a little lightheaded and weak

Ellaskat

Hey everyone - I started a new weight loss and fitness lifestyle at the beginning of January. I'm happy to report that my weight is dropping as expected by MFP, or even slightly ahead of schedule. I'm not hungry, and I'm eating right at or slightly under my calories (can't be sure because I refuse to eat back all my exercise burned calories.)

This week has been a little funny. I have a bad, old running hip injury, and after my Monday workout, I noticed pain. I rested both Tuesday and Wednesday, and thought I would try to work out today.

Well the hips is fine, the rest of me isn't. I'm on a program, so doing really similar stuff, but I'm so weak that I just quit half way through, and I feel a little dizzyish too.

Any ideas what's going on?
Could I be burning cals so fast (I wish) that the exercise is taking me down too low?

I really hate the thought of changing anything becasue I'm enjoying this so much, but having to quit in the middle of my workout sucks!

MFP is recommending I eat 1220 a day if that matters.

Also, if I have to prioritize getting in shape or losing weight right now, I would prioritize losing weight. I only had 20 to lose to start and I've lost 5. I'd love to lose another 5 or 10 before considering uping my intake if that's a healthy option.

Thanks for your thoughts!

DopeItUp

Most likely one or all of the below:

Dehydration
Too few carbs
Too few calories


If your calorie goal is low to begin with and you're not eating back exercise calories (why?) then you are probably eating too little. I can't tell because you don't have your diary open.

Ellaskat

Can you tell me how to open my diary? Don't know how to do that. From what I understand MFP and other sites typically overestimate exercise calories burned, so I'm only eating back about 1/2.

Ellaskat

PS- def not dehydrated- I drink herbal teal all day long - I also drink prob. 6-8 glasses of seltzer every day. My carbs are also right around 50% over the course of any week...

diannethegeek

Ellaskat wrote: »

Can you tell me how to open my diary? Don't know how to do that. From what I understand MFP and other sites typically overestimate exercise calories burned, so I'm only eating back about 1/2.

To open your diary you can go here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

Under Diary Sharing (towards the bottom of the page) choose Public and then Save Changes.

Ellaskat

One more ps - thank you!

dougpconnell219

My guess would be dehydration. What color is your urine?

Ellaskat

Urine is clear- I drink over 12 glasses a day- usually about 6-8 cups of tea, 6-8 cups of seltzer

earlnabby

Ellaskat wrote: »

Can you tell me how to open my diary? Don't know how to do that. From what I understand MFP and other sites typically overestimate exercise calories burned, so I'm only eating back about 1/2.

Settings -> Diary Settings -> the last section in the diary setting page is where you determine who can see your diary. Make it "public" for everyone to see.

Are you getting enough iron? Your symptoms are similar to ones I had. Turns out I was anemic.

Ellaskat

Diary shared.

Ellaskat

I had my blood done a few months back, around Sept. Or October; wasn't anemic then; I am definitely a meat eater too... I take a multivitamin daily as well as a calcium/d supplement...

DopeItUp

Ellaskat wrote: »

PS- def not dehydrated- I drink herbal teal all day long - I also drink prob. 6-8 glasses of seltzer every day. My carbs are also right around 50% over the course of any week...

If that's the case, then try some amount of carbs just prior or during your workout (even just a serving of Gatorade is fine). See if that helps. If not a blood work-up may be due. Iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin B deficiency can cause odd fatigue issues but it's hard to tell from over the internet.

Over-exertion can cause weakness and dizziness and such but again, hard to diagnose that over the internet too.

Ellaskat

I will try the carbs and see if that helps. I was just really surprised at how weak I was and how quickly I was totally fatigued. Usually after a 2 day rest, I'd feel like superwoman!

rosebette

Can you give us your stats? I looked at your diary, and we have similar weight loss goals and activity levels. We eat about the same amounts of food, and I haven't felt any of those symptoms unless I eat below 1200 and work out. You might want to get some blood work done, as others advised.

May_Rose

Try eating an extra 200 calories before your workout tomorrow (I'd suggest a complex carb and some protein). If the issue resolves, it was due to your intake being too low. I'd bet $100 that's what's going on.

If the issue doesn't resolve, then blood work.

AllanMisner

It might be low sodium. You should consider seeing a doctor if the dizziness doesn’t cease or happens again next time you work out.

Ellaskat

rosebette wrote: »

Can you give us your stats? I looked at your diary, and we have similar weight loss goals and activity levels. We eat about the same amounts of food, and I haven't felt any of those symptoms unless I eat below 1200 and work out. You might want to get some blood work done, as others advised.

I'm 5'6; 36 years old
currently 142.8 pounds;

not sure what else you're looking for? measurements are 35 1/2 - 27 1/2 - 39 1/2

In my earlt and mid twenties I was a fitness model, but I just looked fit from sports, not really from working out;

I doubt it's low sodium - my husband jokes that i put salt on everything!

That's for everyone's input and ideas! I'm wondering if it might be the distance between today's workout and when I had food; I usually eat breakfast and then immediately work out - today was a strange day though and I worked out several hours after eating lunch. I plan to try and finish my workout this evening - I'll make sure to do it after dinner:)

DopeItUp

Ellaskat wrote: »

rosebette wrote: »

Can you give us your stats? I looked at your diary, and we have similar weight loss goals and activity levels. We eat about the same amounts of food, and I haven't felt any of those symptoms unless I eat below 1200 and work out. You might want to get some blood work done, as others advised.

I'm 5'6; 36 years old
currently 142.8 pounds;

not sure what else you're looking for? measurements are 35 1/2 - 27 1/2 - 39 1/2

In my earlt and mid twenties I was a fitness model, but I just looked fit from sports, not really from working out;

I doubt it's low sodium - my husband jokes that i put salt on everything!

That's for everyone's input and ideas! I'm wondering if it might be the distance between today's workout and when I had food; I usually eat breakfast and then immediately work out - today was a strange day though and I worked out several hours after eating lunch. I plan to try and finish my workout this evening - I'll make sure to do it after dinner:)

Oh geez, yeah that'll happen to me too. I have to eat within an hour or two of my workout if I don't want to die in the squat rack. One time I waited around 6 hours after eating and when I got home I couldn't make it up the stairs of my house. I was so dizzy I had to sit at the base of the stairs for a good 10 minutes before I could make it.