Reducing weight gain
If you have cancer and notice weight gain, it is important not to go on a diet right away but to tell your doctor, so you can find out what may be causing this change.
If you gain weight because of oedema (fluid retention), a possible side effect of cancer, your doctor may ask you to talk with a dietitian for guidelines on limiting the amount of salt you eat. This is because salt causes your body to hold extra water. Your doctor may also want to prescribe a diuretic , a medication that causes your body to get rid of excess fluid.
For breast cancer patients it is common to gain weight rather than lose it during treatment. In this case, a lower fat, reduced calorie/energy controlled diet is recommended similar to the diet that is recommended once breast cancer patients have completed treatment.
If weight gain is the result of increased appetite and eating unnecessary food and calories and you want to stop gaining weight, talk with your doctor to help establish the causes and to agree dietary goals.
Here are some tips that can help stopping weight gain unnecessarily:
- Super size portions of fruits and vegetables. These foods are naturally low in calories, contain essential nutrients and are high in fibre so can help you feel full.
- Choose lean meats and low-fat dairy products Examples of lean meats are lean beef or pork trimmed of fat, chicken without skin.
- Cut back on added butter, mayonnaise, sweets, and other extras.
- Choose low-fat and low-calorie cooking methods. Boiling and steaming are good cooking methods.
- Avoid eating high-calorie snacks between meals.
- Pay attention to your portion sizes Try measuring out the serving size listed on the label of the foods you eat most often. Remember what this portion looks like on a plate the next time you serve yourself or eat out. This can help you get a handle on how much you are eating and what is a normal portion size.
- If you feel up to it, increase the amount of exercise you take.
Source: National Cancer Institute
