Eating when I'm tired

SilverSlimmer

Full Member
I was just wondering if anyone else can relate to this. I find that when I am tired I tend to feel the need to eat, possibly in the hope of boosting my energy levels. Snag is that I tend to want a quick fix which is usually high in calories. This is a real problem as I suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome anyway and my energy levels are never good. I do work hard to keep these urges to a minimum but I do think they have am impact.

Any positive ideas on how to cope with this would be appreciated.

SilverS
 
I do the exact same thing!!! Since i started work full time i've not stopped bingeing it's awful. Ironically though eating makes you tired rather than giving you energy i try to remember that (easier said than done).

One thing i do find though which does help me to make the right choices when my head is in it, is that eating fruit on an empty stomach DOES lift you up a bit rather than make you tired. Must be the sugars in it or something but have you ever eaten a ton of fresh pineapple for breakfast? Picks you up faster than a triple expresso.... also....drinking lots of water, because dehydration is always far more likely to be contributing to tiredness rather than lack of calories ........and power naps! I swear by them too!!
 
I wish I could power nap, I think that would help. Fruit is a good idea. I have to confess to being very bad about not drinking water! I hate the stuff and rarely feel thirsty.

SilverS.
 
I do that too, try to drink a few cups of water before eating. Water seems to wake me up big time, so hope it helps.
 
SilverSlimmer said:
I wish I could power nap, I think that would help. Fruit is a good idea. I have to confess to being very bad about not drinking water! I hate the stuff and rarely feel thirsty.

SilverS.

I would agree with the others, water is the key here....I drink up to 4 litres a day! When I don't, I eat more and feel lousy. I didn't like it to start with but used sugar free squash and fruit juices to make it more palatable, then dilute it further and further....cold herbal tea works well too.

I now have 500 mls of water with every meal and every snack and when I don't, I miss it and feel totally out of sorts! Nothing else quenches my thirst and you need to keep your water level high to enable your liver to break down the fat.

I get very tired and stressed with a pressured job...activity really helps with energy levels too...the more I do, the more i want to do! I've come down from a size 32 to a size 18 so somethings working! :0)

Gem x
 
Oh, Gem that is really impressive! Well done.

I really must try to improve my liquid intake. I have used low cal fruit juices and herbal teas in the past but I just forget....:sigh:

Unfortunately the activity doesn't help me. With CFS if I do too much I suffer and pay for it. Pacing myself is best. I used to be a real workaholic and never stop doing things and I reckon I used up my quota of energy in my first 50 years.

Thanks for your post, I found it really useful.
SilverS
 
Glad you found it useful, I have a colleague with CFS, it must be very difficult to get the balance right. Good luck with raising th fluid levels x
Gem x
 
i get this, when im tired i have an overwelming need to eat! I eat instead of giving myself what i actually need...to rest. I actually binge/overeate to try relax, instead of actually relaxing. hope u solve it.
 
I've really made an effort to increase my water intake as well. I've found it does help keep me more alert. The only drawback is the amount of trips to the loo!
 
I definitely relate to tiredness making me eat, and I definitely find it harder to 'be good' and remind myself of the reasons I am dong this when I feel tired. Unfortunately I am having difficulty sleeping lately, but at least I am aware of it which is half the battle as i know what to look out for!
 
I too find that I get really hungry when I'm tired. I think the body just wants a quick energy fix. Alas the sugary snacks never deal with the real issue - the tiredness.

For years I have used food to deal with stress at work and tiredness. Now that I am dieting and no longer eating sugary snacks all day long, I have had to find other coping mechanisms.

At the weekend, I have started taking afternoon naps if I am tired.
At work, instead of eating chocolate at 3pm, I have started having a bowl of soup. After 3 weeks I stopped craving the afternoon chocolate. I have also found the soup, increased and maintained my energy levels.
 
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