Headaches?

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  • Karstey050
    Karstey050 Posts: 62 Member
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    matt71flemingm wrote: »
    If I don't drink enough water throughout the day I get headaches.

    That may be the solution! Thank you!
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
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    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.
  • Karstey050
    Karstey050 Posts: 62 Member
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    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.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    Another possibility is that you're having low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) problems in the afternoon. Are you getting enough fiber & protein?
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
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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!
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 657 Member
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    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.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,215 Member
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    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!
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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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.
  • Karstey050
    Karstey050 Posts: 62 Member
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    taracan25 wrote: »
    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.
  • Karstey050
    Karstey050 Posts: 62 Member
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    I want to say thank you to all of you. I really appreciate your suggestions.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
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    ksteyskal_1 wrote: »
    taracan25 wrote: »
    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.

    Good for you. There's no sense in being that miserable if you don't have to.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    So glad to hear that you've resolved the issue!
  • Karstey050
    Karstey050 Posts: 62 Member
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    tomteboda wrote: »
    So glad to hear that you've resolved the issue!

    Thank you!
  • Karstey050
    Karstey050 Posts: 62 Member
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    taracan25 wrote: »
    ksteyskal_1 wrote: »
    taracan25 wrote: »
    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.

    Good for you. There's no sense in being that miserable if you don't have to.

    Thank you!

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