Question about weight loss??

[CG5246]

Hi, so my family and I moved from the US to Germany back in September...The day after we arrived I had a major panic attack (which I thought was something medically wrong with me at the time) and since then I've been in the "cycle of panic" or whatever they call it.

Anyway, over the past few months I was barely sleeping (4-5 hours a night MAX, and I woke up multiple times) and I lost my appetite, I was eating, but not nearly as much as I was in the US, and I cut out having snacks after dinner. I also was walking a lot more than I had in the US, but I didn't think I was walking THAT much.

A couple weeks before we moved I weighed 144 lbs (65 kg) and then gained a little weight right before we left (I was about 147 lbs/66-67 kg). But then I ended up losing 12 lbs (about 5.4 kg) and getting down to 135 lbs (61 kg) after 2 months of this anxiety/panic cycle, not sleeping much, and losing my appetite (but not entirely). Now I am at about 138 lbs/62 kg since my appetite has come back.


But when I was losing weight and I DID eat, I was eating crap mostly, so I am confused how I could lose so much weight in 2 months when I was only walking more (I didn't walk for miles a day!) and I wasn't snacking at night, and I was eating less, but not necessarily lower calories than I had eaten in the US....I hope this makes sense.

Basically I was wondering if this is something I should be concerned about (you know, CANCER) or if this sounds normal. Thoughts? Thanks guys!!

[O_O]

Sounds normal to me. You might have been eating junk, but if you weren't eating very much of it then it could still have been not very many calories. Add the walking on top, and that could easily be enough for you to start dropping weight. Plus when you're anxious you sometimes burn calories more quickly.

Since you've put the weight back on now you've been eating normally again, sounds fine! Physics in action.

[CG5246]

Thank you for your response! It helps a lot.

I’m just concerned because I had been trying to lose weight all year and then all of the sudden I’m able to drop weight relatively quickly without dieting and just by walking more.

[ankietyjoe]

Weight loss is a calorie deficit. It doesn't matter if they're good calories or crap calories. You'll also burn through more calories if you're not sleeping and anxious. Walking, is the best exercise to lose weight. Losing 12lbs in a couple of months is nothing. In the last month I've been ill and lost 22lbs (although admittedly I was a rather generously sized male so easier for me to lose that much weight).

I wouldn't worry about it unless the weight loss takes you into being underweight.

[O_O]

Thank you for your response! It helps a lot.

I’m just concerned because I had been trying to lose weight all year and then all of the sudden I’m able to drop weight relatively quickly without dieting and just by walking more.

There's really nothing like stress and anxiety to reduce your appetite. Because you've been anxious it's possible you were eating less than when you were dieting simply because you weren't hungry. Add on the walking, and the extra calories burned by nervous energy, and it all makes sense to me. Plus, if you were trying to lose weight anyway, bonus

I've lost over 15% of my body weight, over 1.5st, over the last few months without meaning to. I was already lean, so my BMI is now just above 17 which is pretty badly underweight. To be fair I am worried I have cancer too, but I also know I've been eating much less due to the anxiety.

[CG5246]

You guys are awesome. This forum is seriously a lifesaver. Thank you for taking the time to respond

[jojo2316]

I always lose weight when I am having an attack of HA and I always think it is because of cancer