Headaches?
Karstey050
Posts: 62 Member
Does anyone else get headaches in the afternoon on a 1200 calorie diet? What helps?
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Replies
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If the headaches are new, maybe you've set too aggressive a goal; maybe you're dehydrated; maybe it's hormones? If they are constant and not relieved by anything, get a medical evaluation.0
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Did you cut back on caffeine?0
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Thank you! They are new. Also the hunger pangs are bad. I am following the less aggressive MFP calorie recommendation, to lose 1lb per week. But my doctor has me on the DASH Diet, which is low in sugar, fat, and salt. I might need more water. I'll give that a try.0
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Do you think it could be genetic ?0
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queenliz99 wrote: »Did you cut back on caffeine?
No, I drink 2 or 3 regular cups with milk each day. I miss the sugar!0 -
ksteyskal_1 wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Did you cut back on caffeine?
No, I drink 2 or 3 regular cups with milk each day. I miss the sugar!
Phew!! LOL0 -
Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.0 -
If you are eating low sugar, then you need eat high fat.0
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myheartsabattleground wrote: »Do you think it could be genetic ?
Not genetic. I never have headaches, normally.
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Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »ksteyskal_1 wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Did you cut back on caffeine?
No, I drink 2 or 3 regular cups with milk each day. I miss the sugar!
Phew!! LOL
What do you mean? Is that okay, or not?0 -
Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
What advice exactly? I'm 55!0 -
ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.
Yes, I really won't eat less than 1600 cals . My main form of exercise is walking, and I lost 30lbs doing that.0 -
ksteyskal_1 wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »ksteyskal_1 wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Did you cut back on caffeine?
No, I drink 2 or 3 regular cups with milk each day. I miss the sugar!
Phew!! LOL
What do you mean? Is that okay, or not?
Nope, love coffee. I get headaches when I don't have a cuppa joe first thing in the morning. I was checking to see if this is what you did?0 -
Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.
Yes, I really won't eat less than 1600 cals . My main form of exercise is walking, and I lost 30lbs doing that.
My doctor said 1000 to 1200 calories. She said she eats 1500 calories, but she also spends 60 minutes on a stair machine every day. I can't do that!0 -
ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.
Yes, I really won't eat less than 1600 cals . My main form of exercise is walking, and I lost 30lbs doing that.
My doctor said 1000 to 1200 calories. She said she eats 1500 calories, but she also spends 60 minutes on a stair machine every day. I can't do that!
Wow. Well, I will gladly walk outdoors for 60min. In fact, it gives a serious mood boost and 60min will also boost your metabolism for many hours. So if you do that walk twice a day, you have a nearly 24hour metabolic boost. between that and a short lifting session doing some compound lifts several times a week, and you'll have a great metabolism, be able to eat a comfortable amount, and change your body's looks.
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ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.
Yes, I really won't eat less than 1600 cals . My main form of exercise is walking, and I lost 30lbs doing that.
My doctor said 1000 to 1200 calories. She said she eats 1500 calories, but she also spends 60 minutes on a stair machine every day. I can't do that!
That doesn't seem necessary or appropriate for someone who is 177lbs. Try a less aggressive goal, like 1/2lb per week and see if you tolerate that better. Take time to read the stickies at the top of the forum: a food scale and accurate logging are key to success, regardless of your goal. Good luck!0 -
ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.
1200 calories seems a little low for your stats. I'm 5'2" and ~122 lbs, 38 years old. MFP sets my calories to 1230 when I enter that I want to lose 1 lb/week. I have to walk, a lot, to increase my calories for the day. If I walk 10,000 steps I can eat 1500. If I do 20,000 steps it goes up to 1800. Though if your doctor wants you to eat that low - listen to them. If you're hungry frequently, try increasing your fat and protein, and eat both when you consume carbs - it's more filling and keeps you fuller longer. As for your headaches, try drinking more water. If you feel a headache beginning, have a cup of coffee - it's a vasodialator. If the headaches are reoccurring talk to your doctor about them, and let them know what you're doing diet wise. I hope you feel better!0 -
If I don't drink enough water throughout the day I get headaches.0
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MorganMoreaux wrote: »ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Lovee_Dove7 wrote: »Are you a very small person, or inactive? Your calorie goal is low.
I don't prefer the dietary advice you were given. Us older ladies don't do well with lowfat diets IMO.
I'm 5'3" and 177 lbs. I am too inactive. I think I should join a gym. That way I can eat more and still lose the 40 lbs that I need to.
1200 calories seems a little low for your stats. I'm 5'2" and ~122 lbs, 38 years old. MFP sets my calories to 1230 when I enter that I want to lose 1 lb/week. I have to walk, a lot, to increase my calories for the day. If I walk 10,000 steps I can eat 1500. If I do 20,000 steps it goes up to 1800. Though if your doctor wants you to eat that low - listen to them. If you're hungry frequently, try increasing your fat and protein, and eat both when you consume carbs - it's more filling and keeps you fuller longer. As for your headaches, try drinking more water. If you feel a headache beginning, have a cup of coffee - it's a vasodialator. If the headaches are reoccurring talk to your doctor about them, and let them know what you're doing diet wise. I hope you feel better!
Maybe it sets my level at 1200 because I am 66, slower metabolism due to age.0 -
matt71flemingm wrote: »If I don't drink enough water throughout the day I get headaches.
