Has anyone felt lightheaded?

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Hi, I'm new here, jsut finding this site this week. I'm on Day 3 of my diet, and have already lost 3 lbs. I typed in my info here and it told me that I was allowed 1200 calories. I've been sticking to it and logging in everything that I eat, but I've had a headache and feel lightheaded.

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  • melisak
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    Hi, I'm new here, jsut finding this site this week. I'm on Day 3 of my diet, and have already lost 3 lbs. I typed in my info here and it told me that I was allowed 1200 calories. I've been sticking to it and logging in everything that I eat, but I've had a headache and feel lightheaded.
  • catlover
    catlover Posts: 389
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    If you have drastically altered your food intake in the past three days, that could be withdrawals from a number of things, like caffeine or sugar. Some might suggest it's also from your body eliminating toxins through better eating. Dehydration might also cause those symptoms. You'll get a lot of suggestions here, so read what people say, it will help.

    I personally modified my meal plan through settings and created space for 6 meals, I eat at least five of them and I drink a 16 oz glass of water with each meal and two more during exercise. Eating more often got rid of the lightheaded feeling I had. The headaches I chalked up to caffeine withdrawal and took a pain reliever for 3 days until that went away. As long as I eat a small snack about half an hour before working out, I'm good.
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
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    Have you calculated what your BMR is? You can do this under the "Tools" section. Basically this site automatically puts most people at 1200 calories but your BMR may be higher.

    There has been some discussion that you should not eat below your BMR which is how many calories you would burn if you just stayed in bed all day. I really have to agree with this opinion and I think it's when people eat below that they start seeing the side effects you mentioned.

    To lose 2lbs a week this site originally put me at 1200. For a while I ate the 1200 plus whatever calories I "earned" from exercising, which when I first started put me around 1500 calories for the day. I lost about 1 - 2 lbs a week. The I started experimenting and listening to what people were recommending on this site and saw I should actually be eating between 1600 and 1700 calories a day. So now, no matter how much or how little I exercise I try to stay in that range, even on my days off the gym. I have found that I am losing 2 - 3 lbs a week at the higher calories, actually better than at the low.

    You can manually adjust your daily calorie goals in the "goals" section.

    I also agree with eating many meals throughout the day. I eat 7 times during the day. My body has really become used to this and I have definitly felt a difference in how much I can eat at one sitting. I get full very quickly.

    Good luck.

    Jessica
  • MScaduto
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    :flowerforyou:

    I joined the site on Monday too. I'm doing well so far and I think you and I could be good support since we joined at the same time.

    I haven't felt lighheaded at all (but normally when I do I realize it's because I didn't drink enough water that day. The headaches....I get them too on occasion (they'r mild) and I think they're just because of the change in my lifestyle. Up until this past Sunday I would eat and eat and eat until I felt like I was going to barf. Monday I turned a new leaf and promised myself I would get under control. I did and I'm going stong still on day 3. I think our bodies are just pissed that we're not giving them as much as they're used too. I think over the next few days you'll notice the headaches subsiding because your body is getting used to your new routine. Also, the first day or so I was a bit hungry when I went to bed and in turn I didn't get the best nights rest. Maybe this is something you need to look at. If your feeling hungry before bed and seem to not be getting eough sleep this might be the cause of the headaches. Try and eat a little something before bed just to satisfy you so you sleep better. Honestly, the headaches can be from so many things the list goes on and on.

    Let me know how it goes and if you want we can touch base frequently to modivate eachother!!!!

    :smile: Michelle
  • melisak
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    The support here is great! Thank you all! You're right, I'm sure it's definelty the change in my eating habits, and I have been so strict to sticking to the range that I can have, and yes I've been going to bed feeling hungry. I just checked my BMR and according to that I can have 1500 calories, so I'm a little excited! I'll try it and see what happens! I just want to lose this weight! Thanks!
  • catlover
    catlover Posts: 389
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    Have you calculated what your BMR is? You can do this under the "Tools" section. Basically this site automatically puts most people at 1200 calories but your BMR may be higher.

    There has been some discussion that you should not eat below your BMR which is how many calories you would burn if you just stayed in bed all day. I really have to agree with this opinion and I think it's when people eat below that they start seeing the side effects you mentioned.


    I just went back and recalculated mine and it says 1266, so I'm good with that.
  • jessneill
    jessneill Posts: 380 Member
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    The support here is great! Thank you all! You're right, I'm sure it's definelty the change in my eating habits, and I have been so strict to sticking to the range that I can have, and yes I've been going to bed feeling hungry. I just checked my BMR and according to that I can have 1500 calories, so I'm a little excited! I'll try it and see what happens! I just want to lose this weight! Thanks!

    Rember this is a long journey. Take the time to see how your body reacts to different levels of calories, types of food and even different types of exercise. You will get to where you want to be.

    and remember, as you lose weight your BMR will go down because it takes fewer calories to run a smaller body. Make sure to go back and check your BMR as you lose weight and adjust your calories.

    :smile: