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(no subject)
I had a doctor's appointment yesterday --it's now been a year since I started with my awesome PCP who prescribes me my necessary ADHD meds without making me jump through TEN THOUSAND HOOPS to get them.
(Seriously, last time I was on the meds, the psych required me to come see him every two weeks or more often, which at 40$+ a copay, while I was barely making minimum wage, and wanted to spend the appointment doing talk therapy, which I didn't want or need at the time. My current PCP asks me to come in every 4 months (and it's just dropped to every 6, as of this appointment) checks in that the meds are still working, and refills my prescriptions once a month. She is _best_.)
But she's concerned --and she expressed this concern last time too-- about the fact that I've weighed a little less every time I've come in to see her. I think I've dropped maybe four pounds in the last year, so it's not a big jump or anything, but it has been consistent that I've lost weight every time. And ADHD meds are an appetite suppressant, so it's possibly really relevant.
I just don't know what to do with this concern though. I have weighed, since ninth grade, between 115 and 130 pounds. Currently I am at the lower end, which is great and all, but currently I am incredibly stressed, not eating right, and not exercising much1. So, I'm not really surprised that I've been losing weight, and I totally wasn't worried until the doctor told me she'd like to send me for some blood tests, to make sure my thyroid was okay and the like.
It's kindof just...how does one gain weight? I mean that as an entirely serious question, I tend to think I eat a fair amount, and it's usually pretty junky. I exercise a lot, but I can't help that --most of it's bicycling to get places, the rest is dancing for social and joy, "exercise less" is not an option. I don't think I could realistically spend more time on the computer without switching career paths (running after seven year olds is not exactly mild exercise).
I don't really want it for me, I think as long as I remain in that aforementioned range, I'm pretty much fine (although yes, when I see the scale saying 118, I start getting nervous again.) But I would like to go to my next appointment, in August, and not have her be all "hmmmm." at the fact that I've dropped another half pound or two.
Whee?
~Sor
MOOP!
1: I'm not sure, but now that I'm not going home from college every summer and doing the freshman anti-fifteen2, I think I am much more likely to gain weight from muscle than from fat right now.
2: Boston is, in pretty much all ways, more walkable than Columbia. Boston has routine dancing. Boston does not have an abundance of snacky food that I don't have to pay for. I never had to worry about gaining weight in college, since it was so much harder to do so.
(Seriously, last time I was on the meds, the psych required me to come see him every two weeks or more often, which at 40$+ a copay, while I was barely making minimum wage, and wanted to spend the appointment doing talk therapy, which I didn't want or need at the time. My current PCP asks me to come in every 4 months (and it's just dropped to every 6, as of this appointment) checks in that the meds are still working, and refills my prescriptions once a month. She is _best_.)
But she's concerned --and she expressed this concern last time too-- about the fact that I've weighed a little less every time I've come in to see her. I think I've dropped maybe four pounds in the last year, so it's not a big jump or anything, but it has been consistent that I've lost weight every time. And ADHD meds are an appetite suppressant, so it's possibly really relevant.
I just don't know what to do with this concern though. I have weighed, since ninth grade, between 115 and 130 pounds. Currently I am at the lower end, which is great and all, but currently I am incredibly stressed, not eating right, and not exercising much1. So, I'm not really surprised that I've been losing weight, and I totally wasn't worried until the doctor told me she'd like to send me for some blood tests, to make sure my thyroid was okay and the like.
It's kindof just...how does one gain weight? I mean that as an entirely serious question, I tend to think I eat a fair amount, and it's usually pretty junky. I exercise a lot, but I can't help that --most of it's bicycling to get places, the rest is dancing for social and joy, "exercise less" is not an option. I don't think I could realistically spend more time on the computer without switching career paths (running after seven year olds is not exactly mild exercise).
I don't really want it for me, I think as long as I remain in that aforementioned range, I'm pretty much fine (although yes, when I see the scale saying 118, I start getting nervous again.) But I would like to go to my next appointment, in August, and not have her be all "hmmmm." at the fact that I've dropped another half pound or two.
Whee?
~Sor
MOOP!
1: I'm not sure, but now that I'm not going home from college every summer and doing the freshman anti-fifteen2, I think I am much more likely to gain weight from muscle than from fat right now.
2: Boston is, in pretty much all ways, more walkable than Columbia. Boston has routine dancing. Boston does not have an abundance of snacky food that I don't have to pay for. I never had to worry about gaining weight in college, since it was so much harder to do so.
