S.O.S.! - Single Mom w/ *zero* natural energy

I've been there. I was coming home from work, and sitting down to take my shoes off, i would pass out sitting straight up.

My vit.D was low, affecting my thyroid. I now take a multi vit, D 2000, and a B complex. Any day I skip one, I go right back to the sugar, caffeine, more sugar, and then a nap.

I know that if I try to get everything done in a day, I'll never work out. So I start my days with a walk. Outdoors, when the weather allows, but if not, I head to the mall. It's simple, but it gets my blood circulating, and has helped my mood immensely. Even if its only 10 minutes, I do it.

Since then, I've felt better, and been able to do more and more a little at a time. When I take care of myself first, I think of it like the oxygen masks- put yourself first, then you will be better able to care for others.

I know how you feel. I have a 4yo & a 2yo. I want to be energetic and happy for them, but it can be a real struggle at times. I have hypothyroidism and also take a supplement for my adrenals (xymogen). I also had a similar diagnosis from my psych. I've felt better after cleaning up my diet and adding the adrenal supp. But NOTHING replaces sleep. My little girls are my motivation as I'm sure your son is yours.

I'm a single mom. My boys are 5 and 4, one is on the autism spectrum. The best thing I did to help take care of them was to take care of myself. When they were 1 and 2 I was obese, plus I suffered from anxiety and depression. I started eating healthier and started working out. The first week of working out I was drained even more. Cried myself to sleep one night. By the second week I started to have more energy. I started tracking how I felt through the day and how I spent my time. Started sleeping enough, drinking water, eating less processed foods and then started lifting weights.

Today I am a different person than I was when I started. I am mentally and physically strong. Start with small changes to improve your health and they will add up.

I understand the added stress of a special needs child. The early years are pretty tough. If it is any help, it does get better when they mature some. That said, I have a great husband for support. You need to reach out to family, friends, church, social services, someone for some help if you are indeed doing this completely on your own. I know how hard it is to ask for help. You feel like you should be able to handle it yourself. But there is no shame in asking for help.

Number one, you need sleep. Sleep deprivation will literally drive you crazy, in addition to destroying your health.

Don't worry about the scale during this time. Make sure you eat enough. But living on caffeine and sugar is a vicious cycle.
Take a few minutes to plan some higher protein and healthy fat meals and snacks. Fresh fruits and veggies will help your body feel better long term than the temporary sugar high that ends in the crash.
Brain fog will decrease as well when you cut back on the sugar highs and get some quality food in you.
Drink lots of water. Caffeine can dehydrate you and cause even more problems.

Find ways to de-stress. A few minutes of deep breathing and meditation can go along way.
A few minutes of fresh air and sunshine can do a world of good as well.

Hang in there. That is one special little child that has been entrusted to you. Like someone else said, you have to take care of yourself so you can take care of your baby! :flowerforyou:

IMO the sugar, coffee and carbs is not helping your situation. Go cold turkey with straight water for one week and flush your system clean.

I feel the same EXACT way and going through nearly all the same things! M&M's are fast, easy calories that I do not have to cook! While I am not a single mom, I might as well be with a hubby in medical school. I never see him but get to reap all the benefits of having him around. It's like having a phantom kid.

While it may be some time off, the only thing I have to look forward to to kick off this weight is spring and my garden. Its great if you have enough space. You little one can run rampant and tire himself out while you work in the garden tilling. planting, ect.

But the real benefit is when all the good fruits and veggies come in that are way healthier than any grocery store. And you lose weight doing it!

And before either of my children could walk, I placed them in the stroller while I worked outside and they napped/played/drooled.

Good luck and I hope you get your rest!

If sleep is hard because you have a lot running through your head it is often a memory process of fear of forgetting. You can try this:
Get a notebook and a pen - place these by the side of your bed and make a short list of the most important things that come to mind in the evening. What is written down is not forgotten. You know you captured it and will deal with it in the morning. These tasks are caught, so you do not need to worry and think about them.
There are other note taking/detachment processes that can help but the "on the list : not forgotten" seems to be very useful.

^this has worked for me in the past.

Since this is a food and cal centered site, I'll tell you what my energy zappers are. Dehydration, sads from restricting too many foods too completely, and low iron.

I'm glad your doctors are helping you but I would honestly look at your logged food to make sure you are actually Getting ENOUGH of all your macros before you consider deleting anythign from your life. I'm not sure if all mom's are this way but the more MOM stuff i pile on my plate the less real food i pile on my dinner plate in general.

IMO the sugar, coffee and carbs is not helping your situation. Go cold turkey with straight water for one week and flush your system clean.

Just totally agreeing with this. Lot and lots of water. I would look at whole 30, which gets rid of the grains and all sugar and dairy.
It will be difficult. You will feel like you have hit the absolute bottom for a week or two and then you will feel amazing, almost like you have been set free of something. If you can push through those difficult weeks, it will be completely worth it.

I feel very much the same when my thyroid needs adjusted. It's horrible! My doctor recently switched the ratio on the two thyroid meds I take which is helping BUT she also told me (all but wrote out a prescription) that at least every couple weeks I need to take a few minutes to do something for me. Something beside exercising (which is what my "me" time has been) and try to do something that I used to do before I had my kids. I think just having my doctor say "You need to do this" really helped me to not feel guilty for getting a few more minutes to myself, for myself. If you have anyone that can watch your little one for a few minutes every once in a while, don't clean or do things you "have to get done," just paint your toe nails or anything that is just for you.

*hugs* Feel better and I hope you can feel like yourself again soon.

Yes, weaning off of caffeine is much better, Those coffee withdrawals headaches are killer!