I just want advice

[rosierosex]

Hi.
I'm 25 years old
The past 6 month I've really been struggling with weight loss. I've gone from having a healthy bmi to now being 16.5. I weight 7stone. I've had a bunch of blood done that are all fine. If I'm honest I know I probably don't eat as much as I should but I try my hardest without making myself feel nauseous. I currently have Covid and the past 4 days I haven't been able to stomach food at all, I'm just drinking water, but taste has changed and it's hugely put me off. But I know I can't afford to loose anymore weight 😢 the doctor are aware the last time I saw them I was a few stone heavier. I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't think it's physical because the tests are all fine. But my eating habits and lack of have been this way for years why suddenly now ami shedding weight like crazy.

Sounds like you are losing weight because you are not eating. You can check that on something like myfitnesspal by logging what you are eating and it'll tell you if that's enough to maintain your weight at your height, age etc

it's important to work out because reasons for not eating are different from reasons for losing weight despite eating

anyway - probably your sense of taste has gone with COVID, so eating is less enjoyable? Are you doing exercise etc?

Try something like some Huel or some soups etc whilst you are unwell, anything to get some calories in

I sometimes do not eat when stressed or anxious and I agree that it is important to distinguish between that and losing weight if still eating what should be enough for your needs

I would phone the GP surgery now though while you have Covid, tell the receptionist that you are concerned and either speak to a nurse or dr to advise you while ill and get an in person app for say 10days hence so you/they can follow up with you

In my own case I have to be careful not to spiral and have developed various ways to stop that happening - some are self-help, others involve other people

because it can be stress related I think it is important that you get others’ help and support to build a sort of ‘help scaffold’ around you - esp right now while you also have Covid

in the meantime you could try this which worked for me:

set numerous alarms on your phone to prompt you to eat throughout the day - use songs or tones or record your own phrases (if you can do this on your phone)

the thinking for me here is that when I hear the alarms it’s not a foghorn going off but a pleasant thing that will make me smile

songs are particularly good because there’s the encouragement to sing along which has an added effect of getting your mouth and jaw moving and ‘limbering up’ for the movement of chewing and eating

even if all you eat is a cracker & bit of cheese or watered down fruit juice or a couple of grapes or whatever to start with you might find it helps your body remember eating

(I don’t know how else to explain that - my dr said the shakes or liquid foods could become a crutch so better to keep trying with biteable, chewable food with various textures and tastes)

I hope you get some good advice and support from your surgery, recover from Covid, and get back to enjoying eating again soon 💐

It does sound like you aren't eating enough. It is so important to get enough fuel into your body. Even if you feel ok in yourself being underweight messes up your body (I thought I was fine but
recently found out I have advanced osteoporosis in my spine from being underweight). If you can manage it, try and consume some liquid calories, such as Huel. Buy whole milk, full fat yogurt. If you can't manage a big meal, have some cereal bars (such as belvita), fruit and nuts, or protein bars to hand. I used to have peanut butter on toast before bed to help put on weight. If I were you I would take a multivitamin and instead of filling up on fruit and veggies focus on your carbs, protein and healthy fats. You should speak to a nutritionist who can help you develop better eating habits. Speak to your GP to rule out anything underlying. When I went below 7 stone I started rapidly losing weight, I think it was because of the lack of reserves combined with not eating enough. I can guarantee that when you are eating well and get up to a healthy weight you will feel like a whole new person, even if you feel fine now! Don't be afraid to ask for help. I found, the lower my weight the harder it became to gain because I lost the mental capacity to make rational choices. What is your social life like? Do you have friends/support system? Do you experience anxiety or depression? Has anyone noticed your weight loss? Do you feel like your life has meaning/are you working towards your goals? Hard questions but it's worth thinking about them (of course ylou don't have to answer!)

I really do try my hardest to eat ask much as I can, I don't really eat healthy lots of the foods I like are fat filled, I've always enjoyed full fat milk and cheese ect, however I very easily forget to eat and come 7pm I think oh shoot I've not eaten yet today and then I'm so tired I don't have to energy to make food, or I have a meal and I feel so hungry but I miss judge it eat a bit and feel full up, I try to push myself to eat more but then it leads to me feeling nauseous. I don't go to the gym but I do have two children under 5 so I'm always busy and moving around, I'm kind of a clean freak so I'm running up and down the stairs all day high and low cleaning things, so in that sense I'm very active, I often forget about myself and put all my energy into everyone else. Ive always been slim but always maintained around 8.5 stone. I've never been in the position where I keep dropping and dropping weight, and it feels like I've lost control of it and it's extremely hard to try to gain weight or stop the weight loss due to my bad habits

your eating/not eating sounds similar to mine

when working/young DC I was running from pillar to post, always something ‘more important’ or ‘more urgent’ and feeding myself got pushed aside

trauma pushed that over the edge a bit but the underlying message I had ingrained in me was that my basic human needs were optional

and they really are not 😂 as you know yourself

you certainly would not expect your DC to do without food for a whole day because you were busy, nor let them do without food all day because they were engrossed in play

your nourishment is every bit as important as your children’s, mammy is a person who needs care, like they do, and not simply a provider of all things and needer of none

give eating alongside them a try - working up to appropriate portions and in combination with eating little and often

make an entire loaf of sandwiches on a Sun night for to put in the fridge so you have something quick and easy throughout the week

you don’t have to spend loads on protein bars or make roasts from scratch - simple basic food, multiple times a day until you get a bit more appetite and energy back

that last point is important too - the less you eat, the less energy, and it becomes that spiral I mentioned