Please help

andreahenley
andreahenley Posts: 15 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I have got the food part down good. Low carb and 1200 calories approx. Every day. I log my meals and i have been doing fine for 2 months.

BUT
the exercise part is so hard for me. I can't seem to maintain a routine at all. And I have tried. I feel so exhausted ALL the time and sometimes can barely function. I think I may need some sort of hormonal therapy... any suggestions about how to keep a workout habit going past 15 days?

Replies

  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
    If you're that exhausted, it could be from the very low calories you are consuming. Or it could indicate a health problem. Get a physical from your doctor and ensure that in the blood tests ordered, he/she tests your iron/ferritin and B12. Also ask for a thyroid test and demand a Free T3 thyroid test in addition to a thyroid panel. You will have to fight for this test; most doctors are reluctant to order it. They will run the thyroid panel over and over again until you run out of blood, but that just tests your pituitary. A Free T3 tests your thyroid levels and it's like some sort of religious conviction among doctors that they'd rather see you dead than run an actual thyroid test.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    andreahenley wrote: »
    I have got the food part down good. Low carb and 1200 calories approx. Every day. I log my meals and i have been doing fine for 2 months.

    BUT
    the exercise part is so hard for me. I can't seem to maintain a routine at all. And I have tried. I feel so exhausted ALL the time and sometimes can barely function. I think I may need some sort of hormonal therapy... any suggestions about how to keep a workout habit going past 15 days?

    Firstly I'm going to say that if weight loss is your sole goal then you don't need an exercise routine. Sure it helps to be active but if your job / life has you on your feet a lot and doing several thousand steps a day that may be perfectly adequate.

    We don't know what you're eating (closed diary) but make sure there's 75 g of protein per day in there and a good variety of whole foods and healthy fats. You can afford another 100 or 140 calories I would expect, and if you're restricting carbs to a low level do make sure your salt intake is kept up.
  • andreahenley
    andreahenley Posts: 15 Member
    Okay
    A little more information
    I am not active at all. I walk some every day but not enough to be called exercise. (No elevated heart rate.) I physically can not get over how tired I am. I can sleep for 16+ hours and will if left alone. I can't keep a job, because I can't keep a schedule. So I work on the computer from home. I also will gain weight if I eat any more than what I am eating. (Low carb, plenty of salt, all three meals a day, two eggs every morning with turkey sausage or bacon) I'm eating well. And I get full. I don't drink aspartame. I drink water and sometimes milk. I don't drink coffee. Sometimes herbal teas. I do take energy pills because they actually help me function. Thyroid problems do run in my family, however. I have had this problem all of my life also. My mother struggled to get me to school. When I am not watching what I eat, sugar makes it worse. When I had a baby, it became twice as bad and i could barely even function or get out of bed some days. I want to exercise. I also have the implant birth control. (Which I'm sure isn't helping) and i have depression (who wouldn't, when feeling so tired constantly) but I do want to exercise I just can't keep it up.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Sounds like a visit to the Doctor to get a "Thyroid panel" of blood tests may be in order. Don't know why you eat turkey bacon are you trying to do low fat low carb - that generally ends badly (Google "rabbit starvation").

    No idea what an "energy pill" is, have you checked your blood pressure and blood glucose - pharmacies will often do this for free if you can't engage with a Doctor.

    I walk a circuit from home which is 2.9 km (1.8 miles) I aim to keep it under 30 minutes. There's some modest hills and I run 200 metres/yards up the steepest bit and sometimes another stretch on the flat for a similar distance. If you walk fast enough your heart rate is elevated for sure.

    Could you do a daily walk like that ? MFP app does step counting I think so you could track your activity here with that or a Fitbit type device.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    You don't HAVE to exercise.

    If you've been doing fine with your weight goal on 1200 calories that's great (if you're not obese - it is too little in that case).

    If you walk 30 minutes a day you'd be getting the required amount of activity according to the general consensus on health.

    Coffee isn't bad for you. Aspartame isn't bad for you. Not sure "energy pills" are good for you.

