How to Make Sustainable Diet Changes with Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis

It's great to set resolutions and goals, aiming to become a better version of the person you are. The problem, however, is that most people abandon their resolutions too quickly, reverting to old habits and old complaints of years past. This can be especially true in the Crohn's and colitis community when it comes to diet changes.

Making sustainable diet changes for Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis

Whether a diet change be for weight loss, weight gain, or to manage IBD symptoms, going on a diet and changing your daily eating routine may be at the top of your to-do list.

But are you prepared with the right tools to ensure you are staying on track with your goals? Here are some tips on how to successfully approach a new diet with IBD.

Using an elimination diet to identify IBD trigger foods

Making a drastic change to your diet may be tolerable in the short term, but it is not sustainable in the long term. If you are trying to identify which foods are problematic with your Crohn's or colitis, an elimination diet can help to narrow down what works and what doesn't for your body. However, due to its restrictive nature, it is designed for you to begin reintroducing certain foods after a short period of time. Then, once you identify your trigger foods, you can continue eliminating them from your diet and start feeling better.

Eliminate IBD trigger foods gradually

But what happens if you already know your trigger foods? Many people know that dairy and alcohol upset their stomachs, yet they have a hard time giving them up. If this sounds like you, start by cutting back on dairy and alcohol first. Drink 2-3 drinks max per week, and maybe only have one serving of cheese on the weekends. Then, you can continue to scale back until you have completely removed them from your diet.

Avoid absolute food restrictions

The same principle applies to weight loss. If you know that desserts are your weakness, completely eliminating any sugary snack from your diet is not sustainable long-term. You may be able to do it for 30 days or 60 days, but you will inevitably go back to your old habits when the right temptation crosses your path. The best approach is to start cutting back on the sweets, such as only when it is a special occasion or when out to dinner. Knowing you can indulge in your sweet tooth on occasion will make you feel less restricted, thus less tempted to dig through your candy drawer at home.

Break your dietary goals into quarterly milestones

Visualizing the year in 12 months can seem daunting. A lot can happen in that time (as we all know!), so breaking your goals down into quarterly results will be more empowering and more likely to set you up for success.

Referring to the dessert example, visualize your diet with less sugar. Think about the months and holidays/events that may pose a problem for you. Don't think too far in advance. If you successfully reach your goals faster than you thought, you will be more confident to continue building upon your new habits and resolutions for the foreseeable future.

Focus on controllable factors in your IBD care

I used to always set my goals and resolutions for the calendar year ahead, and at the top of my list was "avoid the hospital due to a flare". For the first 5 years of living with Crohn's, I failed this goal every single time. But, I must admit, it was a pretty bad goal, as I had very little control over it.

Shift focus to daily habits and health management

What I should have done was focus on what I could control: my diet, stress management, attending doctors' appointments, getting testing done regularly, etc., and let the outcome play out as it should.

You may not be able to necessarily control the number on the scale, but you can control what you do to get there. You can modify your diet, work out more, get plenty of sleep, and drink water. Focus on what you can control and let the results develop on their own.

Reframe health setbacks with a constructive mindset

Another thing to focus on that you can control is your mindset. We cannot control the fact that we have Crohn's or colitis, or that our blood work doesn't come back ideal, or that we can no longer tolerate dairy. But we can control how we handle those situations.

A good resolution that anyone can set is to practice more gratitude. Be grateful for what is going right rather than what is going wrong. Blood work came back showing signs of anemia. Rather than thinking, "Poor me, why do I have to take an iron supplement?" reframe it into, "I am grateful this was detected so I can do something about it and start feeling more energized". Upset that you can't tolerate dairy, and you have an obsession with cheese? Think of it as a good thing that you can eliminate something from your diet that actually makes you feel well, as not everyone can do that.

Long-term goal setting when living with Crohn's or colitis

As a Crohn's patient, I fully understand how difficult it can be to set goals and actually follow through with them. There may be setbacks, and there will most likely be temptations to just give up on the whole thing. But one resolution you should keep is to stick with it.

Regardless of how small a step forward you take, you are still moving in the right direction. Note little wins, build upon small habit changes, and control what you can and let the rest go. I am confident you will achieve your resolutions. You got this!