So I went to a nutritionist

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124

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  • jaynerebecca1
    jaynerebecca1 Posts: 21 Member
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    I personally find that sitting at work all day is rough for a good night's sleep. I work till 4:30ish, head to the gym at my school from about 5 - 5:45, then walk to class at 6. It's only 45 minutes in between things. On those days, I always sleep so much better! If you can squeeze in a half hour somewhere a few times a week I think you'll notice a difference in falling asleep at night.

    I also agree with everyone saying you might not be logging accurately. Be careful of things that are generic like "sandwich" or "slice of" because a lot of them are wrong. You need to break down everything in the sandwich, and actually weigh things like slices of cake.

    Otherwise I have no idea about the supplement she recommended so I don't have an opinion! good luck :)
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    A few questions about your fatigue/exhaustion:

    - do you feel miserable in the morning even when you got 7-9 hours of sleep?
    - are you tired all day but then have a hard time falling/staying asleep at night?

    9 is usually a sweet spot for me, but I can only get 9 hours on the weekends. Otherwise, yes, I'm miserable in the mornings.
    To the second question, yes.

    This is 100% normal for teenagers.
  • godswill206
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    Hmm. I didn't think of this. My doctor referred me to a nutritionist for hypertension and the insurance company ended up saying it was education and refused to pay for it. Very expensive diet info.
  • jfeakins
    jfeakins Posts: 30 Member
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    Ugh! Trying to maintain or lose weight in college is tough- especially if you are on the meal plan. I found the only way for me to truly lose weight was by lowering my carbohydrate/sugar intake. I read the South Beach Diet years ago, and it really opened my eyes to how your body metabolizes different foods. Once I hit a healthier weight I added back complex carbs like steel cut oats, but I find I still have to keep the sugar intake as low as possible.

    As far as you being lethargic- welcome to college! I think that happens to most students, so you're not alone. A high protein/healthy fat diet should help. Also, I know you said you don't have time to exercise- but even 1/2 an hour walking each day could help with your energy levels. I find it might take a couple of weeks to kick in, but I swear it works!

    Your school probably has a gym and they might even offer classes, which could be fun! You should look into it and get your friends to join you! :)

    You will feel a lot busier post-graduation, so it's best to start exercising and practicing a healthy lifestyle now. Learn how to balance your time, make your health your priority, go to class, and don't forget to have fun! They don't call college "The Glory Years," for nothing!
  • shireeniebeanie
    shireeniebeanie Posts: 293 Member
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    Dining hall/cafeteria food sucks, period. That's like judging American cuisine by the food at McDonald's--processed, salty and flavorless.

    It may be worth researching economic ways to eat fresher food next year away from the meal plan, or figure out how to supplement it here and there. Many adults have challenging schedules, and it does take some effort and planning to make fitness and food a part of your daily life.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    Herbal supplements can help with energy but I wouldn't take one without checking with a dr. Lowering carbs and especially sugars has helped my energy levels a lot. So that may help you too.

    You say that you have to get used to bland American vegetables. Are you away from your family? Is this your first time away from home? Are you from another country? Could you be depressed?

    I agree with you on the carbs/sugar. I'm from the US but I'm of Indian origin and eat almost exclusively Indian food at home. I live relatively close to home but can only go home once a month. I am depressed, yes.

    Are you doing anything for the depression, that can make you feel exhausted. Have you had a physical?
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Don't know if this has been mentioned: have your Vitamin D level checked. I was chronically fatigued (not necessarily chronic fatigue). My D level was low, and I supplement with D3 and feel much better.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
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    A few questions about your fatigue/exhaustion:

    - do you feel miserable in the morning even when you got 7-9 hours of sleep?
    - are you tired all day but then have a hard time falling/staying asleep at night?

    Actually, I was just reading and that is ME :)

    And it sucks...

    Back to the real topic!
  • sweetcurlz67
    sweetcurlz67 Posts: 1,168 Member
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    have not read all the responses...

    here's my two cents...

    reducing carbs helped boost my energy.
    b12 is also a good idea
    how's your iron levels? I'm anemic & that causes drowsiness.
    have you had a sleep study? turns out i have sleep apnea and need a CPAP machine
    how's your thyroid levels?

    yes, increase veggies.

    good luck! :drinker:
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
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    I do not really have time to exercise either but I do. Be careful here at MFP at claiming that as you will get people's schedules and get told that there is no excuse. Some days are harder than others believe me, but if you think exercise will help your energy you can do it...you do not have to exercise though to be healthy and lose weight so don't exercise if you don't want to.
  • jonmscharff
    jonmscharff Posts: 72 Member
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    Everybody has time to exercise. If you think you are busy as a student, wait until real life, it gets worse. People that work and have kids and all that, look at students that say they don't have time, and die laughing. Carve out 30 minutes and exercise. It will be the best investment of your time. The President of the United States takes time to exercise, you certainly can to. You just are not putting it up there on your list of priorities. One solution to this is schedule it into your day. I don't fit in exercise, I actually schedule it in with everything else.

