Hello and Help! I'm tired of being tired, broken, and hangry!

StephieK74
StephieK74 Posts: 11 Member
Ok.... here goes. My name is Stephanie, and I usually steer clear of community boards, but its time I reach out for comfort and motivation. I am the definition of the perfect stress storm. I have PCOS and everything that goes with it, just had melanoma surgery this past year (thank God lymph nodes were clear), then gallbladder removed at the end of the year, have two teen children, trying to set boundaries with my own toxic family living near, have gone back to school to get my teaching certification while working full time, we won't even mention finances while holding a temp job to finish school. So... of course having PCOS and the demands of life like everyone else, I find comfort in my Cheese Itz, Haribo Gummi Bears, and Greasy Cheeseburgers (OK, and tacos too... hey I live in San Antonio, I would be a traitor if I didn't admit that addiction). I have watched my weight creep up, but more so the effects of it. I am so broken and tired of being tired (oh, and looking at my double chin-that too LOL!). My feet hurt, my calves are constantly tight and crampy. I literally feel like a 90 year old woman trying to walk the 10 feet to my bathroom. The worst thing though? I have a big heart, I have so much joy that I want to share, and I am just plain too tired... fatigued. What have ya'll done to get over this hump? I know there has got to be some depression tied into it, so as soon as all this quarantine madness starts winding down, I may see about some anxiety/depression meds. However, I know that exercise has always helped with that, but have ya'll found any secrets to motivation and pushing through the fatigue fog and rebellious body? Is there anything I can do to lift ya'll up?!?!?

Replies

  • Junebug70360
    Junebug70360 Posts: 5 Member
    You sound like my twin...LOL I could have written this! I'm tired, but so much I want to do. My husband and kids deserve better, my grandkids deserve better. I have cute clothes I can't wear :( I'm just getting started. This stay at home thing had me so down for a while but I'm trying to do better. Great to meet you Steph! I'm Donna :)
  • StephieK74
    StephieK74 Posts: 11 Member
    You sound like my twin...LOL I could have written this! I'm tired, but so much I want to do. My husband and kids deserve better, my grandkids deserve better. I have cute clothes I can't wear :( I'm just getting started. This stay at home thing had me so down for a while but I'm trying to do better. Great to meet you Steph! I'm Donna :)

    Hi Donna!!!!
    I have so many cute clothes I can't wear either! I have three new dresses that look like tight maternity wear on me, and a closet full of pants that I could wear if I would just go down a couple of sizes! Grrrrrr! So glad to meet you twinkie!
  • Junebug70360
    Junebug70360 Posts: 5 Member
    Same here. They weren’t perfect but got a few days under my belt. We shall see how this goes.
    Good luck & let’s keep in touch. Have a great weekend!
  • KrissFlavored
    KrissFlavored Posts: 327 Member
    The first thing you will always have control over is your calorie intake, and while waiting for the opportune time may sound like the better time, life is not always that way, as you can see, and you're going to have to find control during the most hectic moments.

    Changing your nutrition and creating a more balanced diet of protein, carbs and fats will help give you the vitamins and minerals your body isnt getting on cheese its, burgers and tacos and gummy bears. Staying within a calorie goal will take weight off which already has enough health benefits I don't need to preach them.

    Pcos does make it a bit more of a challenge to lose but it's not impossible, you just have to find the right calories in to be under your calories out for success. Medications if you're not on any may also help.

    Fatigue and depression may not make you wanna workout, but weight loss starts in the kitchen so start there, take control over the one thing that you can for now.
  • tamikessinger
    tamikessinger Posts: 4 Member
    Stephanie and JuneBug! Thank you Stephanie for the poured out honesty. I am in that boat with you ladies. I woke up this morning and said, I will do this. I want to be able to just step on the scale and not have it error out. Yep, that is the MOST DEPRESSING thing every single morning!
    I got up this morning and said...I am going to walk again. I am going to put in 5,000 steps a day and double this number in 30 days. You ladies want to try with me?
  • Lynatea
    Lynatea Posts: 311 Member
    I could have written that post! Especially the control part. I finally decided that although I cant control what goes on around me, I CAN control what i eat. And that gives me a bit of sanity. Welcome to MFP! You CAN do this!

  • StephieK74
    StephieK74 Posts: 11 Member
    The first thing you will always have control over is your calorie intake, and while waiting for the opportune time may sound like the better time, life is not always that way, as you can see, and you're going to have to find control during the most hectic moments.

    Changing your nutrition and creating a more balanced diet of protein, carbs and fats will help give you the vitamins and minerals your body isnt getting on cheese its, burgers and tacos and gummy bears. Staying within a calorie goal will take weight off which already has enough health benefits I don't need to preach them.

    Pcos does make it a bit more of a challenge to lose but it's not impossible, you just have to find the right calories in to be under your calories out for success. Medications if you're not on any may also help.

    Fatigue and depression may not make you wanna workout, but weight loss starts in the kitchen so start there, take control over the one thing that you can for now.

