How to lose weight after being on prednisone

There is no easy road to losing weight from the side effects of steroids. However, there are six steps you can take to manage it:. Be aware of the amount of calories in the food you are eating. You can search online to obtain the calorie content of the food you normally eat. One major side effect is an increase in appetite. So, it is important that you eat a healthy diet of low-calorie but nutrient-dense food.

Fluid Retention

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and lean protein. Therefore, ensure you eat more complex carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, tapioca and whole grains. Drink plenty of water to control fluid retention. Also control the amount of sodium salt intake to control fluid retention. Pain in joints, or any other area, due to inflammation may determine the type of exercise that is suitable to the particular conditions. Walking, swimming and yoga should be considered as they are not high impact and can be low intensity.

If there is no pain, then weight training and aerobic exercise will help to burn fat. The key is to do it regularly — at least five times a week. Steroids may save lives but the side effects of weight gain must be managed properly. Follow the above steps and you will be on your way towards recovery.

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Tips for Reversing Prednisone Weight Gain

Please comment, like and share! We are a global community of women entrepreneurs, professionals and freelancers. She helps individuals to lose weight and provide corporate wellness programs to corporation through a holistic program of nutrition, exercise and knowledge.

She uses her extensive knowledge in biochemistry of the human body to provide the knowledge and educate her clients on proper nutrition for the body. With the right knowledge, one is more likely to do the right action to achieve optimum health. Life did not stop when the pandemic seized the world. The pandemic has set women back two steps, maybe three depending on where they were standing before the outbreak. Smart has partnered with social impact start-up Connected Women Steroids can deplete potassium.

There is a delicate balance between potassium and sodium in and outside the cell that are critical for heart functions, nerve impulse transmission and muscle contractions. Foods high in potassium are: all fruits especially bananas, apricots, prunes, oranges, tomatoes and raisins. Vegetables such as potatoes, artichokes, and spinach as well as squash are also high in potassium. Beans and almonds are good sources as well.

The Challenge of Getting Dressed After Prednisone Weight Gain | InStyle

There is some research that indicates that potassium can also help reduce blood pressure. Watch salt intake to reduce blood pressure and reduce fluid retention. Sometimes a person will think that fluid retention is akin to weight gain. Fluid retention can cause weight gain but as steroids are reduced, fluids will usually reduce as well, along with some of the weight gain.

Drinking plenty of water and exercising can help with fluid retention. Weight gain and increase in appetite — Sometimes if you are also taking an immunosuppressive, the appetite might be decreased. Your metabolism is how you burn fat. As you age, your metabolism tends to slow down. Prednisone can have a negative effect on metabolism. Cravings seem to be heightened so drinking water, eating fruits and vegetables can help. Sometimes fruit or vegetable smoothies can fill us up. Protein in the morning eggs and cheese — flavored soy cheese is good might help with cravings during the day. Keep some almonds around for to snack.

Loss of muscle mass — Exercise is very important for keeping muscle mass.

Steroids for asthma and their side effects - Asthma UK

While on prednisone, try to exercise within your own range. Men have a better chance of building up their muscles after the age of 50 than woman do because of testosterone, but exercise can help woman as well. Proteins amino acids are the building blocks of muscles. Protein repairs and builds muscle tissue. Extra corticosteroids in the body can break down amino acids. These amino acids then go and make glucose in the liver instead of building up muscle mass.

Eating extra protein check with the doctor regarding amounts might help build muscles. Foods high in protein are: fish, eggs, meat, milk, cheese, baked-beans, and soy products. Fish is not only a great source of protein, but also a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. A decrease in bone density is extremely common when taking prednisone. Eating extra calcium and taking calcium supplements are very important for anyone taking prednisone. It is known that women and men with thin bones have a higher rate of osteoporosis.

It is recommended that everyone get a bone density test when they first start taking prednisone as a baseline for bone density loss. The doctor and nutritionist can advice on the correct amounts of calcium a person should get daily and how much extra someone should take. Calcium rich foods are: milk, cheese, yogurt, greens, broccoli, sardines, canned salmon with bones, dried beans and peas, calcium-fortified foods such as calcium-fortified orange juice, and tofu.

Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium. It is found in fortified milk and cereals.

Dose and Duration

Your body can make its own Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunshine. Getting Vitamin D from the sun is very helpful but it is recommended to have limited sun exposure with an autoimmune disease. Remember though, when you go out in sun to wear a hat especially if you have lesions. Another result of taking prednisone for a long time is the increase in cholesterol. Tryglicerides may also be watched as well. Often cholesterol lowering drugs are called for, but often it is possible to change these factors with diet.

losing weight after prednisone - Autoimmune diseases

It is possible to lower cholesterol naturally. Eating more servings of fruits and vegetables can help provide a greater drop in the cholesterol count because these foods are a good source of soluble fiber. The specific foods that are particularly high in soluble fiber are apples, citrus fruit, berries, carrots, apricots, prunes, cabbage, sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. All of the beans or legumes also provide soluble fiber. Foods with Omega-3 fatty acids — salmon, sardines, tuna can work wonders in raising HDL levels. In some recent studies ingredients known as stanol esters and plant sterols that block the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines, have shown to be effective in reducing cholesterol as well.

Some foods with sterols are beans, seeds, and cereals — oats and bran especially. Soy products as well have sterols and traces can be found in fruits and vegetables. There are currently several butter substitute products out that contain sterols and research has shown some indication that these products help also in lowering cholesterol. Lecithin might be helpful in lowering cholesterol as well, Lecithin is a fatlike substance reduced by every the liver and found in varying quantities in body cells and organs.

Lecithin helps to emulsify fats and contains the B vitamin choline, from which the body manufactures one of several nerve transmitters. Lecithin metabolizes fat in the liver.


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In the bloodstream, lecithin prevents fats from accumulating on the walls of arteries.