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Dieting

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
I'm trying to lose the weight I've gained over the last several years w/ CFS by eating a healthy diet of whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables. I'm keeping my intake to about 1400-1600 calories a day. I did very well for about a week, but today I feel like I'm heading for a crash. Has anyone else found that restricting food intake--even if it's all healthy--leads to a crash? Or can I chalk this one up to overextending myself by doing things like grocery shopping and cooking?

Irene
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
Hi Irene, I don't find the diet that you are on healthy at all (for me).

Eating whole grains, fruits and veges leaves me feeling blah. I need meat in my diet and find that fish (although I love it) just isn't enough. Whole grains in particular don't agree with my stomach or body at all.

No idea on how to lose weight that. Even on a very restricted diet of salads and a little meat (due to food poisoning) for over a year left me as heavy as before. I never lost weight, even when I was better and did 2 graded exercise programs.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
Hi Irene - I went on a calorie restricted diet a couple of years ago for the same reasons as you. I was basically eating the same foods but less of them and making sure I had protein in each meal (to keep my blood sugar steady). I don't recall it making me feel worse but if you radically switch the content of your diet as opposed to just the calories, you could feel worse for a few days as your body adjusts.

It might help to have your shopping delivered (if you're in the UK all the main supermarkets do that) and thinking about what you can eat that doesn't involve much prep.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I'm trying to lose the weight I've gained over the last several years w/ CFS by eating a healthy diet of whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables. I'm keeping my intake to about 1400-1600 calories a day. I did very well for about a week, but today I feel like I'm heading for a crash. Has anyone else found that restricting food intake--even if it's all healthy--leads to a crash? Or can I chalk this one up to overextending myself by doing things like grocery shopping and cooking?

Irene
I'm in the same boat, Irene. I have no explanation for it, but I also crash from a healthy calorie-restricted diet. I don't get a flu-like crash since I've gotten infections under control, but I get joint/muscle aches and weakness, extreme fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction. It's almost like my body will store excess calories, but not utilize stored resources if I need them. o_O
 

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
Hi Irene, I don't find the diet that you are on healthy at all (for me).

Eating whole grains, fruits and veges leaves me feeling blah. I need meat in my diet and find that fish (although I love it) just isn't enough. Whole grains in particular don't agree with my stomach or body at all.

No idea on how to lose weight that. Even on a very restricted diet of salads and a little meat (due to food poisoning) for over a year left me as heavy as before. I never lost weight, even when I was better and did 2 graded exercise programs.

I'd eat more meat and poultry if it were easier to get and prepare. I've gotten bad chicken at the local supermarket, which also happens to be Chinese and sells mystery meat. I'm eating canned and frozen fish, although the last time I tried to bake frozen fish nuggets my oven caught on fire. I need to be able to go to a store that's a little farther away but has actual butchers and carries organic meats.

I've lost weight and kept it off by weighing or measuring everything that goes into my mouth. Exercise didn't do it for me. Exercise is a good way to trigger a crash right now.

Irene
 

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
Hi Irene - I went on a calorie restricted diet a couple of years ago for the same reasons as you. I was basically eating the same foods but less of them and making sure I had protein in each meal (to keep my blood sugar steady). I don't recall it making me feel worse but if you radically switch the content of your diet as opposed to just the calories, you could feel worse for a few days as your body adjusts.

It might help to have your shopping delivered (if you're in the UK all the main supermarkets do that) and thinking about what you can eat that doesn't involve much prep.

I suppose it's a switch because I cut out the junk food, but in my previous life as a healthy person I ate pretty much like this. I'm eating more protein than I used to, I think, but I find I need something with sugars to keep my blood sugar up--bananas, oranges, things like that. A little fat in the diet helps, too, because it seems to slow down the digestion.

I was so depressed last night that I ate some junk, but I feel more on top of it today. I woke up with a sore throat, so maybe I'm fighting an infection.

My son can do a lot of the shopping, but there are some things I need to choose by myself, so I don't want to get the groceries delivered, but that's an option I might investigate. Some stores here in the US will do it.

I use my slow cooker to make stews and soups because I can prep things gradually, the day before, and it doesn't need much attention. I also re-discovered sweet potatoes. They're quite nutritious and can cook in the microwave.