    Yep, I've studied nutrition and researched my PCOS, self-discipline and time management while juggling a family is the challenge for sure. I stopped talking about it and I am making myself watch my calorie intake. Now it's about finding substitutions for my triggers and only enjoying them in moderation on rare occasion for sure. I have been to a nutritionist a couple of times, so it's not necessarily about the food knowledge, it's about understanding PCOS and my self-discipline. I'm attempting everything in baby steps in hopes of being consistent and successful this time. I have walked and started to ride my bike again, and it is amazing the energy just the couple of days of that have given me. That is motivation in itself. Thanks for the pep talk! I have to be reminded that I have control sometimes and quit giving food and fatigue control!
  • StephieK74
    StephieK74 Posts: 11 Member
    Stephanie and JuneBug! Thank you Stephanie for the poured out honesty. I am in that boat with you ladies. I woke up this morning and said, I will do this. I want to be able to just step on the scale and not have it error out. Yep, that is the MOST DEPRESSING thing every single morning!
    I got up this morning and said...I am going to walk again. I am going to put in 5,000 steps a day and double this number in 30 days. You ladies want to try with me?

    Yes! Let's do this thing! I pushed myself to walk at least an hour or two miles for the past two days. Just moving my body has brought me more energy and motivation, its crazy how the littlest change has brought me energy. I started doing a 12 minute arm workout on YouTube after I walk. My thought is to work on finding healthy food I love, logging them to watch my calories, and building my arms so I can then work on other areas. As I lose this weight I want to tone a little so these arms don't completely "bat wing" out. Ha! Ha! My thought is that if I can strengthen my arms, then when it comes to ab work and other strength training at least I won't fall on my face or butt, I want my arms to support me! LOL! Here's to us! Reach out anytime!
  • StephieK74
    StephieK74 Posts: 11 Member
    I could have written that post! Especially the control part. I finally decided that although I cant control what goes on around me, I CAN control what i eat. And that gives me a bit of sanity. Welcome to MFP! You CAN do this!

    Yes Friend! Mind over matter.... I am in control... I have the power. Unfortunately our life battles and past experiences can play into giving that food control as well. I'm working on healing and forgiving others too... including myself... Thanks for the welcome and motivation! Muah!!!! :*
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,231 Member
    StephieK74 wrote: »
    The first thing you will always have control over is your calorie intake, and while waiting for the opportune time may sound like the better time, life is not always that way, as you can see, and you're going to have to find control during the most hectic moments.

    Changing your nutrition and creating a more balanced diet of protein, carbs and fats will help give you the vitamins and minerals your body isnt getting on cheese its, burgers and tacos and gummy bears. Staying within a calorie goal will take weight off which already has enough health benefits I don't need to preach them.

    Pcos does make it a bit more of a challenge to lose but it's not impossible, you just have to find the right calories in to be under your calories out for success. Medications if you're not on any may also help.

    Fatigue and depression may not make you wanna workout, but weight loss starts in the kitchen so start there, take control over the one thing that you can for now.

    Yep, I've studied nutrition and researched my PCOS, self-discipline and time management while juggling a family is the challenge for sure. I stopped talking about it and I am making myself watch my calorie intake. Now it's about finding substitutions for my triggers and only enjoying them in moderation on rare occasion for sure. I have been to a nutritionist a couple of times, so it's not necessarily about the food knowledge, it's about understanding PCOS and my self-discipline. I'm attempting everything in baby steps in hopes of being consistent and successful this time. I have walked and started to ride my bike again, and it is amazing the energy just the couple of days of that have given me. That is motivation in itself. Thanks for the pep talk! I have to be reminded that I have control sometimes and quit giving food and fatigue control!

    Definitely seeing some seeds of success in your post: For those of us who've had significant amounts of weight to lose, often the formula for succeeding was to find some set of manageable, sustainable changes that would make gradual weight loss as easy as possible. Weight loss, of any significant amount, is inherently a long term endeavor.

    For a few people, it can work to completely revolutionize their life and shoot for fast loss plus massive physical fitness improvement, all at once. For a lot of us, a more workable plan is slow, steady, gradual progress in a positive direction.

    With radical changes that require pedal to the metal, white-knuckled self discipline, there can be that initial rush of power . . . but it's hard to keep up for what is realistically going to be weeks and months.

    Figuring out manageable, practical ways to gradually lose weight eating foods we enjoy, and move our bodies more throughout our day (not exclusively exercise but also daily life stuff) . . . that may be easier to sustain. And it's good practice for future weight maintenance, right? Things we can keep doing happily forever? :)

    Just some thoughts from year 4+ of maintaining a healthy weight, after 3+ previous decades of obesity.

    Best wishes!
  • thetoybox1138
    thetoybox1138 Posts: 2 Member
    edited May 2020
    I found just taking a multi-vitamin had great benefits. Not only was I finally getting the vitamins and minerals I wasn't taking in via eating (poorly), but it was also boosting my overall energy level. I also didn't feel so bad internally, which helped to boost how I exhibiting myself externally. Balanced with a better diet, the added energy helps me get off the couch because I don't want to sit still.