Dear Kim, Currently I...

Question
Dear Kim,

Currently I am a college student and you know the freshman 15....try freshman 40!  Granted, I practically starved myself last year(eating less than 200 calories a day while doing heavy cardio for at least 45 minutes a day), and now I am unable to workout like I did or eat as little as I did before.  To give you an idea I was probably started out at 156 last year, went down to 104 at 5 foot 5 and with a large frame.  I'm back up to 155 and I feel horrible.  I literally have difficultly breathing sometimes, I get headaches now, my hair keeps falling out, and my sleep is very inconsistant.  I'm not that stressed by school so I wouldn't contribute those symptoms to it, but I don't know what to say.  I eat the same thing that all my dormmates eat and I have gained so much weight.  I have been tested for thyroid problems in the past and I am always "perfect", and I'd hate to blame this on some disorder instead if infact it's something I'm doing wrong.  Do you think seeing a dietician would help?  Do you have any suggestions?...especially for the sleep because I stay up till 4 or 5 in the mourning....have to force myself to go to sleep, wake up at 10, can barely get out of bed for class, but am not tired again until 4 or so in the mourning.  Come weekend, I crash for 15 or so hours.  I'd really appreciate it if you could suggest some tests or types of diets to follow to correct these problems.  

Thanks  

Answer
First of all starving yourself is the WORST thing you can do for weight loss.  All that does is slow your metabolism down and put your body into a "starvation" mode.  Not to mention it is detrimental to your health!!  
What you need to do is look at what YOU are eating and NOT your dormmates!  Everyone is different and everyone has different metabolisms so you can't compare yourself to others.  You need to concentrate on a healthy diet, regular exercise, and watching your portion sizes.  You need to eat from all of the food groups each day and get enough calories to lose weight BUT to maintain your health.  You need to get yourself on a regular sleep pattern also!  Regular exercise can definitely help with that.  And I mean realistic moderate exercise!  (Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.) Eating regularly (3-5 times per day at regular intervals) and exercising regularly can help you to start normalizing your sleep patterns.  
You may want to try this book:
http://www.collegeeatingguide.com/
It was written by a dietitian and can be a great guide for you.  If something like this does not help you may want to find a dietitian on campus or in the area that you can see on a one-to-one basis to help you out!  I provide services such as individualized menus but not sure if that would help you out at college- not sure how much control you have over what you eat (living in a dorm vs. apartment or at home).  Let me know if you are interested in my services: [email protected] or www.Nutrifocus.net.
Good Luck,
Kim Tessmer, RD LD
www.Nutrifocus.net

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