When did you notice that you had more ENERGY? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Truffle · 09-08-2009, 10:14 AM

Of all the good things that weight loss could do for me, I think the one I'd like the most would be to have some energy.

I have some health challenges that drain what little energy I have, but I'm sure being up around the 300 mark is making that even worse.

Some of you might know what I mean---the having to sit down between each household task, bending over and leaning on something because it's hard sometimes to stand up straight for very long, not being able to take the long walks you'd like to, etc.

When did you notice that you had more energy? Did you have to lose a lot of pounds before you got more energy? Do you think your additional energy comes more from regular exercise, from what you eat, or probably a combination of both?

I just turned 53. I think it's a little too early to feel as OLD as I do without the energy I need to do all the things I want to get done in a day, but maybe I'm wrong...

Butterfly50 · 09-08-2009, 10:39 AM

Hi Becky I know how you feel I am 38 I an get around good But Being at 315 Pounds I had very little energy. I think I managed to get in our pool may be 3 times this year I jest felt tired all the time. i always felt like I never had enough sleep and I jest needed to lay around. when my Doctor told me I had to lose weight with the meds he put me on I sulked about it for a month and I started looking at everything I have done this summer and it was absolutely nothing everything was going down i only did what I had to in the house to get by. Now that I am in my second week ( I have only lost 6 Pounds so far) I can say I get up at 6:30 am Get the kids ready for school fix my breakfast and then do My exercises for the day. I feel alot better I have sooo much more energy and Yes I do think that eating the right food and exercise is the reason for that. You would be susprised what sugar does to a body or even White Bread . Take it one step at a time. Only do what you can . In no time you will be seeing more and more changes in your routines they will get easier and you will have to sit down in between chores alot less. You will be their before you know it.

Bonnie

TJFitnessDiva · 09-08-2009, 10:42 AM

The cleaner I ate the more energy I had/have. Even now if I wind up eating way too much processed foods I feel it! Exercise also makes me have more energy....when I first started I felt good but I still didn't have much energy afterwards.

DCHound · 09-08-2009, 10:46 AM

For me it was when I went under 300 lbs. I don't know if it was the weight or quitting smoking (all happened around the same time) but my energy just soared.

Truffle · 09-08-2009, 11:06 AM

Bonnie, you're doing well--and that gives me hope too. If you're noticing more energy on your second week in, maybe I won't have to wait as long as I think I will either.

Tanee, that's an excellent point about eating clean.

DCHound, I can't wait for my energy to soar too!

kaybelle9 · 09-08-2009, 11:09 AM

When I stopped eating junk. Now, if I do eat junk food, I feel like I need a nap.

Lyn2007 · 09-08-2009, 11:12 AM

I am still tired a lot even when I eat well and exercise, but when I got under 220 I did have a LOT more energy. Amazing the difference 20 pounds can make.

time2lose · 09-08-2009, 11:36 AM

Truffle,

When reading your post, it struck me that you and I seem to have a lot in common. Last year when I was 53 and 281 pounds, my doctor promised me that losing 10 or 20 pounds would make a big difference. To be honest, I could not tell any difference when I lost 10 pounds but could when I had lost 20 pounds. Then each 10 pound increment lost seemed to really help.

At first, I could not manage much exercise so I started doing 5 or 10 minute walks. They wore me out but I think did help me with getting more energy. I also got a DVD of chair aerobics because my knees were so bad. I guess I am saying that I think energy comes from both eating well and exercising. Treating medical issues, like anemia, helped too. I think that everything works together.

I hold up much better when doing housework or yard work now but I am still not where I want to be. I want to be able to work like I did when I was in my twenties.

You are in the most difficult stage of weight loss, the beginning. Stick with it and you will reap the rewards. Life will get much easier. You can do this.

FitGirlyGirl · 09-08-2009, 01:50 PM

My energy went up almost immediately with my healthy changes. I do think it is a combination of the changes and not any one of them alone. Good food helped, also more water (though mine is in the form of crystal light), and one of the things diet wise that I think helped more than I expecte it to was a serious cut in my caffeine intake. I worked on my diet for a month or so before I started working out and I did see increased energy. Then when I added exercise it skyrocketed. The more I do the more I can do and want to do. I see changes in my enegy level now every single day. Before I started this journey in February just getting from one end of my house to the other was a chore. The house we were in was not some giant thing either - 1200 sq. feet. Now I can do 3 intense workouts every day and still manage to do all my normal daily activities and even though we moved to a larger house I certainly no longer dread getting to the kitchen to feed the kitties when I wake up in the morning the way I used to. I used to cry because I'm only 31 and my older brothers and even my 77 year old father had more energy than me - well not any more. I didn't feel 31 then and I don't know - the difference is now it's a good thing

Eileen2bLean · 09-08-2009, 06:59 PM

When I was 285, I never felt any energy at all. I would get winded and uncomfortable just by standing up. I had what my dr. called a "pad" of fat sitting right on my ribcage and it made it hard to breathe whenever I leaned over, so even tying my shoes was too much for me.

I started feeling a difference around twenty pounds down, but forty pounds made a HUGE difference in my energy level. Oh, don't get me wrong, I still have days (and even weeks!) when I feel lazy and unmotivated, but I know if I get UP and get MOVING, the energy will be there. I certainly couldn't count on any kind of energy before.

I have way more energy now than I did when I was on my way UP in weight. More of my weight is muscle now and I have way more strength and stamina because of the exercise. It's neat how it builds up over time - when I first started out I couldn't ride my bike around the block, I had to stop to take a rest. Now I can ride 6 or 7 miles before stopping for a break - and have gone on 15-20 mile bike trips (still carrying around an extra 100 lbs, so that's some definite energy!!).

I still have a long way to go but it's just amazing how much more comfortable I am in my own skin. My back doesn't hurt just from standing anymore. Keep going! You can do this!

Truffle · 09-09-2009, 01:54 PM

Thanks for the GREAT inspiration and encouragement on this thread! I'm heading out for a walk right now.

Can't wait 'til I experience the additional energy!

ubergirl · 09-09-2009, 02:22 PM

I noticed a difference after ten pounds, but now, at the "almost forty" mark, I REALLY can tell!

I used to really suffer during the four to five hours a day at work that I had to remain standing-- now I take it in stride.

I used to walk around slow. Now I walk fast.

I just notice that I feel more bouncy.

Serephina · 09-09-2009, 08:39 PM

Not at all so far, I am more tired the last 2 weeks than I have been for months. I guess my body isn't adjusting well to the new food thing. Good luck yourself, though!