stretched to thin! sympathetic ear needed

[memyselfandcoffee]

Hi , 

 

so a very ironic fact is that while I'm stretched to thin workwise, I am constantly stressing over being fat!

 

If only I could be literally stretched too thin , instead of metaphorically!

 

currently I am taking 3 classes and teaching on two and I am expected to run an experiment a week. On top of that I have changed my getting up time from noon to 7.30 and am walking an hour a day ( its my commute, 1/2 hour to and from uni). I'm so tired when i get home , its really hard to do anything, I just want to veg in front tv and eat pizza. However in the interest of losing weight, and fulfilling my gaol of looking good when I graduate I am eating mostly really healthily and Id say about an average of 1300 cals of healthy low carb, low fat food (fruit, veggies, salads).( some days less than 1300 cals, I guestimatE )

 

But its only been four weeks and I feel so exhausted alot. To top it off I end up eating pizza at least once a week, and as a result lose barely any weight. (i've lost 5 lbs in about 5 weeks, but fear its slowing). so I wonder I am doing too much, eating too little and then feeling exhausted disheartened b/c weight loss is slow, then i eat a pizza, gain a pound.

 

its the same pattern workwise, I am making such an effort, up early , buzy, buzy, but barely have any time for research- which needs to my main focus.

 

so can anyone sympathize? any tips or words of comfort appreciated!

 

thanks

Edited October 2, 2013 by elise123

[Lisa44201]

I've lost close to 100lbs over the past 6 years. 

 

Often, the more quickly someone loses weight, the less likely he/she is to actually keep it off; 1/2lb to 1lb / week is a healthy rate.

 

If you're really serious about it, then quit guesstimating. Get an app (I like MyFitnessPal), a good food scale, and some measuring cups. Weigh and measure everything. The walk is good exercise. At the end of the day, it's okay to be tired - you've been working all day, remember? Sit and veg with healthy snacks instead.

 

You have to want it badly enough to change.

[memyselfandcoffee]

w

 

I've lost close to 100lbs over the past 6 years. 

 

Often, the more quickly someone loses weight, the less likely he/she is to actually keep it off; 1/2lb to 1lb / week is a healthy rate.

 

If you're really serious about it, then quit guesstimating. Get an app (I like MyFitnessPal), a good food scale, and some measuring cups. Weigh and measure everything. The walk is good exercise. At the end of the day, it's okay to be tired - you've been working all day, remember? Sit and veg with healthy snacks instead.

 

You have to want it badly enough to change.

wow that's amazing! can i ask you some questions? approx how many cals a day did you eat? did you have treats? Is it easy or hard to keep it off? How do you deal with those moments when your physically exhausted and feel you need food ( however i just had one of moments, ate a pizza, feel even worse now), but besides that occasionally i just really want a sugar pick me up, or a fatty binge to relieve stress- any tips on dealing with this?

[St Andrews Lynx]

If you're eating a lot of fruit & veg then your energy levels might be low because your body is missing out on the vitamins/nutrients it needs. Make sure you are getting enough iron. 

 

Bananas are great for boosting my energy levels. If you want to eat pizza, then maybe buy in some smaller, thin-crust ones that have ricotta instead of mozzarella. 

[Lisa44201]

I stick to @1400 per day - sometimes more, rarely less. I have treats, sure, but my definition of treat has changed - home-made hummus, apples & peanut butter (measured out), etc. After the kids go to bed, my husband and I usually have some popcorn (bought in the form of plain kernels, not that chemical nightmare that comes in a bag) while I study / write papers. I snack a lot - at least once a day, sometimes two or three times, including the popcorn, but snacks are either fruit, vegetables, or protein in the form of either hummus or hard-boiled eggs. I don't keep junk food in the house, at all. Even pizza has changed - rather than Domino's, we'll make our own, most recently using potatoes as the base (think mini personal pizzas; NOM). I'll have a few drinks on weekends - God help the person who keeps me from my Friday night margarita / beer / wine / bourbon / hey that bottle looks cool! - but that's it.

 

I learned to separate "I want" from "I need." I wanted to lose weight more than I wanted to eat stuff I knew wasn't helping me get to where I wanted to be. If I want a snack, I'll have a snack, but it'll be something that helps me move forward, as opposed to setting me back.

 

If you're hungry, eat! It's a matter of changing what you eat that makes the difference.

[memyselfandcoffee]

I stick to @1400 per day - sometimes more, rarely less. I have treats, sure, but my definition of treat has changed - home-made hummus, apples & peanut butter (measured out), etc. After the kids go to bed, my husband and I usually have some popcorn (bought in the form of plain kernels, not that chemical nightmare that comes in a bag) while I study / write papers. I snack a lot - at least once a day, sometimes two or three times, including the popcorn, but snacks are either fruit, vegetables, or protein in the form of either hummus or hard-boiled eggs. I don't keep junk food in the house, at all. Even pizza has changed - rather than Domino's, we'll make our own, most recently using potatoes as the base (think mini personal pizzas; NOM). I'll have a few drinks on weekends - God help the person who keeps me from my Friday night margarita / beer / wine / bourbon / hey that bottle looks cool! - but that's it.

