Avoiding weight gain when you are on prednisolone

Hello @mmr1984, You will notice I changed your title a little to better describe your question and bring other members into the discussion. It's a really good question and I wished I would have known to ask it my first time around with prednisone when I was diagnosed with PMR. I gained around 40+ pounds. Here are some tips that you may find helpful.

- Tips for Reversing Prednisone Weight Gain: https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-can-i-lose-prednisone-weight-gain-1942985

I started looking at diet and lifestyle changes for helping with my autoimmune diseases after reading Dr. Terry Wahls book – The Wahls Protocol. She has an amazing story about how diet helped her MS symptoms – https://terrywahls.com/about/about-terry-wahls/

Have you considered getting an appointment with a dietician to discuss a plan to help avoid a weight gain on prednisolone?

Thanks @johnbishop ..I am planning to meet a dietician. Right now I started exercising and controlling my diet.

speaking personally, you will be successful doing your approach. Calories in, calories out!

@mmr1984, I believe you are taking prednisolone after having had a kidney transplant. Your question reminded me of this blog post by Mayo Clinic transplant experts:
- Weight Gain After Transplant: Where Does it Come From and How to Get Rid of It https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/transplant/newsfeed-post/weight-gain-after-transplant-where-does-it-come-from-and-how-to-get-rid-of-it-2/

@mmr1984, Now that we are finished with the holidays and overload of 'must have' food ads, I want to drop by and ask how things are going for you.
I tend to do best when I combine healthier eating along with exercise. It just seems like I am better motivated to stick with my plan. Right now, I am in the 'got-to-get-with-it mode.

What kind of exercise are you starting with?
Have you met with a dietician yet? How did it go?

I have been on a steroid cocktail since I was very young. Autoimmune disease, blood disorder and lung damage with asthma. I havent noticed it making a difference in my weight personally but maybe because until I hit my 50s I had a pretty active lifestyle? Sure is not my diet back then.. I am a person that gives nutritionists hair loss.. Being sendentary after an injury lately puffed an extra 2 sizes on me recently tho. I have extreme problem with satiation versus hunger. Some foods I can eat til nauseous and still be hungry and others be happy most the day with a few bites.

@dowagerginger, What really helped me was intermittent fasting. Lots of good information in a new discussion here on Connect that you might want to learn what others have tried and found helpful.

- Low-carb healthy fat living. Intermittent fasting. What’s your why?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/low-carb-healthy-fat-living-intermittent-fasting-whats-your-why/

@dowagerginger I have similar problems with food. I can eat but still feel hungry. I am working on it because being at home so much I have gained some weight. I'm happy to say that yesterday I did OK with managing my intake. My weight gain also started with an injury. I was just beginning to lose that weight and the pandemic happened so, my weight went in the opposite direction.

I have been on prednisone since I had my transplant in September 2016 and like you, I do not think it caused a weight gain in me at all. It did cause my bones to turn to swiss cheese though.

@johnbishop I know many people have success with intermittent fasting but being mildly diabetic I don't think it would work on me. When I get up in the morning I am sometimes light-headed and really need to eat ASAP. I think the best fast I could do would be from 8 at night until 8 in the morning and doesn't the fasting time exceed 12 hours? I think my son is doing intermittent fasting which is sort of funny. He is the most disciplined and fit person I know. There's not an ounce of fat on him.
JK

@contentandwell I go along with you 8-8 I can't sleep if I'm hungry so have to have crackers or something at night but gained weight with covid so will have to walk more I guess

JK @contentandwell, That might be a good question to post in the – Low-carb healthy fat living. Intermittent fasting. What’s your why? discussion: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/low-carb-healthy-fat-living-intermittent-fasting-whats-your-why/

When I first started fasting there were times when I was hungry (heck, truth be known, I've always been hungry!). Now that I've been doing 20/4 sprinkled with 18/6 fasting I never feel hungry and most of the time feel satiated after my meals. It's been known to reverse type 2 diabetes and some people no longer need to take insulin after reversing the diabetes. You should join the discussion, lots of good reference information and sharing.