Unaccountable Weight Fluctuation

One of the problems faced by those suffering from Fibromyalgia and M.E (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) is a fluctuation in their weight that can happen sometimes without warning.

What Can Cause Weight Fluctuation?

There are a variety of different reasons as to why weight can fluctuate especially if you are a sufferer of Fibromyalgia or M.E (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), here are just a few:

• Comfort eating
• Water retention
• Overactive thyroid
• Lack of exercise

Comfort Eating

It is fact that when we are stressed or anxious we turn to things we enjoy in order to help us alleviate that stress or anxiety. Such things include cigarettes, alcohol and of course food. Many of us will eat junk food, sugary foods, crisps or rich foods in order to distract us from the problems at hand. In the case of a condition such as Fibromyalgia where an individual can become stressed because they are not able to function in the way they used to food can be a great comfort indeed.

The downside to this of course is that fact that suffering from Fibromyalgia may mean that you are not able to exercise and therefore not able to burn off the calories; this in turn leads to weight gain.

Lack of Exercise

This is the single biggest cause of weight gain in people suffering or indeed not suffering from Fibromyalgia. Lack of exercise can leave us feeling lethargic, overweight and suffering from shortness of breath.

As Fibromyalgia is a condition that has four levels of pain threshold – mild, moderate, severe and chronic – those suffering from either severe or chronic Fibromyalgia are more often likely to be overweight than those suffering from mild or moderate Fibromyalgia.

Indeed those suffering from mild or moderate Fibromyalgia can often continue to live with a lifestyle similar to that prior to their condition appearing whereas those suffering from the more severe forms of the condition can often find their lives have lost a great deal of momentum.

This momentum is not only lost physical but mentally and often the individual can become stressed and as a result may suffer from depression which then leads to an inability to want to do anything, this as a lack of exercise, can lead to the putting on of additional weight.

What Can I Do if I Have Put On Too Much Weight?

The first thing you should do is consult with your GP; he or she may wish to carry out some tests and a physical examination in order to diagnose whether or not this weight gain is the result of a physical or psychological problem.

Your doctor may suggest that a dietician works with you to help control your diet and they may also suggest attending pain management classes which are designed to help sufferers of chronic pain build up a physical resistance to some levels of pain whilst building up the confidence to deal with the condition they have been ailed with.

Light Exercise

Where possible you should try some light exercise even if it is only walking around your garden if you have one. This exercise will not only help to burn off calories which are not being used up but will also help to strengthen your joints and muscles and also restore some sense of normality to your life.