Newbie to Healthy Living here, have a few questions

TheeAshmeister · February 2013

Spent my life living a lightly active and then the past few years a nearly sedentary lifestyle. Just recently realized how it was changing my health and decided to make the change. I'm on a mission to lose over 100lbs and this has come w/quite a few questions on the right way to do it. I want to go at this HARD and serious and such have dedicated at least an hour of activity a day. I realized the 1st day in how out of shape I am and how little things like my muscles in my ankles and calves getting tired before I'm even out of breath... Like I'm working up a sweat but having to stop every 10mins or so to rub out a cramp. My other thing is since downloading this app I have seen amazing things. Currently on a 1200 cal/day diet and the 1st day in I saw it wasn't even my food but my beverages that were contributing to most of my calories. In fact, when I DON'T count my drinks I'm in the 900-1100 range for calories and this is w/out changing my eating habits to "healthy foods". (I never was a breakfast eater but have even started eating a small breakfast as to not skip meals) on top of this, just cutting out the beverages I have now begun to feel a loss of energy, am feeling nauseous AFTER workouts are over and am having headaches from the withdraws tho I'm not too concerned about those, I know that will get better w/time. My weight gain is the product of a sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits, not even over eating like I had thought. My questions are what can I do to give me more energy? I notice my iron levels are never hit and my carbs and sugars were sky high until I cut out the drinks.... Also why am I getting sick after the workouts? Like I'm talking 40min brisk power walk and I feel fine as I'm walking but after I spend moment dry heaving sometimes esp after today. And finally what is the best approach for some1 like me who wants to lose 110 pounds and is going from sedentary to active? Do I ween myself into it? Or do I go full force? I'm feeling better just moving around and my mornings have gone great but by time the evenings roll around I am exhausted and usually nauseas. It hasn't stopped me from cutting down on my goals and maybe its just in my head. Could really just use some words of advice. Sorry for such a lengthy post....

prokomds · February 2013

Congrats on deciding to make such a big change!

First of all, it's great that you're kind of diving head first, but if you're making yourself feel sick there's no reason you can't scale back just a bit... there's definitely some level of activity for you that's tough and challenging but not going to make you ill.

I think a lot of people here realize what you realized... so many calories coming from sugary drinks - and so little coming from real food. So you cut out the sugary drinks, but now you're actually under your calorie goals. Such a drop in calories... no wonder you're having energy problems. My suggestion would be to make sure you're getting your 1200 calories in real food (it doesn't have to be perfect unprocessed raw blah blah blah, but try to be good), and consider eating back some (or all!) of the extra calories MFP gives you for exercising. Proteins and fats help keep you full, and I think most women who are starting out realize that they don't eat nearly enough protein

I'm guessing you were drinking a lot of soda? The withdrawal from all that caffeine and sugar can be rough... another thing to consider is to be a little more lenient with your food choices for another week or two, and then make them stricter once the withdrawal headaches and things subside.

Mainly, I'm all for a plan that is hard enough that you're challenged, but not so hard that it's going to make you want to give up. You know? You can keep at what you're doing, knowing that the caffeine/sugar ickiness and everything will subside, and that you'll probably start feeling better in a few more weeks or so, or you can ease up on yourself (just a bit!) so that it's a little easier to stick with the changes you're making. Just know that by getting up and being active, and keeping an eye on your calories, you're already way ahead of where you were before. Give it time. Good luck!

writemusic4him · February 2013

I personally believe that taking small steps and turning them into a part of your life that they are more than just habit, leads to life-long change versus a short-lived diet...especially when the excitement wears off and you hit the just plugging away at it days. I have also personally found that when I have more reasonable goals and meet them, I feel good and excited about doing more and keep at it versus giving up. if I set too many or too high of goals and don't meet them, then I get defeated and the "diet" is short-lived.

That said, that doesn't mean you can't have multiple goals that you are working toward at the same time. You may very well have more time and set aside more time than others for these life changes.

For example, I had been inactive for many years, sitting at a desk for work. I had a lot of muscle pain that wouldn't go away anytime I did any type of physical activity, so I started with walking around my neighborhood. Started at 20 minutes and worked my way up to 60 minutes. I had to do a lot of stretching too because my body wasn't used to moving in those ways. Once I could control the pain and had worked my way to being more active, then I finally decided to join Curves.

Last year I just wanted to focus on eating healthier. Eating healthier foods and less fast food. I have been successfully doing that for 5 months now. Not perfect, but way better than I ever used to do. This year I plan on being more strategic with my diet then just eat healthier and stay within my calories.

For instance, you should always eat breakfast to get your metabolism going. You are supposed to eat it within an hour of waking. I'm more like 2-3 hours. So one of my newer goals is to get to bed earlier to get up earlier to have enough time to eat. My chiro constantly says that even if you are skinny, you won't lose the last of the pudge on your belly if you don't eat breakfast.

