Dealing with chronic fatigue and weight gain
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KeshNZ
Posts: 73 Member
Hi everyone
I'm wondering how others deal with chronic fatigue and the resulting weight gain? I haven't officially been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as doctors seem very reluctant to diagnose it, but I have been displaying all the symptoms for some months now. I also have depression, anxiety, IBS and migraines which I think are caused by hormones as they hit around the same time every month.
Over the last few months I've gained about 5kg, most from lack of activity from being near constantly fatigued/in pain. Even a gentle 30 minute walk leaves me exhausted and in pain the next day. On days where I feel good I want to jump on my bike and cycle for miles, or do a kick *kitten* workout, but I know that doing that will leave me having to recover for at least a week. At the moment I can manage yoga 2-3 times a week, a gentle 30 minute walk every couple of days and walking to/from public transport to my office job. I aim to eat around 1500 calories a day but don't track religiously. I find I do better eating smaller meals throughout the day and track mostly use MFP as a food diary to help with my IBS. I wouldn't say my fatigue is severe, but it's bad enough to have effected my lifestyle.
My current stats are:
Height: 162cm
Weight: 71kg
BMI: 27
BMR: 1503
Waist to Hip Ratio: 80cm
My increasing weight and decreasing activity has really got me down. I don't want to gain any more weight and ideally I would like to be sitting back around 65kg, be able to go for a brisk walk every day and do yoga more often. I find myself often thinking about how I used to be (relatively fit and active), comparing myself to others, getting jealous of other people that are active/fit/a healthy weight and grieving for the person I was just a year ago.
Does anyone else live with CFS? Are you able to lose/maintain weight? How did/do you do it? Any tips for me?
I'm wondering how others deal with chronic fatigue and the resulting weight gain? I haven't officially been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) as doctors seem very reluctant to diagnose it, but I have been displaying all the symptoms for some months now. I also have depression, anxiety, IBS and migraines which I think are caused by hormones as they hit around the same time every month.
Over the last few months I've gained about 5kg, most from lack of activity from being near constantly fatigued/in pain. Even a gentle 30 minute walk leaves me exhausted and in pain the next day. On days where I feel good I want to jump on my bike and cycle for miles, or do a kick *kitten* workout, but I know that doing that will leave me having to recover for at least a week. At the moment I can manage yoga 2-3 times a week, a gentle 30 minute walk every couple of days and walking to/from public transport to my office job. I aim to eat around 1500 calories a day but don't track religiously. I find I do better eating smaller meals throughout the day and track mostly use MFP as a food diary to help with my IBS. I wouldn't say my fatigue is severe, but it's bad enough to have effected my lifestyle.
My current stats are:
Height: 162cm
Weight: 71kg
BMI: 27
BMR: 1503
Waist to Hip Ratio: 80cm
My increasing weight and decreasing activity has really got me down. I don't want to gain any more weight and ideally I would like to be sitting back around 65kg, be able to go for a brisk walk every day and do yoga more often. I find myself often thinking about how I used to be (relatively fit and active), comparing myself to others, getting jealous of other people that are active/fit/a healthy weight and grieving for the person I was just a year ago.
Does anyone else live with CFS? Are you able to lose/maintain weight? How did/do you do it? Any tips for me?
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Replies
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I don't have CFS but I do have chronic mental illness that leaves me wiped out most of the time. I can exercise but there are periods I get a lot less in than I'd like, happening at the moment actually!
The good news is you don't have to exercise to lose weight. You just have to keep a grip on your calories going in. So log, set a small deficit and stick to it.
Most of all, be kind to yourself. Living with chronic illness is a total *kitten*.3 -
I don't have CFS but I do have a condition which results in periods of debilitating fatigue. Honestly, you sound like you're doing great - you know your limits and keep your exercising to a level which is sustainable.
Really, the only thing you need to be doing to control/lose weight is get religious on your logging. Commit to that and you will see results.4 -
Yeah - ^^^ meticulous logging will be a great start and reallt help you get the weight gain under control.
As wise @VitageFeline said living with chronic illness is already a draining *kitten* without letting the stress of weight gain and the entertaining guilt over what you think you should accomplish despite the known negative repercussions.
