How do I maintain a healthy weight?

Help, I keep gaining weight!

Cancer is tricky. While some people experience weight loss, other people experience weight gain. This could be due to certain drugs that stimulate appetite, such as steroids, or changes in the metabolism related to cancer itself.

If you are experiencing unwanted weight gain, remember to be gentle on yourself. Cancer treatments are hard on the body, and some changes are inevitable.

That said, if you and your doctor believe that trying to reduce your weight will improve your wellbeing, here’s how to get started.

Here are some tips:

• Don’t make any radical changes to your diet without first consulting your team. If you are going through cancer treatment, it’s important that you prioritize getting adequate nutrition. You don’t want to jeopardize your treatment in any way
• Ask for a referral to the dietician at your cancer center. They can give you advice on how to lose weight in a healthy way. They can also offer personalized suggestions and provide info on local resources
• Aim for slow, steady, incremental weight loss. Stay away from extremes — whether that is high intensity exercise, or low-calorie diet plans
• Try a diet app to keep track of your calories. Don’t make any diet changes at first, just eat as you usually do while keeping track of your meals on the app. This can help you get an accurate sense of what your diet looks like. Are you a late-night snacker? Do you forget to eat during the day then overeat at dinner? Keeping track of your current eating habits will help you implement healthy weight loss strategies
• Make a meal plan and stick with it. Once you’ve figured out your eating habits, make a plan with your doctor. Enlist a loved one to help you stay on track, but don’t beat yourself up if you stray occasionally. It’s okay to prioritize quality of life
• Decrease portion sizes. Sometimes it can be hard to estimate how much you’re actually eating! Is that really one cup of rice? You can use a kitchen scale to tune-up your eyeballing skills, but don’t get caught up obsessing over the numbers
• Prioritize fruits and veggies. If your diet allows, eating fresh fruits and veggies are a good way to get a lot of nutrition with fewer calories. Try eating baby carrots as an appetizer before dinner, or buy a container of strawberries for dessert
• Do your best to stay active. If you are feeling energetic, try taking a walk around the neighborhood. You can call up a friend to join you, find a podcast you really like, or bring your dog for companionship. Even a little exercise is better than no exercise, but remember not to push your body too hard. Check out our section on exercise for more tips