Why Does Eating Healthy Make Me Feel Sick? Shouldn't I Feel Great?

Question

I'm 17. I'm 5'10 and 150 lbs.
I'm trying to lose some weight, but I never expected it to be this hard! I've only been on my diet for two days, but I'm exausted, feel terrible, and I'm constantly on the verge of tears.

Old diet:
Living off of fast food, enormous bars of chocolate, a bag of chips a day, Panda Express Chinese fast food....

New Diet:
Whatever I want to eat, but only non-processed food, like brown rice/pasta, fruits, veggies, fish, lean chicken, whole wheat bread. I eat until I'm full, with healthy snacks in between. One normal-sized chocolate bar a day.

Even though I'm creative with my diet, and I allow a treat a day, I feel like I'm dying. I constantly want to TASTE grease, intense flavor, the oily CRUNCH of Orange Chicken, or eat more chocolate and the salty smoothness of french fries.

And I'm only on my second day. I literally feel SICK.

How do people survive this? People make it sound so easy. Is there opium in junk food or something?

I pay careful attention to get enough fiber and protein, but I'm still not truly satisfied. The good news, is that I lose weight VERY easily, and gain it slowly. I went on this "health kick" for a week once, and lost eight pounds. After eating crappy again, it took a month to gain it back.

Answer 1

That's normal for you to be feeling like that. Your body is still craving all the junk. The first few days are the worst. You'll soon start feeling like that less and less. Good luck.

Answer 2

Your body will take a few days to adjust. All the food you've been eating has screwed up the way you process sugar and fat. (Sugar, you apparently know by now, is in all the processed stuff, and doesn't have to be "sweet" to have lots of sugar.) Your body's used to an endless supply, and has to readjust how it delivers insulin to keep your energy supply steady.

In a few days, you'll feel calmer, more stable, and healthier. Your weight may fluctuate a few times, but don't give up. Eating healthy is meant to improve health and life, and not just drop weight. Look at it as a life change. If you have a day where you eat "crap", don't waste time feeling bad about it! Enjoy it for that day, then move on, back into your new, healthy routine. Get those "crap" days down to once every two weeks or so, and you'll feel great! (And the "crap" really will taste like "crap"!)

I hope you ditched carbonated beverages, too. That was really difficult for me, having been a lifelong Pepsi junkie, but when I did it, my stomach got flatter, and I had less digestive "turmoil", I guess you'd say.

Sounds like you're on the right track, though you don't sound overweight for your height.... At any rate, you'll be healthier, and feel better in the long run.

Good luck! : )

Answer 3

Your body is detoxing. It will take a while. You've got 17 years of abuse to correct. Eating the way you described (previously), no doubt, made your body a happy home for all kinds of critters. The average human has 2 lbs of parasites...with your old diet, you've probably got more. Those parasites, yeasts and fungi that have taken over your body, are craving that junk...they thrive off of it. Right now, they are starving...which is why you feel sick. Keep with it girl...it will get better.

I'm also cleansing...fasting actually. I haven't eaten in 6 days! So, if you feel like giving up...just think of me! If I can go without food entirely...you can certainly stick with your new diet. Good luck.

Answer 4

Well your problem is that you have been living off gross and disgusting food for so long your body is used to it. You have to retrain your body to like healthier food. It's not easy but if you want to lose weight, feel better and live longer you must do it. Make sure to drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday. It will help flush all of the bad stuff out as well as fill you up so you wont have those greasy, fried cravings! Good luck!

I love eating healthy and I am also 5'10'' and I'm 23 years old and weight around 130... You will not regret doing this for yourself!

Answer 5

Your new diet is OUTSTANDING!

You feel sick because you aren't used to it yet. You are craving the bad foods because your body "thinks" it still needs them.

Right now you are flushing all the grease and fat from your system. You are getting a lot of good fiber with the whole grains and fruits.

Keep at it. You are making yourself healthy from the inside, and at 17, you are creating a great foundation for later in life.

When you make it a habit of eating healthy, you will get sick when you go back to Panda Express!

Answer 6

darling, it seems that you feel exausted is cos your body isn't used to not having so much salt and sugar. try adding a bit of salt or sugar in to your foods, but not to much. Ask your self do you really need to go on a diet that soo extreme to your body. i mean it's not good to have fast food. everyday and everynight. you should only have fast food once a month. i think it's best if you go and talk to your doctor, he/she will suggest a good diet that makes you feel more happen in yourself.

People survive eatting healthy cos they don't have the money to waste on fast food. and they want to live longer, so healthy eatting is a better choice, and it should be for you to.

i consider fast food as tastless as it's too salty or sweet that you can hardly taste the flavours, and it may make you feel good after you eat it, but it's really just it's hot and your hungry, your be willing to eat anything, same with me. but fast food doesn't give your body any vitamines or protein it needs.

Answer 7

In all honesty I didn't read your entire post, although I don't believe I need to read more than two sentences to tell you that in my experience it takes time to like healthy foods. You must cycle out all of the excess material in your system until your body gets used to the transition.

I strongly suggest that you go according to your willpower limits. You should ease into it and gradually let your body slowly make that change. I was there, and it took a couple weeks to feel the change and become aware of what my body needed. Important above all else do not starve yourself.

Answer 8

You probably will feel sick for a little bit because your body is not used to eating unprocessed foods. It takes more than two days to feel great from a healthy lifestyle. Try two weeks. It's a bumpy little road but if you stick with it you will feel better than ever. It is worth it. I promise.
P.S. for something that is salty and crunchy, yet healthy, try some lightly sea-salted all natural pita chips. Good luck!

Answer 9

You feel sick because your are not used to eating healthy food. don't diet it's bad for you, you need to start slowly. Lay off the fast food, but don't lay off chicken or meat. Just eat normal and exercise

Answer 10

Basically, you were addicted to junk food. Like a drug addict trying to kick the habit, your body is used to the junk food now. Stick to the diet! Try exercising or something to get your mind off food. After a couple of days, you should be fine. Good Luck!