why is eating healthy so unhealthy for me ?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Prolactinoma

and at one time secondary adrenal insufficient and a whole host of other issues.

I workout hard and try to eat a healthy diet but it doesnt work... i won't go into all the details but basically.... when i workout it does a number on my body i believe its due to cortisol but i may be wrong... when i eat clean/low carb/ healthy nutitional foods i look/feel horrible

and it requires me to binge on the worst foods possible to look and feel human... i try to go back to the healthier way of eating and it starts up again.

A typical week goes like this.

Go to gym workout hard.

the next few days despite eating the correct number of calories but choosing what most would class as healthy wholefoods

i begin to bloat all over/hold onto a lot of water.. face puffy, chest, abs etc...

pee a lot but the above continues despite this....

cant sleep even though tired.

sore/pressure behinds eyes.

sore all over muscles/bones

weak fatigued.

feel sick to the stomach with hunger

next day instead eating the same amount of calories with healthy foods i replace those calories with junk food... pizza...chocolate...etc

sleep like baby...bloating comes down.. no longer run to the bathroom as often.. muscle/bone pain goes away... feel more alive to the world.

Both days i consume the exact same amount of calories, so it isnt how much i eat but what i eat that is key.

seems my body wants carbs.... chocolate... sugar....

I keep leaning towards adrenals but every article i've read about adrenal health advices to eat wholesome organic foods and avoid processed sugars etc...

so what gives ?

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    You say you had secondary adrenal insufficiency 'at one time'? So your body produces Cortisol normally now? The reason I ask is that Cortisol is also known as the sugar hormone, so for me when I am low on Cortisol (I definitely have secondary adrenal insufficiency) I do crave sugar. I take Hydrocortisone daily 15mg at breakfast, 5mg at lunch and 5mg around 6pm. I don't suffer any of the other symptoms you mention and my weight is normal for my age. Muscle fatigue is also a sign of low Cortisol, and the pressure behind the eyes could indicate the tumour you had could have returned. Have you had any recent MRI scans?

    • Posted

      yeah i had a whole load of secondary things going on before my diagnosis of the prolactinoma... secondary hypogonadism.. secondary adrenal insufficient and others i cant remember as its been a while.

      at first i was on cabergoline and hydrocortisone to kick start my adrenals and when my adrenals were producing on their own i was weened off the hydrocortisone.

      I havent been for any testing in a while but when i was last tested synthacten* test was told my levels were okay.

      i dont think the pressure behind the eyes is the tumor as it will go away when ive rested in bed and ate like a horse for a few days to heal up. it seems to be tied in with the tired but wired thing i have preventing me from sleeping any longer than an hour or 2, plus i urinate a lot so that also keeps me awakened.

      crippling hunger is another im easily eating 5/6k of calories in the last day or 2 to recover, this is the usual scenario for me and once im fitting fit again can drop back down to normal calories until then next time this comes on.

      Yeah sugar.. i crave chocolate and could eat it all day everyday generally but even more so when im feeling like this... it's 11am and i've ordered a pizza and ben and jerrys. because nothing in my fridge would be substantial enough for my hunger i have right now upon wakening. that will be 2 large pizzas in the space of 12 hours amongst other treats.

    • Posted

      I think the biggest confusion i have is trying to figure out which of the cortisol issues i have post workout... is my cortisol elevated due to the intensity of the workout and needing blunted by these cravings.

      or am i not producing enough cortisol to deal with the workload which is leading to me crashing and requiring all these extra calories to recover.

      if i knew which of the two it was i might stand a better chance of dealing with it and preventing.

      going by my past it would seem obvious its not enough cortisol but all recent tests said my adrenals were functioning... so its possible with working adrenals i can now have elevated cortisol when over stressed.

      So confusing.. i just listen to my body now when it craves something but would love to go back on the healthy diet and find other ways to prevent it without dropping the weightlifting as i love it.

  • Posted

    If you are going to the gym and working out hard you need protein and carbs!!! it sounds like you are exhausting you body as you are not feeding your muscles properly! No wonder you feel awful and exhausted!

    Get eating the correct foods for hard workouts

    Good luck

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.