Hello! I’m 3 months into ZC and unsure what is causing me to feel tired all the time. Any advice would be very much appreciated! I’m a woman in my late 20s, and before starting ZC, I was lean (but not skinny), worked out 3 times a week, and restricted calories.
I have to say I wasn’t 100% ZC. There were slip-ups for a full week due to travel, and a handful of times when I’d ask my friends for a bite of their desserts (I know). I was a daily coffee drinker for many years. I found that my gut was a lot more sensitive to coffee when I started ZC so I quit 1.5 months in. When I was fiending for coffee, I substituted it with green tea. I also started cutting out dairy and eggs. Now, I usually eat beef, salt, and water. Occasionally, I drink straight liquor. My appetite was huge in the beginning. At least 2 lbs of meat per day and sometimes ate more than 3 lbs. I mostly ate ground beef and chuck steaks as they are cheaper. I gained quite a bit of weight. I’m not happy about how my body looks right now, but I am hopeful that if I keep going, I will see a better body recomp. My appetite has slowed down recently and now I don’t go over 2 lbs.
I’ve been trying to listen to my body, which I think is such a cool aspect of this WOE. Eating fattier or adding butter when I feel like it, eating leaner when fat doesn’t taste good, drinking to thirst, and working out when I felt the urge to. I felt that my energy level was the same as before I started ZC. However, things changed recently and I have been feeling so tired. I always get a good night’s sleep but I find myself needing a nap in the afternoon. I did catch the flu or cold that was going around 2 weeks ago and I was wrecked. I recovered yet my energy hasn’t bounced back. I also noticed that I am lacking in strength. I am pretty new to lifting weights (started at the beginning of this year) and I’m not strong. After starting ZC, I find myself struggling with lifting weights that I was comfortable with before. I’m exhausted after a workout. I hear that it takes a long time to adapt to ZC and the loss of strength can happen in the beginning. I’m frustrated because, with the weight gain, I must have put on some muscles (in addition to the rounder stomach I have now ) yet they aren’t helping. Am I just dependent on caffeine? Am I missing something?
Side note: Despite the recent drop in energy, I am still loving this WOE. I had an unhealthy relationship with food ever since I was a teen, and it is so freeing to not have cravings and guilt that comes from indulging myself. My issue with digesting FODMAPs is gone. No bloating, no gas. Food doesn’t dictate whether or not I will have a good day. Dobby is free!