I've been eating healthy. I've been more active. I've changed my lifestyle. I've lost 22 lbs. I feel like crap. I should be celebrating my changes but instead I feel physically sick. Worse than I did when I was eating garbage and lazy. Has anyone else experienced this? I just don't get it. I'm trying to push through and hope it stops eventually. I know I'm still unhealthy but I just hoped it wouldn't be this way.
Physically sick as in fatigued or..? Not sure what symptoms you are noticing but if they don't clear up soon maybe see your family care physician to see if you are anemic, hypothyroid, hypoglycemic or have low b12 level etc...
Are you taking vitamins? I have found that they make a world of difference when cutting calories! I take a GOOD multivitamin (food based), an Omega 3-6-9, a higher dose vitamin C, and a Mega Stress B complex with added herbs like valerian. HUGE difference. When I don't take them on the weekends I'm dragging and feeling sick by Sunday night.
Vitamins are a must if you are reducing your food intake. I am not sure what you are eating but focusing on eating foods that are good for you, not just less, is also important and made me feel tons better compared to the early days of my diet when I just cut what I was eating rather than changing it.
Eating less cake when you used to eat a lot of cake might help you lose weight but won't make you feel or look good.
Eating salad when you used to eat cake will.
Getting enough protein is important too and easily overlooked.
I am definitely not pregnant thanks to my wonderful Mirena. I have been eating healthy foods instead of just less because I binge if I eat most unhealthy foods. One good thing is that I am at a point that I no longer crave the unhealthy foods.
I'm not sure I'm eating enough though. I have a hard time eating enough healthy foods because I'm not used to eating a large quantity every day. I track my food intake on my Fitbit and I'm usually around 1200-1400 cals/day and I have to try to eat that much.
How long have you been at this? If you're only eating 1200-1400 calories then it makes sense to me that you feel like crap. Sometimes people fall into the rabbit food syndrome, eating lots of healthy vegetables and air while forgetting to get an adequate amount of protein and carbs. If you cut out carbs then you will feel doubly crappy. I'm not saying reach for a bagel or a donut, but try throwing a handful of garbanzos into your salad, have half a baked sweet potato, eat some fruit, dip some veggies into hummus. I know the carbs issue is highly inflammatory but I feel like total crap and I can't sleep unless I have some carbs in my day.
Of course we don't know what you're actually eating, healthy vs. unhealthy is a vague description of food but my guess is you're not eating enough to support a very active lifestyle.
I agree with Palestrina. Even on the South Beach plan, which I am following, you are allowed these "good" carbs. The first two weeks of this plan (phase I), you cut out all grains and sugars. Eating beans/legumes keeps the "South Beach flu" symptoms away. Lima beans, Pinto beans, Fat free refried beans with a little low fat shredded cheese are good options on this plan.
1. You're not getting the calories you need. It's OK for a week or two, but at some point you have to "Pay the Piper" and your body says, "I can't go on" and feels out of sorts. Or, you're not getting a vitamin you need somehow.
2. OR, you are simply detoxing. The healthier you are, the more the toxins left in your body from all the bad food we used to eat, eventually rises to the surface and makes us feel sick. It sounds crazy, but it might be true. Listen to Matt Monarch videos on YouTube. He's a raw foodist, but his primary message is: The less processed foods the better and Detox is part of the process.
So I've started with the vitamins. I am also adjusting what I eat. Taking a look at my carb intake. In the beginning I cut them a lot because I needed to control my cravings but I'm doing great with the cravings now so I'll try to add some more carbs in. Brown rice and whole grain bread and stuff. I already eat a lot of vegetables and fruits every day. And a few days a week we eat chicken or ground turkey in our meals. I also eat organic peanut butter.
Thank you guys for all of your suggestions. Hopefully some of these changes will help me feel a little better.
Vitamins are a must if you are reducing your food intake. I am not sure what you are eating but focusing on eating foods that are good for you, not just less, is also important and made me feel tons better compared to the early days of my diet when I just cut what I was eating rather than changing it.
Eating less cake when you used to eat a lot of cake might help you lose weight but won't make you feel or look good.
Eating salad when you used to eat cake will.
Getting enough protein is important too and easily overlooked.
I 100% agree with this comment. You have to make sure that the calorie cut is replaced with low cal nutrient high food. That helps. Taking a B complex also helps with the energy loss. You have to remember that you are in a way detoxing and that sucks at first. My 1st mos on the journey I was emotional and felt crappy. The only thing that kept me motivated is that I was losing weight so I kept pushing on and posting here and people assured me that this would pass. It has!!!! Carbs also take quite a hold on us and on our brain so if you have cut them out drastically like I did, you will feel like sh!t. Ask anybody that has done atkins (never did it personally but know a lot of people that did) and I believe that they can probably tell you the same of the beginning phase. Your body will regulate. Keep pushing through and just remember that you are going through a change that your body is getting used to but its for the best Good luck!
I feel like crap despite my changes
Good luck!
