I need more Energy? Any Ideas?

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ANuMe30
ANuMe30 Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
I am in the start of my weight loss journey....but totally tired all the time! Literally at this moment I'm physically tired, & its time for my evening workout.

I heard someone suggest B-12 vitamins (which I have) but I need something stronger. I also read that l-carnitine will get you going but Ive never heard of it.

My doctor says I'm 100% healthy...but I'm tired because I need to lose weight! ...ahhh...Duh doc! :-)

Anyone know of ANYTHING that will get my metabolism & energy going? Please help!
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Replies

  • rookmb
    rookmb Posts: 84
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    Being tired is a part of being overweight. They go hand in hand.
    Once you start exercising, you'll see the difference. Don't push yourself too hard at first. If you do, you'll give up. Take it slow, but be consistant. Good luck!!!
  • Pangui
    Pangui Posts: 373 Member
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    I know I am gonna get slammed for this, but when I switched over to a low-fat whole foods plant-based diet, I gained instant energy. After years of being tired all the time (from eating heavy foods), I now have continuous energy. You are probably tired from starving yourself enough to lose weight. It doesn't have to be like that. If you are eating natural delicious healthy foods, you can eat until you are full and have lots of energy to exercise and enjoy your life.

    You could watch the food documentary "Forks Over Knives" for starters. It changed my whole family's lives for the better.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
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    I know I am gonna get slammed for this, but when I switched over to a low-fat whole foods plant-based diet, I gained instant energy. After years of being tired all the time (from eating heavy foods), I now have continuous energy. You are probably tired from starving yourself enough to lose weight. It doesn't have to be like that. If you are eating natural delicious healthy foods, you can eat until you are full and have lots of energy to exercise and enjoy your life.

    You could watch the food documentary "Forks Over Knives" for starters. It changed my whole family's lives for the better.

    Completely agree with you. I feel great when I eat fresh raw vegetables and fruits. Heavy stuff makes me feel like a snail.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    People's bodies are different, and you should experiment to see what works for *you*. For me, personally, I feel horrendously sluggish if I haven't eaten enough protein/fat for the day. I also metabolize food super quickly, so I can eat steak and go work out an hour later without issues.

    Other people (clearly) find low-fat to be the key for them. Also, if you're eating TOO few calories, it can drain your energy.

    I have no idea what you're eating, but change it around a bit, and make notes in your food when you close out to see which days you feel better than others.
  • firesoforion
    firesoforion Posts: 1,017 Member
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    Decreasing your sugar intake could do it. I didn't look at your diary, but if I eat too much sugar, I get tired, so you might look at that, too. It takes me a day or two to recover from that.
  • jmach002
    jmach002 Posts: 113 Member
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    dehydration can cause fatigue. increase your water intake for the next week or so see if that helps. most americans are chronically dehydrated
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
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    cutting out grain gave me an instant energy lift, along with many other benefits. I feel so much better throughout the day, it is great. I've also lost 32 pounds, so that probably helps!
  • Coyla
    Coyla Posts: 444 Member
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    Make sure you're eating enough. A low calorie diet can sometimes cause an electrolyte imbalance, which can lead to fatigue.

    You should not be netting below 1200 calories, and even if you aren't, you may still not be eating enough to fuel your body.

    Food = fuel. If you're not getting enough, you won't have energy.
  • Ghlt4
    Ghlt4 Posts: 241 Member
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    I know I am gonna get slammed for this, but when I switched over to a low-fat whole foods plant-based diet, I gained instant energy. After years of being tired all the time (from eating heavy foods), I now have continuous energy. You are probably tired from starving yourself enough to lose weight. It doesn't have to be like that. If you are eating natural delicious healthy foods, you can eat until you are full and have lots of energy to exercise and enjoy your life.

    You could watch the food documentary "Forks Over Knives" for starters. It changed my whole family's lives for the better.

    I couldn't agree more with this. My whole family and extended family have changed to this way of eating for about 9 months now. We have never had so much energy and great lab results! I would also add, make sure you are eating and drinking enough.
  • Rikki007s
    Rikki007s Posts: 102 Member
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    I know I am gonna get slammed for this, but when I switched over to a low-fat whole foods plant-based diet, I gained instant energy. After years of being tired all the time (from eating heavy foods), I now have continuous energy. You are probably tired from starving yourself enough to lose weight. It doesn't have to be like that. If you are eating natural delicious healthy foods, you can eat until you are full and have lots of energy to exercise and enjoy your life.

