What to eat

User

Posted 08 Apr 2020 at 08:49

Interested in what other people in similar situations to mine have done with regards to diet (what sort of food to eat) I was put on long term Hormone Therapy in February as you can appreciate I am now starting to get a belly like a lorry tyre, I have also 10 sessions of radiotherapy left to do.

I exercise with dumbells every other day and I also go for a 20 minute brisk walk, my concern is I am not sure what type of food to eat I do the normal fruit but it's main meals I am not sure about, I do not like this tyre around my waist and it either needs to go or be managed.

Any advice will be very much appreciated.

User

Posted 08 Apr 2020 at 12:41

Reduce carbs, increase leafy vegetables.

User

Posted 08 Apr 2020 at 12:44

Most people who have raised this issue have done so hoping that a change of diet will slow the progress of their cancer but those of us that have had HT tend to put on weight which apart from having a direct effect means we become less active and in many cases need to reduce our intake of food and particularly try to cut down on things that contain a lot of sugar. Although it's been 12 years now since I had HT, I can trace the start of my tyre back to that time. I still find this a continuing problem despite my efforts. I usually just have a banana or small portion of cereal for breakfast with a mug of tea followed later in the morning by a coffee. Lunch is nearly always a small bowl of soup with dinner consisting of a salad or small portion of whatever including vegetables with occasionally an apple or orange. I have almost entirely cut out the 2 fingers of kitkat I used to enjoy, also reduced pastry. Also, I rarely have ice cream nowadays and have cut back on salad cream. I have almost entirely cut out alcohol and just drink several mugs of tea each day with soya milk. I did mention my concern to my GP and he suggested joining a gym but this is on hold due to present lock down although I do manage a walk most days.

I am interested in what you are recommended and how any other changes you make may help you/us.

Edited by member 08 Apr 2020 at 12:47 | Reason: Not specified

Barry

User

Posted 08 Apr 2020 at 12:54

Hi, I'm not on hormones but generally weight can depend on whether you eat a lot of fat and sugar and your activity.

If you look at the fat and sugar content of food it can be horrifyingly more than you think. Many people eat far more than they should. The daily allowance based on your weight is on line.

If you buy oven ready meals your daily allowance can be exceeded in one portion.

I could go on but I know it's a bit preacherlike and some don,'t accept food affects their weight. Hormones probably makes distribution worse but fat is fat. All the best.

User

Posted 08 Apr 2020 at 15:36

Hi, I have been on HT for around three and half years. My spare tyre is fortunately not too bad but noticeable. I eat a reasonably varied diet with lots of fresh veg and fruit. High fibre cereal and fruit for breakfast, a salad for lunch every day made up of around a dozen components plus homemade fat free dressing and low fat mayonnaise. Evening meal is very varied but usually includes fish or chicken with occasionally red meat. I haven’t cut out anything but rarely eat bacon & sausage or processed meats.

Exercise consists of two sessions of physio approved strength training of 45 minutes each per week. Also two sessions of moderate to very vigorous workouts. I currently have my road bike in a turbo trainer and track my activity with several sensors including a heart monitor.

Having said all that my weight doesn’t change much and I can’t see any further past my spare tyre, so don’t get disheartened if nothing changes for a while.

Dave

Edited by member 08 Apr 2020 at 17:55 | Reason: Spelling

User

Posted 09 Apr 2020 at 05:07

While you are having radiotherapy, you should try to make sure your weight (and fat/muscle ratio) doesn't change between the planning scan and the end of the radiotherapy. That's much more important than dieting during those weeks - you want your internal organs to stay in the same place. You may have to change your diet to a low fibre one if the RT gives you excessive diarrhea, or for a very few people, you may need to add fibre if it makes you constipated.

One guy going through it with me was told to go and eat some more cakes, because he was losing weight (particularly visceral fat, I suspect), and it was getting harder to align the treatment zone to his prostate.

My RT sessions were at lunchtime and I missed lunch everyday, without really noticing any extra hunger. This would probably have put me on a weight-loss trajectory, but I was weighing myself every morning when I got up, and adjusted my other meal sizes to keep my weight constant. I also kept up my exercise (mainly cycling) throughout. (I was actually trying to maintain my body composition, not just my weight.)

Edited by member 09 Apr 2020 at 05:16 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 09 Apr 2020 at 07:41

Thank you all for your advice it's very much appreciated.

User

Posted 24 Apr 2020 at 12:15

I find going for a brisk walk before lunch and before dinner on an empty stomach has helped me control my weight - and not snacking in between meals

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