strange but true I am not eating enough!

[christine007]

On November third of this year I started what I refer to as my semi-retirement job ( Even though I'm only fortysix)

I am drying cars off at the local car wash. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome, the money is great and the guys there are hilarous.It's like being stuck in "The forty year old virgin.

why am I doing this? My background is customer service in an office and since I'm the single mom of an autistic child, my Doctor wisely advised my to find work that is interesting low stress, and fun.

I did. I've always been athletic, do all my own gardening and stuff, I'm training my German Shep in personal protection.

But nothing ever prepared me for this.

So, here's my problem. I have dropped thirty pounds in not quite two months, and It's not that I was THAT heavy, but this job is like doing Pilates all day.

So, I'm literally having trouble taking in enough calories. I eat before work, at work but when I come home, I'm too tired to even BE hungry. all my new muscles are throbbing and I take a long time to come down, and when I finally do, I just fall asleep. I often don't even make it to my bed.

So what would you eat if say, you worked outside in the midwest, doing physical labor for sometimes up to ten hours a day?

I am perplexed. prehaps I will hear from one you dear friends here at egullet who does, or did manual labor in a cold climate.

Nobody seems to have any advice, or understand what i'm talking about. my weight is ok now, but geez I really don't have anymore to lose,yet I still am.

My mom said eat a salad, that's a joke. all that would do would fill me up, then I'd have no appetite for real food.

I crave protein, carbs and fat, in that order. also the additional problem is you cannot imagine how much my stomach has shrunk. I can eat the burger but the fries? Forget it.

I know, I know, this sounds more like bragging and that's so NOT my intent. I seriously am asking what when where would you eat if you have to take in large quanties of high calorie food that would at least, somewhat good for you?

And I have no sweet tooth at all. Although, if the guys leave cake or pie in the fridge I'll hit it. But not hard.

So, any thoughs?

Thanks for reading. You are the best website for kind, funny,warm people.

[nibor]

When I did physical work outside in the midwest I ate whatever I wanted, was skinny, and looked great. Now I sit in front of a computer, am overweight, and can't eat anything without it turning to lard. Sounds like you are healthy now, no?

[christine007]

When I did physical work outside in the midwest I ate whatever I wanted, was skinny, and looked great. Now I sit in front of a computer, am overweight, and can't eat anything without it turning to lard. Sounds like you are healthy now, no?

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Oh, hell to the yes! my arms and legs have wittled down to muscle and bone, my butt is history(which my man bitches about ) my gut is not there, I mean nothing. my blood pressure is perfect and my immune system is in overdrive.

I sleep like a baby.

The only belly I have is the small pad of tummy at the very bottom, where I had my daughter by C-section. It's not really even fat, it's a scar.

Dude, I have back the body I had before I had children, only with more muscles.

over share, but I had to buy two inch bigger bras because of my new back muscles.

Like I said, it works, but I really do not need to lose not one more pound, yet i am.

what do you think of me taking a good multi-vitaman and just not worrying about not eating fruits and veggies? Cause there's just no enough calories there, I'll get full, not have enough food in me and maybe fall under a car. (yeah, this job is kinda dangerous if you're not mentally "All there".

[nibor]

Vitamins are good. So are steak, beer, you know, the stuff guys eat....

[christine007]

I am trying to copy the guys I work with, funny you mentioned that!

Pizza, pasta, subs are huge. Not if only I could expand my stomach capacity in some way, I'd be golden.

Whopper with cheese, extra mayo is a staple of mine.

It's a tad off topic, but working with a 22 and 32 year old men who are grossly inappropriate is such a trip!

I could not even tell you what they talk about, but use your imagination..

One day I caught myself finishing my food and wiping my hands on my pants.

I expect to wake up any day now with a certain, um, part of the male anatomy! LOL!

[Fresser]

Don't jump on the junk food bandwagon, Christine. Just because your metabolism kicked into hyperdrive it doesn't mean your body doesn't need solid nutrition.

I recommend that fibrous breakfast of champions, the hearty bowl of oatmeal. Top it with bananas, blueberries and other fruit for a slow-burning hearty breakfast. For lunch, try some whole-grain breads with turkey or whatnot. Pile on some mayo-free coleslaw as well.

