor who specializes in integrative medicine and he gave me an adrenal tonic to see if the level goes down. Stress has kicked off bouts of diverticulitis as well. We all have serious stress; the problem is how to deal with it without ruining our own health.

Yes! I have gained weight and am now the heaviest I have been in my life. I think it is the stress and also not eating on my own schedule. I used food to distract my dad at times. Couple that with not exercising and that all adds up to out of control weight!

I have got to start exercising and losing weight. I just went to the doctor today and was shocked at the scales... I was afraid to weigh myself all this time but I knew I was gaining weight.

Anyone up for the caregiver weight loss challenge???? ... lol

I'm trying to get myself back in shape again. It's hard to worry about things like weight until it's out of control especially when you are worried about something else more important IE your loved one's health. I was running from hospital, to rehab back to hospital again between my mom when she had her surgery and my grandma when she fell. Of course when you are in a hospital or in rehab, all you do is sit and sit some more. That's not the healthiest of life style when you come home so hungry and stuff yourself full just because you missed a meal or two during the day. I find that eating small snacks throughout the day that are healthy helps. Drinking tons of water. I take a water pitcher and place it in the fridge and use a straw cup with water and keep refilling it. When I find the urge to snack because I'm in a stressful point of the day or cleaning up after a mess or frustrated, I drink water. I munch on carrots, celery, raisins, or anything else small but something I can eat a few of without eating 4000 calories of chips. Fruit is awesome. If you can't stand the taste of pure fruit, try things like yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit if you like those things.

It's not so much of a diet as just making healthier choices and you will find once you cut the food out of your diet, you really don't crave it as much anymore. It's easy to say that when you're on the other end of the fence but trust me, I cut sodas out of my diet a few years ago. I don't want them anymore. I never liked how I felt on them to begin with and now I prefer juice or water. Same with chips, I eat veggie sticks instead which are much healthier and still have that crisp that chips have. Also we dragged the treadmill into the living room where my grandma is. We have her facing away from it so she's not staying at me while I'm walking but I have it in the room with her so that if she needs me I'm right there still but am able to get in my walking. I find the sound of the treadmill will put her to sleep so I find I'm able to get a good 30 minute walk in without worrying about her.

If you need support let us know. Perhaps you should start a new discussion so everyone can chip in and tell each other how we are doing so we can feel encouraged.

I recently got so in home assistance to help me take care of my dad. I lost 10 pounds in a month after doing this. Also the MD put my Dad on a sleeper so he does not get up every hour on the hour waking me. Letting go of control, asking for and accepting help have been good changes for me so far.

Yes! For me it's a combination of stress eating, having less time to shop and prepare good meals for myself, and the lack of time for exercise. I know that I *should* do these things but it's very hard. The emotional stress of what's going on makes it more difficult to take care of myself but factors into the equation as poor sleep, high cortisol, etc. It seriously going to take a Herculean act to get myself back on track. Maybe starting on one piece of those things at a time is a good idea. Yes, to the caregiver "weight loss challenge!" Or the caregiver "take good care of yourself too challenge."

Also from personal experience, do something now before it's too late. Once health issues set in it is a lot more difficult. Find new 'made over' light recipes for your favorite foods. Use low fat cheeses in cooking. If you snack eat low calorie and eat more fruits and vegetables. Walking is a good exercise and most everyone can do it. Start out slow, then work your way up to increase the time you walk. Make small changes at first so it won't be such a shock. It's all about your mindset. You want to make changes you have to change your habits. Keep a food diary with everything you eat and drink along with the times. This will help you to keep track of what your intake is and you will see where you need to make changes. Do you have a friend that also wants to lose a few pounds or become more fit? Do it together-it's more fun. You have a busy life and stress can cause all sorts of problems. Learn new ways to deal with the stress. Look for a caregiver support group or find some in home assistance for your dad. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging or Bureau of Senior Services for caregiving info. Visualize the new you and how much better you will look and feel! You Can Do It! Weight watchers is a good support group, utilize it. Here's to a healthier you(:

Oh geesz! I can relate to all of you.

Mom has been living with us for a year and a half. Keeping weight on her and liquids in her are at the top of the list of things we are trying to do. Sooo... we buy and eat a lot of cream pies and of course to be encouraging to her I eat pie with her. That however does not explain the 5 lb bag of Chocolate Peanut Butter cups I keep next to my bed. No... these are just for me, they have been my replacement medicine instead of tranquilizers or using a whole lot of alcohol to cope with my feelings toward her, and the changes that have taken place in my life over the last year and a half.

Well, "any port in a storm" as they say.

We all need to be kind to ourselves. We are all coping the best we know how.

Quiet as it's kept, many of us were always emotional eaters. I found that although I was not a morning person, there were a couple of hours in the AM that I could sneak out without concern for my mother's wellbeing. I religiously either went walking with a friend or to the YMCA (where I maintained unused membership). I didn't really lose weight but I believe it helped keep some of the stress at bay & my body felt stronger. When mom needed an attendent because she couldn't be left alone at all, I took that opportunity to get out & walk. With or without my walking buddy.
Remember, put on your life jacket first!