Why am I getting the shakes so badly?

dollada06

I have been watching what I eat for quite a while now, but just realized that was only living the illusion that I was eating well. I was eating less food, but the food that I was eating was loaded with sodium (Lean Cuisine is a farce btw.) and other crappy ingredients. Anyway. Now that I am actually eating good food, thanks to this site, I am finding that I get the shakes before my first large meal of the day.

I used to have things like from-concentrate orange juice with a pop-tart (Terrible--I know) or some other sugary cereal etc.

I am now having a glass of Strawberry-Banana Naked juice and an english muffin with some fat-free cream cheese.

Am I going through sugar withdrawls because I used to eat really crappy stuff or am I just not getting enough to eat? I am having a snack before dinner as well which is usually some vanilla yogurt with granola or like a Cliff-Bar.

Hope I gave you all enough information to at least point me in the right direction. I am on a computer all day so the shakes are pretty bad to have.

Thanks everyone!

dangerousdumpling

Sounds like you have hypoglycemia to me. You need protein at every meal to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Try greek yogurt or eggs for breakfast and don't wait too long before you eat in the morning and also don't go too long of a stretch between meals.
So eat protein, eat/drink less sugar, and eat often. See if that helps.

cmriverside

CheveuxNoirs hit some good points.

You may be under eating in general. As a 24 YO male with 40ish pounds to lose, don't try to cut calories too fast. Shoot for a 500 calorie deficit off your maintenance calories (one pound a week by Myfitnesspal's goal wizard.)

Under eating can easily cause the symptoms you describe.

auddii

I'm reactive hypoglycemic, meaning that after having carbs and sugar, a few hours later I get extremely low blood sugar levels. I break out in sweats, start shaking, and I have problems concentrating. I can't tell if you shake after your juice and english muffin, but I know I would. While it's "healthier", it's still mostly sugar. I found I did better skipping breakfast than having a bowl of cereal. Finally, I've settled on a breakfast of 2 tbsp of peanut butter, soy milk, and either an egg or protein shake. I find that if I want a sugary treat, even in the afternoon I'll react badly. I do best with a desert type treat late at night (I have no idea why, and I've not heard of anyone else reacting like this - so it's not a suggestion for anyone else per se).

I would try to add in more protein and ditch the juice. Juice is one of the worst things you can have when you react badly to sugar.

KenosFeoh

I agree that the above is a possibility. The shakes could also be a reaction to something else in your life. Stress will give me the shakes, also anger and fear.

janetr11

I find that if I don't have fruit (eg. orange or apple) for my snack then I get the shakes and/or if I wait too long to eat, I get the shakes. Eggs, nuts, apples, oranges are my best in-between meal snacks because the protein and natural sugar are great to keep the shakes away!

concordancia

FYI, the strawberry banana naked juice has more sugar than the same amount of OJ.

dollada06

Well I can say pretty confidently that it isn't a lack of protein. I do have a protein shake in the morning and I eat cashews for most snacks. I am getting enough protein as far as I can tell. I honestly think it is the sugar that i am not getting, but i'm not health whiz so I will appeal to your expertise's.

TR0berts

Don't appeal to our "expertise." Appeal to your doctor's.

dollada06

FYI, the strawberry banana naked juice has more sugar than the same amount of OJ.

Yeah, but it isn't the same kind of sugar. It is the "healthy" sugar. From-Concentrate OJ is just plain sweetened sugar.

dollada06

CheveuxNoirs hit some good points.

You may be under eating in general. As a 24 YO male with 40ish pounds to lose, don't try to cut calories too fast. Shoot for a 500 calorie deficit off your maintenance calories (one pound a week by Myfitnesspal's goal wizard.)

Under eating can easily cause the symptoms you describe.

I am going at about 1500 calories per day so i'm right on par with what you are suggesting.

dollada06

Sounds like you have hypoglycemia to me. You need protein at every meal to keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Try greek yogurt or eggs for breakfast and don't wait too long before you eat in the morning and also don't go too long of a stretch between meals.
So eat protein, eat/drink less sugar, and eat often. See if that helps.

It's not that. I was actually tested for hopoglycemia at my last physical. That and hyperthyroid.

PosterGuy1

I have been watching what I eat for quite a while now, but just realized that was only living the illusion that I was eating well. I was eating less food, but the food that I was eating was loaded with sodium (Lean Cuisine is a farce btw.) and other crappy ingredients. Anyway. Now that I am actually eating good food, thanks to this site, I am finding that I get the shakes before my first large meal of the day.

I used to have things like from-concentrate orange juice with a pop-tart (Terrible--I know) or some other sugary cereal etc.

I am now having a glass of Strawberry-Banana Naked juice and an english muffin with some fat-free cream cheese.