See if this helps.

[gfron1]

Go see a nutritionist! That's not a cop-out answer, but you're talking about some serious loss there. Because of my athletic activity, I've always had to consume massive calories to keep weight on, and when I went to a nutritionist, my calories became much smarter/healthier and definitely served me better. It will be a great use of a $100.

[prasantrin]

You could sneak vegetables, etc. into your protein--add chopped vegetables and breadcrumbs into your meatloaf or burgers, etc.

If you're eating breakfast, try fattening them up. Add a lot of cheese (and vegetables) to eggs, make a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomatoes, make smoothies with half-and-half, etc.

Multi-vitamins are, as I understand it, supposed to augment whatever you're getting through food, rather than replace. Plus despite what vitamin companies say, many of the nutrients in vitamins are not readily accessible to the human body.

One final thing that might help is to stop thinking about your situation in terms of weight, but think about it in terms of body fat percentage. You're probably still in a healthy range, and if you're really worried, have your bfp done (most gyms and even some university recreation departments will do a fitness assessment including bfp for a price). I had mine done a few years ago, and was suprised to find out what I though was an "ideal weight" for me would be downright unhealthy for me now (I was shooting for 110, which was about what I was in high school, but I found out that my non-fat body weight alone is 103lbs).

I almost wish I had your problem, except I'm too lazy to work at a car wash!

(And start doing some squats to get that butt back!)

[mizducky]

I totally hear you on being concerned about losing too much weight, and on dealing with the fact that other people might have trouble taking it seriously as a problem. Underweight definitely brings along health hazards in its own right. It's especially of concern to women in your/our age bracket--underweight is not an ideal condition with which to be entering menopause, coping with calcium retention to avoid osteoporosis, etc.

But you don't want to consume just any old slop. Healthy weight gain does not happen around junk food and non-nutritive calories. But as long as your heart health factors, cholesterol and glucose levels, etc. are all normal, you can--and should--feel free to eat good-quality higher-fat foods.

Something as simple as switching to whole-fat milk and yogurt could help--consume the same volume of those foods, only with more calories packed in per unit. Higher-fat meats, higher-fat fish--bacon, pork belly, salmon, mackerel. Nutritionally-dense foods, healthy complex carbs--whole-grain muffins and cookies you can bring to work with you. Bananas. Avocados. Dried fruit/nuts mixes. And, hell, drink some beer and wine! You might as well have some fun with those carbs! And in moderation, beer and wine provide all kinds of health benefits of their own.

And don't neglect those pre-packaged nutritional beverages. All of the HIV/AIDS support organizations I've ever worked with have handed out those little bottles of Ensure/Boost/etc to all their clients to help them keep from losing body mass. You might have to try a few different brands/flavors--I understand that some of them are less appealing than others. But they're a great safety-net food to always have on hand when you can't find time to catch a proper meal.

[prasantrin]

Go see a nutritionist!  That's not a cop-out answer, but you're talking about some serious loss there.    Because of my athletic activity, I've always had to consume massive calories to keep weight on, and when I went to a nutritionist, my calories became much smarter/healthier and definitely served me better.  It will be a great use of a $100.

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Nutritionists can be great, but some are just clueless about how to work with anyone who does not eat a "standard" diet. A nutritionist I went to encouraged me to buy more processed foods (soy cheese, fake meats, etc.). I'd rather have eaten less of what I was already eating than more of that crap. My mother was told by a nutritionist to eat Rice Krispies for a good breakfast, though she is a life-long eater of oatmeal! Can you imagine?

Along with what mizducky was saying, it might be a good idea to get a physical done, just to make sure there isn't anything else contributing to your weight loss. Your doctor is also in a better position to determine if your weight loss is a concern to your health, and s/he can recommend a nutritionist or other paths for you to look into.

[christine007]

Thanks, Iknew you'd help.

MizDucky, I totally forgot about ensure, you're right. and yes, I'm in perimemopause, still getting my monthly visit, but hot flashing and mood swinging like hell.