    As far as your diet, it is my opinion that you are eating more than you think you are. That's not a huge problem, but you are not able to weigh and measure because it is being served to you. So, that's probably where you are failing in your attempts. I would prioritize feeling more energetic, rather than trying to lose weight. I do believe that exercise will do that for you. Schedule it in. It is important. If you don't take care of your body, it will fail you when you need it.

    Gonna have to agree with guitarharry on this one. May I just add that the amount of time that you spent writing this and reading and responding to ALL of the kind people who are trying to help you...you coulda exercised!

    Maybe I'm the only tough love guy here...but try exercising for a few weeks...I have a feeling that it may help with many of your issues. This is how life works...try something for a short time and see if it works for you. If it doesn't then move onto the next thing to try. Eventually you will find what works for you. The only problem then is being honest with yourself and not being lazy or making excuses and just do it! No one here can tell you 100% what the solution is...so give one a try!

    Good luck!
  • malavika413
    malavika413 Posts: 474 Member
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    Everybody has time to exercise. If you think you are busy as a student, wait until real life, it gets worse. People that work and have kids and all that, look at students that say they don't have time, and die laughing. Carve out 30 minutes and exercise. It will be the best investment of your time. The President of the United States takes time to exercise, you certainly can to. You just are not putting it up there on your list of priorities. One solution to this is schedule it into your day. I don't fit in exercise, I actually schedule it in with everything else.

    As far as your diet, it is my opinion that you are eating more than you think you are. That's not a huge problem, but you are not able to weigh and measure because it is being served to you. So, that's probably where you are failing in your attempts. I would prioritize feeling more energetic, rather than trying to lose weight. I do believe that exercise will do that for you. Schedule it in. It is important. If you don't take care of your body, it will fail you when you need it.

    Gonna have to agree with guitarharry on this one. May I just add that the amount of time that you spent writing this and reading and responding to ALL of the kind people who are trying to help you...you coulda exercised!

    Maybe I'm the only tough love guy here...but try exercising for a few weeks...I have a feeling that it may help with many of your issues. This is how life works...try something for a short time and see if it works for you. If it doesn't then move onto the next thing to try. Eventually you will find what works for you. The only problem then is being honest with yourself and not being lazy or making excuses and just do it! No one here can tell you 100% what the solution is...so give one a try!

    Good luck!

    I was responding to these messages in my transition minutes between classes and such, I couldn't have exercised. At this point, whenever I have free time, I'm too darn tired to exercise. Plus, I'm so out of shape that I can only last a few minutes anyway. At this point I'm shelving exercise until I have the time and energy, but thank you. You don't need to exercise to lose weight anyway, and losing weight is my number one goal right now.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
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    Everybody has time to exercise. If you think you are busy as a student, wait until real life, it gets worse. People that work and have kids and all that, look at students that say they don't have time, and die laughing. Carve out 30 minutes and exercise. It will be the best investment of your time. The President of the United States takes time to exercise, you certainly can to. You just are not putting it up there on your list of priorities. One solution to this is schedule it into your day. I don't fit in exercise, I actually schedule it in with everything else.

    As far as your diet, it is my opinion that you are eating more than you think you are. That's not a huge problem, but you are not able to weigh and measure because it is being served to you. So, that's probably where you are failing in your attempts. I would prioritize feeling more energetic, rather than trying to lose weight. I do believe that exercise will do that for you. Schedule it in. It is important. If you don't take care of your body, it will fail you when you need it.

    Gonna have to agree with guitarharry on this one. May I just add that the amount of time that you spent writing this and reading and responding to ALL of the kind people who are trying to help you...you coulda exercised!

    Maybe I'm the only tough love guy here...but try exercising for a few weeks...I have a feeling that it may help with many of your issues. This is how life works...try something for a short time and see if it works for you. If it doesn't then move onto the next thing to try. Eventually you will find what works for you. The only problem then is being honest with yourself and not being lazy or making excuses and just do it! No one here can tell you 100% what the solution is...so give one a try!

    Good luck!

    I was responding to these messages in my transition minutes between classes and such, I couldn't have exercised. At this point, whenever I have free time, I'm too darn tired to exercise. Plus, I'm so out of shape that I can only last a few minutes anyway. At this point I'm shelving exercise until I have the time and energy, but thank you. You don't need to exercise to lose weight anyway, and losing weight is my number one goal right now.

    Exercise doesn't have to be a 1-2 hour go to the gym sort of pursuit (though that's great when your schedule permits). Just getting in more walking will do wonders. It only take 15 mins or so to walk a mile. Get that in 3-4 times per day and you've got some decent time in there. Walking between classes or taking the long way, use the stairs rather than the escalator/elevator, etc. It adds up before you know it.

