Body and brain exhausted?

cflaate
cflaate Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Day 43, I think my brain shut off.

I've been dizzy/sleepy around 7/8 PM recently, but pushed myself to stay awake to a reasonable bedtime. Usually wake up at 6am to do a workout.

Yesterday, I fell asleep around 8 pm, fully clothed and didn't wake up until 6am with a mild anxiety attack. Didn't do my workout, only browsed FB for a while before going to work.

Any similar experiences?

Replies

  • cflaate
    cflaate Posts: 13 Member
    edited November 2019
    I am 171cm. I am not always eating back the calories I burn. Sometimes I have a hard time just eating my daily calories that today is 1570.

    I've been working on getting my macros right this week.
  • cflaate
    cflaate Posts: 13 Member
    Should I also eat back the calories I get from my steps?
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    edited November 2019
    cflaate wrote: »
    Should I also eat back the calories I get from my steps?

    Yes, assuming the number of calories calculated by your step counter is in the reasonable range (not all of them are.). Many people start by eating back half of the calories indicated by the exercise and step count calculations and then over the course of a few weeks, they look at how fast they're losing weight and do some math to figure out how accurate the *estimated calorie burns* are for their body, based on the assumptions made by their equipment.

    How fast are you losing weight? How fast did you tell MFP you wanted to lose weight? Do they match up? If you're losing faster, you need to eat more. If you're losing slower, you may need to eat less. HOWEVER, with water weight fluxuations (especially from your menstrual cycle) obscuring some of the weight loss data reflected by the scale, you'll need to do a bit of trending to sort out what your actual losses are. It is recommended that you use a 4-6 week slice of data to do your calculations so that you get an accurate picture via trend analysis of what your actual *fat* losses are. (An app like Happy Scale or Libra can do the trend analysis for you.)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,234 Member
    ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »
    cflaate wrote: »
    Should I also eat back the calories I get from my steps?

    Yes, assuming the number of calories calculated by your step counter is in the reasonable range (not all of them are.). Many people start by eating back half of the calories indicated by the exercise and step count calculations and then over the course of a few weeks, they look at how fast they're losing weight and do some math to figure out how accurate the *estimated calorie burns* are for their body, based on the assumptions made by their equipment.

    How fast are you losing weight? How fast did you tell MFP you wanted to lose weight? Do they match up? If you're losing faster, you need to eat more. If you're losing slower, you may need to eat less. HOWEVER, with water weight fluxuations (especially from your menstrual cycle) obscuring some of the weight loss data reflected by the scale, you'll need to do a bit of trending to sort out what your actual losses are. It is recommended that you use a 4-6 week slice of data to do your calculations so that you get an accurate picture via trend analysis of what your actual *fat* losses are. (An app like Happy Scale or Libra can do the trend analysis for you.)

    With respect to the bolded, I'd add that if you told MFP that you want to lose more than 0.5-1% of your current body weight per week, you may still be losing too fast (undereating).

    Also, look at your nutrition: How is that? If you're logging, are you consistently under the default MFP protein or fat goals? If so, try to come at least close to those goals (and it's OK to go over). Are you drinking enough water or equivalent (not crazy amounts, just enough to keep your urine pale straw-colored or lighter, though bright yellow - not brownish - is OK if you're taking B vitamins)? Are you eating veggies and fruits for micronutrients? Are you eating materially lower carbs than you were previously? Some people seem very carb-sensitive, and may not do as well energy-wise on a very low carb/keto diet. (This varies a lot by person.)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you're just eating your baseline calories and not accounting for moving more and consuming additional calories, that is likely your issue. A car doesn't really run when the gas tank is empty.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    cflaate wrote: »
    Should I also eat back the calories I get from my steps?

    Yes.

    And it's not really from steps, it's from you might say steps/distance/calories above and beyond what MFP estimated you'd burn at the activity level you selected.

    Like if you selected Sedentary, but you get 10K steps, that is well above sedentary level of activity.

    Just because you may not be eating them back by accounting for them - your body is. And if several days in a row it may be very bad accounting total.

    First thing a body does to adapt to a deficit bigger than it wants - slow you down.
    Sleeping certainly counts.
    If that doesn't work - it'll figure out a way to conserve calories somewhere - that's not good, since several body processes can be slowed down but you wouldn't want that - that's free calorie burn daily.

    Also - no need to manually log exercise on MFP - you may be making things more inaccurate.
    Just leave it on the tracker.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 702 Member
    Sometimes I need a few days off.
    On these occasions I eat at maintenance, don't do any deliberate exercise, have a few early nights.
    I tend to lean in and give myself what it feels like I need.

    For me it can be all sorts of reasons, work related stress as well as possible over training, or not getting nutrition quite right.
    Then dial back when I start back up and ease back into it.

    If you don't start to feel better though it is worth a visit to the Dr.

  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    cflaate wrote: »
    Day 43, I think my brain shut off.

    I've been dizzy/sleepy around 7/8 PM recently, but pushed myself to stay awake to a reasonable bedtime. Usually wake up at 6am to do a workout.

    Yesterday, I fell asleep around 8 pm, fully clothed and didn't wake up until 6am with a mild anxiety attack. Didn't do my workout, only browsed FB for a while before going to work.