 

I learned to separate "I want" from "I need." I wanted to lose weight more than I wanted to eat stuff I knew wasn't helping me get to where I wanted to be. If I want a snack, I'll have a snack, but it'll be something that helps me move forward, as opposed to setting me back.

 

If you're hungry, eat! It's a matter of changing what you eat that makes the difference.

 

Thanks for answering my questions, your replies have been really helpful! I think I will stick to 1400 cals a day and try and eat more fruit snacks so I'm not  fit to pass out on the way home  from uni-- really i'm idiot, do I really think pizza and cake will give me energy..... in contrast to houmous and rye and fruit- its pretty obvious, maybe its just the food addict part of brain trying to trick me. I really like the idea of eating something that 'helps me move forward as opposed to setting me back'-- it's great way to think about it- rather than thinking in deprivation terms

 

Thanks again!

[Lisa44201]

Any time! Feel free to PM me too, if you need suggestions/motivation.

[pears]

some school's health centers have on-staff nutritionists, or can at least refer you to specialists nearby; that might be a good place to start!

 

i really enjoy cooking, but i have a bad habit of being a super lazy eater, and i am perpetually mega-broke. i try to set aside 2 hours every sunday to cook 5-7 lunches for the week that i can carry in a container in my bag. that way, i know exactly what i'm getting in terms of calories & nutrients. i bulk-buy produce with my housemates through a CSA program, & i bulk-buy whole grains & dry goods (quinoa, lentils, beans, bouillon, oats) to save money. i'm a pescatarian, so for meat (fish), i just buy whatever fillets are on sale.

 

only cooking for lunches gives me more freedom for breakfast & dinner, & knowing what to expect calorie-wise means i can get lazy & buy things on campus when i'm way too busy to stop for food at home. we have sushi & salads for sale on campus, so i stick with those, especially the ones with full nutritional labels. i also try to separate my foods into portions as soon as i buy them, so i don't just measure out random stuff all willy-nilly when i'm cooking in a rush, e.g., pouring loose dry goods into 1/2 cup sized reused sandwich bags.

 

i try to switch up my ingredients weekly & find very filling foods so i can nibble on in throughout the day (instead of snarfing down one huge meal): curried lentils cooked in veggie stock, herbed roast veggie hash, broiled fish with fresh dill & lemon, homemade veggie soup, all sorts of fruit salads, & so on. i prefer to make meals that have a variety of flavors & textures so i won't get bored of grazing on it throughout the day, & i won't get painfully full right away or really hungry later, because i have a tendency to over-eat if i go from snack to snack. aiming for 4 small meals a day (an hour after i wake up, late morning, mid-afternoon, mid-evening seems to work for me) makes me feel more full than 2 big meals or grazing on very small snacks nonstop.

 

in general, i agree with the previous: nutrition & calorie tracking apps, & what you eat, rather than how much, are key. self magazine has a great app of sorts on their website that's also very helpful for figuring out what you need nutrient-wise, instead of taking a broad-spectrum multivitamin. that may help with the tiredness & cravings. also, it seems counter-intuitive, but when you're tired or exhausted from working, exercise for 15-30 minutes: run, bike, walk, do calisthenic (weights-free) circuits at home, whatever you want. you can follow up with lots of water & a shower. it's like hitting a "refresh" button on your brain & body!

[memyselfandcoffee]

well, so after weeks of feeling exhausted, today after getting up at 6.30 I was exhausted by 6pm and hadn't done a lot, felt a bit listless all day (had a nap in fact). so anyway i went and bought 2 slices of cake, and wow suddenly i was awake and full of energy and motivated to study. I remember when i was doing my masters I would get u at 7.30 too as I had class, and most evenings at 6/7 i would have a small sugar/chocolate treat and then continue to work until 10pm ( I took a break midday for about 3 hours) Other than that I ate healthily and exercised quite a bit (1 hour walk per day, gym every other day) so I even lost 8-9 lbs over 4 months b/c i was working and exercising and otherwise eating healthily. sure it was slow, but I was extremely productive, a bit of machine really when it came to study. These days on my low gl diet (pretty much no sugar) i crash at about 6 and thats it; no study. if I have afternoon classes its a real struggle. and by then end of week ( sometimes earlier)I'm just craving food and exhausted, but not really from overwork, which is the really stressful part.

 

then I came accross these articles which seemed to explain it

 

http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~lchang/material/Evolutionary/Brain/Self-control%20relies%20on%20glucose%20as%20a%20limited%20energy%20source%20willpower%20Is%20more%20than%20a%20metaphor.pdf

 

Beliefs about willpower determine the impact of

glucose on self-control

Veronika Joba,1, Gregory M. Waltonb, Katharina Berneckera, and Carol S. Dweckb,1

 

any thoughts?

 

I'm thinking of trying to stick to 1450 cals a day, but include a sugary treat, maybe even full fat coke, which has sugar but no fat, and see if that improves my energy levels.