Forcing yourself above and beyond your limits will only serve to set you back. It's hard, believe me I do know. I have Lupus et al and do struggle with the limits my condition imposes on me and I'm 54 so my heart goes out to all those younger who have young lives and enjoyments that should be theirs to have but can't.
On the days you do feel good can I suggest you employ strategies for wise but limited exercise - walking, cycling or Yoga etc. Pick a sensible time limit and stop at that point, sadly you aren't doing yourself any favours by going gung-ho only to be wiped out for days from one session.
By planning and limiting, you will hopefully find that you can achieve more and more over time, thus improving your fitness and strength. This can then benefit your current condition.
Also on the matter of getting a diagnosis, don't give up. Change Doctor if neccessary but advocate for yourself as loudly as you can, I realise it's just draining but it is worth it. For the record I was sick with Lupus for a very long time before I was properly diagnosed and treated appropriately.
All the best.
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I think chronic fatigue isn't so much a disease in and of itself but a sign of something being wrong with your health? Have you had you'd doctors do a full blood panel to check for any deficiencies?? Like iron, hemoglobin level, vitamin D, vitamin B12, thyroid levels, magnesium, iodine, etc?
Are there certain foods or macronutrients that you don't eat? Are you getting enough protein (how many grams a day do you get?), eating enough fat and carbs... have you been in a caloric deficit for a long time? Do you get enough sleep? Are you under a lot of stress?...
Do you have an autoimmune disorder?
I worry that you're showing multiple signs of something being wrong. You probably need to focus on healing and identifying the problem more than losing weight right now unless you think your weight is contributing to the problem.0 -
CFS is a stand alone, recognised diagnosis. I have a friend with it. Please, if you don't know don't pass comment on a diagnosis.13
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I have it, after having a severe flu; for 2 weeks & that hospitalized me. Just know that you don't have to exercise, to lose weight; just consume less than you burn!0
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VintageFeline wrote: »CFS is a stand alone, recognised diagnosis. I have a friend with it. Please, if you don't know don't pass comment on a diagnosis.
This.
I get blood tests every year for iron, hemo, vitamins, thyroid and liver function - my levels are always normal. I had a B12 deficiency some time ago but this has since been fixed. The only foods I don't each much of are cream, soy products, certain beans, onion and apples (all of which trigger my IBS), and seafood which I prefer to eat fresh wild caught.3 -
DeficitDuchess wrote: »I have it, after having a severe flu; for 2 weeks & that hospitalized me. Just know that you don't have to exercise, to lose weight; just consume less than you burn!
Thanks. You don't need to exercise to lose weight, however I'm a firm believer that you need to exercise to be healthy. The human body is made to move and exert. I just can't adjust to mine not benefiting from exercise!0 -
DeficitDuchess wrote: »I have it, after having a severe flu; for 2 weeks & that hospitalized me. Just know that you don't have to exercise, to lose weight; just consume less than you burn!
Thanks. You don't need to exercise to lose weight, however I'm a firm believer that you need to exercise to be healthy. The human body is made to move and exert. I just can't adjust to mine not benefiting from exercise!
I agree, which's why I am building; a home gym because I just don't have the stamina, to travel; to/from a gym & also exercise, for 5 ~ 15 minutes; at a time.0 -
My daughter had to deal with this very thing. She did get better,However it was a long road to walk. You will get better. One day at a time one step at a time. Wishing you the best.1
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CLEatMoulton wrote: »My daughter had to deal with this very thing. She did get better,However it was a long road to walk. You will get better. One day at a time one step at a time. Wishing you the best.
Unfortunately this isn't always true, I've had it; for nearly 22 years.1 -
DeficitDuchess wrote: »I have it, after having a severe flu; for 2 weeks & that hospitalized me. Just know that you don't have to exercise, to lose weight; just consume less than you burn!
Thanks. You don't need to exercise to lose weight, however I'm a firm believer that you need to exercise to be healthy. The human body is made to move and exert. I just can't adjust to mine not benefiting from exercise!
