what's the f***ing point and where's the f***ing justice???

[ernest]

Ok about 2 months ago decided to improve my health & fitness blah blah blah.

I gave up caffeine, I gave up booze & I joined a gym & I've gone 3 times a week. I've also gone to bed earlier.

So, why is it I look like shit, feel like shit, have put on weight(not in a muscle is heavier than fat toned svelt way either), have black bags under my eyes etc etc? People are forever asking me if I'm ok.

So why are all these improvements causing my body to fall apart? Is the solution to grit my teeth, persevere & I?ll soon be half the weight & gorgeos & bursting with health & vigour, or do I say bollocks the the whole thing & turn back to the red wine, tea & biscuit?

[Monkeybar]

How bloody annoying!! No help at all but I do sympathise.

[charliecat]

Can sympathise, a year and a half ago I stopped smoking...ate to much and turned into fat bloater...been trying to sort it out and its only in the last month my bodys prepared to let go of the fat.
Are you taking a vitimin supplement, eating well as well? Getting plenty of water? Maybe your doing too much?

[Gloworm]

2 months isnt that long in the scheme of things...stick with it...you will soon start to feel much better

do you drink pleanty of water, at least 4 pints a day? and more on the gym days.

whats you general diet like?

in no time at all you'll be posting about how fantastic you feel, making us all so jelaous

[Gloworm]

a good multivitamin might help too,

[QE]

God that would mightily piss me off ernest I must admit. You want to see some reward for all your hard work! The only thing I can think of is that you are lacking something as in vitamins or minerals and specifically iron if you feel so tired - are you being too strict on your diet? The body holds on for dear life to fat if it thinks it's not going to get what it needs, you know.

Doin't give up, just make some adjustments and also look at it as a longer term investemnt rather than a quick fix.

[ernest]

I wouldn't mind so much if I felt the same, but I feel like crap. Takimng multi vit, drinking loads of water, have developed bad sweet tooth tho. other than that diet good, & improved, feels like forever. when gillian mckeith tortures her victims, after 8 weeks they're half the size and glowing, not shrivelled up old wrecks

[gothicmama]

it's the rubbish coming out of your system it will get better

[Gloworm]

perhaps its the sweet tooth thats doing it, eating loads of sweet crap can make you feel like crap
cutting this out, limit treats to once a week, you will notice the difference within a week or 2.

[Gloworm]

remember the people on gillian mcK are given a makeover/new clothes/hair/pro make-up and flattering lightening and do not nessesarly look that good in real life

[Yafta]

I know what you mean, ernest. I too have given up caffiene and alcohol. It's been 3 weeks now and I feel like cr*p! I thought it would be a couple of days then the glowing skin would come! I have been tempted to go back but am perservering for now.

[ernest]

well good luck yafta. hope you fare better than me. have been good re sweets but yesterday threw in the towel. must get back on sweety wagon tomorrow

[ernest]

really gothicmamma, did wonder that, but 2 months later??? How long does this normally take then? I expected a couple of days, not a couple of months, still with no sign of improvement

[leogaela]

ernest, you say you've developed a sweet tooth - you mean you are eating lots of sugary foods? That could be giving you energy lows and make you feel and look like crap. Cut out the sugar. Caffeine is also quite addictive, it could also be not drinking coffee that's making you feel bad. As for the gaining weight, it probably is muscle, but if you are eating lots of sugary foods then you won't lose the fat weight.
And another 2 thoughts - it could also be what you are doing at the gym that is making you feel not good. Increase your exercise slowly and try to do some slow jogging and biking. And better than the gym (for me anyway) is to get lots of fresh air, go out powerwalking, biking or gentle jogging.

Definitely persevere, you will feel better.

[Pruni]

I gave up caffeine when I had ivf a few years ago. They say it takes three days or something. It took me weeeeeeeks. Of feeling like shite. I drank maybe two cappucinos a day, hardly a lot., it just made me feel much worse giving it up than I had imagined possible.