I DID lose a ton of weight, but thanks to the perimemopuase and a brutally hot summer ( it made me sick to be outside) I gained some back, so wild weight swings is yet another issue.

Fresser, oatmeal would rock as long as I had some protein (scambled eggs) on the side. I did three hundred and five cars saturday? And when I say drying? I mean from the front head light to the back lights. I started getting faint. Not good.

prasantrin, good ideas! I love broccoli with cheese sauce, that's a ton of calories.

I also take to work hard boiled eggs, carrot and celery sticks and abig ass hunk of cheddar.

gfron1 I totally will see a nutristionist after I take care of some money problems I have. I agree.

I want to thank you all so much. I don't want to go into details about the financial trouble I was in, but I need this job like you need air to breathe. really.

and you're right, nobody takes me seriously.

I was trying to explain this to me sis ( who's got issues and is jealous of me) and all I got from her was, "Must be nice."

It's not going to be nice come February. I did some online research. The average woman of my age and height wears a sixteen/eighteen.

I'm on eight on the bottom and A ten on the top because of all the new muscle.

I sleep in cotton long sleeve tee shirts. I notice two weeks ago the are lose as hell on my torso and too tight on my arms.

I'm, thanks to all of you, thinking about buying fresh cauliflower and broccoli, and Stouffer's welsh rabbit. Veggies, protein and a million calories. that would rock out loud.

FYI, don't even think this job sucks. with salary and tips, I made twenty dollars an hour for ten hours Sat., and I got to be with my new friends. We spend so much time together, we're like family, only better.

What should I drink? I'm doing the diet coke, because I don't need the sugar, when we really start rocking I'm pumped enough, thank you.

[prasantrin]

prasantrin, good ideas! I love broccoli with cheese sauce, that's a ton of calories.

I also take to work hard boiled eggs, carrot and celery sticks and  abig ass hunk of cheddar.

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Mix in some mayo and finely diced red peppers into that mayo, and you've got some extra calories and nutrition! You mentioned not craving carbs, so if you're not in the mood for bread, Ryvita crackers or similar-style crackers can help add crunch, calories, and fiber to your snack! But it's a lot messier to eat egg salad than a hard-boiled egg!

[Dianabanana]

Any time I drink coffee, which isn't often, it makes me absolutely ravenous.

[JEL]

drink lots of water.

eat something every hour your at work........

maybe an apple, a pbj sammich, nuts, milk.............

think about a dietary supplement.....

i've done the kind of physical work you're talking about, in those same climates, i'm the same age as you are, just remember that your metabolism is not the same as the 25 yr old guys you are working with......

eat a clean diet, low glycemic carbs, (like oats as fresser stated), sweet potatoes, and veggies..raw baby spinich for the win.........

you should be able to load up on all the meat and dairy you want unless your predisposed to cholesterol and bp probs in which case you should move to ethiopia and starve....

best to you and yours......

[JEL]

do you live by yourself....

not to be nosey, but often times a person's appetitie is stimulated by company.......

i speak from experience, not trying to br dr phil..........

you haven't lost an estreme amt of wgt..from your description, your running about 2-3# / week which is not outrageous.......

if you feel good otherwise than muscle soreness (which is good), i wouldn't pay it much mind.........

good for you and god bless..........

[judiu]

Eat like a bird, peck peck, here, peck peck there. A couple of bites every 15 minutes will add up fast. Keep a pocketful of salted nuts or sunflower seeds, and just eat a few at a time. Boost is better tasting than Ensure to me and can be added to your coffee like a flavored creamer.

[Batard]

Go see a nutritionist! 

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This is really the best advice here on this page!! What works for others may not work for you. If fact, what works for others might actually be unhealthy for you. It's irresponsible for people to advise you to add fat or whatever to your diet unless they know your medical history.

Go to your doctor and have bloodwork, etc., if you haven't done that in the last year (you know, lipids, blood sugar, CBC the usual). You need that as a baseline before you go to the nutritionist anyway.

I got a referral from my old Doc to see a nutritionist, who ended up being kind of idiot. I learned from that. If you google, you can find the best rated doctors by profession in your vicinity. I go the best doctors in NJ not because I am anyone special, but because I did some homework. Oh, don't ask your insurance company for a doctor's name, they know nothing about the doctors they have enrolled and will just pick a name out of a hat.

