Feel light headed on 1200 calories.

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Quilty60
Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My start weight was 190. It started me out at 1200 calories per day. I am not able to exercise except for a short walk.
I feel like I'm not getting enough to eat. Does anyone else get light headed?
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Replies

  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    You shouldn't feel light headed you may want to up your calories a bit. What did you set your weekly loss at? 2 lb? If so you may want to change it to 1 lb a week.
  • Quilty60
    Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
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    I have my goal set to one pound per week.
  • Quilty60
    Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
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    I have Systemic Lupus. Exercise makes it flare.
    I try to get a good balance but some days are difficult. Maybe I need to work on the balance.
  • ericatoday
    ericatoday Posts: 454 Member
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    It can depend on your foods that youre eating but yeah i was that way the first 2 months. You just shocked your body. But you may want to up your calorie intake to 1400 calories.
  • Quilty60
    Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
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    I started on September 10th. I will raise my calories per day to see if that helps.
    I thought 1200 was low to start out at when I was 190 pounds. Usually it lowers as you lose weight. Right?
  • Quilty60
    Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
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    Looking through my diary, I notice many days I am only getting 60-70% of my daily protein. Will have to work on that.
  • LushFix
    LushFix Posts: 306 Member
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    How tall are you?
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    How is your blood pressure? If you have a sudden change in sodium intake (which often happens when you suddenly change the quantities and types of food you are eating) that could cause a swing in blood pressure which could also cause the lightheadedness. Although, you've been at it for a month, so that may not be it.

    You said you are aiming for 1lb/week, are you losing that? More? Less? If you are losing more, then you could increase your calorie intake and still lose that 1lb/week. That may be better with the symptoms you are experiencing.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    When I first started on 1200 calories a day, the first few weeks I was irritable, light headed, nauseous, and developed a headache by mid afternoon every day. I eventually figured out how to adjust my eating times to eat three times a day and avoid the worst of the irritability and dizziness. If you can work out, try to do it in the morning. Also, eating more earlier and tapering off for my last meal helped because by the time I was dizzy and irritable it was bedtime.
  • Quilty60
    Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
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    I am 5' 4" tall. In 4 weeks I lost 7 pounds. I have always had low blood pressure but will check it next time I feel that way to see if it's dropping more. I raised my calories up 100 also.
    Great advice here. Thanks!!!
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Quilty60 wrote: »
    I am 5' 4" tall. In 4 weeks I lost 7 pounds. I have always had low blood pressure but will check it next time I feel that way to see if it's dropping more. I raised my calories up 100 also.
    Great advice here. Thanks!!!

    You might be surprised how much that extra 100 cals helps with the way you are feeling. I hope you get feeling better right quick.
  • Quilty60
    Quilty60 Posts: 30 Member
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    Awesome people here! Thanks!
  • KetoKris
    KetoKris Posts: 78 Member
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    Download a calorie counter to see what your BMR is at different activity levels. I wasn't sure of your age or sex, but ran it anyway. If you were to lay in bed all day and do nothing else, you would burn 1636 calories a day. That is why your lightheaded. I had to change my calorie needs in my settings also. I am a 40-year-old female, 5'7" and my resting rate is 1851. I bumped up my calories to 2000 and I'm still loosing weight. That's without any gym time.
  • bininj
    bininj Posts: 77 Member
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    It depends on what your 1200 calories are. They should be fat, protein, and veggies. The possibilities are endless with these 3 things. Experiment with recipes, and drink plenty of water. Keep carbs under 50g if possible. If you must eat bread eat it in the morning, and if you're hungry before bed have a slice of ham or a hard boiled egg. Hope this helps
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    bininj wrote: »
    It depends on what your 1200 calories are. They should be fat, protein, and veggies. The possibilities are endless with these 3 things. Experiment with recipes, and drink plenty of water. Keep carbs under 50g if possible. If you must eat bread eat it in the morning, and if you're hungry before bed have a slice of ham or a hard boiled egg. Hope this helps

    Ignore this advice. Unless there is a medical reason carbs are fine.

    Cheers, h.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
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    EAT MORE

    and make sure it's nutritious real foods.
    No junk foods or empty calories like soda or candy.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited October 2016
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    OP ignore this.
    bininj wrote: »
    It depends on what your 1200 calories are. They should be fat, protein, and veggies. The possibilities are endless with these 3 things. Experiment with recipes, and drink plenty of water. Keep carbs under 50g if possible. If you must eat bread eat it in the morning, and if you're hungry before bed have a slice of ham or a hard boiled egg. Hope this helps

    Also, don't demonize foods unless you've got an illness or allergy to a particular food.
    courtneyfabulous wrote: »
    EAT MORE

    and make sure it's nutritious real foods.
    No junk foods or empty calories like soda or candy.
    If OP wants candy, ice cream or chocolate she can have it as long as her condition permits it and it fits her calories.
    Kris03451 wrote: »
    Download a calorie counter to see what your BMR is at different activity levels. I wasn't sure of your age or sex, but ran it anyway. If you were to lay in bed all day and do nothing else, you would burn 1636 calories a day. That is why your lightheaded. I had to change my calorie needs in my settings also. I am a 40-year-old female, 5'7" and my resting rate is 1851. I bumped up my calories to 2000 and I'm still loosing weight. That's without any gym time.

    I think it is better to find the TDEE using a TDEE calculator like sailrabbit and aim to take off 250-500 calories.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I'm 5'4" was 179 lbs sedentary 40 year old when I started and MFP gave me 1340 calories to lose 1 lb a week which I did. It lowered my goal as I lost weight... about every 10-15 lbs I think. I'm at 1200 calories now. It would be hard to start at the minimum reccomended calories.
    I would raise your calories to around 1400 if I were you and gradually lower it as you lose.
  • KetoKris
    KetoKris Posts: 78 Member
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    I think it is better to find the TDEE using a TDEE calculator like sailrabbit and aim to take off 250-500 calories.

    I used a TDEE and the numbers came out the exact same


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