Okay, as some of you may know, one of my goals this month was to slowly but surely give up diet soda. So I started drinking lots of iced tea (natural-unsweetened), and green tea. Well, I don't know if this is just coincidence, but ever since I cut my soda consumption down to one can a day, I have been plagued by headaches and migraines...constantly! I am not a headache type person...I rarely get them. Is there some connection here, or do you think it's a coincidence. The type of diet soda I am weaning myself off of is Coca-Cola Zero, as well as diet pepsi. I know it's not caffine withdrawl, as the tea has enough of that! I just can't take these migraine's...I don't want to have to drink lots of soda just to keep from being in pain, but I'd hook up a diet pepsi iv bag if it meant the migraines would cease and desist!

Also, as a side note on a totally different area of my anatomy...does dieting lead to constipation? I eat a lot of fiber, but I feel all...you know...FULL, in the abdominal region. I eat fruit and veggies every day, and sufficient portions of whole grain bread...so what's up? Plus, my weight loss has been slower then anticipated for the last week (even gaining at times), and since I know that my caloric intake is nowhere near enough to cause a gain (it's been weeks since I've eaten over 1,100 calories in any 24 hour period), I am assuming that I am holding a lot of ummm...excess weight...uhhh, yeah! So, what should I do about it?


Thank you for playing doctor with me


Amanda

fiber is supposed to make you feel full...sometimes just a change in diet will cause constipation...and yes...lack of caffiene that your body is used to can cause headaches...kind of like a withdrawl symptom...i know it's hard but keep up the good work!

My tummy tends to act the same way when I diet even though I also eat lots of veggies and fruit. Could be that I don't drink enough water.. I know you say you drink loads but do you think it's enough? Do you get sufficient amounts of protein (at least a gram for every kilogram bodyweight) and exercise?

The headaches could be a sign that you're eating to little. 1,100 kcal isn't much - I know I used to get really bad headaches when I ate that little. Also it puts your body in a starvation mode and lowers your metabolism which could be the reason why you're not losing weight. I know that elderly people often feel constipated beacuse age results in slower metabolism but I don't know if it's the case with dieting - it would make sense though, right? Then again I also read somewhere that eating to little can also result in the sensation of constipation.

Good luck with your goal!

I'm sure you've heard this before but sometimes eating too LITTLE calories causes the body to go into "starvation mode" where it holds onto every calorie and makes it extremely difficult to lose weight. Maybe try bumping it up 1-2 days a week to shake things up a bit?

Caffeine withdrawl = headache. I have a friend who's a Mt. Dew fiend and she gets headaches if she goes without her bubbly for a day...

The "starvation mode" stuff sounds hard to believe, but it's true. I lose as much weight if I eat 1200 calories as I lose if I eat 800. 1200 calories doesn't make me cold, tired, and headachy, though. And if not-too-much goes in your belly, not-too-much comes out the other end.

I feel bloated with a big tummy when I drink too much water, too fast. Maybe you could spread your water consumption out over a longer period of time, or else cut down.

Hope this helps...

Maybe its too much caffeine? It cant be a withdrawl like you said, since the pops that you drank already had caffeine in them. But for some reason I remember hearing a long time ago that tea has more caffeine than those drinks, and maybe its too much thats causing your headaches???

Where are your headaches located? And are you under more stress?

Hope they go away soon!!

~Liz

Okay here's my advise/experience. When I met my husband he drank 1 liter of Mtn Dew a day! Yep! I slowly weened him off of it. He had major headaches, body aches, cramps, and very moody, I think the thought of killing me came across his mind. this man was addicted! VERY ADDICTED! I stood firm and took credit cards away so he couldnt stop at convenient store and buy soda if he wanted to - also I took all his cash away and monitored his accounts. I was only his girlfriend and I went to that extreme to make him healthy. But it took a while for his body to adjust and stop hurting him. The body hurts when it craves,needs, desires, and is addicted to ANY substance. EVEN sugar, even salt, anything can become addicting. Right now your body is punishing you for not giving it what it wants. You are going though withdrawls. Ease up on that tea- switch to water, switch to decaf tea. And mix that water up so its different and flavorful.

Water suggestions:
water and lemon slices
water and lime slices
water and apple slices
water and orange slices - mandarin is sweeter- even pineapple would work
water and cucumber slices- I hate cucumbers but I LOVE this!

Reuse your fruit/veggies! Make a pitcher of water and add slices of whatever you want. When that pitcher is up either eat whats left or fill it back up! IT will re flavor the water over and over. Discard when it starts chriveling or looking unappetizing.

About the constipation- most dieters fill this way. Unfortunatly it comes with the teritory. Make sure you are drinking lots of water - this does help and sprinkle fiber onto cereal or into your favorite shakes. You kind find flavored ground up fiber at GNC or any health store.

Hope this helps a little

A girl can't poo without water - and tea and coffee and diet sodas don't count. Also, caffeine effects your system and "slows ya down" so to speak. Also, if you aren't eating enough calories (which you're not - bad girl!) then even if you do get fiber into your diet, it's probably not going to be enough. Some teas have a lot less caffeine than a soda would, so your headaches could definately be withdrawals. Here's a link that will show you how much caffeine is in different types of drinks: http://wilstar.com/caffeine.htm

Ferret - Thanks for the encouragement! Yep, I figured dieting had something to do with the ol' back-up Withdrawl from caffeine...I don't think that's it, as the tea I'm drinking has a bit more caffeine than the soda I was drinking.

Snow White - Thanks for the advice. As far as my water consumption goes, I drink between 80 and 100 oz a day of pure water...spaced out pretty evenly. As for my low caloric consumption, my doctor put me on 800 calories a day because my thyroid is unstable and my metabolism is extremely low (when I eat 1200 calories in a day, I gain). Trust me, I wish I could eat more...but alas, when I do I gain weight

Lizzbabe - Starvation mode...LOL. According to my endocrinologist I can eat as little as 600 calories a day without negatively affecting my metabolic rate. I wish I could eat more than I am now...but my doctor would crap her drawers if she knew I was eating as many calories as I am now.

TBJ333 - Definately not caffeine withdrawl...I'm drinking about the same amount with the tea as I was with the soda. As far as calories go...I can't eat more without gaining (read what I wrote to Lizzbabe. Thanks for the advice though, I appreciate it...and lord knows I can use all the help I can get

Lizzyg - Hey fellow Michigander! You may be on to something...maybe I am drinking too much caffeine! Headaches/migraines are on the left side of my head...all over from my brow across to my temple and up to the top of my head...ouch! Stress...no more so than usual...which isn't saying a lot, but no, I don't think that's it

Dani - Good job getting your hubby off the Dew...it must have been a trying time! As far as water goes...I usually drink 100 oz a day, but never less than 80 oz. Good idea with the fruit though...probably a lot healthier than the tons of tea I've been a-chuggin'. Oh yeah, and I did try metamucil last night...and it moved me

Jenicra - Poo...hee hee (yep, I know...but I'll never grow-up). And as I told a few others in this post, it ain't water that's causin the issue...I drink about 100 oz of plain ol' water spread throughout the day. Oh, and thanks for the link.

The down low (hee hee)
Okay, I think that the constipation is just being caused by a combo of lower caloric intake/fat intake (I used to live on fast food, which really greases the wheels...so to speak). It could also have to do with my Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism...I looked it up and it says that an underactive thyroid can affect regularity. I've resigned myself to the fact that I am going to have to start taking metamucil on a "regular" basis...oh well!

As far as the migraines...I tested a theory. Today I woke up and drank a soda...and continued the trend...now it's 7:30 p.m. and I have had 6 cans of soda (4 coca cola zero's, and 2 diet pepsi's) all day. No headache! What the he** is up with that? I am baffled...as I have ruled out that it can not be caffeine withdrawl.

Thanks for the advice, any more educated/uneducated guesses would be most appreciated!

Thanks a bunch,
Amanda

Amandaholly - sounds like you've got a poo mystery on your hands, and it's causing you headaches! Seriously though, that bodily function is a real indicator of how well your body is working, so if you don't get it figured out, you should try to see a doctor.

ahh then yeah maybe it's too much caffeine...try an herbal tea if you want to cut out caffeine

*Amanda gives Jenicra a hug, knowing that she should probably see her doctor...but is forced to confront the fact that she has no health insurance. This in mind, amanda packs her knapsack, ties it neatly to a long stick, and heads off for the green green hills of Canada...*

Will Amanda receive Canadian citizenship, or will her crapper back up to her eyeballs? Only time will tell, eh!


Amanda

at least you got the eh down :P

Amanda, tea doesnt have as much caffine as pop. I used to get the saem thing, still do. I Use to think it was because of all the coffee I was trying, which indeed hepled me go pooh more often. BUT when I switched from coffee to tea the head aches.. awe.. the doctor told me that pop and coffee have more caffine in them and they are witrhdrawls.. those are my diagnoese for ya.. Good luck to ya! (((HUGS)))

Maybe its not the caffiene, or lack of, that is causing the headaches but the lack of sugar (or sugar-substitute) by switching to the unsweetened iced tea over the sweetened drinks like the soda. Maybe just cut back more slowly, like a soda in the morning one in the afternoon, then just one in the morning, then none.