Feeling Crappy after Eating Healthy
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elenjay140 wrote: »Hi - I'm on Day 3 of eating very clean and healthy. No sugar, high veggies and protein. I've got a dull headache, somewhat nauseous, and felt shaky last night.
I'm sure my body is just crashing from the sugar and processed food addiction, and I've read it can take a week or more for your body to adjust...but I'm just looking for some encouragement that others out there have felt crummy after starting to eat healthy!
I've tried eating like that in the past and each time I felt exactly what you're describing. For me, although the headaches passed, I never got my energy back and I always felt bad about not being able to eat the foods that I actually wanted to eat. The only thing I've ever been able to stick to was eating foods I loved, but being in a calorie deficit. I found that it wasn't the food that was making me feel bad, it was the amount of which I was eating and the feeling of not being able to control myself.
With that said, there are many people here who cut out certain foods (as a lifestyle - you're planning on eating this way indefinitely, correct?) and are very happy and successful. They report feeling just fine and say they have more energy than ever.
ETA: I wish you the best with your plan and hope you feel better!
Thanks for the encouragement!
I'm trying to cut back on processed sugar. I found myself feeling sluggish in the afternoons at work, and tired by the evening after eating poorly during the day. My problem with just eating at a calorie deficit is that I have a problem having (for example) just ONE or TWO Hershey Kisses. If I 'break the seal' by having just a couple, then I crave more! I've found that I'm better off having none at all. That helps reduce the craving more than trying to discipline myself to have just a couple. (That's just one example.)
Thanks again. I'll post back in a week or so to check in! 1 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »What do you net carbs look like in the nutrition tab? If you are unintentionally eating at keto levels and not minding your electrolytes this could be keto flu as well
Thanks for the input!0 -
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annette_15 wrote: »Its called the hangover period... I've done two rounds of whole30, and days 2-4 just sucks. It will pass. If you feel lightheaded and weak maybe up your carbs, have some sweet potatoes or bananas or other fruit, it should help
Sweet potatoes, chicken, and broccoli are on the dinner menu for tonight! 2 -
Having done what you're doing 2 times now, my suggestion would be to add in some fruit. How did you arrive at 1250? Is that what MFP put you at?0
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elenjay140 wrote: »annette_15 wrote: »Its called the hangover period... I've done two rounds of whole30, and days 2-4 just sucks. It will pass. If you feel lightheaded and weak maybe up your carbs, have some sweet potatoes or bananas or other fruit, it should help
Sweet potatoes, chicken, and broccoli are on the dinner menu for tonight!
Wow, that sounds good. I bet you will feel better soon.
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not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »Having done what you're doing 2 times now, my suggestion would be to add in some fruit. How did you arrive at 1250? Is that what MFP put you at?
Yes, I'm 5'7, and weighed about 190 in December 2015. I was able to get down to 179 by April, but have since gained weight back to about 185. I've re-adjusted my MFP goals since then, and it still has me at 1250.
My GW is 150, and I'd like to lose 2lbs/week.0 -
elenjay140 wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »Having done what you're doing 2 times now, my suggestion would be to add in some fruit. How did you arrive at 1250? Is that what MFP put you at?
Yes, I'm 5'7, and weighed about 190 in December 2015. I was able to get down to 179 by April, but have since gained weight back to about 185. I've re-adjusted my MFP goals since then, and it still has me at 1250.
My GW is 150, and I'd like to lose 2lbs/week.
Change it to one pound per week, you will be much happier. Trust me.3 -
Unless you have a medical issue that dictates what you can and cannot eat, there's really no such thing as 'clean' eating. It's a term used for people who like to eat unprocessed foods, but using it to fuel a diet by just eating a lot of veggies isn't really 'clean' eating. Having said that, eating all unprocessed foods would be a good thing, don't misunderstand. But one type of carb over another, or trying to lower carbs, isn't really necessary unless you're eating beyond your set macros. As long as you set your daily calorie goal below your TDEE you'll lose weight. Beyond that you can eat whatever makes you happy, including sugar if you want.
