Not feeling right on low cal diet..?

MagnumBurrito

This is how I cut. Eat at maintenance level (without lifting), while continuing to lift. Get tons of protein, good fats, and about 50 g of carbs. Eat only veggies, dark leafy greens, and fruits for carbs. (note: if you binge on sugar one day, eat some more carbs or you will get light headed)

Fat melts off and muscle stays. When you get to your desired fat %, stay there for a couple of weeks. Your body with enter that new fat % as it's new baseline level.

Jestinia

Congrats on the strength training! I have a daughter your age, so I am saying this out of concern. At 18 years old, 5'4" and 112 lbs, you certainly do not need to lose weight, even if you have a "small frame". I know this is not what you want to hear, but I am pretty sure most of your responses will be this. I think as far as your symptoms go, it could be any number of things, but I would go see your doctor.

As I said in the edit, I'm probably closer to 116 lbs, I converted in wrong from kgs! Thanks for your concern. (: But honestly, I'm not doing it to be dangerously thin or anything, I just want to lower my body fat %

Maybe you could find some people in the fitness section who are cutting (reducing body-fat, often for competition) and ask them about how to do it properly and any side effects. Almost sounds like that is what you are after. And maybe they can answer questions about how sustainable it is long-term and how much work it takes.

Great idea! Maybe I'll join a bodybuilding website and ask about cutting there..!
Thanks!

You're welcome! Don't forget to tell your symptoms to whoever you ask for advice from. You might need to check in with a doctor if changing things up with your diet or calories or routine or whatever doesn't help.

LadyTalulah

No matter what any website or calculator says, if you are having a negative reaction to 1400-1500 calories, it's not right for your body. End of story, full stop, no arguing

If you're sensitive to blood sugar fluctuations, it could be as simple as going too long without eating. It could be blood pressure fluctuations. I get a lot of the same symptoms when I go too low on calories and don't eat often enough. But the bottom line is that you should trust your body to tell you that it doesn't like what you're doing.

If your TDEE is 1800ish and you're just trying to do a small cut, you don't have to go down to 1500 to do it. Spend two weeks at 1700 and see how your body responds.

Maybe you're right! To be honest, I was kind of hoping someone would tell me it's normal and to push through because it would get better soon :P That's something I'm working on, listening to my body rather than my mind.
I should listen to "You need to eat." rather than "You'll go over you're calories!!" or "You're full." rather than "That cake looks good…"
Haha (:
Thanks for the advice!

LadyTalulah

How long have you stuck to the low calorie diet? What sort of weight loss have you noticed if you have?

While people are expressing concern, you certainly seem to be going about it much more sensibly than others on here we often see do!

My weight has fluctuated over the last 18 months. When I first started losing weight at around 145lbs, I did it the unhealthy way by drastically cutting my calories and no exercise. I lost over 30pounds in a few months but also ended up in the emergency room after collapsing. Physically I felt terrible but it was more mentally that my diet was taking its toll. When I decided to take control of the situation, I started eating properly and lifting so I wouldn't gain it all back in fat. Since then, I went up to 120 then back down to 110 and now I'm around 116!
I think the only reason I'm doing it sensibly is because I've done it the wrong way before and I've experienced the terrible effects of the beginning of an eating disorder. Sure, I'm not completely better, but I refuse to go back to where I was before!
That's why anxiety takes over when I get a little light headed, I'm afraid of collapsing again.. But I'm teaching myself some relaxation techniques (:

LadyTalulah

This is how I cut. Eat at maintenance level (without lifting), while continuing to lift. Get tons of protein, good fats, and about 50 g of carbs. Eat only veggies, dark leafy greens, and fruits for carbs. (note: if you binge on sugar one day, eat some more carbs or you will get light headed)

Fat melts off and muscle stays. When you get to your desired fat %, stay there for a couple of weeks. Your body with enter that new fat % as it's new baseline level.

Sounds like a great plan! Just calculated without lifting, TDEE says 1550cals/day. Will bump it up to 1600 and see if that makes a difference!
I'll try this if my current cutting plan doesn't work after applying all the tips everyone else gave me!
Thanks (:

geebusuk

Since then, I went up to 120 then back down to 110 and now I'm around 116!

Did you have the same symptoms when you went 120->110 before?

Do you have an idea of what body fat you are on now? I do wonder if it's a case of the body not wanting to release enough fat for energy, so you end up generally lacking in energy.

For me the worst I've had is general lethargy/hunger and that's as a fair bit bigger and male eating similar amounts - but probably mostly at higher (for my sex) body fat.
Blood sugar and thus keeping an eye on what you eat and when seems to make sense.

Do you do any cardio? Do you eat back any extra cardio calories you burn?

LadyTalulah

Since then, I went up to 120 then back down to 110 and now I'm around 116!

Did you have the same symptoms when you went 120->110 before?

Do you do any cardio? Do you eat back any extra cardio calories you burn?

At times, but not as severe as now. I'm also under a great deal of stress though, as I have exams coming up and problems at home.

I'll very rarely do cardio. I enjoy HIIT but even when I was on a high calorie diet, it was impossible to integrate into my workout routine without giving up a weight training day so I stopped.

geebusuk

I was about to blame the bogey-hormone cortisol, but doing a little googling, it seems it's likely innocent in reality.

I'm presuming you are lower body fat now, so it does make sense symptoms would be worse just because of that.

Nothing I've really looked in to myself, as not had the issues, but if it was me, I'd be tempted to get a blood sugar testing thing (common for diabetics, I presume would offer you similar help) and see if there's a correlation.