Learn how this brain tumor survivor manages her weight

Grace Lightbody, 20, is a 10-year survivor of craniopharyngioma, a type of brain tumor. She is now a college student in Florida studying to be a nurse.

For years, she has struggled to manage her weight. Weight gain is a common long-term side effect of craniopharyngioma treatment.

Weight gain happens in craniopharyngioma patients and long-term survivors because of abnormal hormone levels. This problem occurs because of damage to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, brain structures that control hormones. Hormones regulate certain body functions.

Even though Lightbody was a cheerleader and physically active, controlling weight gain was an ongoing challenge. She continued cheering throughout high school and served as cheerleader captain.

“The weight gain is something we realized really quickly during my treatment,” Lightbody says. “We took control of it from the start, which I hated, because I was 9 years old. Weight management can be really hard for a lot of craniopharyngioma patients.”

Weight gain is still something she has to manage. She focuses on staying active and eating a healthy diet.

“I’m super adamant about what I put in my body,” Lightbody says. “I work out every day.”

Making healthy choices can be difficult in college, she says.

“Others can eat pizza and cupcakes and not worry about gaining weight,” Lightbody says. 

Use mobile apps to help you

To support her healthy lifestyle, Lightbody uses the kitchen in her dormitory to cook meals. She finds healthy recipes on the internet and mobile apps. (Many mobile apps and websites offer healthy recipes and tips. Visit nutrition.gov or eatright.org for more information. Read our story about M.D. Anderson Cancer’s online resource @TheTable.)

“I find pleasure and reward in making food that is better for me instead of throwing something in the microwave,” Lightbody says.

Lightbody makes healthy substitutions to replace not-so-healthy foods with more nutritious options.

Consider these choices:

• Replace spaghetti pasta with zucchini noodles.
• Use sweet potatoes in place of white potatoes.
• Instead of French fries, season kale, green beans, or any vegetable that you can thinly slice with your favorite spices and roast them in the oven.
• Use brown rice instead of white rice.
• Replace potato chips with gluten-free pretzels. 

Save money by shopping smart

Lightbody likes to shop at a popular bargain grocery store chain. She also saves money by buying food in bulk. For instance, she buys chicken breasts when large packages are on sale.

“If I buy 8 large chicken breasts, it gives me 16 meals because I cut them in half long ways because they are so thick,” Lightbody says. “I bag each one individually, and I get one out when I’m ready to cook.”

This habit also helps with portion control. Portion control is vital for craniopharyngioma survivors because many do not feel full after eating. It’s another side effect of treatment.

“Portion control is one of my strategies,” Lightbody says. “You have to have a lot of grit and responsibility to do that.”

Make healthy choices when eating out

Many restaurants have healthy options. For example, Lightbody has a favorite taco shop near her college. But instead of ordering a traditional taco, she orders a taco bowl. She still gets the food she likes, but the dish has fewer calories and carbohydrates.

At other restaurants, she orders a side salad instead of French fries. If she orders a hamburger, she does not eat the bun.

Lightbody suggests involving family and friends in making healthy lifestyle choices.

“It was good to have my Mom to lean on,” Lightbody says. “It’s easier to do if you’re not going through it alone.”