This is true. It's hard to reconcile what you were (or in my case, thought I was) with what you are now. But sometimes what is good for everyone else just isn't for you any longer.
I had to build up and sometimes I have to pare it right back down again. No-one, even me, realises how much of a fatigue condition mental illnesses can be.
As with DeficitDuchess, I work out at home with a few bits of core equipment, when the notion takes me I can do as much or as little as I want and I haven't wasted excess energy getting to and from a gym.
And I have two friends with CFS I just realised. Neither have had any significant improvements in the 10 years I've known them. One of them got it whilst she was a dance student not even in her 20s yet (how we met).
And myself, I'm maybe 2 years post diagnosis and still learning how on earth to live with it all and what my limitations are.0 -
Been there, done that (no diagnosis, but matching symptoms with no medical reason). Three lessons that I have learned:
One: watch your heart rate. A low HR over a long time tends not to result in the debilitating fatigue in the days afterward. I.e. seven hours taking the kids around a theme park only resulted in general tiredness the next day. 20 minutes on a Nordic track means I'm out of commission for the next 2-3 days You will find that things get easier as your body adapts to the available energy reserves (This is as fast as I walk. Deal with it). Not that I'm suggesting you take it up, but there's a reason old folks mall walk.
Two: Count calories. With a reduced activity level, you're burning a lot less calories. You're use to taking in a couple hundred extra calories, and there's the psychological need to continue to eat at that level. This is also where the glycemic index becomes relevant. Low GI and nutrient dense foods stick with you and reduce the hunger pangs.
Three: Don't short yourself sleep. If you need 8 hours a night, you really do need 8 hours a night. Your energy reserves are much less then normal (no **** Sherlock!), so avoid dipping into them if at all possible.2 -
VintageFeline wrote: »CFS is a stand alone, recognised diagnosis. I have a friend with it. Please, if you don't know don't pass comment on a diagnosis.
This.
I get blood tests every year for iron, hemo, vitamins, thyroid and liver function - my levels are always normal. I had a B12 deficiency some time ago but this has since been fixed. The only foods I don't each much of are cream, soy products, certain beans, onion and apples (all of which trigger my IBS), and seafood which I prefer to eat fresh wild caught.
Ok sounds like you're on it. I guess I have just heard so many times of it being a side effect or symptom or caused by something else - I stand corrected that it can be it's own thing.1 -
I don't have any experience with CFS however the rules of CICO still apply. As you are sedentary you will need to reduce the Calories In portion more.0
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Hi, I totally understand your post!! I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, ME, chronic migraines which are hormone related....as well as having cervical spondylosis, arthritis everywhere and a few other issues...so I totally get your post!! I am still learning how to manage all mine, but in the 2 years I have been diagnosed with the ME and fibro, I have gained 2 1/2 stone mainly due to a huge change in activity which gradually decreased over months after a major op, and of course all the meds I take for it all. Like a previous comment, I would recommend a home gym or home exercise if you can as you can then fit it in when you feel up to it. I know only too well that you can leave home motivated but by the time you reach the gym you're already wiped out......for those who don't understand CFS/ME, it really does wipe you out that quick!! Also, don't expect too much of yourself, you don't need the pressure hunnie, just do what you can, when you can but keep your nutrition in check as that's important. It may take you a long time to get to where you want but don't give up!!
Sending you gentle hugs xx 2 -
Over the last few months I've gained about 5kg, most from lack of activity from being near constantly fatigued/in pain. Even a gentle 30 minute walk leaves me exhausted and in pain the next day. On days where I feel good I want to jump on my bike and cycle for miles, or do a kick *kitten* workout, but I know that doing that will leave me having to recover for at least a week. At the moment I can manage yoga 2-3 times a week, a gentle 30 minute walk every couple of days and walking to/from public transport to my office job. I aim to eat around 1500 calories a day but don't track religiously.
Hi, I think I can help. But I can't sugercoat my words.
I suffer from a similar disability. For a long time I thought it was CFS or ME ( myalgic encephalomyelitis) as it is calked in the UK (and yes @courtneyfabulous it is a standalone condition). It recently turned out I have a heart condition which produced the same symptoms. Anyway for several resons including stopping smoking I started to eat more the last 2-3 years and gained about 15kg.
