Are They Lying to Me?

Jonezie

Jonezie

Cathlete
Please...only respond if you've dealt with low energy or weight issues yourself. I've been overweight most of my life. About 70 pounds overweight. And I feel like I've got NO energy. I walk around, dragging my feet all day, moving like I'm in slow motion. And love to sleep. Maybe I'm lazy. But I went to college for seven years and loved it, and wasn't lazy then (although I still loved to sleep).

I'm working two jobs right now but I find myself leaving work early so I can go home and take a two hour nap. Maybe I'm just exhausted from stress and worrying all the time.

But here's my question. Every commercial and advertisement for weight loss boasts of improved energy. Is this REALLY the case? Am I going to be sprinting around and accomplishing everything I hoped and more once I lose this 60 pounds? Because I've just lost seven and I'm still feeling like I need to race home and sleep. How long before I start to feel the fabulous energy???

PS...If I'm 5'4"...is 133 a healthy weight to have? I've read 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet...but that seems a little small to me.

I would love to hear your stories and if you REALLY felt more energetic after losing weight (plus how long it took to feel that way)...or if the weight loss industry is lying to me!

Thanks!!!
 
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I lost nearly 45 pounds earlier this year. I have definitely felt increased energy levels. For me, I started noticing it when I had lost about 20 pounds. After that 20 pounds, the changes in how I felt were rapid and, quite honestly, just amazing. I remembering telling my sister that I felt like I had found the fountain of youth (I'm 44, btw). So, based on my experience, I don't think you are being lied to.

That being said, I think how much you experience the increase in energy will have as much to do with your fitness program and eating habits as it will the decrease in weight. In other words, I think if you lose weight through increased levels of fitness and through clean eating, you will experience a more effective increase in energy than if you lose weight through supplements (as an example) or eating poorly but just less of it (as another example).

That being said, if you are concerned about your energy level, and it having a significant impact on your life, then you might want to see a doctor about it. There could be any number of reasons for decreased energy and, yes, being overweight could be one reason. But there could also be some other medical reasons as well that you might want to explore if, again, you are concerned about your energy and it impedes your daily life.

I think 133 is a reasonable weight for somebody who is 5'4", but I also think your ideal weight is very dependent on your body frame. If you have a larger frame, it could be that your ideal weight is higher than that. I'm 5'2" and have a very small frame, so I'm down near 100 pounds. But somebody who is bigger boned than I am at my height will look and feel great at 120 (or higher). I think the most important thing is to try to find the right weight for your body and use guidelines like the one you've cited as just guidelines....not hard and fast rules that must be followed. If you are happy with your body at 145 (still a healthy BMI for your height) as opposed to 133, then let 145 (as an example) be your ideal weight.

Best of luck!!
 
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C-

Thanks for the great response...I have been eating lots of processed, boxed dinners...Lean Cuisines. I've always done just what you mentioned...eat less bad stuff but bad nonetheless. Not refined sugar as much as processed foods and Diet Cokes, also lots of sugar free stuff.

So you really noticed a difference with the clean eating?
 
I've been thin (5'8" 132), overweight for a few years (190) and, after a few big life changes (quitting job, moving to a different country) a lot overweight (229). I can definitely say that even at 190, I never thought about sleep or being tired unless I'd been unusually active / stressed. At my current weight, I do feel tired all of the time and it's a struggle to find the energy to exercise.

I figure that my body is carrying around so much extra weight at the moment that it's prone to fatigue, like when I was thinner and had a really busy day, except then I could rest and my body could recover and be back to normal. Now, even when I get up after resting, the same stress is still present and I tire out.

At least for me, what I eat makes a huge difference in how I feel even at my current weight. I eat a pretty clean diet, have almost completely cut out any artificial sweeteners, but still have a weakness for chocolate and take-out from our favorite place. The cleaner I eat and the longer I stick to it, the more energy I have. Or, actually, the less tired I feel.

