About Unintentional Weight Loss
It is often normal to lose a noticeable amount of weight after, for example, the stress of changing jobs, divorce, redundancy or bereavement.
Weight often returns to normal when you begin to feel happier. This can be after youâve had time to grieve or get used to the change.
Counselling and support may be needed to help you get to this stage. If you think you might need help in coping with stress, seek advice or speak to your GP.
Significant weight loss can also be the result of an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia.
If you think you may have anorexia, try to seek help as soon as possible.
You could start by talking to a person you trust, such as a member of your family or a friend. You could perhaps ask them to go with you to see your GP.
There are also several organisations you can talk to for information and advice, such as the eating disorders charity Eating Disorders Association.
If your weight loss wasnât due to the above causes, and you didnât lose weight through dieting or exercising, see your GP. This is because you may have a health condition that needs to be treated.
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Adrenal Fatigue & Weight Loss Resistance
I work with women all the time who are doing everything right or have seemingly tried every diet and fitness program on the planet, but theyre still struggling to lose weight.
Weight loss resistance is really common, and its generally an indication of an underlying imbalance of some kind. In my practice, adrenal fatigue is almost always behind weight loss resistance.
Adrenal fatigue interferes with digestive function, contributes to insulin resistance, and contributes to hormonal imbalances in general, another common issue that underlies weight loss resistance.
Adrenal fatigue also has the special ability to lead to a buildup of belly fat, which is one of the hardest kinds of weight to lose, and one that can lead to more serious health problems.
Home Remedies And Lifestyle Changes
Making some lifestyle changes may help reduce your symptoms.
Limiting or eliminating your caffeine intake can help you sleep better and ease your insomnia. You should limit or avoid nicotine and alcohol too.
Try to avoid napping during the day if its hurting your ability to sleep at night.
Create a sleep routine. Go to bed at the same time every night and aim to wake up around the same time every day.
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Pacing Activity For People With Me/cfs
Pacing, or keeping within your available energy, is a self-management strategy to help people with ME/CFS make sure that they dont overdo activity or exercise. It reduces the likelihood of triggering PEM and can help reduce symptoms. Pacing is not a cure for ME/CFS and does not treat the underlying, physical cause of the disease.
The goal of pacing is for activity to be sustainable, so that the person can have some stability in their symptoms and what they can do each day. Pacing should be used in conjunction with rest.
The most challenging aspect of pacing is that PEM is very often delayed by as much as 24-48 hours, which can make it difficult to recognise when youve done too much. Using tools like an activity diary or heart rate monitor help you learn about your body and how much activity you can safely tolerate.
Suggestions on how to pace yourself include:
I Cant Shed Any Pounds No Matter How Little Or How Well I Eat
Blame it on: High and low cortisol
Do you:
- Hate getting dressed in the morning because you have to find new ways to disguise the extra kilos that keeping appearing on your belly?
- Feel distressed by unpredictable fluid retention that makes you look puffy in the face, tummy and legs?
- Struggle to shed any kilos or even just maintain your current dress size even though you eat right for your body and exercise regularly?
- Complain that even if you ate nothing but air you still wouldnt lose any weight?
Then its highly likely you have adrenal fatigue. Its well accepted that stress and weight gain go hand in hand.
The culprit? Cortisol. The impacts of high cortisol can easily be seen in people who suffer Cushings disease, a condition that causes chronic excess cortisol. Cushings sufferers experience round puffy faces, high blood pressure and weight gain, particularly around the belly and chest.
But similar side effects can occur if you are exposed to sustained stress. Suddenly you pack on more pounds even though youre not eating more food. And exercise doesnt shift it either.
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Diet
The body needs a balanced diet to improve strength, keep it functioning and maintain good health. Many people with CFS/ME find eating little and often helpful, aiming to eat every three to four hours. A nutritionist will help you create a CFS diet plan tailored to easing symptoms and boosting well-being.
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Deal With Any Nutrient Deficiencies
While following a healthy diet for chronic fatigue should help, you may need additional dietary support, especially if you have been eating a limited range of foods. Studies indicate that people with CFS can be deficient in certain vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. An important part of chronic fatigue diet therapy therefore involves correcting nutrient deficiencies that may be contributing to your symptoms.
A clinical dietitian can determine whether you have any deficiencies and tailor a chronic fatigue diet plan for you.
An anti-inflammatory diet for chronic fatigue includes foods like leafy greens, tomatoes, fruit, oily fish and nuts
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Losing Weight And Feeling Tired: Are They Related
Most of the focus when it comes to body related problems is aimed at weight gain issues and how to lose those extra pounds, whether it may be through bariatric surgery, diet changes, or the implementation of a physical activity routine. Losing weight can also affect a persons overall health, especially if it comes out of nowhere. Being inexplicably tired can be a consequence and a symptom of losing weight is being and this can be due to different factors.