    You could watch the food documentary "Forks Over Knives" for starters. It changed my whole family's lives for the better.

    My thoughts exactly. Great info.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    Carbs carbs carbs carbs carbs. :D

    I'm only half kidding. As others have said already, you need to find a diet strategy that works for you. Carbs ARE a good energy source- that's their job- and if you're getting adequate protein and fat, there's nothing wrong with lovin' on some carbs.

    But... there's nothing wrong with low-carbin' it either, if that's the path you choose to follow. I personally think it's sub-optimal for various reasons, but that doesn't make it bad.

    As for supplements... unfortunately, you've got caffeine, vitamin B12s, ephedra (I'm not sure you can find that in the US), and really... that's about it... or at least that's all I can think of off the top of my head. None of them are miracle pills.

    Good luck!
  • LindaLouLu
    LindaLouLu Posts: 271 Member
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    My doctor says I'm 100% healthy...but I'm tired because I need to lose weight! ...ahhh...Duh doc! :-)

    Good job talking to your doctor about this!
    Everyone seems to have lots of great ideas here. Plenty of suggestions to choose from. The best thing (I think anyway) is to try and see if it IS food that is making you so tired. If so, which KIND of foods. Or hydration issues. Or lacking some vitamin/mineral.
    Just remember, each person is different and what works for one, may not for another.
    Quick example: Breads tend to knock me out. If I have a day where I'm eating a lot of bread (or even pastas) I get supper sluggish and can't seem to function properly. On the other hand, if I have higher protein for the day(especially if I load up on it at breakfast), I have energy to spare.
    My Husband though, does NOT function well with higher protein. It makes him "sleepy" as he puts it. If I let him eat half a loaf of bread though (Or muffins, or a plate of spaghetti, etc.), he'll stomp me come workouts every time!
    I think it's just going to take time to figure out what *works* for you.
    Stick with it & experiment with the foods!
    Best of Luck!!!:flowerforyou:
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
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    My doctor says I'm 100% healthy...but I'm tired because I need to lose weight! ...ahhh...Duh doc! :-)

    Probably did, but just double-checking: did he say this after a blood workup?

    Low Iron can make you sluggish and tired all the time.
  • ConnieMaxwell
    ConnieMaxwell Posts: 7
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    I find that when I am feeling run down I have not drunk any water in awhile so I get my water bottle and take a long drink and breath for a minute and I can start to feel it kicking in. Doesn't always work but at least it gives me a moment to focus on what I might need to do: take a break, drink some water, get some air, take my supplements, etc.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Are you eating enough?
    Calories are, literally, a measurement of energy. If you cut your calories too low, you'll find you don't have enough energy to get through the day. Your diary isn't open so I'm just making a guess here.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    Are you eating enough?
    Calories are, literally, a measurement of energy. If you cut your calories too low, you'll find you don't have enough energy to get through the day. Your diary isn't open so I'm just making a guess here.

    This is my first guess too. Tell us if we're way off base.
  • ahealthy4u
    ahealthy4u Posts: 442 Member
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    I use herbalife prepair, lift off, and peach tea and that has boosted my energy and I don't get the down spiral like you would if you drink those energy drinks
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
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    Are you eating enough?
    Calories are, literally, a measurement of energy. If you cut your calories too low, you'll find you don't have enough energy to get through the day. Your diary isn't open so I'm just making a guess here.

    This is my first guess too. Tell us if we're way off base.

    X3
  • ANuMe30
    ANuMe30 Posts: 5
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    Thanks for the advice. I think I will begin to journal all my meals, because after reading the comments here I think it is
    my diet. Also to the last comment...yes my bloodwork was good. Except my doc found extremly low vitamin d levels.
    Which was not a shock because Ive always had low iron and low vit d. Thnks for the advice.
  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
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    Carbs make me super exhausted. None of my labwork shows insulin resistance or pre-diabetes, but when I significantly reduce my carbs I have loads more energy and I am no longer groggy throughout the day.

    I also like black coffee, sugar-free Red Bull, and ice water for quick wake-me-ups throughout my day.

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