Low energy levels from counting calories and exercise?

Tanie98

I used to be 125 lbs but fell off the wagon and gained 10 lbs. Now I'm back to logging in food and exercising 5 times a week for an hour. I eat clean and high protein foods but an hour later I'm hungry. I'm amining to lose 1 pound a week. Eating 1500 calories since I have an active job. I eat back my exercise calories. But for the last few days I have low energy levels

Will my body adjust over time? It's only been 8 days and I have already lost 1.5 lbs

Panini911

with only 10pds it's recommended to stick to 0.5lb/wseek rate.

though a larger drop in the first week is normal at times due to losing extra water initially. however, if you ALSO started more exercise you should also have muscles retaining more water. I'd say you are not eating back enough exercise but 1 week of data is not really enough to know.

on top of more food, you may need more carbs and fat for satiety not just protein.

sarabushby

Are you eating back exercise calories? If not, this is probably why you’re hungry as you’re in more than 1lb/wk deficit by not eating those back. You need to fuel your body properly, so at the very least eat back your exercise calories and preferably also switch to .5lb/wk rate of loss.
Make sure you have the right activity level selected in your MFP settings.

lynn_glenmont

I agree that 1 week of data isn't enough to draw any solid conclusions, but your goal (1 lb a week) is too aggressive for someone with only 10 lbs to lose, your one week of data (losing 1.5 lbs in 8 days) also suggests that your goal is too aggressive, and your description of your job as "active" strongly suggests you should be eating more than 1500 calories a day. So likely you're not eating enough. Try adding a couple hundred calories to your day and see what that does for your energy levels.

MikePTY

This sounds like a classic case of not fueling your body enough. Cut your goal to half a pound a week and make sure you are eating back all your exercise calories.

Tanie98

Thank you guys for your insights. I will take everything you said into consideration

1BlueAurora

I found that eating fewer calories plus exercising did the same to me. I added in more protein and fat calories (think eggs and avocados and nuts) and my energy returned. The people suggesting you re-set your rate of weight loss is good advice. I was losing 1.5 pounds a week, as well as my hair and muscle mass. There's no reason, really, for me to have done that.