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Or you could just start dumping oil on things. That would have to help, right? (-;
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The thing I really like about it is that it's about meeting goals. I'm never encouraged to think "Look how little I ate" (which you know has been a HUGE problem for me in the past) it's "Hey! I walked ten thousand steps and five miles! Goals met! AY!" It also has a widget to tell you if the food you've input matches your caloric output to see if you're over, under, or in balance.
Also when you meet your goals your dash gets REALLY EXCITED FOR YOU! (and yes I did eat more food after that screen shot; I took it right after exercising).
And maybe, as for foods themselves, maybe eggs and animal proteins. Avocados are supposed to be healthy fats too (and hey who doesn't love guacamole?).
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Now that said, the easiest way to gain way is to eat a bit more, but only if you're actually wanting that food and not feeling uncomfortably full after eating all the time. If you're not eating because you don't *feel* hungry (because the medication is suppressing your appetite) then you need to schedule and force your food. If your'e not eating "enough" because you're simply full and had plenty of fuel, then personally I'd not worry about it.
I assure you that due to genetics, you'll be fighting to lose weight soon enough in your life. I had EXACTLY the same problem (minus the ADD drugs) up through my early 20's and now I'm fighting to make 60 pounds go away so that I'm at the high end of the "healthy" weight range, so take everything *I* say about food with a grain of full fat salt and buttered popcorn!!
I love you
your
Mom
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+1
(Anonymous) 2014-02-15 08:23 pm (UTC)(link)That said, if it's worrying you, anything that combines carbs and fats with minimal fiber will tend to make you gain weight. Baguette with butter! (Or honey. Or honey and butter.) Toast with butter! Grilled cheese! Buttered pasta! Buttered scones! Ice cream! "These are a few of my favorite things..." *trails off in a reverie*
If you want to go for high fat but with actual nutrients, nuts and avocados are delicious. (And nuts are non-squashable and don't need refrigeration if you're going to eat them that day, so they make good snacks to carry around. I like almonds and hazelnuts.) Try to add some carbs-- put the avocado on toast, or have a bar of chocolate with nuts in it, or just have one to eat at the same time as the nuts.
- lb
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(Anonymous) 2014-02-15 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)All that said I hear eating right before you fall asleep is a good way to gain weight.
-mek, who is too lazy to log in on his phone
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That has been a problem for me too... on work days, having coffee with creamer means I usually don't even feel hungry until 2pm. I know I've lost at least a couple of pounds since starting my meds, based on my clothes fitting differently.
Would it feel like too much effort/work/be annoying to try to log your food intake with your phone? Genni just got an app that lets you scan barcodes from food packages.
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If you're on an appetite suppressant, though, you might not be eating enough - so if a craving manages to hit you anyway, do your best to indulge it.
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It's kindof just...how does one gain weight? I mean that as an entirely serious question ....
A few possibly-useful (or maybe just entertaining) data points:
* Depending on metabolism, junkiness of food may not affect weight gain at all. There was a period in high school when I switched to subsisting entirely on Chocodiles and other Hostess products to see if I'd gain weight. (Science! Kindasortamaybe.) Nope.
* If your body gets human-average energy from food, a delta of 4 pounds/year is 14,000 calories, which comes to roughly 38/day or 270/week. This is not a particularly large deficit to make up, which is good news.
* Liquids often avoid triggering the stomach's satiation response. So, eg, an extra glass or two of fruit juice each week might do it.
* Or alternately: milkshakes. I know more than one mom who needed to keep their weight up during pregnancy despite some combo of (lack of appetite, morning sickness/nausea, small stomach), for whom milkshakes (and ice cream, to a lesser extent) worked great. Of course, this has the disadvantage of being pleasant enough that the habit may entrench itself for the long haul. [Not that I'd know anything about that. :P ]
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For gaining weight, I had success with non-cardio exercise and adding protein to my diet. YMMV.
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Junk food isn't good for anyone, not even people who need to gain weight. Empty calories, in particular (processed grains and sugars) aren't going to help you. For convenience of snacking, get those little cups of yogurt (whole-milk yogurt is the yummiest!), puddings, nuts, beef jerky, string cheese, whole-grain cereal... Protein tends to be more expensive than, say, potato chips, but it's also better for you and will help you gain weight.
Come over for dinner this week. I'm planning to make pasta with meat sauce (parmesan cheese, salad on the side), but hadn't decided which day. If you play with the Bear for an hour, then I'll have time to cook.
I'll make you some trail mix. Are there any nuts you don't like? Do you tend to like nuts salty or unsalted or somewhere in between? I'm thinking I'll include yogurt-covered raisins, peanut M&Ms, and some cereal, so tell me if any of that doesn't appeal to you.