Lifestyle change - how long

[Moonhawk]

So i’m probably a bit overweight (not massively so) drink a bit too much, dont eat enough fruit and veg, dont excercise enough.

I decided to make a change so have been cutting back on drink, have been eating more fruit/veg, oily fish, fibre, cutting back on caffeine, doing more excercise, getting out in the fresh air with the dog etc.

Been a couple of weeks so far and honesly i’m feeling worse. No energy, no motivation, low mood, tired, headaches, feel bloated and my libido has nosedived.

Has anyone else experienced similar when making what is supposed to be a positive lifestyle change?

Did you eventually overcome it and how long did it take.

Edited by Moonhawk on Friday 19th January 10:52

[HarryFlatters]

When I decided to sort out my st, it took about 6 weeks to feel the benefits. I was 16 stone and hadn't looked after myself for about 10 years.

Eventually I got down to 12st 12lbs, was fitter than I had ever been and felt great.

Then, in 2017, I slipped. Work was tough, the black dog was sitting on my shoulder and I stopped going to the gym or eating right. I drank ferociously.

However, after sorting my head out, I'm now working out again, training for a 5k at the start of March, and feeling much better. It only took a fortnight to realise the benefits this time, however I'm still 13st 10lbs, so I've still got a long way to go.

Keep at it, you'll turn a corner and wonder why you didn't do this years ago.

[Ho hum]

It's going to take longer than a couple of weeks I am afraid.

I have made similar changes over the last couple of years and I have found that the changes can take a couple of months before I felt better.

However, don't let this get you down and keep up the good work.

Spring will be here soon and that will also lift your spirits.

[Moonhawk]

I didnt expect it to be a quick process and be running marathons by week 2 - but what’s taken me by surprise is how much worse I feel.

I kinda thought it would be a gradual process of feeling slightly better week by week.

I guess my body is contending with the withdrawl symptoms though.

[Tri_Doc]

Stick with it.

[jcborden]

I would echo the above comments. Sadly you feel worse because your body is telling you to eat sugary or starchy food and it will take a good few weeks to get past these withdrawal symptoms.

Be tough on yourself and get through this period and it will be worth it, you will lost weight, you will get fitter and you will feel better. You will still have tough days, but try to avoid eating those types of food as once you start its difficult to stop again. Good luck!

[sgtBerbatov]

DELETED: Comment made by a member who's account has been deleted.

This ^^^

You've had a long period of eating and drinking st, you can't expect to be brilliant after switching to brilliant food and drink and cutting out the rubbish. Your body has been conditioned to expect the sugar and the caffine that you've consumed which are addictive. Now you're going without, so your body is crying out for these things. That's a normal thing with addiction and it doesn't last forever.

Plus your time will vary. Personally I (finally) stopped drinking copious amounts of Coke and Coffee because my mental health was suffering. I was being anxious and not sleeping. Since I gave up caffine and Coke I've been much better, but I'm in to the 3rd month of this regime. I do have days when I have a can of Coke, but apart from the can I had on Saturday I had gone a whole month without it. Plus, really, I could only drink one can. I had no desire to drink more.

You need to believe in yourself and enjoy the food you're eating and the exercise you're doing. Focusing on losing weight is a fast way to lose patience. Everyone like you (and I include myself in this) will shed weight so easily to begin with, but you will hit a wall and the weight loss will stop. This is normal. But to many people they get there and they give up, it's not working, they move to the next fad diet.

Personally, I gave up trying to hit a specific weight. At my lightest I was 15st (6ft 3") when I was boxing. I stopped boxing when my knee decided to become bad and it prevented me from doing something I loved. The weight piled on, and last year (10 years on from stopping boxing) I was about 20/21st. However, I've a body type that belies the actual weight. I don't look 21st. For 4 months I tried to set targets for weight loss, and I found this depressed me. I, instead, switched mentality and now I go to the gym for the happiness factor and the way I look. If a shirt fits me a bit better than it did a month ago, that's success. If it's a bit tight, then I need to train harder or eat a bit better. I've found this method to be far more achievable, especially (if you're bothered by this) when you worry about other people thinking you're fat. No one has a weight scale with them, they won't know if you're 8st or 12st.

Probably a lot more information than what you need, but we've all been where you have been, made mistakes and learnt some tricks. If you take away one thing from what I said, it should be this: Don't be too hard on yourself, enjoy what you do.

[grumbledoak]

When I quit booze I felt worse and worse for two weeks, and it was three weeks before I started feeling better each day than the day before.
Sugar withdrawal is a bh, too.

Stick with it.