Low energy

[Hector]

Just wondering if anyone can offer any advice regarding energy levels.

I'm 37, 6ft, 12st, started working out a few months ago to try and build some extra strength and muscle due to some weakness in my back and knees - physio advised getting stronger - which is fair comment as I don't do much!

My problem is energy levels, I've always had low energy even though I can eat like a horse and never put much weight on so I would struggle to believe it is my diet.

The other week I was unwell and the hospital took some blood, all was ok but one thing they picked up on was low blood sugar, which surprised me as I'd only eaten breakfast an hour or so earlier - tea with toast and jam (not my normal breakfast but not feeling well and just fancied it!).

The hospital asked if I'd had a thyroid test, no was my answer, called my drs this week only to be told that the results hadn't come through, only 3 weeks ago the blood was taken!

Anyway just wondering if a thyroid problem could be the issue? I need to go back and get some more blood taken and the test redone, anything else I could be asking my dr?

For info, not much gives me a boost, coffee, energy drinks etc.. So don't bother with them.

Thanks for any input.

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Seems odd that a hospital would put much stock in a blood glucose reading obtained only one hour after eating! I'm not surprised that your blood sugar would be low one hour after having tea (sweetened?) with toast and jam - it sounds like it may have been due to 'rebound hypoglycaemia'.

What is a representative example of your usual daily diet?

[MiniHulk]

Quote

Just wondering if anyone can offer any advice regarding energy levels.

I'm 37, 6ft, 12st, started working out a few months ago to try and build some extra strength and muscle due to some weakness in my back and knees - physio advised getting stronger - which is fair comment as I don't do much!

My problem is energy levels, I've always had low energy even though I can eat like a horse and never put much weight on so I would struggle to believe it is my diet.

The other week I was unwell and the hospital took some blood, all was ok but one thing they picked up on was low blood sugar, which surprised me as I'd only eaten breakfast an hour or so earlier - tea with toast and jam (not my normal breakfast but not feeling well and just fancied it!).

The hospital asked if I'd had a thyroid test, no was my answer, called my drs this week only to be told that the results hadn't come through, only 3 weeks ago the blood was taken!

Anyway just wondering if a thyroid problem could be the issue? I need to go back and get some more blood taken and the test redone, anything else I could be asking my dr?

For info, not much gives me a boost, coffee, energy drinks etc.. So don't bother with them.

Thanks for any input.

You'd be surprised!

Awaiting your diet sample too.

[Hector]

Thanks for the quick responses guys. No, no sugar in my cuppa!

Typical days diet....

Breakfast. 2 scrambled eggs, 1 slice toast, protein shake

lunch. Roast chicken leg, lots of salad, tinned sweetcorn

If training. Protein shake after workout

Snack. Walnuts and sultanas, or boiled egg

Tea. Meat or fish, brown rice, greens (spinach/cabbage/broccoli) and usually a spicy sauce

Snack. Half pot of full fat cottage cheese and pineapple

Bedtime. Protein shake with raw egg thrown in

Supplements. 1 cod liver oil, 4 alpha men, just starting drinking barley grass this week! (going to try glutamine as per one of Wotans posts first thing in the morning)

1 cup of coffee a day, 2 cups green tea, plenty of water

Thoughts?

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Well the diet you have posted up is not too shabby, so I wouldn't have thought low blood sugar due to rebound hypoglycaemia was a regular thing - it may have just been because you had jam on toast immediately before (also, if you were in hospital at the time and not feeling well, you may not have eaten quite so much beforehand?).

As to thyroid issues, low energy usually goes with under-active thyroid but then so does weight gain (especially fat) yet you say you eat like a horse but struggle to put on weight! An over-active thyroid would explain the difficulty in putting on weight but then you would also likely feel like you had plenty of energy.

[MiniHulk]

NU will give you a better response... my guidelines would be to get rid of the coffee and green tea (stimulants) and you can replace it with decaf green tea. Also, I would try taking out the toast and the brown rice.

[MiniHulk]

NU beat me lol....

If you eat like a horse and don't get any weight gain or energy, then I am assuming you aren't digesting what you are eating properly and your bad digestion is causing fatigue.
Try knocking them foods out that I suggested and see how you fair with not taxing your body with unnecessary foods for a while. You may want to try adding a digestive enzyme, afterall there is no point stuffing your face with food if it isn't being utilised properly right?

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Of course, the diet you have just posted doesn't give any indication of portion sizes, so it may still be the case that you are not eating enough! Most people who say they 'eat like a horse' actually eat like a sparrow and vice versa!

[Hector]

So what, if any, carbs should I be eating? I'm not a big carb fan, but on another post (not on this subject but one on recovery) someone said I should up my carbs, so I am a little confused as to which route to take. Thanks again for your time

[NU_nutrition_TS]

Well toast, tinned sweetcorn, rice, walnuts, spicy sauces and pineapple are all sources of carbs in your diet. If you are not a big fan of carbs, I don't see that you need to add any more to your diet than is already there!