I came to MFP this February and lost without a problem 10 of them so far. At the time I had other health issues too so I was mostly on bedrest.
So how it is done. First you have to realise that thr CFS isn't the reason you gained. The reason you gained is because you eat more than you need to live.
To lose it you don't need to move at all. You only need to eat less than you need to live. I see you eat 1500 a day and not measuring meticulously. This is a problem.
First I'm 170cm, 65kg and need 1500 to sustain my weight when I don't walk at all outside. So to lose I need to eat less than 1500 to achieve that. The calories MFP assigns for sedentiary include 5000 steps a day. Which is around 150 more calories.
So if at your height and weight and not walking much you eat 1500 you will not lose. Calculate your BMR online and use that figure. Then install a pedometer app and add those calories to your BMR each day. Add another 100 at most for digestion and this is how much you need to maintain your weight. So make a 200 or 300 calories degicit and go by that limit. Not by 1500. Probably 1200 or 1300 plus whatever calories you walked that day from the pedometer app.
Second you need to weigh ALL your food with a digital scale and log it using the correct entries. There are no two ways about thay. If you eat, say, 1300 a day that is 200 deficit, there is very little room for error. You see some people dont weifh their food but they weigh 150kg and walk 10k steps and they need like 3000cals to maintain so they eat 1500 to lose. Now eating at 1500 deficit underestimating some 200 calories will not make a difference but in your case this is your WHOLE deficit. So you have to weigh all of it. You just have to. Most of us here do it (those of us who don't post topics about not losing weight because we do lose weight) so you can do it too.
I've lost my weight doing exactly those two things above. I've managed to walk for 30 mins a day but not everyday.
So good luck.
P.S.
To reduce my calories on MFP I said I was shorter so this accounted for my lack of walking.6 -
I've been down the calorie counting path using digital scales and cups, I started to develop an unhealthy preoccupation with counting calories and every thought I had was about food. It was not healthy :-( I had to delete my apps and stay off them for a long time. I've started using MFP mainly as a food diary to help my IBS which I don't think there is anything wrong with. I guess I'm afraid to start counting again as it's only in the last few months I've found a balance of not thinking about food all the time! Is there anything else I can try?0
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I don't have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but I do have an autoimmune disorder that completely drains me.. systemic lupus erythematosus. Because my immune system attacks my heart, there are days, weeks, and even months that activity consists of taking a shower or preparing a meal. It was too easy, far too easy, to put on weight that way because I am a pretty active person when not suffering from the disease.
I think this calorie counting tool has been amazing in helping me balance my variable energy needs between good and bad days. When I had more bad days than good ones, I set my caloric intake to "Sedentary" and then added extra calories for simple activity. Now that I have more good days than bad ones I'm "lightly active" . I keep track of my activity with a step counter to make sure I don't overestimate. Buying a food scale and weighing EVERYTHING has been very helpful in this process as I've lost weight and my "allowance" for error has diminished.
This is me today. It's not a pretty picture, but you can see that I'm both exhausted and suffering from the classic lupus malar rash as my immune system decides to beat me up. I don't know if I'll meet my step goals today, so I'm being particularly meticulous about my food intake. I have to agree with my doctor that exercise helps, but only insofar as I also don't over-do it and exhaust myself. Every day I have to check in with my body anew (and sometimes by hour).
I wish you the best! I know it is possible to manage weight with exhaustion, it just takes some extra care.1 -
I've been down the calorie counting path using digital scales and cups, I started to develop an unhealthy preoccupation with counting calories and every thought I had was about food. It was not healthy :-( I had to delete my apps and stay off them for a long time. I've started using MFP mainly as a food diary to help my IBS which I don't think there is anything wrong with. I guess I'm afraid to start counting again as it's only in the last few months I've found a balance of not thinking about food all the time! Is there anything else I can try?
Well if you can't count and can't exercise it is going to be tough. I couldn't do it myself.
Then just try to eat as many vegetables as possible because they are low calorie. Eat small portions and fill your plate with vegetables (without oils on them).
No other ideas. Do you have any ideas yourself?1
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