I've always been quite skinny with a BMI of 18.5 and have been in quite good health probably because of my very active life style. I used to play football (soccer) for around five hours daily! This kept me super fit and lean. I feel that I probably did get all the essential vitamins as I grew up because my high consumption of fortified cereals, I used to eat wholegrain cereal up to three times daily and milk consumption was high. The only essential nutrient that I was really low  in my diet was omega 3 fatty acids (which many western people are deficient in).

How has Calorie Restriction benefited me? - Many of the changes I noticed happened over a period of a few months, but some came much quicker. Below I list a few benefits I have noticed from doing CR.

Positives - Not all benefits happened right away, some took weeks and few months.

• Very rarely get headaches
• Allergy symptoms are not as severe
• IBS symptoms went away and digestion is much better now
• I am able to concentrate better than before and I feel I can learn things easier
• Rarely get sick from colds, flu or stomach viral infection
• Ability to tolerate the heat better
• More sensitive smell and hearing, better better awareness (more alert)

Negatives - There have only been a few, most being pressure from family and friends

• Social implications (some people think I am ill)
• Higher sensitivity to cold
• Being very skinny
• Sometimes I have irritability (worse with caffeine)

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