Living with HIV: Life has to move on

If you have been diagnosed with HIV, it can be tough to comes into terms with your diagnosis but at the end of the day life has to move on.

By adhering to your medication and maintaining a healthy lifestyle you can live as long as people who don’t have HIV.

HIV doesn’t have to stop you from carrying on with the rest of your life. Most people living with HIV do carry on with their jobs and their usual activities.

HIV shouldn’t stop you from having relationships, having children or making plans for the future.

HIV and Weight

As for anyone, it’s important for people living with HIV to maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight or underweight can cause problems for your health.

A balanced diet and regular exercise will help you maintain a healthy weight. 

There are usually 2 reasons why people put on so much weight:

• Eating too much food especially those with a lot of sugar and fat
• Not doing enough physical activity or exercise 

Modern HIV treatment rarely make people fat. 

If you are living with HIV, you can follow the same eating advice as everyone else. Try to eat a balanced diet. 

What is a healthy diet for people living with HIV?

• Eat a variety of foods from the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy.
• Eat the right amount of food to maintain a healthy weight.
• Choose foods low in saturated fat, salt, and added sugars.

If you want to lose weight, you need 45 to 60 minutes of physical activity every day. You can try;

• Walking
• Climbing stairs 
• Cycling 
• Lifting weights 
• Sports
• Dancing 
• Gardening 
• Push ups

Also remember to get enough sleep (sleep for 8 hours) and take good care of your mental health. 

If you still have questions concerning weight, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider.