Dieting side affects?
 

Is anyone getting any unpleasant side affects from dieting?

I am a month in to this diet and I have noticed a change in my emotions since the awful hunger worse off after the first couple of weeks. I started to feel tired ALL the time and totally exhausted by 7pm, usually going to bed at 9-9.30 instead of my old 11pm. I also very often feel irrationally irritable (so I'm sorry if I have bitten anyone's head off).

I am also finding it harder to concentrate for any length of time - my mind seems to wander, even if I am very interested in what I am doing, so everything seems to take twice as long as it used to. I feel almost like I have got PMS - but I had a hysterectomy last year and I take HRT so my hormones MUST be stable.

Is anyone else experiencing any of this - or anything else for that matter and has anyone got any suggestions about how to deal with it?

Sarah Ann
 

I don't think you should be hungry all the time, particularly if you have been on the diet a while. When you cut back your stomach starts to learn to accept less, are you cutting back too far?, do you think and per haps feeling that you are missing out on foods in a big way.

I don't think you have bitten anyones head off here (you wouldn't be hungry if you did, Hmm, sorry couldn't resist that one!).

Seriously, maybe you should allow yourself a little more. :(

Thanks for your reply, Jano.

No - I'm not hungry all the time any more - that only lasted the first week to ten days, right now I am tired all the time... maybe its normal, but I don't remember feeling quite this tired when I dieted when I was younger - so its probably my age.

Sarah, are you taking any vitamin supplements? I was getting very tired a couple of months ago, and I have been taking a multivitamin and feel a lot better now :)

Topmonkey aka Soraya

Yes, I am taking a multi vit with iron, but I still just feel exhausted. I have been trying to work it out - my actual diet is very nutritious - lots of fruit and veg and complex carbs, the recommended daily amount of animal protein and very little fats and sugar. The only difference is really in calories - so perhaps it is my age after all!

Hi Sarah

Sorry to hear you're not feeling too great. Just a thought, but do you think you are varying your diet enough? I hate it when I get stuck into a rut of eating the same food.

I got very tired this time last year. I was dieting and I don't think the lack of sun helps either. Anyway I started taking Strong Siberian Ginseng I read about it in a magazine - after about 5 days I started to feel more energetic and took it for about 4 months. The only problem is it is quite expensive. Anyway one day I went swanning into our local chemist to get more when the woman behind the counter gave me a sly wink, I was baffled. Anyway she came over and said she thought it was great that I was so confident to go and buy an aphrodisiac in front of all these people and some who knew me too:o :o I have to say I hadn't realised but it had helped in that department too!!! DH started taking it and there was no stopping us:lol:

We all know now what to get :lol:

;) I'll have to start saving up! ;) About how much did it cost??????? :lol:

You could be right about the sunshine though - this is the first year that I haven't been all down in the dumps during the winter months and I think it is because I walk George every day - okay - its a real struggle to actually get myself psyched up to get out of the door with him, but once I am out I really enjoy it and I feel fine for an hour or two afterwards, but then I start feeling exhausted again.

This time last year I was very ill - so when I got depressed in the late winter last year I just put it down to the pain and being housebound. This year, because I am dieting I just assumed it was lack of food and pretty much forgotten about this seasonal thing I get in January and February.

I definitely need a holiday!

Think I will have to get some of that strong ginseng ;)

See if it can help me. I get a bit fed up the grey skies etc, the blue sky cheered me up no end this morning alas it didn,t last long, blowing a gale out here at the moment. No doubt it will rain when I go to collect H.

If we all club together & put in a bulk order for this ginseng will it come any cheaper ?

Carol


Just re-read that - no pun intended :o

Hi

I did know about this and I have taken it from time to time. It is better if you take it in a morning as it can make you quite hypo and not sleep if it's taken later.

I think you can get it cheaper mail order...but whether its as good....':o

But Jano, did it have the OTHER side affects???????????????????;)

I am going to try walking George for two shorter walks each day rather than for one very long one - I know its not so good for the metabolic thingy (I read somewhere that it takes 20 mins to get your metabolism sort of up to speed) but it might be better for the constant tiredness.

Sarah - can't say I noticed that bit - not much change from b 4!!!!!!:smug:


Don't you get bored with all that walking. I used to walk about 20 mins a day just for the fun of it:( and got really fed up even though I took my personal stereo. Don't mind walking if I have to go somewhere..... talking of that..... off to walk to SW now for my fist weigh in;)

Watch this space???????

Janet

Jano - I walk a lot & don't find it boring. I use it as time for me & tend to become dolly daydream when I'm striding along.

Last year I had a walking buddy at work, but she is bored with walking round the business park, and oftens says if I find somewhere else to walk she'll come. I went for a different walk today & hated it because of the heavy traffic, it wasn't as relaxing as usual. Usual walk has landscaped gardens & waterfalls - all very pretty, but even then she didn't come.

Going to stick to my usual walk tomorrow & daydream my way round my circuit. Think it depends on what you are after, I find walking relaxing as it is time out of my busy day & often my only time in the fresh air all day.

If we were liked the same things, just imagine how boring it would be.

Carol

Sarah Ann,

Don't worry about taking shorter walks. The metabolism thing may be true (no-one really knows yet) but we do know that it is the volume of exercise you get more than the speed or time you spend exercising that matters.

All this means is that it doesn't matter if you and George cover 4 miles in 3 or 7 outings a day, as long as you cover the 4 miles a day (substitute your own distance and trips obviously).

If you are feeling more tired than usual and have checked out things like SADS, ToM, diet changes or boredom etc, try breaking up your exercise patterns. You might find that different times and durations help.

Stef

No - I could NEVER get bored with walking near here. I live right on the edge of one of the Yorkshire Moors and the bit nearest to where I live is a managed wild life nature reserve and is totally and completely beautiful - 99% of the time I have it all to myself. Apart from the wild life reserve, there isn't just one 'walk' - there are things to see in all directions - woods, fields, the local coal mine, rivers, streams, bog moors - even the actual Moors themselves are beautiful, especially right now with all the spring wild flowers in bloom and the wild rhododendrons about to flower.

Perhaps if I lived somewhere more urban I wouldn't walk so much - certainly when I lived in central London the most walking I did was Piccadilly Circus to Wimpole Street each morning and evening.

The second incentive is that I am 46 and I have had a hysterectomy and we have got a family history of osteoporosis so I would be totally nuts if I didn't do the sort of exercise that will increase my bone density. Walking is free and no need for any special outfits, etc, all I need is a comfortable pair of walking shoes.

My final incentive of course is that my dog is a 80lb Labrador 'puppy' age 10 months who knows approximately what time he should be walked and if I go past it he just sits or stands in front of me staring me in the eyes, holding his lead in his mouth! If I ignore him he then gets anxious and destructive...... and he always picks something of mine!

I think walking is fantastic exercise and completely free. I used to walk for an hour nearly every evening and it helped me lose lots of weight. I don't do it anymore because I don't feel safe out in the dark evenings by myself.

I have started exercising at the gym again and have been getting an increasing number of headaches. Someone mentioned to me that I might not be drinking enough water but I drink 2 litres of water at work and go to the gym straight after work. Maybe its just the stress of having to force myself through the doors of the leisure centre :devil:

Phoebe, how are your headaches doing? Are you still getting them??

Yes, I had to buy some headache tablets on Saturday and was surprised at how quickly I had got through the last ones. I have been going to bed with a headache on some nights and then waking up still with the headache the next day.

I gave blood this morning and was borderline aneamic so that may explain them.

Did they take your BP when you gave blood? I haven't ever done it, so I don't know. Its just that I get a lot of headaches with my high BP although they are getting fewer nowadays.

The other thing that occurred to me is that you might have introduced something new in to your food now that you are dieting which your body can't tolerate. My husband seems to be allergic to caffeine and gets splitting headaches if he eats normal chocolate, drinks cola or coffee. Just a thought.....

I was just reading your posts and I have to say I've been getting some really horrid headaches over the past 2/3 weeks. I'm also going to bed with one and getting up in the morning and it's still there. I too have been getting through a surprising amount of painkillers.

