Fatigue

  • Okay, I know being fat is supposed to slow people down but I'm beginning to worry. I'm sleepy all. the. time. Is this normal? Its been like this for awhile now but lately it has gotten worse.

    It's kind of like when I'm hugely pregnant. At that stage in pregnancy, I can be active for a whole day and be fine but the next day I'm a lump. Yesterday I was out all day with my kids and today I am so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. It's just too hard to live like this. I know it will get better as I lose weight but until then, what do I do?
  • I know how you feel. Of course your tired though, think about the added stress being heavy puts on your body, especially your heart. For the last few days I've been telling myself that 18 months ago I'd have to put on a 50 lbs backpack to pack around what I'm packing around today. Looking at it from that perspective you can see why your body wants to rest.

    I've been drinking more water lately, I've read that dehydration can cause fatigue.
  • It could be other things too... are you possible depressed some due to your weight (I'm asking because of the other post you had...). Also, I've found that my diet affects my mood. Once I cut out sugar and artificial sweeteners I had so much more energy (even though I'm still a sleep deprived mom!).
  • no, it isnt normal and i am sure you know that.

    since you dont list any details about your height, weight, food plan, rest schedule, etc it pretty hard to help....

    when i was 240lbs and eating candy and fast food for most days, i could sleep for days. logically of course i was tired! my poor body was getting little nourishment, having to process massive quantities of crap disguised as food (and hence overworking my digestive track, slowing blood flow to other areas), getting irregular blood sugar levels due to crazy candy and carb spikes, etc.

    these days if i have very low energy it signals a problem of some sort. usually with eating, so i will offer a few questions i ask myself in that dept when im abnormally exhausted.
    - enough calories?
    - enough protein/fiber?
    - enough times a day?
    - is it good, whole food (not processed garbage)?
    - are you consuming things to get a variety of vitamins? leafy greens, veggies in all colors? if not, b vitamins help regulate blood sugar levels and keep you energized.
    - are you drinking too much caffeine? causes blood sugar spikes and crashes, especially if you answered no some or all of the previous questions?
    good luck and if you share more info we can probably help you more
  • I agree with XTY, it's hard to pinpoint with the details we've been given.

    I had to increase my calories a bit to see a rise in energy.

    A multivitamin helps tremendously. It gives me just the boost I need.
  • Have you ever been tested for sleep apnea? You may be missing valuable oxygen in your body if you're have apnea.
  • I have been having the same problem lately. But I think I have narrowed mine down to depression and low iron. But I will be getting into a dr in a week or two just to be sure its not more serious.
    I think if you are constantly dragging that is the time to suspect something. Its normal to go through times of being a little tired...but when it lingers, that is something to be worried about!
  • Quote: Have you ever been tested for sleep apnea? You may be missing valuable oxygen in your body if you're have apnea.
    I was tired all.the.time, too, until I got a sleep study and found out I have very severe sleep apnea. Now that I've been sleeping with a CPAP for several months, I literally have a new life. Not only am I awake and alive now, but weight loss has been completely doable for me. I have 10x the energy to be active, and my food cravings have practically vanished. I've lost almost 50lbs since the end of May. If you want any details, send me a PM.
  • I started Weight Watchers/losing weight for this very reason.....Fatigue....my husband told me that I SHOULD be tired.....I am carrying what adds up to 3 Fifty Pound bags of dog food..........I can barely carry in one bag when I go shopping......yet on my body are the equivalent of 3!!!!!!

    But this has really given me a wake up call and finally I feel serious about losing weight!!
  • wow, I never thought that apnea might be a problem but the more I think about it, you may be right. I read a few websites with information about apnea and it is mentioned that simple lifestyle changes can sometimes help. I read that losing even a little bit of weight can help, so that is where I'll start. It also mentioned clearing sinus passages with a neti pot. I have one and really need to use it more. I wake up every morning with yucky sinuses, so I'm sure between the extra fat and the extra mucous, I am probably suffering from apnea.

    As for what I'm eating- at home we eat mostly whole foods, mostly organic, lots of fresh fruits and veggies. When we eat out, not so much. Lots of white bread, pasta with white sauce, chick fil a sandwiches, etc. I need to realize that even if I eat healthy at home I cannot afford to eat out twice a week if I'm going to be eating junk. It's clearly time to stop eating out for many reasons.
  • Can you ask your husband if you are a snorer and/or if you ever seem to stop breathing for a few seconds when you sleep? If he says you do, I would give some serious thought to talking about a sleep study with your doctor. Not everyone snores with sleep apnea, but if you do, and especially if he witnesses you stopping breathing, it's really worth looking in to.

    If you do have it, losing a bit of weight may help with it, but honestly, getting it treated has made my weight loss completely doable for the first time ever in my adult life. Instead of trying to lose weight to make it go away (which doesn't always work), I am getting perfect sleep which has made more difference in my appetite and ability to make healthy choices than I ever even dared dream.

    I don't mean to sound preachy, but if you strongly suspect that you have sleep apnea, you owe it to yourself and your family to look into getting it treated. It has very serious health implications, and looking back, it literally has stolen years from me. I thank my lucky stars at least 20 times a day that I don't feel the way I used to feel anymore.