Irene
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
I suppose it's a switch because I cut out the junk food, but in my previous life as a healthy person I ate pretty much like this. I'm eating more protein than I used to, I think, but I find I need something with sugars to keep my blood sugar up--bananas, oranges, things like that. A little fat in the diet helps, too, because it seems to slow down the digestion.

I was so depressed last night that I ate some junk, but I feel more on top of it today. I woke up with a sore throat, so maybe I'm fighting an infection.

My son can do a lot of the shopping, but there are some things I need to choose by myself, so I don't want to get the groceries delivered, but that's an option I might investigate. Some stores here in the US will do it.

I use my slow cooker to make stews and soups because I can prep things gradually, the day before, and it doesn't need much attention. I also re-discovered sweet potatoes. They're quite nutritious and can cook in the microwave.

Irene

When you change the content of your diet, your body needs to produce different enzymes to digest the new food and simply that process of change can make you feel bad for up to five days or so (a nutritionist told me this).

If you eat a piece of fruit you're potentially giving yourself a blood sugar spike if you eat it without some protein, particularly something high-sugar like a banana. You get a temporary lift and then it drops you and you feel bad.

Have you checked out the glycaemic index of foods? That can help avoid that.
 

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
When you change the content of your diet, your body needs to produce different enzymes to digest the new food and simply that process of change can make you feel bad for up to five days or so (a nutritionist told me this).

If you eat a piece of fruit you're potentially giving yourself a blood sugar spike if you eat it without some protein, particularly something high-sugar like a banana. You get a temporary lift and then it drops you and you feel bad.

Have you checked out the glycaemic index of foods? That can help avoid that.

Most fruit has fiber, which also slows down your digestion. The diet program I'm using doesn't track GI, but I'm steering clear of white flour, which is supposed to be the worst thing you can eat in tems of spiking your blood sugar. Apparently a slice of white bread is even worse than sugar!

I'm hoping my crash is just one of those random crashes and that I'll be able to lose some of this very unhealthy weight. When I feel bad I want to eat junk.

Irene
 
Messages
59
i have also gained weight after becoming sick, and just like you i crash after 2 -3 days of eating less. I will eat the same as when i don't diet, just less ( low carb, no sugar, no fruit, no casein, no gluten, lots of veg and meat) I am trying not to bet stuck on my weight since being healthy is more important but it sucks to have one more thing to feel bad about.
now i am trying to eat the same amouts of food but eat them within 8 hours ( fast for 16) its supposed to help inflamation and heal the gut... who knows...
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
I put on alot of weight the first couple of yrs with cfs. I am a big guy anyway so hide it ok and pre cfs was into weight lifting and alot of sport etc (pre cfs weight was 105-110kg at 6ft1) but i put on about 25kg those first few yrs. I have managed to lose 20kg very slowly by not calorie counting but by reducing the amount of carbs i eat to very low levels. once in a while say every 3-4 weeks i will have a carb feed but i feel yuk afterwards and its why i stick to low carb diet as i feel alot better on it and basically can eat until im full, not that i eat alot as low carb curbs my apettiite. I probably average 2000cal a day but like i say i dont normally count calories or aim for a calorie deficit. I personally think its all about looking into ways of improving insulin sensitivity, which if your like most people with cfs/me and have adrenal dysfunction, then it makes it alot harder as cortisol plays abig part in stabilizing blood glucose and our energy levels etc Also i think many with our problem could be helped my a drug called metformin which improves insulin sensitivity and couple with low carb diet can help alot. Optimising thyroid is another piece of the puzzle, if one has low body temps all the time then thyroid/metabolism could be an issue.

Summary is improve insulin sensitivity- look into low carbs and metformin, not calorie restriction
-adrenal dysfunction- look into correct cortisol and dhea levels and cycles
-optimum thyroid function and body temp as a guide to good metabolism

I think we are going to struggle with other issues we have like unable to exercise properly or at all, poor sleep and just generally feeling like crap. But it can be done, slow and steady.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Also i think many with our problem could be helped my a drug called metformin which improves insulin sensitivity and couple with low carb diet can help alot. Optimising thyroid is another piece of the puzzle, if one has low body temps all the time then thyroid/metabolism could be an issue.

