On new diet, but having problems

[JudyS]

Hi, all!

I'm a long-time DISboard member, but I don't post on W.I.S.H. much.

I lost about 40 pounds four years ago, but unfortunately, it has all come back, even though I kept up with most of the lifestyle changes I had made. I really can't stand being so fat (according to the standard "Height/Weight Charts," I am about 100 pounds overweight), so I am trying again. I'd really like to "re-lose" that 40 pounds.

The problem is, I feel horrible now that I'm dieting. I am OK right after I eat, but long before the time to eat again, I feel all groggy and disoriented. Worse, I feel terrible emotionally. I'm bursting into tears at the slightest thing and even getting into arguments with people (which is just not like me at all). I wake up hungry in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep, and end up crying for hours. The only thing that seems to help is eating.

Now, if I were on a too-strict diet, the solution would be simple -- go on a less severe diet. The thing is, my diet isn't that strict at all. I'm a vegetarian but I haven't had good luck with low-fat diets in the past, so I'm restricting carbs instead. I'm letting myself eat lots of soy, reduced fat diary, vegetables, and flax. I'm drinking two protein shakes a day. I'm also letting myself have some "good fats" (like olive oil and nuts) and a small amount of fruit. So, it's a pretty healthy diet, and it's not that low in calories -- I figure I'm eating 1800 to 2000 calories a day.

Has anyone else run into this problem? Is there a way to fix it? If this doesn't get better, I don't see how I can keep dieting, but I just can't stand being so fat! Help!

 

[maria34a]

Have you had your Thryoid checked recently?? Have you seen your doctor about this?? I would first make an appointment and talk this over with your doctor and eliminate a few things first like the Thryoid and perhaps depression? Who knows, it could be as simple as that! But you need to see your doctor.

 

[JudyS]

Have you had your Thryoid checked recently?? Have you seen your doctor about this?? I would first make an appointment and talk this over with your doctor and eliminate a few things first like the Thryoid and perhaps depression? Who knows, it could be as simple as that! But you need to see your doctor.

Hi, Maria! Thanks for the advice. I saw my doctor just before I started this diet. I have had some abnormal thyroid tests in the past, but I got my thyroid levels checked about 10 days ago, and they (TSH, T3, T4) were normal. I also have had depression in the past, but I have taken anti-depressants for many years, and wasn't having a problem before this diet.

I suppose I could try to see my doctor again, but it conflicts with my schedule at work, so I'd rather not go unless I think it really might help. I've never found doctors to be helpful at all with weight issues, to be honest -- I've seen many of them about my weight problems, and they just say I'm eating too much.

 

[fofinia]

Hi! Maybe you are just experiencing the initial stress of just "being on a diet". I know this happens for me. When I first start a new plan. I feel very stressed about it. And deprived. And all I can think about all day is what foods I'm not enjoying and that I want to be.

Even right now at this point, I've been doing WW for 10 months. And I feel as if it's not working anymore. And that I really want to switch to something else. So this morning I was debating my options. And I think just the stress of it (and lack of sleep lately) put me in a lousy mood today. I was weeding in the garden and just started crying. For no reason.

When I first started WW, I noticed after a few weeks I felt better. I was more in the groove of the plan. And I looked for things I could squeeze into my plan that helped me feel less deprived. For me I need to have something sweet to look forward to each day. So I found that Reese's peanut butter eggs will do it for me. I can actually have just one and it satisfies my sweet tooth. And I don't have to eat the whole package. Unlike say icecream where 1/2 cup is not enough by far.

Also try and think about what kind of things make you feel full. I know that feeling of fullness is not really recommended. But sometimes you just need to feel a little bit stuffed after a meal so you don't want more. What kind of things do that for you? Sometimes a bag of the 94% FF popcorn will do it for me. (I'm not sure if it's vegan though) And I get a certain satisfaction from being able to eat the whole bag. It's only 1 WW point for the whole bag. So you get the mental satisfaction of finishing something. And it fills you up.

HTH! and I agree with you about Dr's. They have never been any help to me in the past either.

Good luck, and just keep working at it!!

 

[disneychrista]

Are you exercising? This is very important and will actually give you more energy, when done on a daily basis.