There is a ton of information to learn about eating and living healthy. I just recommend going at a pace that you will enjoy and be successful at.

I work towards following the 3 Hour Diet by Jorge Cruise - eating 6 meals a day, maintaining a certain calorie count for each meal and certain amounts of carbs, protein, veggies, etc. He explains the difference between good carbs & bad carbs and stuff like that. Drink your water and exercise. You will learn more and more as you go and become more and more strategic.

If you are looking more natural - just keep in mind that there is no monitoring that just because something says it is all natural it is. Only organic foods with the certified organic labels are monitored that they actually are. So a company can entirely lie that their product is all natural and it can very well not be at all.

Good luck! You know where to find me if you need anything

TheeAshmeister · February 2013

Thank you both for the words of motivation. So filling the calories I'm missing means eating more? And this will still not be an issue in me dropping pounds? Like since beverage made up most ove my calorie intake (like tonight for example, I had 235 calories of food but DID fail at my goal. It was National Margarita day

I went w/3 grandes and soon put my calorie intake at 2010. Next time I will go w/the "skinny margarita" on the menu, but w/out that I had 230 in food and wasn't hungry.

What are some good foods to eat pre-workout and how important is it to eat something after one? What is good after workout fuel? Could that be why I'm getting sick afterwards? I'm walking when I 1st awake, then eat a little breakfast. Have my cube life at work, eat my lunch then go for my break 30-40min walk and then after work, I take my dogs for a walk around the neighborhood I try to go 20mins-hour and then eat a dinner... Should I be throwing something in me for fuel in between? Esp on low calorie days?

trudijoy · February 2013

try doing your hour of excercise in smaller blocks. 2 15 minute walks, a 20 min swim, and 10 mins of, say, gardening, or whatever. bite sized chunks are easier to start = an hour of activity will be a shock to your body and yes, you can risk injury.

ETA just saw that you're doing similar. keep it up! it gets easier xx

but yep, eat a bit more. peanut butter is good for energy, proteins good post workout (I like yoghurt)

wobblybitz87 · February 2013

Hi, I am quite new to this calorie counting program as well. I would advise you go see your gp, tell him/her what you are doing and how its making you feel. I did that first, we ran some blood tests and saw i was vitamin d deficient, so i have started on a course of tablets for that. Ild say if you were like me and didnt go outside much then you might suffer from that as well. When I enquired about weight loss (i want to lose 25kg/55lb) she recommended a product called Optifast, which is a low calorie meal replacement program. So I have 1shake for lunch and then breakfast is either eggs on toast or a shake, depending on how much time I have in the morning. Dinner and snacks are now low calorie as well. I am on day 6 of Optifast and 3 of MFP so far and feel pretty good.

Like you I am also on 1200cal per day, however I dont drink too many sugary drinks. Now I drink mostly water and try to eat as close to the cal limit as possible. If you are eating way under plus working out, and have cut out sugary drinks, you are not getting enough nutritients to be healthy. This might explain why you are getting sick after your workouts. Go onto recipe websites and search low cal meals, I made a great Honey Chicken with rice last night. Or buy a low cal recipe book, there are some really tasty meals out there.

While its great that you want to go hard and dive right in, it might be a better approach to take baby steps first. For instance, week 1 cut out sugary drinks and work on eating your calorie limit with healthier foods. You might find you are eating more, and more often, but they are better for you and thats a good thing. Week 2 start with light to moderate exercise, ie walking 10-15 minutes at a time 4-5 times per week. Once you start feeling better then increase your exercise. Thats what I did, started with diet and then added exercise. I tried many times to dive right in head first, and I always failed after a few weeks. The diets I tried were very restrictive on food and I have a major sweet tooth. However on MFP i can fill my sweet craving, in moderation, and still lose weight, provided I dont go overboard every day.

I hope I have been helpful in some way. Goodluck.

wickedwendy6 · February 2013

I love your enthusiasm TheeAshmeister!!! I believe with that much get up and go behind you, you are destined to reach your goals.

So happy to see that you are making yourself eat breakfast - that is always a good start. And the revelation that you were drinking a lot of your calories is always eye-opening - I remember when I discovered the same thing, I was like :noway:

I'd certainly suggest weaning yourself into exercise instead of going into it full force, too much pain and discomfort early on might have a bad effect on your motivation levels.

Your exhaustion and nausea in the evenings could possibly be from not enough calorie intake, I think 1200 is quite low - especially as you are now being active.

So proud of you for choosing health and fitness. Friend request me if you want. :happy:

Newbie to Healthy Living here, have a few questions

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