Need help!! Troubleshooting extreme nausea, stomach growling, calorie intake help!!!

gingercurves

Hi all,

I've lost weight before but it ended with me doing it in an unhealthy way and I gained back. I have now started again trying to lose and since June I am down 24 lbs. I work overnights 4 days a week where I am on my feet for 8-9 hours taking care of patients, heavy lifting, sweeping, cleaning, etc so probably would most would consider a lightly physical job. I try to exercise 2-3 times a week and usually have a couple days on the weekend where I am averaging 15,000 steps and usually do a 12+ mile bike ride. I have been eating approximately 1400-1500 calories a day, higher than what MFP recommends for me for a 2lb loss a week. I am 5'5", 28, and currently 246lbs.

My issue right now: I was sick a week and 1/2 ago with vomiting and had no appetite for several days. I was extremely active on a very hot day on Monday this week and had a large meal for dinner. Tuesdays are my weighing days and I noticed a 5 lb increase overnight. I know there's of course no way I gained 5 lbs in a night but I of course don't want to end up backsliding after I've gotten on track again. Ever since Monday I have been pretty physically active, and I am finding around 4 am (halfway through my work shift) I am so ravenously hungry that I feel nauseated and my stomach literally physically hurts. If I eat I am fine, however the same thing occurs 4-6 hours later. I am waking up in the middle of sleep starving so much that I have to get up and eat something to be able to get rid of the nausea.

Am I eating enough calories? I have been losing 1-2lbs a week at 1500, but online BMR calculators are putting me around 1800 a day. Should I try eating at my calculated BMR?

Should I alternate a couple days of increased calorie intake and then lower calorie intake depending on if it is my work days or not?

I have been taking zofran off and on to help with the nausea as well but it doesn't do much. Has anyone else experienced any kind of issues like this? Could it be dehydration? I'm not sure why the 5 lb increase would occur besides sodium intake or water retention, but it's been several days and the scales not gone back down. Thanks in advance for the help. Just trying to figure out what is going on... I have a recheck doctor appointment in 2 weeks and plan to discuss everything that's going on if stuff is not improving (although I don't feel like doctors are always much help as I've usually heard 'eat a 1200 calorie diet and exercise' which I just don't think is sustainable for me to do long term).

Thank you guys!!

MegaMooseEsq

It sounds like you may want to slow your weight loss down and make sure that you're eating enough to keep yourself healthy and happy. 24 pounds since June is fantastic! I think you could try both eating more every day or just on certain days, but it definitely sounds like you could use more calories on average. You could also look into doing a full diet break: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/

I think you know that the five pound increase is water weight and you just need to relax and give it time. Of course bring it up with your doctor in two weeks if it hasn't improved, but chances are it's just sticking around because you've been sick and stressed and who knows why water weight does what it does.

Paschen81

I have experienced the same thing as you. When trying to follow the NS system for eating... 30 to 60 minutes after eating my first meal I'd get hungry... Nausea followed by hour 3 and the pain by hour 4 once I eat it starts the cycle over again... Mornings were the worst for the pain because it was also the longest time between meals. No one could ever tell me what was going on... Needless to say I started having episodes of hypoglycemia and couldn't continue to follow all of the principles of the program. Hopefully you figure out yours and can resolve them

ZoneFive

Give the 1800 a try. Your activity sounds like more than "lightly" physical to me. And if you're so hungry that you're in pain, by all means EAT SOMETHING. If the cycle starts 4-6 hours later, that's about the amount of time between meals for most people -- you're hungry! You might try planning your meals to pre-empt the cycle and have something ready to go before it hits. Personally I do better and stay not-hungry longer with more protein than carbs, but it may well be different for you. I'm guessing you work in a hospital or health facility -- is there a refrigerator you can keep food in so you can grab something when you're ready?

Congratulations on choosing to do this in a healthy way!

gingercurves

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I work in icu at a hospital, I do usually bring my food with me overnight and keep it in the fridge. I will try the 1800 until my doctor appointment and see how it goes.