That may be the solution! Thank you!0 -
How are you spending your 1200 calories?
It's hard to give you advice since your diary is closed. In general, you will feel fuller if you spend a larger portion of your calorie budget on:
-protein
-fat
-high-fiber foods (veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts)
Hydration can be a huge part of the headache puzzle, especially if you are prone to migraines. Increasing hydration and being consistent about it can make a big difference. Drinking more can also help you to feel full.
You might want to google "Low Tyramine Diet" and migraine triggers in general. I find that there are some trigger foods that don't bother me if I have one or two servings a week (in my case peanuts, soy sauce and oranges) but if I have them every day, I run into problems with headaches. This can come into play in dieting if you are repeating the same foods over and over for tracking simplicity.
As an aneurysm survivor, I feel the need to mention that if your headaches are bad or persistent, see a doctor. If you have the worst headache of your life, if it hits you like a clap of thunder, or if the pain radiates beyond your head, get yourself to the ER ASAP.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »How are you spending your 1200 calories?
It's hard to give you advice since your diary is closed. In general, you will feel fuller if you spend a larger portion of your calorie budget on:
-protein
-fat
-high-fiber foods (veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts)
Hydration can be a huge part of the headache puzzle, especially if you are prone to migraines. Increasing hydration and being consistent about it can make a big difference. Drinking more can also help you to feel full.
You might want to google "Low Tyramine Diet" and migraine triggers in general. I find that there are some trigger foods that don't bother me if I have one or two servings a week (in my case peanuts, soy sauce and oranges) but if I have them every day, I run into problems with headaches. This can come into play in dieting if you are repeating the same foods over and over for tracking simplicity.
As an aneurysm survivor, I feel the need to mention that if your headaches are bad or persistent, see a doctor. If you have the worst headache of your life, if it hits you like a clap of thunder, or if the pain radiates beyond your head, get yourself to the ER ASAP.
Not bad headaches, and only in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. They aren't migraines. I think it may be dehydration. Thank for your comments. My diary is open to friends.0 -
Another possibility is that you're having low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) problems in the afternoon. Are you getting enough fiber & protein?0
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I was on 1200 calories for around 3 months - It turns out, it was unnecessarily low for me and I needed to fuel my body a little better. I'm not saying this is the case here as I don't know your stats - but make sure you are in fact eating enough and that 1200 isn't too aggressive. Many people veer toward 1200 calories because it's simply the 'lowest amount suggested' and therefore it is assumed that the weight will come off faster.
If 1200 is adequate for you and you are experiencing headaches, you may need to keep an eye on your water intake. Are you drinking enough? I found myself needing a lot of fluids when I was on such a low amount or I too would have these awful headaches. It may also help to eat higher protein based foods to keep you fulfilled for longer.
I'm not a doctor so I can't say that this is going to sort the problem for you - but I hope it helps somewhat. If the problem persists, I'd definitely suggest speaking to a professional about what you're doing and if there is anything you can do to make it a little more bearable!0 -
Like a pp said, it could be a blood sugar drop. I've noticed when I'm feeling a little "off", if I suck on a hard candy or peppermint it helps a lot. And don't forget to log that candy, they're about 20 calories each.
And a nice cup of hot tea will tide you over in terms of hunger and help hydrate you.0 -
ksteyskal_1 wrote: »Not bad headaches, and only in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. They aren't migraines. I think it may be dehydration. Thank for your comments. My diary is open to friends.
With the timing, I'm thinking blood sugar, as I used to do this same thing. If you're eating a higher carb lunch, you could be getting a spike, then a dip. The dip can cause headaches. To fix it, you can eat a little more, lower your carb intake at lunch, or spread out the carbs over the afternoon. I chose to lower my carb intake, as that was a great way to stabilize my blood sugar throughout the day, as well as lower my calories to the appropriate level.
You may also try a little Intermittent Fasting (IF). Postpone breakfast as long as you can, which would push your lunch to later in the day as well. Cutting the time between your meals may help.
Lastly, if you've dropped your carb intake considerably, consider that you may have a slight electrolyte imbalance. Low carb diets often mean an increased need for fluid, salt, magnesium, and potassium. Try increasing your fluid and salt intake slightly. I do this by having a cup of broth with a little added salt, but a salty cheese works too.
Whichever thing you try, give it 3-5 days to see if it helps. You don't want to change too many things at once, else you won't know which fix fixed it!0 -
You could consider seeing a dietitian to find out if you really should eat that low. My doctor hasn't always given me solid weight loss advice (its not their specialty). If you have a medical condition that's one thing but for general weight loss 1000 calories is ridiculous. I weight 185, I'm sedentary, and I eat 1550 calories a day and have lost 1-2 pounds per week.0
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You could consider seeing a dietitian to find out if you really should eat that low. My doctor hasn't always given me solid weight loss advice (its not their specialty). If you have a medical condition that's one thing but for general weight loss 1000 calories is ridiculous. I weight 185, I'm sedentary, and I eat 1550 calories a day and have lost 1-2 pounds per week.
I changed to 1500 calories and feel much better. I am not diabetic, but what my doctor has recommended is very much like a diabetic diet, only too low in calories for me. I was having low blood sugar symptoms every afternoon. Now it's better.0 -
I want to say thank you to all of you. I really appreciate your suggestions.0
This discussion has been closed.
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