I'm feeling sick/nauseous

Well, I just wanted to say thank you all so much for the comments and for being so supportive, because I really didn't mean to offend anyone when I mentioned having a boyfriend while also struggling with depression, as that honestly belongs in a completely different conversation 😉 though it isn't quite relevant to this specific thread, but it’s true that my weight issues and my low mood are deeply connected, especially since the environment around me feels so draining, between the people I hang out with and even just living here in Chicago where I'm basically just a student, and school itself is just so overwhelming and exhausting (blah, blah, blah)... anyway, I just wanted to share that I've been sticking to a healthy diet for two days now, cooking myself things like broccoli and rice and lots of veggies, so I am finally taking action! I actually went out with every intention of going for a run this evening, but everything was frozen solid, and I didn't want to risk breaking an ankle, so I just did a brisk walk around the neighborhood instead... the thing is, though, I’m feeling this indescribable weakness, because I've cut way back on the junk food—actually, I don't even feel hungry, just weak, so whether I'm running, walking, sitting down, or even just lying in bed, my legs feel shaky and my muscles just feel so limp... I truly don't want to come across as some fool for asking for advice, but clearly, I've missed the mark on what I was trying to convey with my original post... it was meant to be my turning point, and I actually do feel better now... obviously, I daydream about dropping pounds quickly, which is always the trap for me where I give up if I don't see results after five days, but this time feels fundamentally different, like I've reached a breaking point or a final limit and I simply can't go on like this anymore... I can't stand feeling like an old lady who struggles just to tie her shoes or ends up flopping into bed like an idiot 😢 please excuse me... gosh... it's just awful and I feel so embarrassed, ashamed to even walk down the street because I hate my body and all these bad habits I've accumulated over the years... I am desperate to change, but carrying this weight alone is so incredibly hard, and while my boyfriend doesn't say anything negative—he actually encourages me to stay active since he's a big cyclist himself, so we go biking together during the summer—he has never once told me I'm fat or that I need to lose weight for him, quite the opposite actually, he's always joking that he wouldn't even be with me if I were one of those super thin girls and that he loves me exactly as I am ;P but anyway, enough about my boyfriend, let's get back to talking about me and my car ;P I know I'm becoming a bit tedious to myself, but still, thank you all for the support... I'm just terrified of those inevitable cravings hitting me, those moments where I feel like a complete addict and just want to devour chocolate, I would kill for some chocolate right now 😉 but I haven't touched any for four days already 😉))

How many meals are you actually getting in each day? You might be running on empty or skipping too many meals, which could be why you’re feeling so wiped out.

Walk me through what a typical day of eating looks like for you. 😁

Look, there isn't some overnight miracle cure or a "magic" meal plan. If there were, none of us would be dealing with extra weight right now.
If you want to lose weight effectively and—more importantly—actually keep it off, you have to give it some time. 😉 I know, that sounds exhausting and like a long road ahead, but once you start seeing those first real results, you'll find the motivation to keep pushing. 😁
The main thing is just getting started. It's all about picking up those healthy habits along the way and making sure you don't throw in the towel! 😁

Look, if it helps, those chocolate cravings pretty much vanish once you actually start eating clean. 😉
So, just grit your teeth and get moving.
I used to be about your size—okay, maybe 2 inches taller and maybe 10 pounds heavier—but yeah, basically.
I’m not some supermodel now, but I’ve made progress. It took time, but no regrets. Aside from finally getting some actual curves, my health actually improved.

Don't go out running on ice right now—besides, it’s freezing out there. Don't let yourself end up hating cardio before you've even started. 😁 Just walk. Or stay inside and do some basic bodyweight stuff to build some muscle. Try walking more; look, it'll warm up a few degrees soon enough. If you can grab a bike, do it—it's an amazing way to move and will give you that cardio base you need in this early stage.
Food-wise? My advice: fix your habits first, then worry about portion control. Don't starve yourself overnight.
Grab some oats, whole grain toast, or eggs in the morning. Pack sandwiches with rye bread and turkey, maybe some salad, or tuna in olive oil or water, or some low-fat cottage cheese. Bring fruit—bananas, pears, apples. Campus dining isn't that bad either; just grab meat or fish with a side of veggies or salad (skip the potatoes and bread), stick to water, and grab fruit for dessert. Cut out all the white stuff—white bread, rice, pasta—and skip the baked potatoes, pita, pizza, pastries (look, if you absolutely *must* have one, buy it first thing in the morning when the risk is lowest), and sweets. When a craving hits, keep dried fruit or almonds/nuts at home.

The key is eating high-quality, complete meals. You want to fuel your body so you stop obsessing over junk. Focus on nutrient-dense food, and eat smaller, more frequent meals. There's no shame in snacking if it's the right stuff. 😁 Better than bingeing at home late at night.

If I'm reading you right, you live alone. That is a massive win. For me, the hardest part was fighting with family over food—having to eat whatever they cooked while they poked fun at my diet because they didn't think I'd stick to it anyway. You have your own schedule and endless options. Nobody's breathing down your neck. Use that to your advantage.

By the way, you probably won't drop half your weight in a week, but you'll feel incredible once you find your rhythm. Honestly, carrying the extra weight won't even bother you as much because you'll know you're actively tackling it. 🙂

That weakness you're feeling? It's normal. Getting your body used to a change isn't easy. But please, don't starve yourself. It doesn't lead anywhere good.

Give me the full breakdown of what you’re eating during the day!
I mean, I want to know every little snack and exactly when you're munching on them.

About that tuna in olive oil... honestly, if I were you, I'd just grab the stuff packed in brine. Once you drain all that liquid out, then hit it with your own high-quality olive oil. It's way better that way.

Also, definitely pick up some vitamins and minerals, but do yourself a favor and get them as individual supplements rather than those fizzy, effervescent ones—they aren't quite as good.
Then, make sure you're getting plenty of Vitamin C and some Omega-3s.
Oh, and start sipping on some green tea!

Yeah, sure, vitamin C—definitely a must 🙂

So, regarding the food situation, I suppose my main issue is that I'm eating way too little at one time, though honestly, it’s hard to make any real judgments when I’ve only been on this diet for two days—if you can even call it that yet... yesterday morning, for instance, I just had a quick cup of coffee because I didn't manage to eat anything (which is code for "I didn't bother getting out of bed early enough for breakfast") before rushing off to campus, and then for lunch, I just had a single hot dog, sipping on some green tea between bites, a couple of tablespoons of cheddar cheese, and a whole head of lettuce tossed with apple cider vinegar, followed by yogurt with two spoonfuls of oats, an orange, and a small glass of milk
today, breakfast was once again just coffee and an apple, and now I’m sitting here wondering what to do for lunch—should I head back home to whip up some cauliflower or maybe some rice, or should I just grab something at the university dining hall? 😢 I really haven't a clue
Oh, and I’m not sure if this is actually a problem, but I find myself constantly chewing Orbit gum; it's become such a habit, and I probably don't even stop until I'm heading to bed😉 I wonder if that’s doing me any harm, or perhaps not?
I actually wanted to sign up for a fitness class, but I couldn't find anything decent in my neighborhood, and frankly, it feels like a bit of a waste of money $100 if I'm only going twice a week, because if I'm not going every single day, it feels like I might as well not have gone at all😢 over the summer, I used to hit the gym every day, but I ended up just looking bulkier, which I think was because the trainer gave me a terrible program (he was a total bodybuilder type ;P), so I just ended up with these incredibly pumped-up arms and legs, and I caught myself staring in the mirror watching my muscles grow—it turns out bodybuilders do that all the time, apparently! ;P anyway... I’m still forcing myself to drink this green tea even though it tastes absolutely revolting, almost making me want to gag, but I just force it down somehow, though what's really getting to me is this constant feeling of weakness, where I just want to curl up in bed and sleep all day😉 that's just how I feel right now, so it isn't really hunger that's hunting me down, it's just pure exhaustion, like I said before...

