Why does being healthy make me feel ill?!

[Randyvoo]

It happens every time. I decide to eat healthier. I give up booze, go to bed earlier - I eat pretty well normally but go harder by cutting out sugary crap. By day 2 I have a splitting horrendous headache (like pressure) and feel like shit. What is this?!

I had to be dairy and gluten free for breastfeeding and so many people said "I bet you feel great". Nope. Felt far better on gluten and dairy.

I've given up today and having a sausage toastie for lunch

If you've swapped to primarily sugar free alternatives could one of the artificial sweetners used in that type of product be disagreeing with you? It's contentious but there are some repors saying that out of the options of artificial sweetener or sugar, the former could potentially be worse on the body believe it or not!

Yep, same here. Lost nearly a stone and my spots are awful and I feel awful.

Sugar withdrawal!! Drink lots, eat consistently, it will pass but my god it will be miserable. They call it the keto flu when you drop most carbohydrates (so all sugar) for keto diet as the symptoms are so shit they resemble a flu.

Totally normal - crashing down from caffeine & sugar and general surplus of readily available energy (calories). When body doesn't have all this energy (fast carbs) floating around anymore it goes into a bit of a shock and can't find the "normal" energy stores straight away.

Are you by any chance making massive changes all at once rather than performing a slow transition?

Also, considering a serving of full fat yoghurt and a little dark chocolate as "unhealthy" sounds a bit extreme.

We do need calories and fat in our diets, and yes there is nutritional value in chocolate too!

Another vote for sugar withdrawal.

Also there are lots of additives in the kind of processed foods you described giving up. You might be sensitive to withdrawal from some of those as well.

Once you get out the other side of it your body readjusts and you don't get the cravings anymore.

Would you consider talking to a dietician? My idea of healthy eating was seriously skewed. She took all my preferences, impulses and lifestyle into account and gave me some very simple steps to follow and I’ve never enjoyed food more, or eaten as much.

I’m not eating sugary, processed food or caffeine and I’m not bothered because my needs are being met.

I don’t have much willpower and deprivation is no way to live, but there’s so much misinformation floating around in diet culture.

OP, agree with pp it’s maybe withdrawal symptoms from sugar and any additives etc, if you're also reducing your ultra processed food intake.

@burntoutnurse what exercises are you doing? I’ve found that sometimes after a period of high intensity workouts (running, dance workouts etc ) I start to feel ill.

I can only do high intensity workouts occasionally now, and instead I do daily walks, stretches and light dumbbell workouts. It sucks because I do enjoy the fast dance workouts and running!

Well done on your weight loss and fitness improvements!

I’m guessing you still feel like crap because you haven’t yet managed to move away from eating and drinking a lot of ultra-processed food? Sugar-free drinks…. that could be water, black coffee, tea, all of which is good for you - but if it’s sugar free pop with tons of sweetener in, it really isn’t good for you in any way. Your body and your gut microbes weren’t designed to deal with it. Same with chocolate with tons of sweetener in.

I can’t consume anything with aspartame in, because it makes me feel dreadfully ill. I don’t think it’s particularly unusual to find that sweeteners make you feel ill.

oh, and by the way, 41 is not old! You’re still young!

@burntoutnurse could it be that your body doesn’t like the artificial sweeteners you’re having? Would switching to really dark chocolate instead be something worth trying? I know they’re everywhere at the moment but reading Food for Life and Ultra Processed People is making me conscious of the effects they can have on our bodies.

Ha, few of us posing that question!

@Storyfiles walking/jogging mainly, I have POTS so had to build up very slowing. But I either walk round the village or treadmill daily, I aim for 10-12k steps, and Zumba once a week as my shifts allow!

I did nothing before 🙈

@dontbenastyhaveapasty I mostly drink sugar free squash as I find water boring but I making an effort to drink more water (with lemon squeezed in to make it taste better )

I think my main reason is the trouble with sleep, which goes with shift work.

Definitely withdrawal from sugar and ultra processed foods, your body is feeling deprived of the chemicals. You need to perservere!

Maybe try carbs earlier, to give you an energy boost, unless you do a great deal of exercise in the evening? That's what a dietitian advised me. Her ideal was a small amount with each meal, though. I often have a protein based salad with, say, 30g sourdough bread, chopped into pretend croutons, just for the energy.

It's the sugar.

Sugar is a bastard. A complete and utter bastard.

This has been super enlightening, thanks everyone. Feeling marginally better today but still pretty shit. I'll soldier on and keep avoiding the UPFs (though v tempted by a glass of wine tonight!)

I've never had this happen. I just find the healthy life really, really boring.