I've read that Lean Cuisines are better than other things one can eat in terms of portion control and basic ingredients, but they do have a lot of sodium and preservatives. If you believe that the closer to the source, the better the food is for you, I think Lean Cuisines have traveled pretty far from their "source".

Well, the time it's easiest for me to exercise is first thing in the morning, which is now for me, so off I go!

Expatter
 
I am 5-4, and 145 is a much better weight for me. If I go below 140, I get too thin for my frame. 145 is a size 6 on me.
 
i was thin as a young person but then gained significant weight in my early 20s and held onto that for years. in 2005 i began to lose weight -- ultimately taking off 45 lbs in about 14 months and maintaining that weight loss until i got pregnant in winter 07/08. i actually didnt notice my energy was better after the weight loss but my husband sure did and pointed it out. however, since i put on the excess weight with this last pregnancy that i am having trouble getting rid of, it has become clear to me just how much better i felt, energy and otherwise, when i was slimmer those last few years. although i am not as heavy now as i was in my early 20s, i am tired and feeling my body does not recover as quickly from exercise, my joints creak, and sometimes it seems the aches and pains seem to pop up unprovoked! back, knees, neck, etc. i cannot comfortably perform the same level of exercise that helped me lose all the weight the first time which is making this second round much more slow going.

regarding food choices, i think clean eating is very difficult when you are just starting out. i know other may disagree with me here, but i think starting out with simple changes you know you can stick to is really best. otherwise it is easy to feel like you failed before you even began. when my first 12 lbs came off i was quite surprised as i really had only just begun to exercise regularly and had made a # of small but apparently significant changes to my eating (no eating after dinner, stopped drinking cream in my coffee, and made my portions smaller at every meal). after i had some success i was able to start making other changes in what i ate. my 2nd stage was less processed foods and more plate consciousness -- 1/2 plate was veggies or salad, 1/4 plate was carbs, 1/4 plate protein. my attempts at clean eating have come later. i still use the same plate/serving awareness but am more careful about what goes on the plate than i was before.

i think lean cuisines et al are incredibly helpful to some people because they are portioned and easy. eventually you will probably want to move to a more healthful and cost effective way of eating but i truly believe that starting out with that kind of stuff is really fine and quite practical depending on what your eating was like before. if the meals take guesswork and snacking out of the equation then yay!

i know everyone is different and this is just my experience but i hope it helps you in some way.
 
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Jonezie, have you been checked out for sleep apnea? You have the classic symptoms of someone with apnea, and if you get treatment for it, it really will change your life and you will be filled with energy.
 
I am 5' 4.5", and weigh between 134-136, and I'm a solid size 8 (Old Navy, Limited). I am ok with my size, but I would like to lose more fat, just to get the jiggly-ness off.
 
Oh my.....I am 5' nothing, 148 pounds and VS petite size 8??? :eek: According to the "charts" I should weigh 100 - 115 pounds (at the most). I think I would be a size zero if I ever got down to that weight!!! :rolleyes: Right now I am shooting for 125 which I think is reasonable for my LBM.

As far as energy, I have managed to loose about 15 pounds over the last sick months, my energy has increased substantually and I have managed not to get sick while a lot of other people have, another plus. :D
 
Jonezie said:
C-
So you really noticed a difference with the clean eating?
Click to expand...

I've noticed a huge difference with cleaner eating. I will never eat totally clean, but the cleaner I eat, the better I feel.

That being said, I totally agree with bostonwendy that moving towards cleaner eating may be best done with a more gradual approach. That's how I did it. I focused on one thing at a time (it started with my morning coffee, working at eliminating the cream and highly processed sugar) and once I was comfortable with the changes I made, I moved on. I wanted every change I made in my lifestyle to be one that I could live with forever. Some things.....I just couldn't make the change, and I've accepted that. Other changes were much easier, and I have no desire to go back.