 

[JudyS]

... For me I need to have something sweet to look forward to each day. So I found that Reese's peanut butter eggs will do it for me....Also try and think about what kind of things make you feel full. I know that feeling of fullness is not really recommended. But sometimes you just need to feel a little bit stuffed after a meal so you don't want more...

Thanks for the comments, Fonfina.

I don't think the problem is that I miss the foods I used to eat. Actually, I just went through a period of giving up most of my favorite foods for religious reasons, and that didn't cause these problems at all. I didn't mention this earlier, but I on this new diet I'm letting myself have a small amount of sugar-free chocolate most days as a reward for exercising. I'm eating plenty of bulky foods such as veggies, so by the end of a meal, I don't feel like there's any room for more food in my stomach. But, a little while later, I feel awful again.

Are you exercising? This is very important and will actually give you more energy, when done on a daily basis.

For the past four years, I've exercised about 4 or 5 times a week, although the past few months I haven't been able to do as much because I've been having pain in my legs when I exercise. I did exercise for each of the past three days but I felt really awful afterwards, all dizzy and disoriented, and had to lie down.


I think what I'm really looking for support from other people who have been through this. I often feel as if no one has the same health problems that I do, like I'm totally alone. I'm wondering if other people have had this, and whether it went away by itself. (And if it did, how long it took.) Fofina, I know you said your diet was easier after a few weeks, but I don't think I can take this for that long!

I also think I'm looking for advice. If I feel this horrible while dieting, would I be better off giving up?

 

[believe]

You may want to try breaking up your food and eating smaller amounts throughout the day. I like to eat and have found that by keeping snacks around 100 calories and meals under 300 I can eat more often throughout the day. If I do happen to feel hungry at a time I typically don't eat then having a small snacks doesn't 'kill' my healthy eating plan.

7:30am -fruit and ff hot cocoa
9:30am- yogurt
11:30am- either salad w/o dressing or a 230 calorie healthy choice meal
2pm- 100 calorie snack or fruit
4pm- either dinner (homemade pizza under 300 calories, veggie burger w/lima beans, etc)usually around 300-400 calories, sometimes less. If not very hungry I just have a 100 calorie snack then have dinner later.
6pm-usually whatever I didn't have a 4pm.
9pm-sometimes another light snack (wasa cracker with a slice of turkey), sometimes I am not hungry.

I try to stay around 1200 calories. With a 1800-2000 calorie diet you could add in more snacks or higher calorie snacks.

 

[JudyS]

You may want to try breaking up your food and eating smaller amounts throughout the day....

Thanks for your comment. Yes, that is good advice for dieters. But, I'm doing that already. I'm eating small amounts about 6 or 7 times a day, but I only feel better for maybe 30 minutes each time I eat.

I'm actually a pretty experienced dieter and I've been able to lose weight in the past, but it's just so much harder now. I don't think any of the usual dieting advice is going to help me. Mostly I'm hoping to hear from people who've been through the same thing, and I need advice as to whether this is worth it. Fofina, I know that you said you've experienced some of the same thing -- has anyone else?

 

[JudyS]

Today was Day 6 of my new diet, and I am still having real difficulties. This evening, I taught a class at a local community college. First, I gave the students a test, which went OK. But afterwards, when we went over the test, I really ran into problems. I had a lot of trouble understanding what my students were saying -- which is usually not at all a problem for me -- and I felt much more impatient than I usually do with my students. Driving home, I was so confused that I had trouble figuring out that a blinking red stoplight meant it was OK to turn. I just stared at the light trying to remember what it meant! The person behind me honked at me, and without thinking, I made a rude hand gesture. That is really not like me! Afterwards, I felt so bad that I started crying again. I am just not myself ever since I started this diet.

I don't think I'm "doing anything wrong" on this diet. I don't think I'm not exercising enough, or not eating enough bulky foods, or not eating small meals often enough, or doing anything else wrong. But I am having a horrible time.

Am I really the only person here who has gone through this? It would make me feel a lot better if I knew that other people had made it through this. I also am hoping to get advice -- should I try to stick this out, or give up on dieting?

 

[fofinia]

Hi Judy! I'm so sorry you are having such a difficult time. I'm not sure that I've ever experienced completely the same thing you are going through.

