I lost 15 pounds while struggling with gastritis (and gained it back)

A lot of people write to me on my tiktok about the weightloss that comes with gastritis. Food choices are limited and so calories are restricted, severely in some cases. During my first 3 months, I started on an intense elimination diet (I’m talking no sugar, gluten, dairy, caffeine, spicy food, acidic food, the list goes on and on).

I was already a pretty lean person without much weight to lose and I lost 15 pounds during those 3 months. I couldn’t exercise anymore because I was so fatigued. I didn’t even want to walk much because I didn’t want to expend any calories to put me into even more of a deficit. I basically just laid around and ate rice cakes all winter long. Okay, it wasn’t just rice cakes, but I was pretty miserable. I skipped out on birthday cake, Christmas cookies, and New Year’s champagne. I even did my own sad version of Thanksgiving for my husband and me. It was a blessing in disguise because it got me out of my weird relationship with alcohol, but nevertheless, my health was suffering.

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A year and a half later, I gained it all back.

Today, I went to the gym, bopped around at the shops, and walked home. I had a huge breakfast and lunch already, and my appetite is ready for an afternoon snack soon. It’s watermelon season, so that’s been on the menu daily. I eat mostly what I want and have minimal symptoms, if any. And I feel good again, actually better than I ever did.

So what did I do to gain the weight back?

I ate. Quite a bit actually! After my elimination diet was over (I completed 90 days exactly), I slowly started adding foods back into my diet. I started with the big ones like gluten and dairy. Oh, how I missed my sourdough bread. But I started small.

One slice of bread per day - monitor for 3-5 days

One scoop of greek yogurt - monitor for 3-5 days

etc, etc…

It’s so tempting to just load up on all your favorite foods that you have been missing, but that can very quickly set you back. So I stayed patient. I didn’t push it. I continued this reintroduction phase for a few months. Simultaneously, I increased my portion sizes bit by bit and focused on some high-calorie foods to get the weight back on.

Some of my favorite high-calorie (yet gastritis-friendly) foods:

1. High in healthy fats

   1. 100% nut butter. My grocery store in Italy sells this 100% hazelnut butter and oh my god it’s just like nutella, but maybe even better. Of course, almond butter and peanut butter are good options too - just make sure they’re 100% (one ingredient only).

   2. Olive oil is another healthy and easy way to add calories to a savory meal. Look for quality when you’re picking this out.

   3. Avocado is a go-to for me. It’s high in histamine, so if that bothers you, avoid this for now.

   4. Salmon is a rich source of so many nutrients and a calorically dense protein source as well.

   5. Tahini. I looove adding this to my savory dishes like rice bowls. Also, make sure you’re using one with sesame as the only ingredient.

2. High in starch

   1. Oats. Every morning, I made a big bowl of oatmeal with a little scoop of vegan protein, banana, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of the hazelnut butter.

   2. White rice. This was the basis of many of my savory dishes. It goes with anything and it’s so easy to mix and match toppings to your needs and preferences.

   3. Potatoes. Sweet potatoes are preferable as they don’t spike blood sugar like regular potatoes do. Potatoes, like rice, are a solid base to build a meal around.

Other tips that helped me:

• Don’t rush it. Focus on one food group per week (roughly). Don’t change too much at once. Be patient and monitor symptoms.

• Eat 5-6 meals per day. And if you can make those meals a little higher in calories every few weeks, that’s great.

• Don’t compare. Your journey will look very different from someone else’s because gastritis doesn’t affect us all in the same way. Find a plan that works for you and stick to it. Reach out to me if you need help building a plan.

I am so grateful for the way I feel now. I still have gastritis, but my symptoms are manageable, and I don’t even think about it some days. The healing journey can be long, but it doesn’t have to be completely uncomfortable. It can actually be fun.