Am I going through sugar withdrawls because I used to eat really crappy stuff or am I just not getting enough to eat? I am having a snack before dinner as well which is usually some vanilla yogurt with granola or like a Cliff-Bar.

Hope I gave you all enough information to at least point me in the right direction. I am on a computer all day so the shakes are pretty bad to have.

Thanks everyone!

I would try apples or some kind of fruit.

Hellbent_Heidi

Don't appeal to our "expertise." Appeal to your doctor's.

Agreed...it sounds like low blood sugar to me as well (as I have this problem too), but you keep responding "no, its not that" to everything everyone is suggesting here.

There's clearly something wrong (or something has changed since your last tests were done)..go see a doctor. Good luck!

dollada06

Don't appeal to our "expertise." Appeal to your doctor's.

Agreed...it sounds like low blood sugar to me as well (as I have this problem too), but you keep responding"no, its not that" to everything everyone is suggesting here.

There's clearly something wrong..go see a doctor. Good luck!

I am only saying its not a lack of protein and not hypoglycemia. I eat enough protein since I am above and beyond what myfitnesspal recommends and I was tested for hypoglycemia. I'm not trying to say people dont know what they are talking about. I am just helping rule things out.

dollada06

I have been watching what I eat for quite a while now, but just realized that was only living the illusion that I was eating well. I was eating less food, but the food that I was eating was loaded with sodium (Lean Cuisine is a farce btw.) and other crappy ingredients. Anyway. Now that I am actually eating good food, thanks to this site, I am finding that I get the shakes before my first large meal of the day.

I used to have things like from-concentrate orange juice with a pop-tart (Terrible--I know) or some other sugary cereal etc.

I am now having a glass of Strawberry-Banana Naked juice and an english muffin with some fat-free cream cheese.

Am I going through sugar withdrawls because I used to eat really crappy stuff or am I just not getting enough to eat? I am having a snack before dinner as well which is usually some vanilla yogurt with granola or like a Cliff-Bar.

Hope I gave you all enough information to at least point me in the right direction. I am on a computer all day so the shakes are pretty bad to have.

Thanks everyone!

I would try apples or some kind of fruit.

I do eat apples and fruit, but usually in the afternoon. I could try eating fruit in the morning instead of yogurt and see if that changes anything.

Hellbent_Heidi

Don't appeal to our "expertise." Appeal to your doctor's.

Agreed...it sounds like low blood sugar to me as well (as I have this problem too), but you keep responding"no, its not that" to everything everyone is suggesting here.

There's clearly something wrong..go see a doctor. Good luck!

I am only saying its not a lack of protein and not hypoglycemia. I eat enough protein since I am above and beyond what myfitnesspal recommends and I was tested for hypoglycemia. I'm not trying to say people dont know what they are talking about. I am just helping rule things out.

I was just editing my response to add that its possible something has changed since your last tests were run too - especially if you've drastically changed your diet (how long ago were you tested for hypoglycemia?), I find that if I eat a lot of carbs (like a bagel), I crash hard and get the shakes (this is "reactive hypoglycemia), but some people have the fasting type, and depending if you were given a fasting or non-fasting bloodtest, you could have the other type..

Either way...you should get checked out again. Getting the shakes is a strong indication that something isn't right.

rnprincess

Not sure what your overall health is, but a good idea is to check with your doctor, and get a baseline physical with labs so you know where you are starting. It could be hypoglycemic episodes but they do not generally just happen without an underlying issue.

MB_Positif

No idea what to add. Clearly you didn't want to hear anything anyone else already said because you've already explained why none of it can possibly be right. You win. Move on.

dollada06

Don't appeal to our "expertise." Appeal to your doctor's.

Agreed...it sounds like low blood sugar to me as well (as I have this problem too), but you keep responding"no, its not that" to everything everyone is suggesting here.

There's clearly something wrong..go see a doctor. Good luck!

I am only saying its not a lack of protein and not hypoglycemia. I eat enough protein since I am above and beyond what myfitnesspal recommends and I was tested for hypoglycemia. I'm not trying to say people dont know what they are talking about. I am just helping rule things out.

I was just editing my response to add that its possible something has changed since your last tests were run too (how long ago were you tested for hypoglycemia?), I find that if I eat a lot of carbs (like a bagel), I crash hard and get the shakes. I've never been tested for it, so I'm not sure what a blood test would show...or if I'm just borderline.

Either way...you should get checked out. Getting the shakes is a strong indication that something isn't right.

I totally understand where you are coming from. I was tested in Feb. It is possible that something is wrong, but since it is my diet is the only thing that has changed I am kinda thinking it is related to that and not something major. I really did used to have a lot of sugar so my first guess is actually some sort of a withdrawl from sugar. Although i'm not sure if that is even possible or at least to the extent that I would get the shakes.

Jersey_Devil

also- just in general, whenever you change your diet your body will react in some way. sometimes it just takes a bit for your body to adjust