If it's any consolation, I've given up alcohol too and cut down to one cup of tea in the morning (for maintenance) and I too have developed the sweet tooth and feel like crapola. I am on meds too which don't help. I'd say push on through - I did get pg that time I did ivf and without the caffeine, I was (eventually) leaping out of bed in the morning like a baby gazelle. Well, until I got to the size of a pregnant hippo.

[WideWebWitch]

ernest, come and join my 10 years younger thread, we are all trying to do similar. It does get worse before it gets better ime.

[ernest]

well, over w/e had gone on tea frenzy, so today started back on straight and narrow with no tea & no sugar and feel 100 times worse. also had late night (11.30) so eyes on stalks & baarely alive today. will believe you that it will get better. can't believe it taked so many weeks

will pop into your thread www, thought i was too late

[Hollyboo]

Hi Ernest, Like Pruni I had to give up my coffees for IVF, it killed me. I felt like shit but after about a month, although I felt tired with the treatment, I did feel better. But then when I got pregnant my blood sugar levels were a bit high so I had to give up anything with sugar in it. IT KILLED ME. It's really hard to do and I know when you feel crappy you just want to dip a kitkat in a cup of coffee and enjoy. But it does get easier and you will notice the weight eventually. What excercises do you do at the gym?

[ernest]

I used to go running so I don't think the gym has fraked out my body too much. I do a warm up (6 min run treadmill) then the weights for arms, tumms, so esistance exercises, sorry don't know technical terms, then finnish opff with half hour on cross trainer. I also sometimes do a pilates class.

I just can't believe it's been 2 monhts, even a bit more & not only do I not feel any better, I eally feel loads worse. where's the motivation in that????

[Hollyboo]

I saw on Extreme Makeover that doing up hill on the threadmill or doing that stair climbing thingy can bulk you up. So you won't feel the inches coming off. Especially on legs and bum. Do you think you could be low on iron maybe?

[Rhubarb]

I gave up booze for 18 days once, it never did me the slightest bit of good either. I just found life more boring!

We all need to enjoy ourselves every now and then. The fitness freaks don't look any healthier to me, they just look miserable. Whereas those people who are out there having fun, they are relaxed, the wrinkles are smoothed out, they are enjoying life!

I'm not saying do the opposite of what you are doing. But maybe in giving up what you enjoy and putting all your energies into exercise, you are not relaxing enough?

Take up relaxing exercises like Yoga that will tone your body without building up muscles. Have a glass of red wine a day (it's recommended!) and chill out. Happy people look beautiful anyway!

[ernest]

well, I sort of set out to improve my health, but certaily feel the opposite is happening. inclinded to agree w. you rhubarb. do like the gym. not doiong stepper (heard it could also bulk you up and my behind don't need any help there)

[Rhubarb]

Your health will improve if you are happy!

The gym is bollocks, I think. Yoga might be better for you. Start walking more too, go on long walks at the weekend, walk instead of using the bus, or get off the bus 2 stops earlier or something. It's very relaxing and it's very good for you.
As is a glass of wine!

[WideWebWitch]

ernest, btw, I went out last night, laughed a LOT, drank half a bottle of wine (i.e. not to excess), ate a fab meal cooked by dh and then slept for 7 hours and I feel fantastic today. Not being at work helps too but I do think there's a lot to be said for being happy = looking and feeling better.

I have been rubbish at doing any exercise so my mission for next week is to try to do an hours walk every other day because I actually like walking.

[WideWebWitch]

Oh and I haven't given up coffee, I've mostly given up booze and have been eating very healthily, drinking lots of water and trying to get to bed earlier.

[Pruni]

Rhubarb's right - being off the booze is tedious!
I like myself better when I can have a coffee in the morning and a beer in the evening. I don't often have more than that. I am funnier, nicer, etc. Occasionally I worry but since I haven't upped my booze consumption in the past decade, in fact have cut it, I refuse to get puritanical and pledge-signing about it.