You being confused and disoriented is not a good thing. I've experienced that from jet lag and maybe from not eating for hours and hours.But not from dieting.

Yesterday, I decided I wasn't going to do WW anymore and I decided to do low fat/low carb/high protein. I had breakfast and about 2 hours later, I was starving, I was yelling at my kids and then burst into tears. So I gave up and had some sugar. And went back to WW. I know it's not the same as you. But for me I realized there were/are a lot of other things in my life that have been building up for a few months. And I am actually a little depressed. (Not medication worthy, yet anyway) And being on a diet and dieting is not helping my frame of mind at all. I'm not going to stop dieting because I don't want to undo all my good. But if you were to stop for one day or one meal...do you feel any better? If you did then maybe you would know that it was definitely the diet. If you didn't feel any better then maybe you could start looking elsewhere. Could you be having an allergic reaction to something you are eating? Anything new in your diet? Or possibly a cold coming on? Just making you feel out of sorts. Of course you said you wake up hungry and can't go back to sleep. Lack of sleep is not going to help you feel any better. What about keeping something by the bed and if you wake up hungry, just have a bite or two, see if it will take the feeling away so you can go back to sleep?

Again, I feel terrible for you. I wish I could say I know exactly how you feel. Is there anything else that works as a stress reliever for you? How about getting a massage or your nails done. Those are relaxing and can help. Maybe a little yoga. Or just doing something that is strictly for you that you really enjoy. A new book, a movie. Non food related.

Good luck! If it is just new diet stress it really will pass soon.

 

[fofinia]

I just read this article about an olive recall. I don't know if you eat olives, but I thought of you based on some of the side effects listed: dizziness etc. Just a thought.

"The olives are sold under the following brands: Borrelli, Bonta di Puglia, Cento, Corrado's, Dal Raccolto, Flora, Roland and Vantia, and have codes that start with the letter "G" and are followed by 3 or 4 digits. All sizes of cans, glass jars and pouches of Cerignola, Nocerella and Castelvetrano type olives are affected.

Symptoms of botulism include general weakness, dizziness, double vision, trouble with speaking or swallowing, difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation. People experiencing these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Consumers may also report illnesses associated with consumption of these olives to the nearest FDA district offices. "

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=778

 

[JudyS]

Fofinia, I want to say "Thank you very much!" for your kind words and encouragement. I really appreciate the time that you took to write your responses to me.

I'm still having some symptoms but now that I'm into the second week of this diet, they aren't so severe. I also have a better idea of what the problem has been. My symptoms seemed like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) to me, but I tested my blood sugar and it was around 90 to 110 mg/dl, which is in the official "normal" range. However, once my thinking became less fuzzy, I thought to compare my current blood sugar to what it was before the diet. Based on some lab tests done right before I started the diet, my blood sugar used to be 156 mg/dl. So, I think the problem was that this diet caused my blood sugar to drop from 156 to about 100, which was too big a drop for my body to handle. If I had to do it over again, I think I would have more gradually reduced the amount of carbs I was eating, to give my body time to adjust.

(I'm sure it's not botulism -- botulism might start with some of the same symptoms I've been having, but it causes paralysis and even death if not treated right away. Also, I haven't eaten any of those brands. That olive recall is scary!)

I'm hoping the diet will continue to get easier the longer I stay on it. I'll try posting again after a while, hopefully with the news that the diet is going OK.

Thanks again, Fofinia!

 

[TriMom]

Hi Judy,
I know I came late to the thread, and I am glad that you are doing better!

I really think that you are on to something with the carb withdrawl. I have suffered from depression too, and I personally can't do a low carb diet. It just makes me too emotional, I cry all the time, and I never feel satified - which is impossible to keep up long term.

If you are adjusting to the new diet, and think that you can make it, then I'm so happy for you and good luck! If you are still stuggling, then you may want to add a *small* amount of complex carbs, just to get you thinking clearly again.

Good luck - I know that you can do it!

 

[fofinia]

Hi Judy!

I'm so glad to hear you are doing a little better and that you stuck out the diet. I never would've been so smart as to check my blood sugar levels. What's that old expression? Knowing is half the battle!!

Good luck to you! I wish you well in your continued efforts!!