Nutrient deficiency - please help !

[xamitgupta]

Hello friends,

I am in a really tough situation and I need some help or guidance from someone here. So, I recently started working out after I gained almost 14 kilos in 1.5 years due to tonnes of stress and bad habits. I joined a gym and a personal trainer and now I work out reasonably heavy 3-4 times a week (one hour each time). I also started following diets (like cutting white carbs), and eating more protein, but for some reason nowadays, even if I don't overeat, or rather if I try to cut any carbs, I become super weak in just 2-3 days. I start to feel numbness and tingling in my hands, my feet start to sleep very quickly and I am tired and having pulsating headaches frequently. I am pretty sure it's because of some deficiency, as if I start to eat normally it becomes fine again. But, I can't figure out which deficiency it is . I asked my GP and he told me to stop dieting for two weeks and take vitamin B12 supplements . But the catch is that I need some cutting down on calories because I am already pre-diabetic and touching obesity BMI (29).

Any suggestions very very welcome.

Also, I have troubled knees, and a family history of diabetes and heart disease, so I want to be extremely careful here.

thanks,
Amit

 

[MrNiceGuy1]

Other than suggesting that you refrained from dieting for a fortnight, did your GP actually take blood samples to see if you're actually mineral deficient?

The fact that he didn't recommend blood samples were taken, suggesting the use of a vitamin B12 supplement, instead (to support energy production), suggests that you're probably not as mineral deficient as you'd like to think.

As you've stated, you've begun to exercise reasonably heavily, no doubt incorporating a mixture of cardiovascular and resistance training. Given that you've considerably reduced consumption of refined carbohydrate when you exercise, its endeavour will leave you feeling weak, since your body is adapting to utilising other sources of energy (chiefly that of fat) to see you through your workouts.

Don't worry, though, as this is simply a phase that your body is going through. Once it becomes more adept to utilising other sources of energy, the headaches and weakness, from which you're currently suffering, should subside.

Carbohydrate is the body's preferred fuel of choice, so it's unsurprising to hear that you feel fine 'once you begin to eat normally again'.

As such, in order to ensure that you're consuming sufficient daily calories to support your weight loss goals, you should consult BMR/TDEE calculators, since both are largely accurate in determining energy requirements, based upon current measurements (age/weight/height) and level of activity.

Having obtained both, by introducing a daily deficit of around 500Kcal from your TDEE, not only will the body receive sufficient nourishment, it'll utilise energy stored in existing body fat, thus, leading to an overall reduction in body weight and an improvement in body composition.

Additionally, having obtained BMR and TDEE, it may also worth consulting macronutrient calculators, in order to achieve a breakdown in calories between the respective food groups.

 

[PussyCat1]

I think that's the normal phase as well. I'm feeling similar from time to time with my new diet. Your glicogen levels aren't full like you used to and body needs to adapt. For me - lot of small meals during the day are helpful.. especially if I'm working out. Good luck.