    Any similar experiences?

    Are you on a food elimination protocol and would you by chance be eliminating all of your carbs? Your plan would be helpful.
  • cflaate
    cflaate Posts: 13 Member
    It looks like my response yesterday wasn't published in this thread.
    I went in this change head first, and am learning as I go. I will definitely take every suggestion with me.

    ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »
    cflaate wrote: »
    How fast are you losing weight? How fast did you tell MFP you wanted to lose weight? Do they match up? If you're losing faster, you need to eat more. If you're losing slower, you may need to eat less. HOWEVER, with water weight fluxuations (especially from your menstrual cycle) obscuring some of the weight loss data reflected by the scale, you'll need to do a bit of trending to sort out what your actual losses are.

    I told MFP I wanted to lose 1KG (2lbs) pr week. I am so close to crossing the -5kg mark (11lbs) but I am stuck. My weight is neither going up or down.

    SW: 118 kg
    CW: 113.3 kg
    GW: 85 kg

    However, my measurements are showing results.
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »
    cflaate wrote: »
    Should I also eat back the calories I get from my steps?

    Also, look at your nutrition: How is that? If you're logging, are you consistently under the default MFP protein or fat goals? If so, try to come at least close to those goals (and it's OK to go over). Are you drinking enough water or equivalent (not crazy amounts, just enough to keep your urine pale straw-colored or lighter, though bright yellow - not brownish - is OK if you're taking B vitamins)? Are you eating veggies and fruits for micronutrients? Are you eating materially lower carbs than you were previously? Some people seem very carb-sensitive, and may not do as well energy-wise on a very low carb/keto diet. (This varies a lot by person.)

    I am experimenting and figuring out my macros, because my trend is over the fat macro, under carb and protein macro.

    After I got my Garmin tracker with Garmin connect, it is easier to track my water intake. I think I have not been drinking enough earlier.

    I only take vitamins before and during my period, because i need more Iron during those days and supplements are expensive.

    I have been adding more vegetables, like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and similar. I am definitely eating less carbs, like less bread and pastries. Looking for healthier alternatives.
    heybales wrote: »
    cflaate wrote: »
    Should I also eat back the calories I get from my steps?

    Yes.

    And it's not really from steps, it's from you might say steps/distance/calories above and beyond what MFP estimated you'd burn at the activity level you selected.


    First thing a body does to adapt to a deficit bigger than it wants - slow you down.
    Sleeping certainly counts.
    If that doesn't work - it'll figure out a way to conserve calories somewhere - that's not good, since several body processes can be slowed down but you wouldn't want that - that's free calorie burn daily.

    Also - no need to manually log exercise on MFP - you may be making things more inaccurate.
    Just leave it on the tracker.

    My steps and activities are added automatically from my tracker. Some days it logs in MFP, like if i'm over 5000 steps, but some days it doesn't.

    I have also drastically changed my sleeping routine, from going to bed at 12 / 1 am and waking up at 6:45 to run out the door for work, to going to bed at 10pm and waking up at 6 am to do a workout before work (20 min / 5 days a week)
    Diatonic12 wrote: »
    Are you on a food elimination protocol and would you by chance be eliminating all of your carbs? Your plan would be helpful.

    I am not eliminating anything, I say no when I reached my goals, and am trying to figure out how to make my macros add up in this plan.

    I have:
    - traded bread with crisp bread and eating more oats / muesli cereals with less sugar
    - use more veggies than I normally would
    - More low fat yoghurt and low fat dairy products in general
    - make cauliflower rice instead of regular rice
    - only drink water or milk

    Occasionally I have a piece of cake or whatever is offered at work/a party, but in moderate amounts and within my daily calories.
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    Having looked in your diary, my suggestion is increasing your protein to get closer to 100g/day if you can. You should also possibly lower your rate of loss to .5 kg/week and see if that doesn't increase your energy. If your measurements are showing results, you are getting results even if the scale hasn't caught up yet.

    Feed yourself enough to keep your energy level up. If you drive your body into a depressed state by eating too little, you're more likely to fall apart on your mental game and lose more ground than you would gain by trying to lose 1kg/week. You could also take a week off and eat at maintenance and then resume your previous schedule of loss for a bit, but you will want to dial down your loss rate and lose more slowly as you have less and less to lose. You want to glide GENTLY into your goal weight with a lifestyle that is very similar to what you will be leading in maintenance, rather than smashing through, overshooting, and then rebounding because what you're doing isn't sustainable.

    <3
  • cflaate
    cflaate Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you :blush:

    I will use more protein in my diet and increase my total calorie intake at least the day I work out.
    I also need to drink more water than i have been.

    Is it acceptable to use protein powder to compensate while I figure out how to use more natural protein in my diet, or am I just tricking myself?

    I am also investing in a new scale that I can bring with me :smiley:

    I've given myself 2 years (before turning 30) to reach a healthy weight so I am in it for the long run. I don't mind going slow.
  • Viking_Dad
    Viking_Dad Posts: 185 Member
    Protein powder is legit. It's a very convenient way to hit your goal.

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