I, personally, avoid adding sugar to things, and when I have the chance to eat something that is 'no sugar added' I do. I even use Stevia in my coffee and other drinks when I have that option. I do that because it reduces calories, not because I have a medical issue. I also love to eat fresh or fresh frozen vegetables as opposed to processed or canned vegetables, but that's just my personal preference. Usually it's because processed/canned means added sodium which I would like to avoid going overboard with for my long term health.
Carbs give your body energy, so probably 40% of your diet should be carbs. Your body turns those into sugars for energy, so yes, if you have a medical condition, then you can reduce carbs for that reason. I guess my point is take a good look at your calories, make sure you're eating enough but staying in a deficit, and beyond that, eat what makes you feel good or satiates you. It's called flexible dieting. You can read more about it over at IIFYM and they also have some really nice calculators you can use to figure your TDEE. You can even use the results for macros that they give you to plug into MFP. Plenty of people here can help you do that if you need help. Remember, it's healthier to lose weight on a steady but long term basis, not quickly and as much at once as you can. Add in exercise for fitness along the journey and you're liable to end up at your goal being more fit, more active, and able to maintain your newly re-configured body rather than having to come back here in a few months or years to re-lose that weight again. Just my humble opinions. I'm sure others will disagree with me, and I am certainly no expert.0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »elenjay140 wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »Having done what you're doing 2 times now, my suggestion would be to add in some fruit. How did you arrive at 1250? Is that what MFP put you at?
Yes, I'm 5'7, and weighed about 190 in December 2015. I was able to get down to 179 by April, but have since gained weight back to about 185. I've re-adjusted my MFP goals since then, and it still has me at 1250.
My GW is 150, and I'd like to lose 2lbs/week.
Change it to one pound per week, you will be much happier. Trust me.
Yes, two pounds is too aggressive with the ammount that you have to lose. You'll feel better if you adjust your goal to 1 pound per week. I've found that I get the same symptoms you describe when I'm eating too little.1 -
Along with everyone else said, I don't feel right without carbs of the grain variety at breakfast. If you're considering adding a few back in, I'd suggest just a nice serving of oatmeal to go with those 2 eggs.
You'll note, if you care to look, that my morning smoothie has a 1/4 cup dry quick oatmeal in it (1/4 cup dry is one serving). It makes the protein stick and slows the sugar down (is how I visualize it, probably not in any way scientifically accurate), and the whole darn thing maxes out my sugar for the day, what with homemade kefir, frozen fruit and banana, but it sustains me quite well until a lunch with no complex carbs. And I'm still losing weight. I use stevia extract for sweetner.0 -
could be lower carbs.
I personally couldn't do it.1 -
If you're sure you're eating enough, try adding some legumes to the mix, that can often help the transition (unless you're also aiming for low carb).
The South Beach and low glycemic response eating group would be a good help for you to learn about eating "slow". There's some good info there.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/8279-south-beach-diet-and-low-glycemic-response-eating1 -
elenjay140 wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »Having done what you're doing 2 times now, my suggestion would be to add in some fruit. How did you arrive at 1250? Is that what MFP put you at?
Yes, I'm 5'7, and weighed about 190 in December 2015. I was able to get down to 179 by April, but have since gained weight back to about 185. I've re-adjusted my MFP goals since then, and it still has me at 1250.
My GW is 150, and I'd like to lose 2lbs/week.
I'm also 5'7" and started at 195. IMO, 1250 cal per day is too low. Set MFP to 1 lb per week loss. I got down into the 140s eating about 1600 cal per day (more on workout days). With you having so little to lose, 2 lbs per week is too aggressive and you risk dropping too much muscle.
Good luck, and glad you are feeling better!
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tlflag1620 wrote: »elenjay140 wrote: »not_my_first_rodeo wrote: »Having done what you're doing 2 times now, my suggestion would be to add in some fruit. How did you arrive at 1250? Is that what MFP put you at?
Yes, I'm 5'7, and weighed about 190 in December 2015. I was able to get down to 179 by April, but have since gained weight back to about 185. I've re-adjusted my MFP goals since then, and it still has me at 1250.
My GW is 150, and I'd like to lose 2lbs/week.
