fatigue after meals

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Hi I was wondering if anyone else suffers from severe fatigue after they've eaten? I don't eat big amounts but whatever I eat I just feel like I need to go to sleep. I have not been to the Dr about it as I don't know if it's just me or if this could be as a result of something? I have been a vegetarian since I was 5 yrs old (now 26) so I could be a bit aneamic. Also I joined this site at christmas and have only lost 3lbs. I only have about 20lbs to lose but its proving impossible. I am eating 1200cals plus exercise cals. I spin 3 times a week and do 30-60mins a day on the elliptical. Any suggestions????:ohwell:

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  • jaydanna
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    Hi I was wondering if anyone else suffers from severe fatigue after they've eaten? I don't eat big amounts but whatever I eat I just feel like I need to go to sleep. I have not been to the Dr about it as I don't know if it's just me or if this could be as a result of something? I have been a vegetarian since I was 5 yrs old (now 26) so I could be a bit aneamic. Also I joined this site at christmas and have only lost 3lbs. I only have about 20lbs to lose but its proving impossible. I am eating 1200cals plus exercise cals. I spin 3 times a week and do 30-60mins a day on the elliptical. Any suggestions????:ohwell:
  • persian_dancer
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    I get that way sometimes too. Most of the time if you eat too much bread or pasta's the carbs make you feel sleepy. Also I've noticed that if you eat till your full full then you feel sleepy. That's just what I've noticed with myself. Also, sometimes if I up my exercise and "might not be eating enough for my body" I mean not eating over my calories thats with my exercise calories I feel sleepy. Or if I eat heavier foods like baked pasta, or cheese in my food then I feel sleepy also. I hope this helps you! :drinker:
  • campbell0528
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    I am the same way. I am tired after eating a meal or even just a snack. I did go to the doctor because I thought maybe I was anemic but my blood test said everything was fine. The doctor said I needed to get a full 8 hrs. of uninterrupted sleep every night. The problem is that I do ...sometimes more than 8 hrs. but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I try not to eat during the day at work because I don't want to get sleepy. Also, I am in the same situtuation as you. I have only 10 lbs I want to loose, I'm on a 1200 cal diet, and I exercie 5 times/week...running, elliptical, spinning, etc. but nothing takes off these last few pds!!

    If you find any answers to the fatique question..please let me know:)

    Good luck!
  • FletcherChic
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    i can tell you the reason....it's carbs!!!! anytime you eat carbs without a protein or a fat along with it, you get a surge of insulin released from your pancreas....that is how your body deals with distributing those carbs to your body...the lethargy you feel afterwards occurs after the spike in insulin - your blood sugar will drop dramatically (from all that insulin your body just released) and now you have a bad case of the sleepies (i used to think denny's put ambien in their pancakes because i would literally feel comatose after eating there!)....so try this - if you eat a carb like like bread or pasta, eat some fat with it (butter, mayo, avo, nuts, nut butter, olive oil, etc) because this will slow the breakdown of those carbs and you wont get that insulin surge....you can also do this by adding protein to your meal or snack (i don't know if this is difficult being a vegetarian)...usually 1 g of protein for every 2 carbs is good....1 prot. to 1 carb is even better! i hope this helps!!! :flowerforyou:
  • jaydanna
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    Thanks for the advise I'll give that a try:smile:
  • jaydanna
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    :wink:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    I'd go to the doctor. Vegetarians have needs and risks specific to their lifestyle. Being anemic isn't something you want to let slide--if you are, you need to correct it. Everyone should get blood work done anyway to make sure everything is in good working order. It doesn't cost much and it's excellent preventative medicine.
    Simple carbohydrates can cause fatigue by causing large spikes and subsequent dips in your blood sugar. Big meals can cause fatigue by routing more blood than usual to the digestive tract. But there's no reason for fatigue to occur after every meal, which is why I'd get things checked out.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    i can tell you the reason....it's carbs!!!! anytime you eat carbs without a protein or a fat along with it, you get a surge of insulin released from your pancreas....that is how your body deals with distributing those carbs to your body...the lethargy you feel afterwards occurs after the spike in insulin - your blood sugar will drop dramatically (from all that insulin your body just released) and now you have a bad case of the sleepies (i used to think denny's put ambien in their pancakes because i would literally feel comatose after eating there!)....so try this - if you eat a carb like like bread or pasta, eat some fat with it (butter, mayo, avo, nuts, nut butter, olive oil, etc) because this will slow the breakdown of those carbs and you wont get that insulin surge....you can also do this by adding protein to your meal or snack (i don't know if this is difficult being a vegetarian)...usually 1 g of protein for every 2 carbs is good....1 prot. to 1 carb is even better! i hope this helps!!! :flowerforyou:

    100% correct ...also you may want to see your Doc and have a blood glucose done just to be safe.
  • jaydanna
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    Thanks guys :flowerforyou:
  • Georg
    Georg Posts: 1,728 Member
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    I agree with the carb thoughts. But also are you drinking enough water?
  • adopt4
    adopt4 Posts: 970 Member
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    I just found out my magnesium is low in my blood... and the symptoms are similiar... so have dr do a full CBC on you to be sure. I also heard someone say that your body can react to foods, not truly a full allergy, but can react to what you're eating, for some people they're really sensitive to certain foods and it will do that, as well as swell their body so they seem fatter than what they really are (water retention). So try and see if it's certain foods that do it, greens should NOT have that reaction if that's the problem...

    Also do you eat enough protein? I would eat more protein than this site suggests when you're trying to lose weight...