My body is feeling worse, not better???

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love2laugh2loudly
love2laugh2loudly Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been eating much healthier lately (veggies, fruits, etc.) and have been exercising five times a week (cardio, yoga, walking, etc.) and eating 1200 calories net every day. I have cut out sodas completely and scaled back my sweet tea significantly. I now avoid bread altogether and have really reduced my daily sugar intake.

I have been losing some weight, which is promising, but my body is starting do some strange things - intestinal irregularity, oily skin, pimples, etc. I can't understand it; shouldn't my body be reacting in a positive way to these changes?

Maybe all this healthiness is a shock to my body after years of eating crap and barely exercising.

Anyone else had these kinds of problems when you first start getting healthy? I'm a little concerned about it at this point. It's been about 2 weeks since I really made all of these dietary and exercise changes.

Replies

  • RunForChai
    RunForChai Posts: 238 Member
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    First, congratulations on making big changes. Yes, your body can go through a kind of "Holy Cow" phase as you withdraw from crummy foods and start eating cleaner. I'd say you should eat as many vegies as you want [skip the dips and sauces, just vegies] and lots and lots of water to flush all the old stuff out. I also think you might consider eating more calories [but make sure they are clean: vegies, healthy organic meats, berries, nuts and greek yogurt].

    A big protein-rich breakfast helps.

    But really, more water should help flush that junk out.

    Hang in there!
  • ddslowly
    ddslowly Posts: 46 Member
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    Maybe all this healthiness is a shock to my body after years of eating crap and barely exercising.

    yup. that'll do it every time. especially since you've made such a drastic change fairly quickly. it should clear up within a month or so. if not, well, time to see the doc. try drinking lots of water, it usually helps.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    It sounds like maybe you've drastically reduced carbs recently. This could be the "carb flu" that happens when you first go low carb. If so, it should pass in couple of weeks.

    How long has it been since you changed your diet? Any drastic change can stress your body, but it should adjust in a few weeks.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    Your body is detoxing. TONS of water will help. Once all the crap is flushed out you will feel so much better.
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
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    If I cut bread out of my diet my body would be angry as well.

    Also 1200 sounds a little low for the amount that your exercising . . . unless you're like 4 feet tall.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    Your body is detoxing. TONS of water will help. Once all the crap is flushed out you will feel so much better.

    What is it detoxing that it wasn't before?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories?
  • fitgal05
    fitgal05 Posts: 149
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    This happened to my co-worker, its your bodies way of releasing old toxins. It will take awhile for your body to get used to your diet. My doctor said a few weeks it took me about 3 months to feel really good after dieting. I know that seems like a long time but in the end I have eliminated many issues, have lost a lot of weight, look better, feel better, I have more energy. So hope this kind of gives you hope.
  • sweetzoejane
    sweetzoejane Posts: 153 Member
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    No, your body is not "detoxing." This is just ridiculous. Freaking ridiculous.

    At 1200 calories a day + exercise, I am willing to bet you are not getting enough nutrients to support bodily functions and daily activities. Also, by cutting our bread you have cut of a good source of fiber, which could be the reason for your digestive issues.

    Eat more food and make sure you are getting enough fat, protein, fiber, and micronutrients.
  • love2laugh2loudly
    love2laugh2loudly Posts: 13
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    Thanks so much for all of the feedback. I feel better after reading everyone's comments.

    As an aside, I am eating back my exercise calories so my net is right around 1200. Some days more, some days less. I'm 5'9" but have always gotten full fairly easily and have never eaten much food. Now I am focusing on better food selection; by subbing in fruits and veggies, my calorie count usually hovers around 1500 or so and then I am exercising and burning off approximately 300 calories five days a week, on average.

    I know all of this healthy eating is a HUGE shock to my body so I'm hoping its just my body's way of protesting and demanding a double cheeseburger. :)

    I'll give it a few more weeks and, if I'm still worried, I'll go see my doc. Thanks everyone!
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,026 Member
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    Well, 1200 sounds a bit low, so you may want to reevaluate that.