Stress-related issues, such as starting a new job or moving to a new place, can be the source for the unexplained weight loss because people tend to neglect eating full meals during this period and if theyre not getting enough nutrients, it may be reflected on their mood and energy levels, prompting them to feel more tired than usual. This can usually be solved once the issues that are causing stress are solved or by seeking mental health counseling to help manage the anxiety that may be leading a person to feeling tired all the time.
Inexplicably losing weight is worrisome and it could signal an underlying medical condition that needs to be diagnosed by a doctor. At LIMARP®, our team of doctors look after their patients health and aim to provide them the best treatment possible for whatever ailments they may present. This article focuses on the relation that exists between losing weight and feeling tired, the several issues that may cause them, and what can be done about it.
Ways To Manage Adrenal Fatigue
1. Follow a plant-based diet
A plant-based diet can help your body detox and relieve the physical symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Your body digests plant-based foods more easily, which puts less stress on your system. Whole and plant-based foods include:
- Slow-burning carbohydrates
Limit your intake of processed carbs, such as bread, pasta, crackers, and chips, to keep your blood sugar levels steady.
2. Avoid meat
When you eat cow meat, any chemicals ingested by a cow, such as herbicides and insecticides, enter your body as toxins. Adhering to a meat-free diet for a short period can help you cleanse and detoxify your body.
3. Eat regular meals
When you skip meals or ignore hunger cues, it can have an impact on your adrenal health. Irregular meal scheduling can cause your blood sugar to drop too low between meals, prompting your body to release too much cortisol to correct glucose imbalances. For example, eating breakfast is crucial because it restores your blood sugar levels after depleting glycogen stores during the night.
Adrenal fatigue can make it harder for your body to store energy from the foods you eat, so eating small, regular meals and snacks can help fight symptoms of fatigue.
4. Stay well hydrated
Hydration is crucial for the endocrine system. Without adequate water intake, your body cannot deliver nutrients and hormones to the cells.
5. Exercise regularly
6. Limit your exposure to toxins
7. Consider magnesium supplements
8. Adequate sleep
9. Reduce stress
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Why Green Smoothies Are The Key To Optimal Health
I started reading about how amazing green smoothies were for energy.
I decided it was time to put green smoothies to the test.
So I got my blender out and just threw in a load of vegetables including leafy greens.
I didnt follow a recipe. I just made it up.
Was it tasty?
Ive got to be honest no, it was not tasty. I will be sharing my formula with you a little later about how to guarantee your smoothies are tasty. And it took me a long time to realise that green smoothies could actually be tasty.
So really it was a vegetable smoothie I was making.
It wasnt good but I didnt care. I was sick and I was at the point I would have done anything to recover.
So I gulped one of these down every day and something amazing happened.
I started to recover. I started to notice spells of increased energy and felt the life running through my body again.
The weight finally started to come off and it was coming off so fast. Every day I seemed to lose another pound.
After a while I started making simple banana and spinach smoothies and massively increased the amount of fruit in my diet.
It still didnt taste great but it wasnt disgusting either.
Trivia fact for you
Did you know that celebrities have all cottoned on to the fact that green smoothies are pretty amazing for your health?
They understand that they are the secret to slimming down and keeping their skin youthful.
Check out this quote from Venus Williams. This lady needs some serious energy to power her through the day.
Other Fatigue Fighting Strategies
If youre living with fatigue and exhaustion on a daily basis, its time to make an appointment with your doctor. The two of you can discuss your current medications and your dosage schedule. Sometimes splitting doses or taking the same medication by injection on the weekends can help to fight the fatigue. You may also want to discuss supplements with your doctor. Taking probiotics could help you deal both with the pain and your fatigue levels, as might vitamin D. Even investigating your sleep cycle can help quite a bit.
After you talk to your doctor, you may want to try a few other things. First, dont overdo it when you have a good day. If you feel good, keep in mind that your energy level may still be in short supply, and overdoing it will make your next bad day far worse. Knowing your limitations can help you avoid overdoing it.
Be sure to get some exercise every day. While this can be tough if youre dealing with chronic pain and fatigue, a little bit of exercise could help increase your overall energy levels while keeping your joints flexible.
Think about increasing the quality of your sleep, too. You should have a dark space in which you sleep each night that is cool and comfortable. If possible, make sure it is quiet, too, and dont take any electronics into the room.
Chronic pain and fatigue can make it tough to live your life, but there are things you can do to move forward. To learn more about how we can help you fight chronic pain and fatigue, contact us today.
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Weight Gain & Fibromyalgia Me/cfs
One of my own personal biggest issues with Fibromyalgia has been the weight gain and my bodys resistance to lose it. When I am having a severe flare of ME/CFS where I am bedridden for weeks or months, I will usually lose about 20 25 pounds. But once the flare is over and I start to recover the weight comes back on and then some.
