Should I seek medical help?

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Nightowl9344
Nightowl9344 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Since Feburary (also since starting healthy eating) I have had really low energy levels! I'm starting to worry because it's effecting my daily life more. I'm wondering if maybe I have a medical problem or I really need to be more disiplined with myself about being productive.

My ideal (and typical) day is I sleep for 9 hours, get up to eat breakfast, get back in bed and take a nap for 1-2 hours, wake up but continue to stay in bed for hours. Usually I'm up at 11am but I don't get the energy to do something until 6pm-7pm so I'm usually in bed for that long period of time. Usually im on my phone but then sometimes thats exhausting so I just lay there. I'm a student so when i have classes and i have a lot of things to do I usually think "okay I'll skip this class today because I need to do these things and I dont have the energy to do everything"

What I've been eating everyday is (I weigh 320pounds):
Oatmeal for breakfast
Chicken cesar salad or spinach salad for lunch
Chicken, quinoa, and veggies for dinner.
Cliff bar, popcorn or fruit as a snack.

Once i get energy in the evening, I have a huge burst of energy so I go for a walk and I go to the gym but then I'm back in bed for sleep around 11.

I was wondering if anybody has struggled with this like I have?
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Replies

  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited April 2019
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    yes see a doctor. always take professional advice (from a legit qualified profession for things within their field) over online advice. It is not normal to have that little energy.

    how many calories are you eating? what does MFP say to eat?
    height?
  • Nightowl9344
    Nightowl9344 Posts: 7 Member
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    Thanks for the speedy replies! Since I keep the same menu, everyday is 1500-1700 depending on how many snacks I eat. I'm losing weight. From March, working out 3x a week, I've lost 8 pounds.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    How many calories are you eating?

    Do you have not-typical days wh r e you eat more or very differently, and is your energy level better on those days?

    Short answer is if you have been getting 9 hrs of sleep every night for 2 months and don't have enough energy to get thru the day, yes I would get a checkup.
  • Nightowl9344
    Nightowl9344 Posts: 7 Member
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    Good question! There are days where I do eat more but I dont notice a difference in my energy levels at all.
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Did you set up MFP to give you the calories you need to eat to lose 1.5-2 lb a week? For your current weight, 1500 is probably not enough calories, and if you don't eat enough calories, you will be exhausted. Eat the calories MFP gives you to maintain your activity level.
  • Dennygrl176
    Dennygrl176 Posts: 1 Member
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    Gisel2015 is right. Get a blood test workup from your doctor that includes thyroid a check. Low thyroid can cause low level depression symptoms.
  • egbert2016
    egbert2016 Posts: 37 Member
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    I agree with all those who said to see a physician and to check your actual calories vs what MFP suggest. Ask to have your vitamin D levels tested in addition. Good luck!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,108 Member
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    Nightowl9344 wrote: »
    Good question! There are days where I do eat more but I dont notice a difference in my energy levels at all.

    If you don't know how much you're eating, start there by logging your food and eating all your calories for two weeks. I bet that's your problem.
  • Thinnyminime
    Thinnyminime Posts: 41 Member
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    Food fuels the future...it doesn't fuel the present. A lot has to happen to the food for it be usable as fuel. It needs to be broken down and then sent to each cell in your body. This takes time, think of eating today helps you fuel tomorrow. You need to eat your full allotment of calories rich in vitamins and minerals, protein, carbs and fat everyday. It may take days for your body to really begin to depend on you giving it what it needs to perform. Then when it knows there is a constant supply of fuel coming you will notice you have energy from morning until night. Seeing a physician will help identify underlying deficiencies, seeing a nutrition specialist will help you identify proper quantities for weight loss. This will set you up to succeed at being healthy tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that...and so on. Feel free to friend me.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I would make sure you’re getting the correct calories and nutrition since these are common problems for new dieters. Once you’ve corrected that per all the guidelines and info on Mfp, give it about a month for your new program to settle in. If you’re still having problems then see the doctor. But I’d suggest trying the obvious stuff first, unless you need to see the doctor anyways.
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
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    Just echoing everyone else. Make sure you're eating enough, drinking enough water, etc. See your doctor and get a blood test or discuss the possibility of depression. I was like that for a few months last year and it's because I was bulimic and depressed. It was easier to do nothing. My energy is a lot better now that I'm nourishing myself properly, got the right anxiety/depression meds for me, and am getting therapy.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    When my anemia is not treated properly I have crippling fatigue so do go to the doctor for blood work.

    And while you are waiting for your appointment, do make sure you are eating the correct calories and nutrition.

    FWIW, I'd need more protein for breakfast - oatmeal just doesn't do it for me.

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