    It sounds like you have been doing this for only a few weeks. Your body is trying to adjust to the food you are eating as well as the diet. It also sounds like you are not eating a proper macro spread. Carbs are important as a fuel source.
  • blakerb29
    blakerb29 Posts: 74
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    You should listen to zoe, this IS your body telling you something.
    You are not getting enough and there's every chance this is more unhealthy than what you were doing before.


    -Blake
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    At 5'9", you are definitely not eating enough for your body. You can and should eat as much as it is possible for you to eat while still losing weight, rather than as little as it is possible to survive on.

    Calculate your TDEE with an online calculator and subtract 20% for the number of calories you should be eating daily. I'd be surprised if it's under 1800.
  • pinkpatron
    pinkpatron Posts: 154
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    I woke up this morning, drank water and then threw it up and had cold sweats for ten minutes. I think om simply over doing it with how much exercise I'm doing (burning 1k calories a day) I'm under my calories intake by 1k a day it seems. I should probably cut back on the exercise....but I don't wanna lol
  • shayleac
    shayleac Posts: 76 Member
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    I had this problem when I started working out too. Mostly with the acne.
    I started to make sure I showered right away, cleaned my makeup brushes and washed my pillow cases more often
    & it went away.
    + more water as everyone else has been mentioning.
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
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    Detoxing is a fitness term for "magic".
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    Maybe all this healthiness is a shock to my body after years of eating crap and barely exercising.

    yup. that'll do it every time. especially since you've made such a drastic change fairly quickly. it should clear up within a month or so. if not, well, time to see the doc. try drinking lots of water, it usually helps.

    This and you have to have to increase your fat intake and your calories intake. That's way too much exercise too. Exercise is stress and breaks the body down. Gains happen during recovery. If you give no chance to recover then you do more damage each time you exercise.

    And here is an interesting little tidbit: Fruits and vegetables contain chemicals called salicylates which are similar to aspirin. In some people, salicylates exert a drug-like effect that mimics an allergic reaction by causing the omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid, to be converted into inflammatory chemicals called leukotrienes. These chemicals in turn cause the dilation of blood vessels, the constriction of bronchial passages and the production of mucus. Salicylate intolerance can result in asthma, hives, nasal polyps, chronic swelling and gastrointestinal symptoms. Two to four percent of outpatients attending allergy clinics, two percent of those with Crohn’s disease, seven percent of those with ulcerative colitis, and fifteen to twenty percent of those who attend ear, nose and throat clinics are salicylate intolerant.


    http://www.westonaprice.org/thumbs-down-reviews/eat-to-live (the article is pretty interesting, too)

    and "detoxing" is bogus. The liver detoxes. And drinking more water flushes out the same amount of toxins only with diluted pee.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    If I cut bread out of my diet my body would be angry as well.

    Also 1200 sounds a little low for the amount that your exercising . . . unless you're like 4 feet tall.

    She said she was eating 1200 net. Nothing wrong with that.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,026 Member
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    If I cut bread out of my diet my body would be angry as well.

    Also 1200 sounds a little low for the amount that your exercising . . . unless you're like 4 feet tall.

    She said she was eating 1200 net. Nothing wrong with that.

    In your opinion.
  • mistij68
    mistij68 Posts: 84 Member
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    I woke up this morning, drank water and then threw it up and had cold sweats for ten minutes. I think om simply over doing it with how much exercise I'm doing (burning 1k calories a day) I'm under my calories intake by 1k a day it seems. I should probably cut back on the exercise....but I don't wanna lol



    Wow! If you not sick or have the flu of some kind, I think waking up and throwing up after drinking water and having cold sweats for ten minutes is NOT good. Maybe you are exercising a little to much or eating too little. Maybe you just have to adjust it a little so you don't do any harm to your body. Losing weight is one thing, but being Healthy is better.:smile:

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