I don't think Lean Cuisine is a bad option for a meal a day because I, too, think that it teaches proper portion sizes. I ate frozen meals for many of my dinner meals (about 4 a week) when I first started losing weight and even now, months later, when I am cooking dinner, I aim for a calorie content in my main courses that equal that of many frozen dinners. In other words, it has given me a guideline to go by that I know I can live with. But if you are eating alot of highly refined sugars and perhaps taking in too much caffeine (with the diet soda), your energy levels could be being impacted by those choices.
 
Weight to size ratio can be so different, can't it!? ;)

I remember I worked with 2 girls, one was about 5' 7", size 6, and the other was about 5' 2" or so, size 4, and the 5' 2" girl weighed a couple pounds more than the 5' 7" girl!

It was all about muscle though. The 5' 2" girl definitely had more muscle and less fat than the other one, although they both looked great!
 
Hi! - This is on the long side sorry for that!

Hi Elizabeth,

I am sorry to hear that you are feeling tired lately. I have been too. I also have eaten 2 pounds of cheese this past week. LOL!!!! I am chalking that up to the change in seasons. Every year at about this time, I feel sluggish and super hungry for October and November. Then around December is tapers off and I start to feel awake again. I am thinking this is because light is becoming more scarce and my body follows its own rhythm with the seasons. I try to ride it out, avoid junk and overeat on vegetables...but cheese always wins!!! I sleep more on the weekends too and I find it hard to get up in the morning and I want to sleep in the evening. Naps are great! Around late December/early January I start to wake up. I think this is because light is becoming more plentiful after the winter solstice. I have noticed this trend with myself for years so I just go with it and try not to eat the farm and I keep up with exercise!

Barring that you have no hormonal imbalances or other medical problems, perhaps it is just this time of year. Still, it might be worth checking with a doctor to run some blood work to make sure nothing is going on in the background.

Next, good for you on being aware of portion control. In addition to healthy eating, that is very important when trying to lose weight. I noticed that you mentioned you eat Lean Cuisine meals. Although I am sure they are handy and fast for a meal, they are really not good for you. Actually, anything prepackaged is not good for you since there are a lot of "filler" ingredients in them. When it comes to eating clean, in addition to eliminating sugar and refined carbs, you have to eat fresh, whole foods (or frozen vegetables in substitution for fresh during the leaner/cold months). No added butters, sugars, etc. Look at the ingredients on the side of your Lean Cuisine. I am sure you will find high fructose corn syrup as one of the ingredients in addition to many other laboratory engineered ingredients in some of those pre-packaged meals. Those ingredients and other man-made chemicals/additives inhibit our bodies from working 100% as it should. Your body has no idea what to do with those foreign things. It see these things and is confused: do I send out the immune system, do I send out digestive enzymes ahhh!!! What do I do? So it sends out a bunch of hormones such as cortisol and other weightloss inhibiting chemicals to investigate and send feedback to your cells and brain. It is one thing to have this happen once or twice in a life time, but the reality is that people do this at every meal (unknown to them) with all of the chemicals and additives in the food. So, over the course of a few decades, problems will manifest themselves through obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, etc. I find that it is no coincidence that those disorders are all hormonally related and they have been on the rise as society's chemically engineered food intake has also increased. I think it is more than just a calories in vs. calories out question at this point.

I have dealt with my own battles of insulin problems (not diabetes) and I have thought that I was eating healthy fairly consistently. It turned out that most of the food I was eating - fat free salad dressings, low fat this and that - were all LOADED with high fructose corn syrup and other fillers. Then I consulted a few endocrinologists and my own PCP. I learned more about the issues our manufactured food is causing. There are not many studies or "proof" on this problem...yet. I don't want to make this political, but the manufacturers have a huge stake in DC with lobbyists etc. Besides, with enough money, you can buy a study to say one thing vs. another - I have seen that first hand! Anyway, I just did some of my own experimentations with myself and I found that eliminating sugar and refined carbs and ALL processed foods at all costs in addition to doing Cathe's workouts and running gave me even greater results than just doing the exercise alone and thinking I was eating healthy with prepackaged food. The change in eating really took me to a whole other level (with STS of course).

