Question About My Body's Response to Healthy Eating

ForMyAngelBaby

Every time I change my eating habits and reduce my sugar intake and eat healthier, my body has strange reactions. I often end up having headaches, digestive issues and sometimes even cramping.

Is this normal? I know my body isn't used to healthy foods and limited calories (My goal is 1,200 calories a day). I'm not too concerned, but it is quite annoying that I'm trying to improve my health and my body isn't responding.

popo0509

Your body is just trying to keep up with the change. Once you find your routine you will be fine.

WBB55

Is it the (1) change in total calories? or the (2) change in the foods you're eating? How do you know which one is causing your issues?

Count yourself lucky. People who are proponents of "cleanses" pay money hand-over-fist to get the "detox" effect you're getting by just being a sensible person with your food.

krisiepoo

I get headaches when I don't eat enough, recheck your caloric needs (google scoobys calculator). 1200 is way too low for me.

the digestive issues are probably due to an increase in fiber from eating healthy. It should settle down if you keep up with it, if it doesn't I'd take a look at the foods you're eating

ForMyAngelBaby

Is it the (1) change in total calories? or the (2) change in the foods you're eating? How do you know which one is causing your issues?

Count yourself lucky. People who are proponents of "cleanses" pay money hand-over-fist to get the "detox" effect you're getting by just being a sensible person with your food.

The change is both 1 and 2. I've had to make changes to both in order to lose weight and get healthier. If my body "detoxing" itself is normal, I'll take it!

famousmel

Are you eating sugar substitues like Aspertame? I've heard of people having adverse reactions to that including the symptoms you described. I also have a slight allergy to soy, so I have to watch my intake or end up dealing with the stomach issues.

ForMyAngelBaby

Are you eating sugar substitues like Aspertame? I've heard of people having adverse reactions to that including the symptoms you described. I also have a slight allergy to soy, so I have to watch my intake or end up dealing with the stomach issues.

I try to avoid sugar substitutes as much as possible. I'm beginning to think its my increase in fiber that's causing the issue. Although, I do occasionally drink Crystal Light when I want something with flavor.

92weir

You are likely not eating enough. 1200 calories is very low.

RobynLB83

I get headaches when I don't eat enough, recheck your caloric needs (google scoobys calculator). 1200 is way too low for me.

the digestive issues are probably due to an increase in fiber from eating healthy. It should settle down if you keep up with it, if it doesn't I'd take a look at the foods you're eating

This.

JessHealthKick

yeah, fibre could be it. When I have lots of fibre (like 40g today) my body just processing everything very.. well... if you get my drift. Many more proper bathroom trips than before!

elpiper

I've also found that if my blood sugar levels are out of whack, I tend to get headaches from that. ie: high to low or low to high very quickly andi end up with a headache anywhere from half the day to two days long.

Assess how you're eating and what you're eating. are you eating enough at the right times? are you spiking your bloodsugar with a donut for breakfast and then waiting until 3pm to eat lunch or have a snack?

JanetP124

I do get headaches when my blood sugar starts dropping too low. A light snack usually takes care of that. Otherwise, I felt terrible when I went off Diet Coke --- that was like a week long Detox. yuck.

sozisraw

Get checked out by the doctor, also look up detox symptoms

shannashannabobana

The change is both 1 and 2. I've had to make changes to both in order to lose weight and get healthier. If my body "detoxing" itself is normal, I'll take it!

I don't necessarily think it is normal. I've mostly given up sugar and I'm limiting wheat and the only time I've had stomach trouble is when I ate pancakes. Maybe you should look at what you are eating. Many people, for instance, have digestive problems with say wheat that aren't present when they eat potatoes. So you might want to play around with what you're eating and see what alleviates symptoms...

lynn1982

Speaking from experience, the headaches could be from cutting out sugar. This should subside though. The digestive issues could be an increase in fibre as others have mentioned, or, and again speaking from experience, it could be that your body cannot digest whatever healthy food you are putting into it. Just because it's "healthy," does not mean it is easily digestible. I was eating a ton of quinoa, beans, and legumes thinking I was eating super healthy. And I was. But I was just eating too much of it and it was too hard for my body to digest it all the time. It had nothing to do with getting "used" to the amount of fibre (I'm pretty sure two years is long enough...). I still eat those things, just not every day anymore, and my body is much happier. (I also started taking a probiotic, but I'd talk to a health care professional before adding in something like that.)