    Focus on your mental health first and foremost at this stage.
  • Karliemyalgia
    Karliemyalgia Posts: 146 Member
    If you are concerned there is something medical interfering with your weight loss goals, the only 100% way to know is to go to your physician. Put this on the top of your priority list. I hear many people say how they don't make the time yet are concerned.

    Getting into a routine may not be for you, if you're more spontaneous - have you tried some exercise that you've actually enjoyed? Particular types for you.... Boxercise? Dance-types? Yoga? Exercising enough to raise your heart rate.

    Set tiny, attainable goals. I also have used: Habitica (a rpg task game to help develop habits)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    edited September 2017
    Your post triggered something in me. Sorry for jumping to conclusions... I've been low in energy all my life as well. But it especially shows after certain activities like doing some work overhead (unscrewing a lamp for example) or carrying a box in my arms and walking. I often crash even though my blood sugar levels are always fine (also before and during a crash). I might even crash after having a full English breakfast and walking slowly for an hour.

    What kind of exercises are you trying to do? I find that if I do strength training then I don't crash anymore and I have a lot more energy. What strength training does is trigger the formation of more mitochondria, and they are responsible for delivering energy to your body. To just maintain better energy levels and prevent crashes I don't need much: A few bodyweight exercises about 3 times per week is sufficient (bodyweight squats, various lunges, pushups on the back of the sofa, maybe seated dips and a few other exercises that train many muscles at the same time. Takes about 35 minutes including breaks between exercises. So I guess net exercise time is just 15 minutes. To feel completely normal (assuming this is normal) I'd need a bit more: heavy kettlebell exercises, lifting weights and such. But just the bodyweight workout keeps me going.

    So for me, to stop being low on energy means I need to workout, which isn't easy at first if you're low on energy. But the improvement usually kicks in after a day or two already (well, to be honest, once the soreness is gone). Just doing simple bodyweight exercises and stopping keeps the crashes away for about 3 weeks, doing heavier exercises for weeks and months. Thus it also gets me through colds or other periods where I cannot exercise. Though being thick I often forget this and end up in massive crash periods again, and also forget that exercising helps me. :D I'm trying to convince my GP to finally investigate what's going on with me. I want a referal to an endocrinologist. But being in the UK, this isn't quite so easy *sigh*

    And apart from that: yes, do get a thyroid panel, B12, ferritin and D vitamins tested. Maybe a blood count. And do ask for a printout and look at the numbers yourself. Doctors are quick to say that everything is ok, while you are just within range or even outside. The healthunlocked.com thyroid forum is great with helping you to understand results.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    The fatigue is interfering hugely in your life, you need to have this investigated. If it was just since you'd started trying to lose I'd have thought it was due to undereating but you say it's a lifelong issue so that needs addressed. Sleeping for 16 hours a day is not normal and I say this as someone who deals with fatigue and needs a decent amount of sleep.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    edited September 2017
    You left out some very pertinent information in your initial post.

    Have you ever had any of the tests others have suggested? I am chronically sleep deprived, it partially comes from having a stressful job and a two hour commute five days a week. However, my energy level is definitely much lower if I don't regularly take my vitamin D and iron supplements and also if I fall out of my regular exercise routine.

    A lot of people are deficient in vitamin D. When I first had mine tested, my doctor told me my number was the lowest he had ever seen besides his own. I was able to take an over-the-counter vegan D3 supplement and my numbers have risen steadily. I was also low in ferritin (my sister isvery anemic, so maybe this is partly due to genetics). I started taking spatone as an iron supplement, which after some research seemed like had the best absorption. It really works and doesn't upset my stomach or anything. If I am consistent with both of those and exercise, my energy is much better.

    Those may not be your issues at all, just my experience with fatigue that seems to have been at least partially caused by some deficiencies as well as inactivity.

    You should really see a doctor about having some of these things tested that have been suggested.

