This year, I have swapped companies in March(for the better), had our first kid in January, moved to a new house in May, and lost my mother in July. Part of the reason I lost my mother was due to diabetes; it runs in the family, and I am doing everything in my power to ensure I don't get that nasty disease. Lastly, I am 28 years old and have had 3 colonoscopies; my father was around my age when he had colon cancer, so we are being extremely proactive (they cut 7 polyps out of me when I was 23).
With that being said, around April or May of this year I decided to do a lifestyle change, and start eating healthier and exercising. I have done great with the eating portion, but am still lacking on the exercise due to our busy schedule. Plus, I have recently been taking Prozac for anxiety, and it makes it hard in the mornings to get up and going to get a work-out completed before work... Mind you, getting up at 3:30 AM to work out isn't for everybody
My diet consists of meats, vegetables, some fruits, certain dairy, a few beans if we have shell-less taco salads, etc. I don't do many complex carbs in my diet. I essentially cut out sugary foods, breads, pastas, and other high carbohydrate foods.
During this process, I have been fighting with fatigue. Some days are better than others, just like with everything else, but I am tired of being tired! I have had blood work done, and nothing came back unordinary.
My question to you all, is do I need to add some complex carbs to the mix? Perhaps a piece of whole grain toast with some peanut butter in the mornings? I certainly (obviously) don't want to gain any of this weight back, but I am scared of doing so by adding back some carbs to the diet.
Any help is greatly appreciated... Also, I told you about the year so you can get an idea of emotionally 'why' I decided to do this, NOT because I want you to feel sorry for me!
Looking forward to our discussion(s).
-Nate
Written by
NHamm89
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sounds like you have had a very hectic year. so sorry to hear you lost your mum in July. Have a good look around the forum there are lots of ideas for meals in the Topic section which may help you plan your day or join our Daily diary where lots of members share their own plans for the day.
You are invited to join our Newbie Club, where you can meet other new members who are just beginning their weigh loss journeys too. Here's the link for all the information you will need to find your way around the forum:
You have had a helluva year so it is even more impressive that you have changed your eating habits and lifestyle. Certainly getting up to work out at3.30am is a bit extreme and it sounds like getting more sleep would be better for you. Lack of sleep is really unhealthy and is a factor in gaining weight and increasing blood pressure.
I have had to tackle both blood pressure and high blood sugar . I have found since losing weight and sleeping and walking more has had a really positive impact on my energy levels. I am careful now to keep my blood sugar level on an even keel. Have you read the 8 week blood sugar diet by Dr M Moseley which has helpful advice re nutrition and lifestyle?
You have had a really tough year. So sorry to hear of your lose. Well done with your weight lose.
Just wondering if medication could be playing a role in the tiredness. I myself suffer with a mental illness, i have noticed lack of energy in the past. Might be worth asking GP.
I think you need to be kind to yourself, try not to be hard on yourself x
A lot going on there NHamm89 and really sorry to hear about your mum. At the same time, it sounds like you're doing pretty well and taking control of lots of important things in your life.
I appreciate that you're concerned about the fatigue you're feeling and not being up to exercising though it does seem that you're leading a pretty hectic lifestyle. At the same time you've been losing a very impressive amount of weight, which when I did, left me feeling permanently tired.
You've got a lot to deal with mentally and physically so maybe try and find some 'me time' (with a newborn that's easier said than done). Think creatively and there's normally a way.
If the fatigue persists, I suggest a visit to your GP just to cover all the bases.
I agree with WendyKathleen re multivits. I was very run down, had blood tests etc, and nothing was stand out low in it but the nurse suggested getting a vitamin d spray. This seems to have helped, plus I also have berocca (the superdrug own brand version), feroglobin (liquid iron) plus I've been having foods with high vit contents e.g. marmite etc. I also have a lot of fresh fruit and veg and oily fish etc, but it can be hard to get everything you need from just food. But if you're getting up at 3:30 are you simply not getting enough sleep? Don't underrate the importance of sleep.
Re adding in carbs - why not try adding a little and see how it goes, it sounds like your instinct is telling you it's time to add this back now. There's a lot of goodness in wholegrain toast etc, put a loaf in the freezer so you just have one slice at a time. It's quite common to worry that a small deviation from "what works" will make all the weight pile back on. But this needs to be sustainable - it sounds like where you are right now isn't sustainable - so it makes sense to try something different, keep searching for the piece of the puzzle that makes it all work
However, it could well be that there is an underlying cause, (you mention Prozac) Fatigue is a well recognised side effect of depression/anxiety/grief. Please do not underestimate how long you need to grieve for, it’s vital that you allow yourself time, three months is nothing 😢
I sincerely appreciate everybody's kind words and assistance - I am looking forward to chatting with yo all! Losing my mother was and still is very hard, but I know that she is no longer in any pain or suffering, and I will get to see her again one day.
My GP actually told me that 'I should be getting plenty of vitamins from my varied diet', but after talking to a few colleagues at work and doing a bit of research, I think I am going to add a Vitamin D supplement on top of my daily multivitamin (currently is GNC Energy and Metabolism). I've heard from several folks that it helped them, so why not give it a shot I am also going to add some plain oatmeal in with my morning breakfasts, so we will see how that goes!
With regards to the aforementioned 3:30 AM wake-up time, that was only when I was actually going to the gym - our daughter sleeps basically 10 hours a night, so I typically get to bed by 9:30 or 10 and wake up anywhere from 4:30 to 5:00 depending on the day. Therefore, I don't think a lack of sleep is a causation factor. Actually, now that I think of it - if I sleep more than ~7 hours, I wake up groggy and just not feeling like myself!
You have a lot on your plate right now, I lost my mum when my daughter was just 10 months old and it was a very bleak time ❤️
Vitamin D is a good supplement, it’s quite hard to get enough from sunshine alone in the Uk. I also take cod liver oil as I don’t eat oily fish twice a week. 😊
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