I'm also 5'7" and started at 195. IMO, 1250 cal per day is too low. Set MFP to 1 lb per week loss. I got down into the 140s eating about 1600 cal per day (more on workout days). With you having so little to lose, 2 lbs per week is too aggressive and you risk dropping too much muscle.
Good luck, and glad you are feeling better!
This is encouraging news! I was aiming to be down at least 20-30lbs by my birthday on April 10...but perhaps that's too aggressive. If you don't mind, can I ask how long it took you to drop your weight? I'm happy to adjust my caloric intake if it means a more sustainable lifestyle change.1 -
Glad to hear you are doing better!
For me, when I get nauseous and shaky, it's a low blood sugar issue (I have had mild hypoglycemia all my life, and no, I don't have diabetes). I've been on restrictive diets in the past where I actually had to up my sugar levels to not feel like crap (like you described) because complex carbs alone weren't doing enough for me. So, now I know to include foods that are a bit higher in sugar like certain fruits (bananas, cherries, grapes) to help balance things out for my personal needs.
As much as a I prefer a higher protein diet, most standard macro ratios that lean "high protein for fat loss" don't give me enough carbs for my personal needs and I start to feel like the way you described. I actually use a balanced set of ratios between protein, carbs, and fats right now (which is more of a "maintenance ratio"), and just keeping under my calorie goal has still allowed me to lose consistently. It might take me a bit longer than others to lose, but it seems to be working for me without other health issues creeping up.
We're all different, so you need to figure out what works best for you. Also, if you continue to have episodes like you described, you might want to talk to your doctor. For me, it's a minor annoyance that can be easily controlled by diet, but for others it could be something more serious like symptoms of diabetes, kidney or pancreas issues, etc. Always best to get checked out and make sure it's not something serious.3 -
Glad to hear you are doing better!
For me, when I get nauseous and shaky, it's a low blood sugar issue (I have had mild hypoglycemia all my life, and no, I don't have diabetes). I've been on restrictive diets in the past where I actually had to up my sugar levels to not feel like crap (like you described) because complex carbs alone weren't doing enough for me. So, now I know to include foods that are a bit higher in sugar like certain fruits (bananas, cherries, grapes) to help balance things out for my personal needs.
As much as a I prefer a higher protein diet, most standard macro ratios that lean "high protein for fat loss" don't give me enough carbs for my personal needs and I start to feel like the way you described. I actually use a balanced set of ratios between protein, carbs, and fats right now (which is more of a "maintenance ratio"), and just keeping under my calorie goal has still allowed me to lose consistently. It might take me a bit longer than others to lose, but it seems to be working for me without other health issues creeping up.
We're all different, so you need to figure out what works best for you. Also, if you continue to have episodes like you described, you might want to talk to your doctor. For me, it's a minor annoyance that can be easily controlled by diet, but for others it could be something more serious like symptoms of diabetes, kidney or pancreas issues, etc. Always best to get checked out and make sure it's not something serious.
Wow, thanks for the great info. Since I've only been making a consistent effort at this for 3-4 days now, I'm sure it will take a bit longer for me to figure out exactly what is going on by making minor adjustments here and there.
I'll likely post back into this thread in a week or so to see how things are going!
Thanks again, and have a great weekend!0 -
Are you eating any carbohydrates? Please eat balanced. Check out a Mediterranean Diet. Have some beans, nuts, seeds, grains, fruit, a little starchy vegetable, maybe some dairy or unsweetened nut/bean milk along with your veggies and meat. If you think you need to eat more unbalanced, ok it with your doctor first. Yes, cut out the sugar and refined grains and transfats and highly processed foods. But eat. I have not cut out coffee, but now I drink it completely free of add-ins.0
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@elenjay140 - I'm right there with you girl! I started on 12/1 as well and yesterday afternoon was the first time I felt normal/good. My saving graces are bananas, cashews & pistachios(the lazy pre-shelled ones). My office is super naughty so cashews in my drawer is perfect, then I eat my pistachios on my drive home so I don't do something stupid before I get home to my healthy fridge.
It's amazing how much crap we were putting in our bodies to have withdrawal like symptoms but I think we are through the worst, fingers crossed! We got this!!! Good luck girl!!0
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