Summary is improve insulin sensitivity- look into low carbs and metformin, not calorie restriction
-adrenal dysfunction- look into correct cortisol and dhea levels and cycles
-optimum thyroid function and body temp as a guide to good metabolism

I think Ive read somewhere that metformin affects mito function (badly). People may want to more look into that if considering this drug. (its one of the things Im concerned over)
 

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
I'm feeling better, even after a stressful weekend (my cat needed to go to the emergency vet), so I think I'm adjusting to the dietary changes. I'm trying to cut back on the carbs, but it's hard. Especially at breakfast. At least everything is whole grain now.
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
I think Ive read somewhere that metformin affects mito function (badly). People may want to more look into that if considering this drug. (its one of the things Im concerned over)
I'm concerned over this too. I read on this Life Extension essay that metformin promotes mitochondrial biogenesis but I'm not sure if this is correct or not.

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/feb2011_Our-Aging-Mitochondria_01.htm

I'd also like to know if L-carnotine inhibits thyroid conversion as well as I have read. I don't understand how something can be anti-thyroid and also pro-metabolism. It makes no sense!

Ema
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I'm feeling better, even after a stressful weekend (my cat needed to go to the emergency vet), so I think I'm adjusting to the dietary changes. I'm trying to cut back on the carbs, but it's hard. Especially at breakfast. At least everything is whole grain now.

I often have a big breakfast which is only 7g carb consisting of a couple of eggs, some meat and I buy little single serve packs of crackers and real cheese (they contain 3 biscuits..the cheese in them would be about 1g of the 7g). Its very possible to have a low carb diet breakfast.
 

IreneF

Senior Member
Messages
1,552
Location
San Francisco
I often have a big breakfast which is only 7g carb consisting of a couple of eggs, some meat and I buy little single serve packs of crackers and real cheese (they contain 3 biscuits..the cheese in them would be about 1g of the 7g). Its very possible to have a low carb diet breakfast.

I know it's possible, it's just that I'm used to the muesli or oatmeal, and it requires a minimum of conscious effort. Today I had a pork chop for dinner and my carb count finally dropped below 50% of calories. I'm dreaming of bacon. I know I'm bad.
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
I think Ive read somewhere that metformin affects mito function (badly). People may want to more look into that if considering this drug. (its one of the things Im concerned over)
I will look into that.
I know it is promoted alot for off label use as apart of antiaging protocols etc Maybe its also a thing of weighing up the positives versus the negatives.
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
I didn't have much weight to lose, but have actually found my paleo-ish, grain-free "CFS diet," similar to the various low-carb weight-loss diets out there, to be very conducive to keeping weight off. I also noticed that fat won't really stick to me since I started taking 800mg/day of L-Carnitine, one of the sups from Freddd's B12 protocol. It speeds the process of turning fat to energy, which I think would be killing 2 birds with one stone for CFS folks who want to lose weight.
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)

I think going by that article that more research is needed as a few things seem to contradict each other but they do mention several times that u have to weigh up the benefits to risks etc. Only a small part on metformin but then it also mentions a risk factor of mito issues is hyperglycaemia which is mostly caused by insulin resistance and increased body weight is also a sign of this as well as further increasing insulin resistance. So i think in this case the benefits out weigh the risks in most cases if one has increased weight, insulin resistance/hyperglycaemia. Dietry treatments for insulin resistance normally involve low carb diets etc and in this article even this is mentioned as a risk factor.

There seems to be many common meds eg over the counter pain relievers, some antibiotics etc that are a risk factor for mito issues and many commonly used by cfsers. I will copy and paste the last paragraph

When toxic agents can't be avoided, improving overall mitochondrial function is possible by including key elements such as CoenzymeQ10, L-carnitine, B Vitamins, antioxidants (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, selenium ), and others. Minimizing stress and illness is also important!

Im thinking that metformin 'maybe' a risk factor in mito issues but it also reduces other risk factors as well, and also improves risk factors of other illnesses like cholesterol/heart, diabetes/nerve damage etc, it seems to have more pro's then cons i think. I think its something one has to weigh up themselves with their doctor.

cheers!!
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
Wow. thanks for the info on Metformin. It floored me. The weakness was so bad. Couldn't breath properly or stand up.

Years ago now but I had no idea that it was anti-mito.