Need More Energy!!

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So I need help. I am constantly tired and sleepy and have no energy whatsoever. I need tips on what I can eat or maybe cut out of my diet to get more energy. I'm so tired of being tired!! I've gained a lot of weight and seem to have trouble keeping it off when I lose it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    How much sleep are you getting each night?

    Is this energy issue new for you and have you talked to your doctor about it?
  • jennimacias
    jennimacias Posts: 18 Member
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    I've talked to my doctor about it and ran a bunch of blood work tests and he says everything is fine. I just don't get it! @janejellyroll
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I've talked to my doctor about it and ran a bunch of blood work tests and he says everything is fine. I just don't get it! @janejellyroll

    How much do you sleep each night?
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    I feel that way when I cut calories too low. How much are you eating? Also, as mentioned above, sleep! Seems obvious but getting the appropriate amount of quality sleep is often overlooked. Regular exercise also helps.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    So I need help. I am constantly tired and sleepy and have no energy whatsoever. I need tips on what I can eat or maybe cut out of my diet to get more energy. I'm so tired of being tired!! I've gained a lot of weight and seem to have trouble keeping it off when I lose it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks!

    Way too many factors that can cause it without more information from the OP. Also, we aren't doctors. Hypoglycemia, one possible reason, is hard to detect unless a special test is done over several hours. It's a precursor to diabetes in some people. My wife has it, and when she eats too much crap that spikes her blood sugar she then gets sleepy/tired and wants to nap. When she was younger she could almost get drunk off of sugary foods and drinks. Now it just makes her sleepy/tired and robs her of energy. The solution for her, when she sticks to it, is to eat better foods and split her meals up into six smaller meals per day to even out the spikes in her blood sugars.

    Other things are too restrictive of a diet, snoring (sleep apnea), and even thyroid issues. Lack of sleep for whatever reason or too much of a deficit in calories is another are common issues that cause lack of energy/tiredness.
  • jennimacias
    jennimacias Posts: 18 Member
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    Well I sleep about 9hrs a night sometimes I can even sleep up to 14hrs, because that's how sleepy I am all of the time. @janejellyroll
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    Well I sleep about 9hrs a night sometimes I can even sleep up to 14hrs, because that's how sleepy I am all of the time. @janejellyroll

    Ask your doctor for a glucose tolerance test. It's used to test for type 2 diabetes, and can also be used to test for hypoglycemia. There are also home tests they can do for sleep apnea if you snore. My wife's doctor also missed hyperparathyroid syndrome for years. Just kept telling her she had too much calcium in her system. Also she broke her leg (more like shattered it) about 10 years ago and had to have it repaired with a metal bar implant. The doctor then told her that smoking had caused her bone loss which caused such a serious break. Doctors sometimes can't see the forest for the trees. If they had tested her thyroid then she wouldn't have early bone loss like she has now. It had nothing to do with her being a smoker. They finally tested it and removed the parathyroid that was the issue. She now doesn't have to nap all day every day, and it even seems like her hypoglycemia is under better control. I guess my point is, get a second opinion with another doctor. Sometimes doctors just plain suck.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Well I sleep about 9hrs a night sometimes I can even sleep up to 14hrs, because that's how sleepy I am all of the time. @janejellyroll

    Are you currently eating at a deficit? If so, how many calories a day are you eating?
  • anniee1
    anniee1 Posts: 17 Member
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    You may have ME / CFS. I have mild ME, had every test possible. I don’t know if you have any further symptoms (aching joints, headaches, brain fog - everyone experiences different symptoms) but may be worth discussing with your doctor.
    I am currently managing it with group sessions and learning more about my triggers and diet is for me, a major factor. Drink plenty of water, avoid caffeine, eat lots of fruit and veg and protein. And do gentle exercises Listen to your body, if you need to rest you should, but also sometimes doing a little of something (a walk, swimming) can give you an energy boost.
    Good luck and I hope you can get yourself sorted.
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    Lots of things could be happening here, as has been said. I have found that apparently eggs make me feel sluggish. I also feel crappy when I have too many carbs and not enough fat. The more fruits and veggies I eat, the better, especially cruciferous veggies. Vitamin d helps me, as does magnesium each night before bed. So I mean, those are things you can try, but there are any number of other things you could be experiencing.

    Do you have a history of depression? That can cause tiredness like that. I do have depression as well, but for ME, I never found a medication or treatment that helped except dietary changes. But that’s me, and that won’t be true for everyone, or even most people.
  • impyimpyaj
    impyimpyaj Posts: 1,073 Member
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    If you’re looking for an elimination diet of sorts to see if food is a problem, you could look at an autoimmune protocol. I’m not saying that inflammation or an autoimmune disorder is your problem, but the elimination diet for those is pretty thorough for avoiding food sensitivity triggers. You could look at a book called The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook for recipes (see if your library has it so you don’t have to buy it at first). It’s not as strict as you would think, but it does require cutting out grains and a few other things. The author is pretty ok with understanding that we can’t all afford or have access to organic free-range grass-fed everything, and the recipes are doable and very tasty. Then after you’ve been off of things for a few weeks, introduce things back in slowly to see if anything triggers a reaction.
  • clay_loring
    clay_loring Posts: 2 Member
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    It’s not just how much you sleep, it’s the quality and the regularity of it. I know it’s hard to go to bed at the same time, change your macros to higher carbohydrates (the good kind) and use resistance training to build stamina.