    Trust me, I used to work a full-time job and went to undergrad classes full time at a pretty solid university, I know how hectic it can be. I used to study on the bus when commuting in from my cheaper apt. 3 cities away, slept on the floor of my office when my shift ended at 6 am and my first lab wasn't until 8 am. Trust me, I really do get it. But, just having breaks in between classes is a HUGE plus compared to getting out in the world where you're stuck at a desk for 8-14 hours a day. Sometimes, you can just get it in little bits here and there but those little bits add up if you're willing to get a little creative. Plus, you'll sleep a lot better with consistent physical movement, so you may find that more time will free up that way.
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
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    I understand too tired.
    I understand crazy tiny windows of opportunity to make a workout happen.
    I understand being out of shape.

    BUT, you can't get in shape if you don't exercise and every tiny window of time that you do have free offers something...a walk, dancing in your dorm room/apartment with no one watching, a few pushups or situps when you need a mental break...shoot when I do laundry, if the day has been too busy to fit a real work out in, I will fold ten things then do 20 jumping jacks and some burpees and repeat.

    Excuses for not doing something can always be shot down...it would be better to say..."I am not ready to prioritize exercise right now"than it is to offer reasons why you cannot do what others can do. You CAN find time to exercise but you have to want to...but it sounds to me like you are not ready to make that a priority. That is ok..prioritize other parts of being a healthy person, like your diet and your sleep and your mood/depression.
  • Bl0ndeBecky
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    First of all.... too many carbs?? Obviously don't trust her, your carb intake is fine and you can go a lot higher if you want. Definitely watch the sodium though!!! That is a lot of sodium and can hold on to extra water which can in result make you look fluffier then you probably are.

    I eat 300 carbs a day...
    I eat -/+2000 calories a day....

    It is not the carbs that are the problem and it is not the calorie intake that you "might be going slightly over because you count inaccurately"...... wooooww.... really people?

    just keep up the good work, drink plenty of water, have lots of fruit, hehe... and vegetables :)

    but honestly.... fruit is more important lol

    best of luck!!!
    xoxo~Becky
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
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    I went to see a nutritionist last week to discuss my lack of weight loss and my constant fatigue/exhaustion. She told me to send her my food diary for a week, so I did.

    Today, she told me the following things
    --my calorie level was fine (which surprised me, since I haven't lost any weight since placing my calories at 1740)
    --my protein level was fine (I eat on average 50g per day, sometimes more sometimes less. I rarely meet my goal for protein as suggested by MFP)
    --I eat too many carbs (understandable)
    --I don't eat enough vegetables/fruits (also understandable, I guess I'll have to get used to bland, American-style vegetables)

    Instead of suggesting exercise to help with my tiredness (she understood that I don't really have time) she told me to take an herbal supplement called Rhodiola. I've never heard of this herb and I'm a little skeptical.

    What do you think? Should I go by what the nutritionist is saying?

    You may also want to look into whether or not the Rhodiola with interfere with any meds you may be taking.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
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    First of all.... too many carbs?? Obviously don't trust her, your carb intake is fine and you can go a lot higher if you want. Definitely watch the sodium though!!! That is a lot of sodium and can hold on to extra water which can in result make you look fluffier then you probably are.

    I eat 300 carbs a day...
    I eat -/+2000 calories a day....

    It is not the carbs that are the problem and it is not the calorie intake that you "might be going slightly over because you count inaccurately"...... wooooww.... really people?

    just keep up the good work, drink plenty of water, have lots of fruit, hehe... and vegetables :)

    but honestly.... fruit is more important lol

    best of luck!!!
    xoxo~Becky

    I have no idea what your point is.

    I agree with you on carbs. It's not about any specific macro nutrient, but rather about the total calories in versus out.

    Well, if she's eating 1740 cals on average and is still experiencing constant fatigue, then there is probably something else going on. It could be a thyroid problem, a deficiency in iron/Vitamin D/something else, etc., or something like insulin resistance. If it is something like insulin resistance, the amount of carbs may make a big difference and be contributing to the fatigue, which is probably why some suggested cutting them back to see if she noticed a difference in such things as that's easier to address with diet without a full blood panel being drawn.

    When everything is firing on all cylinders, the macro levels can be much more variable. But, when someone is experiencing something out of the ordinary like inexplicable fatigue, macro levels MAY be very important.
  • Catter_05
    Catter_05 Posts: 155 Member
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    Herbal supplements can help with energy but I wouldn't take one without checking with a dr. Lowering carbs and especially sugars has helped my energy levels a lot. So that may help you too.

    You say that you have to get used to bland American vegetables. Are you away from your family? Is this your first time away from home? Are you from another country? Could you be depressed?

    I agree with you on the carbs/sugar. I'm from the US but I'm of Indian origin and eat almost exclusively Indian food at home. I live relatively close to home but can only go home once a month. I am depressed, yes.

    Depression can cause fatigue. I know you are busy and stressed, but exercise can help with all of the problems you are having. My first advice though, is to get to a Dr. or campus counselor. Don't let the depression get out of hand.
  • kdchristensen501
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    Usana vitamins helped me tremendously! Within a month I had energy again and within 5 years my allergies were gone! I've always taken store bought vitamins, and they didn't do much. These are amazing!