Edited December 25, 2007 by Batard (log)

[foodie52]

Oatmeal has protein.

[gfron1]

Go see a nutritionist!  That's not a cop-out answer, but you're talking about some serious loss there.    Because of my athletic activity, I've always had to consume massive calories to keep weight on, and when I went to a nutritionist, my calories became much smarter/healthier and definitely served me better.  It will be a great use of a $100.

←

Nutritionists can be great, but some are just clueless about how to work with anyone who does not eat a "standard" diet.

←

I agree with this caution - I should have clarified that the nutritionist I saw specialized in performance athletes. I lived at a ski resort at the time so it was easy to find someone that was appropriately trianed and experienced. Even though you're not an olympic athlete, this is the type of person you're looking for. And as for your financial concerns, if you live in a university town, and they have a program for nutritionists, you might be able to get this done for free or very cheaply.

Just on an aside, when I went to see my nutritionist, I was preparing for a climb of a 20,000 foot peak in Peru, and I was already working at the ski resort doing a minimum of four hours of training per day, so she put me on a pre-climb diet of almost 6000 calories per day, then decreased me immediately after the climb. I put on 15 pounds, lost 20 and balanced out after 2 months.

[Fresser]

Fresser, oatmeal would rock as long as I had some protein (scambled eggs) on the side. I did three hundred and five cars saturday? And when I say drying? I mean from the front head light to the back lights. I started getting faint. Not good.

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Christine,

If you were getting faint, you could have been either hypogylcemic (low blood sugar) or, if you had been sweating a lot, hyponatraemic (low on electrolyes). Keep orange juice on hand to boost your blood sugar. For the electrolytes, eat either bananas (a favorite of triathletes & cyclists) or prunes.

Rock on with the new, svelte body!

[christine007]

Thanks to all, I knew I could count on Egullet because we have the best posters on the webs!

Yes, fruit juice is a great idea, I love me some grapefruit juice. much better than sucking down coke.

and, awesome idea about the nuts, I can keep smokehouse almonds in my uniform coat pocket.

And that is so true I require oceans of water. I'm never without my huge water bottle.

and, while I don't live alone, I'm the only adult in the house.

that also presents the problem of coming home beat to hell and back with no food prepared.

I'm going to spend my days off in my kitchen cooking and freezing stew, chili, soup, and buy all kinds of cheeses, apples and crackers.

Thanks to all of you, I really don't feel so lost! Iwas very overwhelmed, I didn't know this would happen.

Yeah, I'm a blonde. I thought I'd work in a car wash and it wouldn't effect me.

ETA, yeah, I've heard people say coffee gets the hungry going,but I can't even drink the stuff anymore!

MY problem is I'm too hyped up as it is, all the time! My Dr. gave me xanax to take when it gets too bad.

on my days off, I sometimes have to go jogging in my combat boots with the shep.

Edited December 25, 2007 by christine007 (log)

[Dianabanana]

Just a thought, but have you had your thyroid checked? Weight loss, anxiety, and a need to burn off energy are common symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

[christine007]

Just a thought, but have you had your thyroid checked? Weight loss, anxiety, and a need to burn off energy are common symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

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My Doctor said that he thought about that, but then talked to a doc who works with The Cleveland Browns who's he's friends with and he said he sees the same thing in the new football players.

I'm not really anxious per say? more like physically craving the need to move around, and it's most likely my enorphins (spelling?) trying to adjust to my new level of activiy.

he'll order the test if I'm not better come Feb.

Thanks again!

[chiantiglace]

Alright, I do not know what your diet is right now, or your conditions, but from what I can tell you is this:

If you are craving protein, which is rare unless you are a man and just want to eat a steak to feel like a man, then you probably need it. If you are forcing your body to do more physical labor/work than it is use to, then your body is more than likely trying to convert your calories into building muscle. So this could be a reason why you are so tired because you are burning even more energy than you would be if you just did this excersize once in a while. Since you are doing it routinely your body is anticipating the effects and trying to strengthen your system, thus converting more energy.