Additionally, after switching to a clean eating lifestyle, I did feel energetic. It wasn't a huge knock me down noticeable difference all at once. It was something I noticed at first during my workouts. I was stronger and had a greater ability to put more into the workouts and I recovered faster. After about 6 months, I really felt awesome. It just takes time for it to kick in and let your body "heal" itself and fix itself. It will happen, but you really do have to commit to eliminating all chemicals and man-made ingredients for a good amount of time. It is a tough change, but once you do it for a while, you won't go back. I love when people say "Don't you just take a break from it?" I just tell them that I won't quit on my body because it doesn't quit on me. Gee - wouldn't it be a shame if my lungs decided to take a vacation?

I think if you examine the ingredients on the packaged food you will find that you are eating a lot of filler (corn, soy etc.) and more sugar (in the forms of syrup usually) than you think. This will not help you in reaching your goals. There are a lot of people on these forums who have far more experience and knowledge on the clean eating topic so it would be good to search around for some tips. I am sure you will get a lot of feedback.

I hope that helps - keep us posted on how you do!

Good luck!

Becky
 
Low Energy

Hi Jonezie,

As a few others have mentioned I would suggest getting an appointment with your doctor. It sounds like you may need to have your thyroid checked. I had thyroid cancer 7 years ago and I used to joke that I could fall asleep anywhere, anytime. Yes, losing weight will definitely help but if your thyroid is out of whack you'll need to get that straightened out before you feel much better.

I hope this helps!

Steph
 
I hear you!

I lost 80 pounds over the course of two years and I have maintained that loss for about a year (put on some due to antibiotics). I still have 50 pounds to go. I'm 5'2", I started at 258 and I'm at about 180. I still struggle with energy sometimes. My energy level did improve with the weight loss. I think I got some energy back because I wasn't working as hard just walking around. Try lifting a 10 pound bag of flour and then imagine 8 of those on your body. Also, the things I had to do in order to lose weight may have been what helped. For example, yoga, cardio, getting more vegetables, reducing processed foods, taking a multi vitamin, taking probiotics, eliminating most caffeine, and even working through some of my emotional issues seem to all help with the quality of sleep. I also try to get some sunshine for the vitamin d. I use room darkening curtains. They aren't perfect, but it helps. I don't watch tv in my bedroom before bed. It sounds like you may have an allergy sapping your energy. Have you tried eliminating wheat, soy, or dairy? Also, aspartame can be a problem too. Medications like antidepressants can cause sleep problems. A lack of magnesium can make you tired. And dehydration will make you very sleepy.

I do have more energy now than I used to. I still get tired though.
 
One more thought, soy blocks the absorption of your own thyroid. So, even if you get your thyroid tested if you are eating a lot of soy (usually in most processed foods including 'healthy' breads) it will make you tired.

I think 140 would be fine for a person your height. I'm aiming for 130 and I'm two inches shorter.
 
WOW! Thank you...everyone of you...for taking the time to respond so openly and thoroughly. I so appreciate it. I should have mentioned...I do not have any medical conditions...no sleep apnea (although I toss and turn all night) and no thyroid problems.
Becky and Wendy...you were so careful to go through each and every detail with me. I really do think the Lean Cuisines are full of chemicals and that has been a contributing factor. I'm also noticing increased sugar cravings...which, I think, means I'm getting it in small doses in the prepackaged foods. But I LOVE what you said about the time change this time of year. That has, in fact, been such an issue for me. And you are the first to say that you are more tired during some parts of the year than others.

I should also mention, perhaps, that I've been experiencing my first bout (in 35 years) with depression. I've always been such a happy and positive person...but lately overwhelmed with the ins and outs of making a living...and a life...as a single woman working two jobs. I'm also 1100 miles away from my mom and only family in Texas. So this may make a big difference in my energy levels. :) Don't worry, though...I'm seeing a wonderful therapist!