Good luck!

Andreaviolet89

Its probably due to the really low amount of calories you are eating. Ever heard of hunger headaches? I would reevaluate if that is the amount of calries that is really right for your body and then go from there. Also, you dont have to live on carrots. You can eat healthy and still enjoy the foods you like. I like to take my favorite recipes and then give them healthy makeovers by adding veggies and cutting out some fat.

lynn1982

The change is both 1 and 2. I've had to make changes to both in order to lose weight and get healthier. If my body "detoxing" itself is normal, I'll take it!

I don't necessarily think it is normal. I've mostly given up sugar and I'm limiting wheat and the only time I've had stomach trouble is when I ate pancakes. Maybe you should look at what you are eating. Many people, for instance, have digestive problems with say wheat that aren't present when they eat potatoes. So you might want to play around with what you're eating and see what alleviates symptoms...

This too!!

LaurenAOK

If you were eating a lot of sugar before, it could be withdrawal headaches? Same goes for caffeine.

You might be trying to change too much, too fast. 1200 calories of healthy food is a HUGE change from whatever amount of junk you were eating before. I suggest increasing your calorie goal (calculate your BMR and don't eat below that number) and making gradual changes in what you eat. You don't have to go from eating fast food four times a day to eating nothing but fruits and veggies overnight. Try eating mostly healthy, but allow yourself some treats in moderation. As you get more comfortable, you can cut out more of the treats (if you want).

bulbadoof

1200 calories is the bare minimum amount that MFP can set you to eat for safety reasons. For most people it is not enough food to function properly - my BMR is anywhere from 1300 to 1500 depending on the formula used to calculate it, and I'm 5 foot 3. Yours might be higher than you think! Most of the time, I see recommended calorie goals of your TDEE minus 20%.

If you're not familiar with the terminology..
BMR = basal metabolic rate. This is what your body would need to sustain itself if you laid in bed all day doing absolutely nothing. You need to eat at least this number of calories to ensure your body is getting what it needs to keep itself alive and functioning. If it's more than 1200, no wonder you feel like crap!
TDEE = total daily energy expenditure. This is an estimation of what you burn in an average day. It is okay to eat less than this in the interest of losing weight as long as you are still eating your BMR.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

I suggest googling a couple more calculators and getting an average for both numbers.

emmamaelee888

It sounds like detox of unhealthy food choices to me. I also had severe bloating and stomach cramping when I started to drink more water - I was always a water drinker, but found after starting this I only drank about 4 cups a day, when I first upped it to 8 it was painful for some reason, but everything has evened out now and I feel great!

If it doesnt pass in a couple weeks I would go talk to your dr :-)

rowanwood

Depending on your diet before, you might have dropped too low too fast...I did the same thing and I suffered a good two weeks before my body adapted. I really don't recommend it. If I had to do it over, I would have done a smaller cut...

bzign

What have you cut out? Quite a few foods are addictive so it could be withdrawal, sugar and caffeine especially, I also personally find starchy carbs like bread and pasta to be somewhat addictive, more you have the more you want etc

I agree with other people in that it could be added fibre and lower calories would mean less fuel than you are used to, if you have jumped from a lot more calories maybe try to cut them slowly so you don't give your body such a shock, and make sure you keep your blood sugar level.

Oh and when in doubt drink water for a headache. If they continue see a Dr but it sounds like if you just keep doing the good stuff your body will adapt to the new clean regime.

EDIT - What everyone else said while I was still typing :-)