    ETA: Although, you still didn't provide your stats. You say you're "eating well" and "low carb" and some other things, but that's kind of meaningless. You may still be eating too little for your stats, and maybe you are someone who needs more carbs.
  • andreahenley
    andreahenley Posts: 15 Member
    Okay I think I'm ready to go to a doctor. I'm the type of person to ignore things until they go away before I see a doctor. A bad way to be but old habbits die hard. I'll update. I think I probably am pretty low on vitamin D though.
  • andreahenley
    andreahenley Posts: 15 Member
    P.s. I am losing around 1 pound per week. Maybe 1.5 pounds. I like the slower rate tbh.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    If you're doing keto, and you just started, you might have "keto flu." Go to the "groups" page and search for the low-carbers group. They can give you advice and support

    Your body used to use carbs for energy and it can't do that any more. From what I've heard, it's an adjustment the body can take time to make.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    andreahenley wrote: »
    P.s. I am losing around 1 pound per week. Maybe 1.5 pounds. I like the slower rate tbh.

    As asked upthread, what are your stats? Height, current weight, goal weight.
  • Missbumble2017
    Missbumble2017 Posts: 4 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Your post triggered something in me. Sorry for jumping to conclusions... I've been low in energy all my life as well. But it especially shows after certain activities like doing some work overhead (unscrewing a lamp for example) or carrying a box in my arms and walking. I often crash even though my blood sugar levels are always fine (also before and during a crash). I might even crash after having a full English breakfast and walking slowly for an hour.

    What kind of exercises are you trying to do? I find that if I do strength training then I don't crash anymore and I have a lot more energy. What strength training does is trigger the formation of more mitochondria, and they are responsible for delivering energy to your body. To just maintain better energy levels and prevent crashes I don't need much: A few bodyweight exercises about 3 times per week is sufficient (bodyweight squats, various lunges, pushups on the back of the sofa, maybe seated dips and a few other exercises that train many muscles at the same time. Takes about 35 minutes including breaks between exercises. So I guess net exercise time is just 15 minutes. To feel completely normal (assuming this is normal) I'd need a bit more: heavy kettlebell exercises, lifting weights and such. But just the bodyweight workout keeps me going.

    So for me, to stop being low on energy means I need to workout, which isn't easy at first if you're low on energy. But the improvement usually kicks in after a day or two already (well, to be honest, once the soreness is gone). Just doing simple bodyweight exercises and stopping keeps the crashes away for about 3 weeks, doing heavier exercises for weeks and months. Thus it also gets me through colds or other periods where I cannot exercise. Though being thick I often forget this and end up in massive crash periods again, and also forget that exercising helps me. :D I'm trying to convince my GP to finally investigate what's going on with me. I want a referal to an endocrinologist. But being in the UK, this isn't quite so easy *sigh*

    And apart from that: yes, do get a thyroid panel, B12, ferritin and D vitamins tested. Maybe a blood count. And do ask for a printout and look at the numbers yourself. Doctors are quick to say that everything is ok, while you are just within range or even outside. The healthunlocked.com thyroid forum is great with helping you to understand results.

    I love this post - as it really tells you what to do... I do think seeing a dr is a good idea. but if you eel you have nothing to lose by trying what the poster suggested I would. So for me I need ot make it fun - watching a youtube on exercises - body weight or light weights - is fun. Its pretty cool to challenge myself to do it daily,

    Why not post a thread and have a challenge. 1 Video per day. Google videos on exercises - new.. or easy or body weight.

    I did not work out much and lost a lot - but I used the app running or walking for weight loss.. It told me when to go faster or slower - which is key for me intervals. That said - sounds like the poster I quoted understand the issue better than I - so my answer may not be yours.


    I love the video idea...
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Possible causes of chronic fatigue; low in iron, low thyroid, disturbed sleep (sleep apnea), not eating enough, low blood pressure, depression. Don't guess. Doctors can rule out a lot of things with an examination and some simple blood tests.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    What kind and how much exercise are you doing? If you are not used to exercising you need to cut back if it is making you that tired. I was out of shape and I wanted to exercise 30 minutes a day and I just couldn't. I wouldn't even get to the gym. Finally, I just had to tell myself "just walk 15 minutes at the gym". When I cut the goal in half I would go. As my fitness improved I was able to add more time to the workout without avoiding it.