If this is so, scratch the fiber/carb breakfast and focus a little more on protein. Eat more eggs if possible and possibly ham if you like it for breakfast. Its good to have fiber throughout the day, so instead of fiber packed carb cereal, eat a whole wheat or bran muffin with your protein.

Concentrate on fruits throughout the day. If you are getting enough protein in th beginning of the day, then fruits will help you break it down, and recycle your amino acids plus help strengthen all the little things like site from vitamin A, bile transfer, digestion as previously said, bone/joint/ligament function. By helping your body function more easily, the proteins/amino acids in your body can attatch themself to there jobs more easily burning less calories later in the day. It is important to keep the vitamins coming in routinely as well because they leave your body much more quickly than proteins.

A very well balanced dinner is important for the returning day. Your body may crave fats or high calorie products closer to the night because your body wants to ensure an easy recovery in the morning from all the energy it burns at night. The more you work in the day, the harder you sleep at night, which means the more energy you burn at night repairing and re positioning. Make sure you eat strong vegetables, high in carotenes. Also carbohydrates as well. A little protein would go nicely to help rebuild over night. You need to pay attention to foods that take a while to break down, this will keep a consistent calorie and vitamin flow all night. Nothing high in simple sugars, thats why you eat fruits mid day for quick punches of energy. This is where you eat your whole grain pasta, your tomatoes, your carrots, beets, potatoes, kale, spinach, etc. Try to eat the carbohydrates first and the protein last, that way all the tryptophan enters your brain and stimulates serotonin.

Dont forget your red wine and chocolate either.

[christine007]

Alright, I do not know what your diet is right now, or your conditions, but from what I can tell you is this:

If you are craving protein, which is rare unless you are a man and just want to eat a steak to feel like a man, then you probably need it.  If you are forcing your body to do more physical labor/work than it is use to, then your body is more than likely trying to convert your calories into building muscle.  So this could be a reason why you are so tired because you are burning even more energy than you would be if you just did this excersize once in a while.  Since you are doing it routinely your body is anticipating the effects and trying to strengthen your system, thus converting more energy.

If this is so, scratch the fiber/carb breakfast and focus a little more on protein.  Eat more eggs if possible and possibly ham if you like it for breakfast.  Its good to have fiber throughout the day, so instead of fiber packed carb cereal, eat a whole wheat or bran muffin with your protein.

Concentrate on fruits throughout the day.  If you are getting enough protein in th beginning of the day, then fruits will help you break it down, and recycle your amino acids plus help strengthen all the little things like site from vitamin A, bile transfer, digestion as previously said, bone/joint/ligament function.  By helping your body function more easily, the proteins/amino acids in your body can attatch themself to there jobs more easily burning less calories later in the day.  It is important to keep the vitamins coming in routinely as well because they leave your body much more quickly than proteins.

A very well balanced dinner is important for the returning day.  Your body may crave fats or high calorie products closer to the night because your body wants to ensure an easy recovery in the morning from all the energy it burns at night.  The more you work in the day, the harder you sleep at night, which means the more energy you burn at night repairing and re positioning.  Make sure you eat strong vegetables, high in carotenes.  Also carbohydrates as well.  A little protein would go nicely to help rebuild over night.  You need to pay attention to foods that take a while to break down, this will keep a consistent calorie and vitamin flow all night.  Nothing high in simple sugars, thats why you eat fruits mid day for quick punches of energy.  This is where you eat your whole grain pasta, your tomatoes, your carrots, beets, potatoes, kale, spinach, etc.  Try to eat the carbohydrates first and the protein last, that way all the tryptophan enters your brain and stimulates serotonin.

Dont forget your red wine and chocolate either. 

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I assure you, I was born a woman and remain one to this day.

BUT- you make a good point, I WORK like a man. That is key, yes.

I hear you, but dude, I'm too tired to eat at night. I do , however wake up starving and eat vast quanties of protein and carbs. I crave spinach and carrots, now you mention it.

I'll take the wine, chocolate's just a bit too rich for me. (again, yes, I'm a girl.)