Questions about fatigue, too much exercise, small weight gain

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  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    You really need to see a doctor. Pitting edema can be serious. Add on to that you probably have some level of an eating disorder/body dysmorphic syndrome.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
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    PAV8888 wrote: »
    Not enough calories.

    Total calories (energy balance) is the base of the pyramid and the first and largest part of nourishment/ malnourishment

    This is my gut thought too. Additionally, I would continue to follow up with the doctors, as there may be something that's preventing absorption of protein despite intake. I wasn't able to find any information on whether the items you're eating are enough to provide you with the 9 essential amino acids (all are needed to make a complete protein that's useful). I don't see why they wouldn't, especially considering you are eating some animal products (which are a natural complete protein). However, if the doctors don't find anything wrong necessarily, then it sounds like your calories just aren't keeping up with your exercise routine.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,970 Member
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    chris89topher wrote: »
    apullum wrote: »
    It sounds like you've increased your exercise a lot recently. You added a daily bike ride or two, and the two mile walk.

    This can do a couple things. First, increasing your exercise can make you fatigued, especially if a) you aren't getting enough rest, b) you increase your exercise quickly instead of gradually, and/or c) you're undereating. So:
    - how often are you taking a full rest day?
    - are you trying to lose weight? You're already at a healthy BMI, so I assume you are either not trying to lose or have very little to lose.
    - how are you measuring your calorie intake? If you aren't weighing your food, you may be estimating low.
    - how are you calculating your exercise calories?

    Second, increasing your exercise can lead to water weight gain that is part of the normal muscle repair process. Rapid weight gain is probably water weight unless you have reason to believe that you've dramatically exceeded your calorie goal in that time.

    Rapid weight gain can also happen if you're a bit constipated. This sometimes happens to newbie vegetarians if they increase their fiber intake very quickly. So if that is the case for you, try cutting back on the fiber and only increasing it slowly.

    B12 is probably not the problem for a new vegetarian. Assuming you were eating animal products and then suddenly stopped, your body should have enough B12 stored up for the next several years (https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/disorders-of-nutrition/vitamins/vitamin-b12). And, if you eat dairy, eggs, and/or fortified plant foods, then you're still getting some B12 (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-HealthProfessional/). The supplement is probably not necessary at this point unless you have a medical condition related to B12.

    If you have ever had problems with anemia/low iron, that could be something to consider with going veg. Again, after 1 month you are probably not low on iron unless you had an existing relevant medical condition. It is just something to keep an eye on if it's a concern for you, and I'll resist going off on a tangent about iron :)

    tl;dr, I'd think about calorie intake and adequate rest when thinking about your fatigue, and the weight gain is likely water.

    I don't take rest days. Haven't skipped a day of my main exercise in over a year and it's only been a handful of days before that since I started 3 years ago. I obsess over the thought of skipping it because of I skip one I might skip more and more. I know that's irrational but it's tough to get past.

    I measure all of my food intake. And I'm getting my exercise calorie totals from a chest strap. I eat 1/2 of them back. I'm not really trying to lose any more based on comments I get but gaining 5 is not the direction I want to go. It's weird to gain a few since none of my food has changed. In fact I eat almost the exact same thing every single day. I'm weird like that.

    One thing I'm NOT is constipated lol. My fiber intake is very high according to MFP because of all the veggies and things I eat.

    Thanks for the reply.

    I've been a vegetarian for 41 years, which is also my age. I lift 3x per week, hike on weekends in the summer and ride 80 to 120 miles a week. Days without exercise are fairly rare for me. It's fine, if this is a lifestyle you enjoy, there's no hard requirement to take a rest day. When I take a day or two off, though, I come back much stronger. Took one earlier this week, when I got back on the bike it was like I was on fire.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited July 2019
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    @chris89topher - Soooo very glad you went to the doctor! <3

    Please keep us posted.
  • Momjogger
    Momjogger Posts: 750 Member
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    I’m glad the doctor is taking this seriously. Everything must be explored, and if you’re anemic and have low white blood cell count, there may be a problem beyond diet. Hopefully that is not the case and your health will fall back in line with some expert advice from a dietician as it sounds as if your diet definitely needs to be adjusted, so I hope you meet with with a dietician soon and follow whatever s/he recommends.
    You said you eat a lot of Quorn lately and you’re not feeling well. It just might not be the right thing for your body. You may think you’re being healthy by not eating meat, but you’ve replaced it with processed food (protein bars and Quorn). Many people can’t tolerate the fungus and some are allergic. You should seriously think about eliminating the Quorn all together. Vegetarians eat eggs and dairy. Consider eating eggs and milk products - Greek yogurt and cheese if you haven’t been to get your protein intake up. Suspending your vegetarian lifestyle and going pescatarian may also be something to consider.
    I LOVED cashew milk, and drank 16 to 20 ounces a day in smoothies, tea, coffee, etc. I developed eczema on my scalp and a rash on my wrists and ankles. I connected the dots and a couple months after cutting out the cashew milk, my skin completely cleared up. That was a couple years ago and I haven’t had a problem since. Sometimes we think we are making healthy choices, but our bodies are complex and not everything is right for every body.
    I wish you the best of luck on your journey back to health.

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