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    andreahenley wrote: »
    Okay
    A little more information
    I am not active at all. I walk some every day but not enough to be called exercise. (No elevated heart rate.) I physically can not get over how tired I am. I can sleep for 16+ hours and will if left alone. I can't keep a job, because I can't keep a schedule. So I work on the computer from home. I also will gain weight if I eat any more than what I am eating. (Low carb, plenty of salt, all three meals a day, two eggs every morning with turkey sausage or bacon) I'm eating well. And I get full. I don't drink aspartame. I drink water and sometimes milk. I don't drink coffee. Sometimes herbal teas. I do take energy pills because they actually help me function. Thyroid problems do run in my family, however. I have had this problem all of my life also. My mother struggled to get me to school. When I am not watching what I eat, sugar makes it worse. When I had a baby, it became twice as bad and i could barely even function or get out of bed some days. I want to exercise. I also have the implant birth control. (Which I'm sure isn't helping) and i have depression (who wouldn't, when feeling so tired constantly) but I do want to exercise I just can't keep it up.

    I would head to the doctor and get fully checked out. This sounds like an ongoing medical issue not a motivation problem.
    Were you diagnosed and treated for depression?
  • OHFlamingo
    OHFlamingo Posts: 239 Member
    Your body is telling you something, and you need to listen. Please make an appointment with your doctor and find out why you are so tired.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    Missbumble2017 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Your post triggered something in me. Sorry for jumping to conclusions... I've been low in energy all my life as well. But it especially shows after certain activities like doing some work overhead (unscrewing a lamp for example) or carrying a box in my arms and walking. I often crash even though my blood sugar levels are always fine (also before and during a crash). I might even crash after having a full English breakfast and walking slowly for an hour.

    What kind of exercises are you trying to do? I find that if I do strength training then I don't crash anymore and I have a lot more energy. What strength training does is trigger the formation of more mitochondria, and they are responsible for delivering energy to your body. To just maintain better energy levels and prevent crashes I don't need much: A few bodyweight exercises about 3 times per week is sufficient (bodyweight squats, various lunges, pushups on the back of the sofa, maybe seated dips and a few other exercises that train many muscles at the same time. Takes about 35 minutes including breaks between exercises. So I guess net exercise time is just 15 minutes. To feel completely normal (assuming this is normal) I'd need a bit more: heavy kettlebell exercises, lifting weights and such. But just the bodyweight workout keeps me going.

    So for me, to stop being low on energy means I need to workout, which isn't easy at first if you're low on energy. But the improvement usually kicks in after a day or two already (well, to be honest, once the soreness is gone). Just doing simple bodyweight exercises and stopping keeps the crashes away for about 3 weeks, doing heavier exercises for weeks and months. Thus it also gets me through colds or other periods where I cannot exercise. Though being thick I often forget this and end up in massive crash periods again, and also forget that exercising helps me. :D I'm trying to convince my GP to finally investigate what's going on with me. I want a referal to an endocrinologist. But being in the UK, this isn't quite so easy *sigh*

    And apart from that: yes, do get a thyroid panel, B12, ferritin and D vitamins tested. Maybe a blood count. And do ask for a printout and look at the numbers yourself. Doctors are quick to say that everything is ok, while you are just within range or even outside. The healthunlocked.com thyroid forum is great with helping you to understand results.

    I love this post - as it really tells you what to do... I do think seeing a dr is a good idea. but if you eel you have nothing to lose by trying what the poster suggested I would. So for me I need ot make it fun - watching a youtube on exercises - body weight or light weights - is fun. Its pretty cool to challenge myself to do it daily,

    Why not post a thread and have a challenge. 1 Video per day. Google videos on exercises - new.. or easy or body weight.

    I did not work out much and lost a lot - but I used the app running or walking for weight loss.. It told me when to go faster or slower - which is key for me intervals. That said - sounds like the poster I quoted understand the issue better than I - so my answer may not be yours.


    I love the video idea...

