Why do I lack energy?

[SheetsOfEmptyCanvas]

Never had much energy but these past few weeks have been horrendous. I've been late getting up for work twice this week as I simply can't couldn't wake up properly and DH has had to get me up. Completely unheard of for me. Then during the day, afternoon especially I'm yawning constantly and almost falling asleep at work.

Bloods always come back fine.

Maybe diet? I have IBS so just stick to the same foods all the time, and not particularly healthy ones.

Breakfast - weetabix with half teaspoon of sugar
Lunch - pot noodle and crisps
Tea - frozen battered fish, open chips and peas. That was yesterday but is a typical example.

Could it be this and if so what can I change?

I am always shattered but found a vit B suppement seems to perk me up. I have never had this with any other supplement.

To be fair, your diet sounds grim! A total overhaul using one of the many, many healthy eating plans available online would certainly make a great starting point for a change and could only do good. I’m sure someone could recommend a particular one but basically far more vegetables and some fruit. And less salt or processed food.

When was your last holiday?

Pot noodle not really the best choice as it's full of salt and has basically no nutrition. However I have IBS too so I know how tricky it can be finding foods that don't set you off. I'd say you definitely need more protein and fruit/veg. Could you have a homemade meat and salad sandwich for lunch on wholemeal/brown bread instead? Have some berries or a banana with your porridge and skip the sugar. Have more veg with dinner.
I've been really tired too lately which I think is a combo of my IBS and also the weather. I always feel tired in muggy weather. Make sure you're drinking lots of water too, dehydration can make you tired.

Lunch pot noodle and crisps are carbohydrate heavy. So it puts you to sleep? Evening meal also contain carbohydrate heavily and not much vegetables. Insulin resistance?

Your diet really needs an overhaul..

Are you drinking 2 to 3 litres of water a day?

Not enough fruit & veg in your diet.

too many carbs.

Only one portion of fruit and veg there. Could you make minor changes? Not sure what your IBS allows. So some blueberries and banana on the weetabix, a stirfry type thing for lunch if you like noodles, then bake/steam a piece of fish with some potato/sweet potato, peas and broccoli for example. You don't mention drinks but it seems you are taking in a lot of salt so try to cut that down but also make sure you are drinking enough water.

This is tricky, OP - your diet is pretty unhealthy, but I assume that this is down to your IBS. Us just saying "you need to eat far more fruit and vegetables" isn't helpful if that's just going to cause a massive IBS flare-up.

Rather than us telling you what you "should" eat, can you tell us what you can eat? Are there any fruits or vegetables that are "safe" for you?

Can your IBS cope with more fruit and veg? That's a pretty appalling diet.

Get rid of the sugar on the weetabix and the processed foods. Up your intake of fruit and veg where possible, if not, what about vitamins or supplements? A diet of beige and salt is going to make anyone tired!

Your diet is crap. No fruit and barely any veg. Also carb heavy. No wonder you are tired. You need to fuel your body with a nutritionally balanced diet.

I have IBS and my diet is veggie/vegan. A typical day for me.

B 45g Granola and a Koko yogurt.
L Soup and one slice of bread. / salad with tofu or falafel
Or Amy's kitchen Pad Thai/Chinese Noodles. These have the same cals as a pot noodles
D New potato's/cauliflower rice and kale and mushroom sausages/beetroot burgers

Snacks - sugar snap peas, apple, or grapes.
One cup of coffee max a day. Water.

I have IBS too and fish in a batter is forbidden for me, fish is fine but batter is not. How's your battered fish? Looks like it's gluten-ny to me. Are you allowed any gluten? Is there any IBS cases where gluten is allowed?? (This is a genuine question).

With my ibs I can't have gluten, normal bread pasta etc but I'm allowed potatoes and rice. However they make me very sleepy so I'm sure I have insulin resistance issues too.

For energy I find the following sample diet:
for lunch a massive salad with greens and cucumber and cherry tomatoes and feta cheese and either meatballs or chicken drumsticks in the salad to provide extra protein. No gluten. No energy dip.

Or homemade lentil soup and a side dish, thick yoghurt.

Or sandwiches made with gluten free bread. Or fish without batter which could be ie sardines in a tin, with some rice.

I'm allowed potatoes but I hate potatoes so it's rare that I have it. When I have it it's baked potatoes with cheese and salad or some other non-gluten filling.

Onions and apples are big no to me, but most vegetables especially salad ingredients like greens, spinach etc are unlimited. When I don't have any carbohydrate I am full of energy.

As above it's your diet. If you change it and have no luck then I recommend floradix, it's a herbal supplement that you can buy off the shelf in boots or h&b. Total game changer. I took it when DD1 was around 6 months and my energy levels were depleted. DH takes it now in an exhausting new job - he was falling asleep in front of the go at 8pm and now he's not.

@DunnoWhy I have IBS and I'm fine with gluten. I'm not fine with dairy. Gluten can cause IBS flares in some sufferers but not everyone, it's not like being a celiac. You're "allowed" to eat anything you want with IBS that doesn't set you off, unless you're following a specialised diet recommended by a dietician.

Vitamin D? How are your levels? Most people in the UK have low levels and the recommendations are a bit on the low side. If you are getting bloods done it is worth checking it.

And as said above, Vit.B, some B vits are needed more than others, so you may not need B complex.

Thanks @CherryBlossom23 . I learnt something new, now.

Thanks for the replies.

I'm doing an online shop and buying more veg but I can't eat fruit or salad as it sets me off.

For next Monday I'm thinking:

Protein porridge

Jacket potato and a tin of lentil curry

Vegetarian lasagne made with courgettes and aubergine. I don't drink enough water, I struggle to get through one 500ml bottle a day. My I'm is 5 bottles! But I work in my car all day so I'm always worried about needing the toilet

You need to sort your diet out and bloods always being normal doesn't mean much because 1. They usually don't test everything and 2. "Normal" is too vague and not always the case.

Get a copy of your bloods and post them here if you want. Probably see what they haven't bothered to test and if they're right when they say everything is normal.