Really bloody tired!

peepeep

Hi everyone,

The last two weeks or so I have just been exhausted non-stop. I wonder if I'm just not eating enough, or whether I'm just not eating the right things? I'm 5'3 and 8.5 stone (female). Here's my diet:

Breakfast: About 1.5 oz porridge made with half low-fat milk, half water.
Lunch: Either 2 slices homemade brown bread or a wrap with eggs/ tuna/ cheese salad (not store bought)
Dinner: Veggies (usually carrots/ broccoli/ peas/ sprouts), 1/2 potato and either chicken/ beef/ fish.

I don't eat much sugar but if I get hungry between meals I would eat a banana, or maybe a ryvita. My dinner portions are usually small enough but I'm not of a very big build so this makes sense to me.

Does it look like I'm eating enough calories, or am I tired due to something else? I take a good multi-vitamin in the morning and I do at least an hour walking every day.

Any thoughts would be appreciated; I'm a post-graduate student and finding it difficult to concentrate in school at the moment due to being so feckin tired!

Thanks!

eclectichoney

Hi there

I can't help with your specific problem I'm afraid, but I do think that you may be lacking a little in good fats in your diet (oily fish - sadly tinned tuna doesn't have any really - nuts etc.) so it would certainly be no harm to add some nuts as a snack in college or whatever to your diet. Up until the last six months or so it was an area I neglected myself, but now I try and add stuff like smoked salmon and fresh tuna into my diet more.

I know it sounds obvious but are you sure you are getting enough sleep? Some people think 6-7 hours is sufficient, but personally I find unless I get a good 7-8 hours it really affects my energy levels.

Sometimes you just have spells of tiredness though I find - Back in May I felt extremely fatigued for about 3 or 4 weeks - could barely walk to the train station (and I'd normally hit the gym a few times a week and walk a lot), got checked out at the Drs etc. but it worked itself out though, whatever it was! maybe it's a virus or something? If it persists maybe look into it.

jdivision

I doubt if you're eating enough to be honest, that's not much food at all. I'd use full fat milk instead of low fat and would also say to eat more healthy fats, avocados are great. How do you cook your veg?

El_Dangeroso

I agree with others your diet looks very low in fat.

Add some butter or olive oil to veggies and ditch the low fat milk for full fat and see how you feel. If it continues, see a doctor, chronic tiredness can be a symptom of an underlying condition.

peepeep

OP here, thanks for your replies. I always steam my vegetables; the odd time I'd boil them if only cooking a tiny amount.

I reckon you are probably right about needing more fats, I always forget that fats are a good thing and tend to be semi-scared of them. I look forward to putting some butter on my potato with dinner this evening, haven't done that in yonks!

Thanks for advices; if I'm still knackered next week I'll get some bloods done just to be on the safe side.

Mr Magnolia

Go and get your bloods done, why wait until next week?

Try tracking what you eat with Sparkpeople.com, or fitday.com
Weigh your food to properly judge your portions.
That should clear your question up for you quickly.

Pembily

Would agree with the low fat, I cut ALL FAT OUT when I started WW and got like a cranky b**ch and also as a result of having such a low fat diet I got very constipated and find when I get this way I am exhausted, totally and utterly, so maybe up the fat and the fibre, psyllium husks are great for that!! I find a few nuts are great for helping me study and need all the help I can get with college and concentration, nuts and seeds and in moderation they are healthy!!!

Also drink lots of water with the husks!!

Get the bloods done, college dr is free

corkcomp

agree, get bloods done ... it could well be a symptom of low iron levels ...

The Lizard

i'm always wrecked!eating well doin exercise so i got my bloods done and it turns out its a vitamin b12 deficiency-apparently im unable to absorb it from food!so maybe it would be no harm to get blood tests!!

Getwellsoon

I'm 5ft 2" and 7st 9 and I eat more than you! This is probably why you're tired. I feel very tired when I eat very little. Maybe adding some snacks like some fruit, nuts or yoghurt in between your main meals would help - I've found the eating "little but often" approach really helps to keep me going throughout the day. Maybe you could also try varying your veg a little more - like instead of potato have a baked sweet potato, or some roasted root veg like parsnips, pumpkin and squash?

I, like you, am very scared of fat in foods... but you have to have SOME fat, to keep you going! Just make sure it's good fat. Also, don't feel like you can't treat yourself to something 'bad' occasionally, you are a very healthy good weight so you can afford to!

I've been trying my hand at baking my own treats recently. At least I can control how much sugar/chocolate/butter goes into it then. I do like a sweet treat to give me a bit of energy, so when you know what you've made is much healthier than what you'd buy in a shop then you don't feel so guilty!

Also........ BEANS! they are good for energy. A nice mixed bean salad for example, or even baked beans on your potato, or refried beans in a taco / fajita wrap. YUM!

zero_nine

Feeling tired could be a symtom of a hundred different things.

Go to a doctor and mention your concerns about your diet if you want, but I personally think it is healthy. Just explain that you are feeling tired. Noone will give you credible medical advice on this message board.

wantolose

is it possible that you might be pregnant:eek:, i was wrecked last year very early in my pregnancy, i could have slept all day, i never had morning sickness, just wrecked all day for about 6 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!