    Well, it works for me anyway. This gets me out of the very low energy holes and prevents those darn crashes. Another thing I found for myself is that I function best on carbs. The easier the carbs the better while fats and proteins don't do much for me unfortunately. A wholegrain bread with something nice on it gets me going. Even better is an energy gel with the same amount of calories. But of course nobody could live on that.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
    I have hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and a host of other illnesses that are accompanied by fatigue. Most of those illnesses also have depression as a symptom if they are left untreated.

    If you're that fatigued all the time, you probably have something causing it, too. See a doctor. But be aware that most doctors aren't really all that competent and you may need to see 2 or 3 or six dozen of them before you finally find one who will take you seriously. The standard medical protocol is for a doctor to tell you you're just a lazy fat female and give you a prescription for sleeping pills and anti-depressants. Don't accept that treatment. Demand to be tested and evaluated to rule out or diagnose health issues.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    edited September 2017
    Tried30UserNames wrote: »
    I have hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and a host of other illnesses that are accompanied by fatigue. Most of those illnesses also have depression as a symptom if they are left untreated.

    If you're that fatigued all the time, you probably have something causing it, too. See a doctor. But be aware that most doctors aren't really all that competent and you may need to see 2 or 3 or six dozen of them before you finally find one who will take you seriously. The standard medical protocol is for a doctor to tell you you're just a lazy fat female and give you a prescription for sleeping pills and anti-depressants. Don't accept that treatment. Demand to be tested and evaluated to rule out or diagnose health issues.

    Yep. So true, this. My GP wanted to diagnose me with chronic fatigue syndrome. As this is a standard thing in the UK I'd expected it and had looked up the diagnosis criteria before. So I told her: lets go through the criteria together. Only one, fatigue under certain circumstances was true (it's dependend on being active) and none of the others. So she could not simply diagnose me with that but needs to do more thorough investigations sooner or later. Ha :D

    Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia is very standard here as well. But in many cases those patients are B12 deficient and have neurological symptoms. GPs just don't understand B12 deficiency unfortunately. It's something I have, but I'm basically treating myself and just ask for a serum test and some additional ones if I feel it's not working out for me. I need serum values above 1400 to be free of symptoms. I self-inject about every three weeks compared to the every three months the NHS would give me.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    andreahenley wrote: »
    Okay I think I'm ready to go to a doctor. I'm the type of person to ignore things until they go away before I see a doctor. A bad way to be but old habbits die hard. I'll update. I think I probably am pretty low on vitamin D though.
    andreahenley wrote: »
    P.s. I am losing around 1 pound per week. Maybe 1.5 pounds. I like the slower rate tbh.

    Good to hear you're going to a doctor. Kudos on listening to the right advice.

    What is your height and weight? Your face doesn't look like you should be aiming to lose that amount per week.

    If you only have 20 lbs to lose, 0.5 lbs per week is plenty.

    0.5% to 1% of bodyweight per week is the range for healthy loss. You should lose at the low end if you have less to lose. Otherwise you risk health problems, of which fatigue is one of them.
  • andreahenley
    andreahenley Posts: 15 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    andreahenley wrote: »
    Okay I think I'm ready to go to a doctor. I'm the type of person to ignore things until they go away before I see a doctor. A bad way to be but old habbits die hard. I'll update. I think I probably am pretty low on vitamin D though.
    andreahenley wrote: »
    P.s. I am losing around 1 pound per week. Maybe 1.5 pounds. I like the slower rate tbh.

    Good to hear you're going to a doctor. Kudos on listening to the right advice.

    What is your height and weight? Your face doesn't look like you should be aiming to lose that amount per week.

    If you only have 20 lbs to lose, 0.5 lbs per week is plenty.

    0.5% to 1% of bodyweight per week is the range for healthy loss. You should lose at the low end if you have less to lose. Otherwise you risk health problems, of which fatigue is one of them.

    Lol thank you for the face compliment, but I am going from 260 to 145. Currently at 220. I wish I only had 20 pounds to lose. But I am hoping to lose twenty by thanksgiving. By then I'll still have 55 more to go
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