I'm just overwhelmed by all the wonderful responses...so glad to know you all are out there! I'll be looking for you here!

Warmest,
Elizabeth
 
I've also struggled my entire life with weight issues. (gotta love that German heritage and food choices lol) I'm still significantly overweight and on the older (52) side. So my comments are based on my personal observations. I've also had my thyroid tested (fine) and have no sleep apnea. My family has a history of diabetes but I don't have that issue.

- my energy increased quite a bit when I changed to mostly-raw vegan. I find that carb-heavy foods (like Lean Cuisine) tend to sap my energy. I do better with low carb/starchy foods except in moderation. And then it's whole grains/whole foods (sweet potatoes, sprouted grain pasta, etc)

- On one of Leslie Sansome's workouts she said 'the more you sit, the more you want to sit. The more you move, the more you want to move'. I found this to be true for me. I get up and I'm sluggish with minimal energy. I have to force myself to workout. I do it anyway (6 days a week, but walk every day). I feel SO much more energized afterwards. Even if it's a walk around the block. Now I can do a full hour of Cardio Coach (interval walk/jogs). I did two of these this weekend. I can still crash and burn in the afternoon. And I give myself permission to lay down for a bit if I've been busy that day (usually this is only on the weekends when I have a chance to indulge in this).

- I have one bag of green/white tea in the morning on the days I work (not on the weekends). It helps with the energy level. Only in the morning. No caffeinated coffee/tea otherwise.

- I have a GoWear Fit. It motivates me to keep moving. I like seeing the numbers ramp up. I actually hit 3000 calories burned on Saturday :eek: (My usual is 2500-2700)

- I bumped my calories above my RMR/BMR. I was eating too few calories and was gaining weight. Even WITH eating clean and working out religiously.

I've now lost 20lbs since May with an average of 1lb/week. Yes it's slow. But it's a huge improvement over going the other direction. And I have hope again.
 
HI Elizabeth,

I suffered from extreme bouts of fatigue and low energy last year. I managed to still workout 5-6 times a week but I found I couldn't lift as heavy and my cardio stamina suffered. I fell asleep at the drop of a hat and just felt completely exhausted all the time. I thought the same thing as you, surely all this exercise would give me energy!

Anyway, I visited my endocrinologist for a routine thryoid check. I told her of my fatigue and low energy, all my exercise, etc. and she ran some tests. It came back that I was extremely anemic. My levels were less than 2 and should have been between 15-20. I never would have thought that I was anemic. I started to take iron supplements and within 8 weeks or so I noticed I wasn't nearly as tired and my energy levels were going back up. I could finish my cardio routines and just get on with my life.

Something to think about if you don't feel better and have to visit a doctor. Have them do a ferritin blood test, not just a finger prick. I has made a world of difference for me.

Good luck on your journey!
 
Brenda...what is a Go Wear Fit?? I'm intrigued!

Carolyn...I have often wondered if I'm low in iron...I've been getting wicked...WICKED...vertigo spells once every other month or so. And the thought came to me to increase my iron intake...but how? Do they make iron supplements?

Thanks thanks thanks!
 
Yes they do. I take a supplement called Slow FE. It is slowly released into your system. It is supposed to help with side effects of taking iron, like constipation. I did not experience that but a lot of people do. I use the Walmart brand or my grocery store brand b/c it's cheaper and it is the exact same. Most daily multi vitamins have iron (18 mg, 100% dv) but my doc said I needed much more and Slow Fe has 47.5 mg and 264% daily value. I was supposed to take it twice a day until my levels came up, but I had a hard time trying to time around my thyroid meds so I took it once daily.

I was getting vertigo spells, rapid heart rate just from walking to the mailbox or climbing stairs and also shortness of breath. All due to very low iron. Like I said, it takes a while for your body to build up iron stores, but after 2 months or so I was noticing a difference. Mine is caused by really heavy cycles so I need to continue to take iron.
 
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