When will I stop feeling so tired?

blanchette_j
blanchette_j Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
According to several online calculators, my BMR is ~1750/day, and on Monday I started a 1200/day diet. For several weeks prior to starting this diet, I have been exercising with a combination of Just Dance, Wii Fit, and walking. I had no problem doing 30-40 minutes of high effort dancing, or an hour of Wii Fit or brisk walking.

Since starting my calorie-reduced diet, I have found that I have no energy for working out. I can do about 15 minutes of dancing, or 30 minutes of walking before I start to drag my feet and feel tired. I'm sure this is connected to me eating less. I am concerned about how long this feeling will last. I don't feel like I can reach my weight loss goals without a blend of diet and exercise, but right now I cannot get up the energy to do anything. Is this going to last as long as I am on a calorie deficit, or will I eventually get my energy back on this diet?

Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    That feeling will last probably as long as you eat 500 calories below BMR. Your are not giving yourself enough fuel. BMR is what you would burn if you never got out of bed for the day. You might want to think about going 500 calories below TDEE. Also, are you eating back the calories you burn through exercise?
  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
    What are you eating. Show your diary please.
  • blanchette_j
    blanchette_j Posts: 17 Member
    I made my food diary public, it may shock and disgust you. I have really bad, lazy eating habits and am still trying to find a balance between what is good for me, what I like, and the junk food I crave.

    If I will feel tired as long as I am eating less cals than I need, will it hurt me to just diet more and exercise less?
  • stormsusmc
    stormsusmc Posts: 228 Member
    once you stop telling yourself that youre lazy and just do stuff youll find the habit of not being lazy is just as easy to do, but easier to live with....plan, eat lean....the info is there...just have to apply it...
  • crazyvermont
    crazyvermont Posts: 171 Member
    You need more fuel for your body ie calories or you'll plateau and always feel tired Had very similar problem and one ofreasons I'm on this site as I track my calories and make sure I don't go into deficit.
  • vmekash
    vmekash Posts: 422 Member
    I would say keep up the exercise, but to eat back those calories. Otherwise, you're not going to have enough to give you energy.
    Good luck.
  • sl1ngsh0t
    sl1ngsh0t Posts: 326 Member
    This fatigue happens to me too, but throughout the day. And (at the end of the day) I have eaten above my BMR, too. I can always always tell if I am eating at deficit because of the tiredness experienced. I do eat back exercise calories.
  • Honk88
    Honk88 Posts: 1
    My thought is your carb levels are way to high. My cal. levels are in the 1200-1400 range and I do 1-2.5 hours of cardio a day. My Nutritionist says to eat 3 oz of low fat/cal protein every meal, and cut out as much processes carbs as possible. I would also cut out the rice and replace with a low fat/cal/carb veggie (which would include corn). If you are going to eat yogurt choose Greek style as it has twice as much protein as regular yogurt. Protein will help old off hunger much longer than carbs.
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
    how long is it from time you last ate..to when you workout?..you need alittle something about 30 mins or so before you work out..if you havent ate hours before you work out..ofcourse ya gonna be tired
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I made my food diary public, it may shock and disgust you. I have really bad, lazy eating habits and am still trying to find a balance between what is good for me, what I like, and the junk food I crave.

    If I will feel tired as long as I am eating less cals than I need, will it hurt me to just diet more and exercise less?

    Yes it will hurt you. You'll lose lean muscle tissue at an even faster rate. Look, I'm going to give you a little tough love here. You are not eating 1200 many days. You are including things like beer in that 900 to 100 calories. You are doing things that are going to damage your health and damage your metabolism if you continue on this track. You need to get your calories up to a reasonable deficit and stop trying to shortcut things before you do some real damage to yourself. That's all I have to offer and will not post here again. It's no wonder you have no energy. It's no great mystery as to why.
  • Gramps251
    Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
    My thought is your carb levels are way to high. My cal. levels are in the 1200-1400 range and I do 1-2.5 hours of cardio a day. My Nutritionist says to eat 3 oz of low fat/cal protein every meal, and cut out as much processes carbs as possible. I would also cut out the rice and replace with a low fat/cal/carb veggie (which would include corn). If you are going to eat yogurt choose Greek style as it has twice as much protein as regular yogurt. Protein will help old off hunger much longer than carbs.