🙄

Man, what can I even say.

You’re clearly under-eating—and let's be real, it's mostly junk—so it's no wonder you feel weak.
There’s gotta be some middle ground between starving yourself and hitting the buffet every night, right?

If you aren't interested in taking advice from gym rats, then you're definitely looking in the wrong place. 😁
Everyone hangs out here because they're all lifting or chasing gains in one way or another.

That feeling of "muscle growth" you mentioned? It's an illusion. You probably just thought you looked bigger because of the extra body fat you're carrying around. 😁

You don't need a fancy Equinox membership—just grab a bike, some skates, or go for a run.

hmm... I think I follow what you're saying... but honestly, I'm just not sure how I'm supposed to actually increase my food intake. To be completely truthful, I'm terrified of eating more because my brain immediately starts playing this little movie on loop where I tell myself, "if I don't feel hungry, then it clearly isn't working," you know? It's such a silly way to think about it... I know I'm being ridiculous...😢((

shadowcobra32 said:hmm... I get where you're coming from... but honestly, I don't know how to up my calories. I'm terrified of eating more because my brain immediately goes to "if I'm not starving, it isn't working," you know? Yeah... I know, I'm being stupid...😢((

Well, you aren't far off from the truth here. 😁
You need to feel a little hungry—but not so much that you're collapsing on the sidewalk and can't even run.
Don't wreck yourself, lady. 😁

Look, having a lighter stomach in the evening isn't a bad thing—eat just enough so you don't feel sick, but basically, you should be flying on empty. But during the day? Don't be starving. You actually need energy for college and everything else.
Stop being your own worst enemy. 🙂

As for increasing your intake?
Grab a bowl of granola or maybe some muesli with dried fruit in the morning.
Get some low-fat cottage cheese and go ahead—eat ten spoonfuls if you want.
One hot dog? wtf? Aside from the fact that they're total junk, that amount is pathetic. I'd tell you to eat two or three, but I won't. Just eat some tuna or boil a few eggs if you can't grab meat.
Whatever you're eating for dinner, eat that in the morning instead—just a bigger portion—and stick to cheese at night.

If you're hitting the dining hall, just pick what I suggested above. It's really not that big of a deal. You can load up on meat and veggies until you're full.

quietpilot87 said:I mean, having a slightly empty stomach at night isn't necessarily a bad thing—you know, maybe grab a tiny snack just so you don't feel totally miserable—but basically, you should probably head to bed on an empty stomach.

But... why is that?

-Stipe

hmm... well, I don't really mind going to bed on an empty stomach at night, honestly, because I usually find something to keep my mind busy so I'm not even thinking about food once the sun goes down... but during the day, I tend to have two or three very small meals, just tiny bites as I mentioned before, though I'll admit I'm actually quite afraid of eating more than that because I get this nagging sensation that if I even take a sip of water, everything will just get stuck... it feels like whatever I try to eat just won't go down properly, and my digestion feels like it's running at a snail's pace—or maybe much slower than that! Not to mention, I can't even seem to make it to the restroom regularly ;P sorry for getting so personal with these details, but it really feels like a major issue, doesn't it? Like, all those toxins aren't actually leaving my body the way they're supposed to, right?

briskjackal5 said:Because why?

-Stipe

I knew someone was going to twist my words 😁 😁
If you've spent your whole life overeating, you're always gonna feel empty once you start cutting back. That hollow feeling is just part of the deal until your body catches up.

Speaking from experience—things go a lot smoother and faster if you don't go overboard at dinner, even if it's something light. Stuffing yourself late at night isn't the move. Keeping it small is.

shadowcobra32 said:hmm... honestly, going to bed on an empty stomach doesn't bother me—I usually just stay busy enough to forget about food at night. But during the day? I'm hitting two or three tiny meals, nothing substantial. My real fear is eating more because it feels like if I even take a sip of water, everything's just gonna come back up. Everything I eat hits a wall. My digestion is moving at a snail's pace, not to mention my bathroom situation is basically non-existent ;P Sorry for the TMI, but it's a real issue—it feels like all the toxins are just sitting there instead of actually leaving my system, right?

That’s rough.
Eat something solid in the morning—fuel the engine—and maybe you won't be fighting for your life in the bathroom. 😁
And get moving. Physical activity kicks the metabolism into gear; once that whole machine starts humming, your digestion will follow suit.

And what about the whole exercise situation? I honestly have no clue which workouts I should be doing, though I absolutely live for dancing... you know, blasting techno or reggaeton and just jumping around my apartment like a total maniac ;P and if I end up sweating like a marathon runner in the middle of July, does that actually count toward my fitness goals? ;P

quietpilot87 said:I just knew someone was going to take my words completely out of context... 😁 😁
I guess when you're first starting a calorie deficit, if you’ve been overeating lately, your stomach always feels totally empty. It's like this constant hollow feeling until you finally get used to it, I suppose.

Speaking from my own experience, things actually go way smoother and faster if you don't overdo it at dinner, even if it's a lighter meal. Eating a massive feast late at night isn't really a solution at all. A small meal is definitely better.

That applies to pretty much every single meal when you're in this situation.
The whole idea of not stuffing yourself.
Your last meal of the day shouldn't be treated any differently than the others—there's no reason to make it special or huge.

-Stipe

briskjackal5 said:That goes for pretty much any meal when you're in this spot.
The part about not overstuffing herself—yeah, totally.
That last meal of the day isn't some special ritual; it's just another meal. No need to make it a big deal.

-Stipe

True, but look—she’s just starting out. I’m assuming she’s gonna hit those usual roadblocks that pop up in the beginning. You can't expect her to find some perfect balance overnight; that's just delusional. I thought you were the one preaching the "just wing it" philosophy, 😁 shadowcobra32?
Someone eating like she does is probably capable of fasting until 4 PM, then absolutely demolishing a steak by dinner—I caught that from her meal plan. I'm talking to her based on those realities. Yeah, she's gonna be starving like a wolf, especially at night, but fine in the morning. So, she needs to eat more in the AM than she thinks she should, and scale way back at night, even if her stomach feels like it's shrinking.

shadowcobra32, dancing counts, sure. Just try not to break anything, 😁

shadowcobra32 said:So, what about actual exercises? I honestly have no clue which workouts I should be doing... I just really love dancing! Like, I'll blast some techno or reggaeton and just jump around my apartment like crazy ;P And, you know, sweating like a total maniac—does that count for anything? ;P

It won't hurt you, but it doesn't really count as a workout.
It’s probably too infrequent, way too short, and just isn't consistent enough.

-Stipe

Oh, fantastic! So that means I have full permission to go absolutely wild 😉 and honestly, my stomach is practically fused to my spine at this point, which is a pretty clear signal that it’s high time I head out and find something to eat 😢 but the dilemma is... what on earth should I pick? Does anyone else hit that wall where all food inspiration just vanishes into thin air? What do you all do when the culinary ideas completely dry up?

shadowcobra32 said:Great, so I can just go nuts 😉 and now my stomach is basically fused to my spine—time to go grab some food 😢 but I have zero clue what... what am I supposed to do when the food inspiration just hits a wall?

Are you seriously looking for someone to hold your hand through this? 😁
Not happening. There's plenty of advice floating around here already—you should be able to figure it out yourself.😉

I’ll be the first to admit it—I’ve always been a bit of a pampered soul, an only child through and through, so I guess I’m just used to having everything handed to me on a silver platter ;P and honestly, there’s just something so comforting about being led by the hand... 😢( sorry!