 

Anyone else have similar experiences with sugar. whats funny is that i don't really consider myself to have a sweet tooth, I prefer cheese and pizza to chocolate, so i really think it is physiological

Edited October 5, 2013 by elise123

[juilletmercredi]

I think people have already addressed the importance of food.  Sugar doesn't really give me a rush but sugar has well-documented influences on people's energy levels (hence "sugar rush").  Sugar isn't really good energy booster food, though.  It gives you a boost of energy, but also a crash and the boost doesn't last long if it's not supplemented with something else.

But there are other foods you can eat that are good for energy.  Someone already mentioned bananas - I freaking love bananas; they give me a nice healthy even energy boost (as opposed to the jittery feeling of sugar or caffeine).  So try bananas instead of your small sugar treat.  Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can also give you an even boost.  So try celery and hummus or whole wheat crackers and cheese.  My favorite writing-boost-treat is grapes + cheddar cheese blocks.  Yum!  You also need fiber, because fiber helps your body release energy slowly and in a balanced way, so you don't crash.

And drink lots and lots of water, if you don't already.  Water helps you feel more energized, and being dehydrated makes you feel tired.  I started drinking more water - replacing almost everything else I drink, including juices, with water.  I try to remember to carry around a bottle of water and sip from it all day.  Drinking more water also helps you to feel more full and can curb cravings!

Tea may also be a substitute for that chocolate fix.  Drink some green tea; it's good for you and is energizing without caffeine.  Black tea is caffeinated, but far less than coffee.  I definitely would not drink a Coke per day.  You can use other things with sugar and fiber that are healthier and give you a subtle energy boost.

Also, it could simply be that you're legit tired.  If you wake up at 6:30 am and start working at 7, it's no wonder that you feel tired by 6 pm.  Even if you don't do a lot physical, your cognitive load also has effects on fatigue (new story in the NYT about that today).

Make sure that you are getting plenty of sleep (7-8 hours a night, although everyone's personal needs are different) and exercising at least 3 times a week.  I've found that I have to make time, often leaving other things unfinished, to make time for my runs.  I also discovered the reason I hated working out is that I hated the gym, so I moved my workouts outside.  I run and I'm about to add cycling to the mix as soon as I can afford a bicycle (I used to cycle regularly but moved).

[memyselfandcoffee]

good advice julliet mercredi, And I know its reasonable to ligitimately tired after 12/13 hours but i want to do more work, need to infact, seem to spend my days doing things other than research, I will though in the interest of not balooning into a whale and going against all common sense and nutritional advice, try fruit as a sugar fix... still condsidering the coke for those very long days- green tea is a good idea though- thanks

[memyselfandcoffee]

 this article i put a link to   'Self-Control Relies on Glucose as a Limited Energy Source: Willpower Is

More Than a Metaphor' it demonstrates that after consuming a sugar drink versus a placebo people were better at self control. http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~lchang/material/Evolutionary/Brain/Self-control%20relies%20on%20glucose%20as%20a%20limited%20energy%20source%20willpower%20Is%20more%20th

 

the other article claims this is moderated by beliefs concerning control--- with me however, i find on my no sugar diet I am mentally and physically exhausted and have no will or energy to study and it is difficult to restrain myself from eating.

 

what do you think ?

[Lisa44201]

Is it a matter of you believing you're depriving yourself? There's a difference between "I can't eat that" and "I won't eat that."

[memyselfandcoffee]

Is it a matter of you believing you're depriving yourself? There's a difference between "I can't eat that" and "I won't eat that."

that is definitely a large part of it at times, but what I'm talking about is fatigue and exhaustion from  12+ hours day and trying to do no sugar.

 

But yes, when i am that exhausted and need fuel, I could tell myself i don't want to eat pizza and eat fruit and healthy stuff instead

[LMac]

At my highest weight I was 260 lbs on a 5'5" frame. I dieted for years, usually not eating enough and then giving up and gaining it back, plus some. I know it sounds cliche, but what finally worked for me was paying more attention to the nutrient content of food than to the calories. I gained initially, but my theory is that I had seriously jacked up my metabolism and it needed time to repair. My body was most likely primed for the next period severely restricted caloric intake. I find I also have far more energy after a long day than I used to...although still not quite enough for grad school. I exercise whenever I can, took up cooking (Strangely I found that PhD lab work opened me up to cooking. Recipes are just protocols anyway....), and today, granted years later, I'm holding steady around 135. It can definitely be done. Just be careful not to slip into the "quick fix" mindset. I completely understand the juggling act. I'm in the lab by 7:30am, before classes and I am in no way a morning person. I agree with the calorie tracker comments. I always used SparkPeople when I was keeping track and it's a good system for me to counterbalance what I thought I'd eaten with what you actually had. Anyway, best of luck to you!

[Lisa44201]

What LMac said. Want sugar? Try a banana - simple sugars, and just shy of the calories of a candy bar.

[rising_star]

Everyone else has posted about diet but I'm going to post about exercise. I find that working out actually gives me more energy than I had before. So, I'll do a quick weightlifting workout that takes maybe 30-40 minutes and I'll be wide awake after, even if I'm dragging my butt when I get to the gym. If you're completely sedentary in the evening, you're really not doing your body any favors or encouraging it to be more active. I also try to incorporate walking and exercise into my day whenever I can, which I think helps.