    This^

    Nothing to do with being tired but what does your sodium look like?
  • ryanswarren
    ryanswarren Posts: 2 Member
    Bottom line is you should be eating just under your BMR + Exercise calories burned. If you've plugged your goals into MFP, it already calculates what you need based on BMR and what you want to lose per week/month. This means that what it tells you is needed per day, you NEED. It's not a figure to diet below on purpose. This is especially true if you exercise, but DOESN"T mean you should stop exercising to diet further below. The majority of people cannot live off an average of 400 cals per meal (what your 1200 plan comes out to). That's why you're tired.
  • malicent
    malicent Posts: 127
    once you stop telling yourself that youre lazy and just do stuff youll find the habit of not being lazy is just as easy to do, but easier to live with....plan, eat lean....the info is there...just have to apply it...

    What he said.


    @OP Oh, you're one of THOSE people..... :\
  • meadowmail77
    meadowmail77 Posts: 64 Member
    Try upping your protein! I had to do that and it made a huge difference. Especially after I started making my breakfast high in protein.
  • tequillarose04
    tequillarose04 Posts: 30 Member
    You need to EAT MORE! & youll stop feeling that way... 1 cheeseburger all day? youve got to be soo hungry (I would be!) you need to eat at least the 1200, many days you havent, food is fuel! you wouldnt be here if you didnt like food, enjoy your calories!!
  • gogonunubean
    gogonunubean Posts: 160 Member
    You'll stop feeling tired when you starting fueling your body!

    BMR is the number of calories your body needs just to exist. Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is a higher number which factors in usual daily tasks like walking around, working etc. You need to cut your calories from your TDEE not your BMR. If you need 1750 cals just to exist and you are working out and only getting 900- 1000 calories net, you are starving your body.

    If you share your stats and your goals we will be more able to help you. Most of here have tried the severe calorie cutting, and for most people, it just doesn't work. You have taken a great first step - keep it up!
  • LisaDunn01
    LisaDunn01 Posts: 173 Member
    What are you eating to make up the 1200 calories? If it's mostly carbs, you're going to be exhausted. The body needs real, whole food - protein, good fats, vegetables and fruit.
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    That feeling will last probably as long as you eat 500 calories below BMR. Your are not giving yourself enough fuel. BMR is what you would burn if you never got out of bed for the day. You might want to think about going 500 calories below TDEE. Also, are you eating back the calories you burn through exercise?

    ^^^^This^^^^^
    check out this link to see how to find your numbers. eat more than BMR and 20% less than TDEE and you will have enough energy to enjoy your life while still losing!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
    You'll stop feeling tired when you starting fueling your body!

    BMR is the number of calories your body needs just to exist. Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is a higher number which factors in usual daily tasks like walking around, working etc. You need to cut your calories from your TDEE not your BMR. If you need 1750 cals just to exist and you are working out and only getting 900- 1000 calories net, you are starving your body.

    If you share your stats and your goals we will be more able to help you. Most of here have tried the severe calorie cutting, and for most people, it just doesn't work. You have taken a great first step - keep it up!

    How does one find out what their TDEE is supposed to be? My BMR is 1279. I know i dont often net that after my exercise and i am working on improving that but i think if i know what my TDEE is supposed to be maybe i can figure out how much i should eat and still lose. Any help would be appreciated.
  • blanchette_j
    blanchette_j Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks for all the great advice everyone - especially the girls :) More empathy, I guess.

    I seem to be woefully ignorant of how my body works. I thought that because I have so much excess fat, my body would burn the fat in place of my food intake? I don't see the difference between my body burning fuel through my stomach than through my fat stores.
  • blanchette_j
    blanchette_j Posts: 17 Member
    ladyark: I only heard of that in this thread myself, so I typed it into Google and found a simple calculator in the first few results.
  • ladyark
    ladyark Posts: 1,101 Member
    ladyark: I only heard of that in this thread myself, so I typed it into Google and found a simple calculator in the first few results.

    Thank you will check it out....and post above mine was very helpful with the link...thank you
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    BMR vs TDEE -

    I feel like this thread does a really great job at talking through it all (and helping you setup your goals)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • keithmustloseweight
    keithmustloseweight Posts: 309 Member
    BMR vs TDEE -

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    ^^^ This.

Categories