I wonder if I'm not getting enough fluids?! Last week after aerobics I got up from the floor exercises (being careful not to lift my head up too quickly) and when I stood up my head was throbbing and yesterday I bent over to pick up some toys and my head hurt again - I wonder if it has something to do with being on a diet:?: Although I do think I am eating healthily.

Yes I did have by BP checked yesterday when they did the blood test. The nurse didn't say anything so I guess it was normal.

Just as I was typing this reply, it dawned on me that I have yet another headache coming on and its only 8.49 am :( I only drink one cup of coffee a day and have at least 2 litres of water. It maybe something in my diet causing it, hope its not cheese as I couldn't live without that.

Out of interest, have either of you being trying to give up or cut right down on caffeine?? When I gave up caffeine a couple of years ago I had SPLITTING headaches for quite a while. My doctor said it was withdrawal symptoms...!

No, I don't really like coffee or tea that much and usually have one cup maximum a day. I have been trying to cut down on alcohol though .............. yikes, maybe its withdrawal symptons from that :o

I've just been chatting to a friend who is a nutritionist - did you used to drink an alcoholic drink which made from grapes - like wine or brandy? If you did then it IS possible you are getting withdrawal headaches! How weird is THAT!!!! I knew that drinking wine can cause migraines but I never thought that giving it up could cause headaches!!!

You live and learn....

Gives me a B I G headache when I try to give it up :lol: :lol:

I gave up caffeine last january and woke up every morning for 3 months with a 'hangover ' type headache. would never go back to it now, but I miss my black coffee!!

TQ - have you tried Cafe Hag? All the other decaff coffees are chemically stripped of caffeine and the chemicals used can give a bit of an upset tummy, but Cafe Hag uses a more natural process and because of that it counts towards your 'water quota' for the day.

Netto sells it at 99p for 100g - it costs around £2.99 anywhere else.

i just use the herbal/fruit teas now and have the occasional belgian choc options drink when I feel the 'need' :s: i love peppermint tea, all the others I just tolerate but i have really got into peppermint.
I haven't tried cafe Hag but will get some from Netto next time to try.

TQ - I am sorry about this - I hate people who do to me what I am about to do to you.... did you hear that warning on the TV the other day about fruit teas? Apparently they have got a lot of acid in them which is bad for your teeth.

Everything is bad for us nowadays! :dizzy:

OH GOD is anything good for you???? I had toothache yesterday and I couldn't imagine what I'd had to cause it until I got up and refilled my glass for the third time with m&s reduced sugar orange drink :p

To avoid all possible health risks I am going to committment myself to living on water, fresh air & love.

No toxins / acids / hidden sugar / alcohol in that lot. :dizzy:

Carol

HAHAHAHA:lol: if only it were possible

:lol: Well said Carol:lol:

I don't know why I've got these headaches, I drink about 1 can of diet coke a day, about 2 litres of water, 3 cups of tea and 1 cup of coffee - is that too much caffeine? I don't know:?: I drink about 1 glass of red wine a week sometimes non at all.

I think I've been pretty stressed recently though, sprog #1 is having trouble at school and sprog #2 is a little minx - I feel like I can't keep on top of the housework etc at the moment too - to be honest I think I'm just wanting a bit of sunshine - and we don't go on holiday for 20 weeks today - boo hoo

Fluoride and other impurities in the water....!! :(
Lethal solar radiation and carcinogenic impurities in the fresh air....!!!:( :(
I'll settle for the love!!! :) :o

Unless, of course, he actually does buy me one of those pedometer thingies for Valentines day - in which case I don't know what I will do!!! ;) :lol:

Help even the water can be dangerous! I am going back on the wine:lol:

Anyone know where we might get FRESH air from????? :(

Well - not here and thats a fact! I all smells very pure and lovely, but we live in an area with lots of coal mines .... and lots and lots of coal fueled power stations. I didn't realise until earlier today that the pretty fluffy clouds I can see on the horizon are generated by Drax Power Station - one of the biggest in Europe!

Lovely!

Love it is then.....!

:lol: if its living on love ill lose this weight in no time at all:p