Over the years I have talked with many Fibromyalgia patients who all have the same story. It doesnt seem to matter how little they eat, what diet they try, what exercises they do the weight refuses to come off. If they are able to lose weight, it is a short-lived process. They may lose a few pounds and then they plateau a lot sooner than they normally would.
Mark Pellegrino, MD who wrote Fibromyalgia: Up Close & Personal, says that its not unusual for someone with Fibromyalgia to gain 25 30 pounds the first year after becoming ill with Fibromyalgia.
When we first think of weight gain with Fibromyalgia, we automatically assume it is due to exercise and activity levels decreasing due to pain and fatigue. While this is definitely one reason, there are several other factors that can contribute to the weight gain:
Medications. Depending on the type of medication the FM patient is taking, weight gain can be a side effect. Antidepressants are typically prescribed for Fibromyalgia and weight gain is definitely a side effect of these.
Eat a high-protein/low carbohydrate diet
Eat your proteins first.
Chronic Fatigue And Diet: Advice From A Clinical Dietitian
Home » Dietetics » Chronic Fatigue and Diet: Advice from a Clinical Dietitian
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex health condition that affects many body systems. As the name indicates, fatigue is the main symptom, and can range in severity from mild to severe and debilitating. While there isnt a single chronic fatigue diet that will make a miraculous difference, you can make good dietary choices that support your energy levels and better overall health.
Active Abilitys NDIS dietitians talk about how to modify your diet to manage fatigue and help ensure you experience the best possible quality of life.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Me/cfs
Symptoms, lasting three months or more, include:
- debilitating fatigue
- post-exertional malaise
- unrefreshing sleep
- cognitive difficulties
You may also experience:
- orthostatic intolerance
- temperature hypersensitivity
- neuromuscular symptoms
- flu-like symptoms
- intolerances to alcohol or certain foods
- heightened sensory sensitivities
Has Anyone With Chronic Pain And/or Fatigue Lost Significant Weight
Hello everyone,
I’d like to lose weight and go from around 104kg to at least 95kg.
I’ve spent the entire summer trying to lose weight through massive cardio . Despite this I’ve only lost about 2kgs in 3 months, though I have probably lost more in terms of waist size.
My problem is that I have chronic pain and fatigue from an accident years ago. As a result, I spend a lot of time lying down. I can’t have a normal active lifestyle with work, social life and various hobbies as I used to.
Even if I manage to do 2 hours of cardio a day, it’s still not coming off. I think I know why this is. I work from home and generally spend a lot of time at home. This makes it all too easy to grab something in the fridge. I am also frequently bored and understimulated from working at home. This also gives me an incentive to eat because it is pleasurable, when you don’t do much exciting.
Maybe someone can relate in the group?
If you have a similar issues and managed to lose the desired weight, please let me know!
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Meal Plan And Prep When You Can
One of the best ways to ensure a nutritious diet is to meal plan and prep food ahead of time. On days that you have more energy, plan out what you will eat for the rest of the week and prep your basic ingredients or cook the meals all the way through. Your meals will be all ready to go. You wont have to worry about what youll eat on a given day. Even better: Enlist someone to help you so you can get more done without exhausting yourself.
Skip Heavily Processed Foods
Heavily processed foods typically have fewer nutrients than their whole food counterparts. Its important to load up on plants like legumes, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to support your bodys needs.
Dont know what to eat? Groppo recommends sticking with foods that are as close to how Mother Nature made it as possible. Choose popped corn instead of corn flakes or brown rice instead of pasta, for example.
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How To Treat Cfs
To get to the root of the problem, an experienced medical provider that understands this issues complexities must address the underlying problem and sometimes there are multiple factors.
The best medical providers to visit for chronic fatigue and weight gain are integrative medical specialists. These providers dont prescribe a one-size-fits-all treatment, but rather a myriad if necessary of treatments. CFS is a complicated condition that needs a provider who appreciates that concept.
Housebound Or Bedbound With Me/cfs
About 25% of people with ME/CFS are housebound or bedbound. Those who are housebound may be able to undertake minimal daily tasks for themselves, such as brushing teeth, cooking or using a computer for short periods of time, but they have to pace their activity and often use aids to help them . They are unable to leave the house, often because this requires more energy than they have available. When they do leave the house, they often need mobility aids such as a wheelchair or mobility scooter, or other assistance . Recovery from a trip out of the house can take days, or longer.
Some people are so severely unwell that they are bedbound some or all of the time. The most severely unwell may be unable to undertake even simple tasks, like eating or going to the toilet by themselves. They may require additional medical devices, such as feeding tubes, to help them get enough nutrition and fluids, and can be totally dependent on carers.
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