Weight & HIV - A.J.

Maintaining a healthy weight after being diagnosed with HIV can be difficult. Gaining weight is common. I personally struggled with weight gain for several years. When I started taking ART medication, I gained a lot of weight. This impacted my mental and physical health as I appeared overweight. It was challenging to maintain a healthy body weight. I came to realize that some of the ART medication are associated with significant weight gain up to three times faster than those who are HIV negative.

The unexpected and significant weight gain had a number of impacts on my overall well-being. I had a negative view of self and had lowered self esteem, making it harder to feel good. I had physical pains and fatigue. I was at risk for cardiovascular and diabetic disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and greater risk of stroke and certain type of cancers.

I had to do my best to get my weight on track. I talked to my healthcare provider who advised me on some of the measures that could help me lose weight: diet and exercise. I started being conscious of what I intake. I began a healthy and balanced diet, eating less carbohydrates and eating more green vegetables, fruits and I monitored my protein intake. I started exercising every day for at least 30 to 45 minutes. I involved my relatives as my support team in this journey of losing weight and I kept doctors appointment to assess my progress. I also followed the advice given by my doctors by taking my mediation as directed.

A.J’s note: With exercise, proper diet, good mental health, following the doctor's advice, ensuring a strong support system, I have lost weight. My BMI is within normal range, my self esteem is back, I feel good about myself, and I feel lighter and healthy.