Dizzy, Exhausted, Headachey, Confused?!

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nickyfm
nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so for those of you who know me, you'll know that I am by no means new to the diet game.

I have lost and gained the same 12 pounds over and over. But it's always just been a case of eating sensibly and getting back into my exercise routine.

But this time around it seems impossible!! I have been falling off the wagon since December, because once i reach day 10 (NOW), i get terribly dizzy, fatigued and grumpy. But it never used to be this hard!!

I exercise about 6x per week. Pole dancing 2x, Cardio 2x and weights 2x. Between 200-400 cal burn. I have been trying to eat at 1,250 (Seem to never lose if i eat more. Might be the PCOS) but today and yesterday i had to eat in the 1,400s because i was so dizzy. I drink lots of water and eat my veggies. I can't figure out what is going on?

Diary is open, and any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!

EDIT: I have been checked for Hypoglycemia and diabetes, but I do not have blood sugar problems. I also take a multivitamin and Iodine supplements (i get deficient and my thyroid doesn't work properly if I don't)
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Replies

  • sarahmoo12
    sarahmoo12 Posts: 756 Member
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    do you eat back your exercise cals ?
  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
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    do you eat back your exercise cals ?

    I have today and yesterday, but not usually. I just don't seem to lose when i eat over 1,250, exercise or no exercise. It's frustrating!!
  • sarahmoo12
    sarahmoo12 Posts: 756 Member
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    yea but I think exercise cals are different I dont think it matters if you go over 1200 by say 350 cals if you have already burned those off. Im no expert though but just from reading these threads and from you being dizzy ect id say your kinda starving your body ??
    Do you feel hungry ??
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    To clarify...do you have PCOS?
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
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    i'm gonna say either too much caffine, or not enough water, or not enough sleep or a combination of any of the 3
  • awesomelion
    awesomelion Posts: 1
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    Sounds a bit like what happens when I don't have enough electrolytes, you sound like you'll be sweating a lot but maybe only replenishing the water not the salts? If that sounds possible, consider some supplements or maybe have some Powerade Zero?
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
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    Sounds a bit like what happens when I don't have enough electrolytes, you sound like you'll be sweating a lot but maybe only replenishing the water not the salts? If that sounds possible, consider some supplements or maybe have some Powerade Zero?

    ^ this too
  • kurting81
    kurting81 Posts: 32 Member
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    IMO you need more carbs. I wonder if you are in a constant state of ketosis and that makes you feel sickly. Maybe try adding some more fruit to your diet. I don't believe you will gain any weight with higher calories coming from fruits.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Current weight and height, and goal weight?
  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
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    Sounds a bit like what happens when I don't have enough electrolytes, you sound like you'll be sweating a lot but maybe only replenishing the water not the salts? If that sounds possible, consider some supplements or maybe have some Powerade Zero?

    ^ this too

    Yah i might need to have more electrolytes. Will bring Hydralite powder with me to the gym and see if that helps
    Current weight and height, and goal weight?

    Current weight :125 pounds
    Goal weight: 115 pounds (Sounds little, but i used to be 110 and i am very petite)
    Height: 5"5
  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
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    To clarify...do you have PCOS?

    It's mixed. Some Drs say I have PCOS, others say PCO. But i do have cysts on my ovaries and some side effects like acne, lack of periods etc
    Do you feel hungry??

    Starving!! :(
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    You're diary looks great. If it's a massive drop in carbs from what you were eating before those ten days, it does take a while to adjust back to that level. If you can ride it out another week I think you will be ok again. You know what works for your weight loss. Stay hydrated. Notice you drink red bull. Have you cut back on them or other caffeine? If so could be a major cause. Reckon it took me about three weeks to adjust to the same carbs as you.

    Zara x
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
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    like others said could just be you aren't eating nearly enough or are lacking in nutrients to power everything, especially the brain which is also a muscle. Exercise is great for muscle building and aerobics but its a killer to your body unless it is adequaltely fueled (unless ofcourse you are overweight) then you don't have to refuel nearly as much.

    Your body can't motabolise if you aren't fueling it so it's a catch 22 you need to eat more to burn more. 1200 is bare minimum for any woman, with 1800 being the average minimum for men and that's just to exist not even taking into account day to day activities. Exercise puts you into a massive deficit which is taking from what your body needs to survive.

    as for eating back calories, personally i can't eat all of them back that'd be somewhere in the vacinity of 2500-3000 each day i exercise and i feel overfull at 2000 so i try to eat some of them to keep around 1500-1600 which is my MFP suggested daily intake not including exercise, my training sessions are right b4 dinner time M-F and just after breakfast on sat and sunday so i've already fueled up either way. and i have 20Kg's of excess to lose, you will differ obviously.

    on a side note if you drink lots of Caffeine it will do that to you, i know first hand. Too much and you will have headaches, muscle twitching, brain fade, lack of sleep, heart arythmia and high blood pressure.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    I noticed that you're eating a lot of the same foods every day, maybe try switching it up a bit to see if that makes a difference.

    Also, about half of your calories come from snacks, maybe try eating less snacks, and instead eating more substantial meals.

    Does more food on dizzy days cure the dizziness? If so, eat as much food that day as you feel you need. So you'll lose a day or two...that's better than falling off the program because of feeling dizzy and defeated.

    Remember, you don't have to be perfect every day as long as it averages out over the week. It may be that you did some tough workout the day before and your body needs more fuel the next day than normal.

    To clarify, if your goal is 1200/day and then you burn 300 calories at the gym, your quota for that day goes up to 1500. You need a deficit between what you need to maintain your weight and what you eat, in order to lose weight. If you eat 1200 cals and don't exercise you burn a 300 cal deficit. If you exercise away 300 cals and eat 1500 cals, you still burn a 300 cal deficit, ao lose the same amount of weight.

    Eating snacks through put the day, will likely keep her more stable than larger meals in my opinion!
  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
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    like others said could just be you aren't eating nearly enough or are lacking in nutrients to power everything, especially the brain which is also a muscle. Exercise is great for muscle building and aerobics but its a killer to your body unless it is adequaltely fueled (unless ofcourse you are overweight) then you don't have to refuel nearly as much.

    Your body can't motabolise if you aren't fueling it so it's a catch 22 you need to eat more of the right stuff to burn more of the bad stuff. 1200 is bare minimum for any woman, with 1800 being the average minimum for me and that's just to exist not even taking into account day to day activities.

    Personally i only do if i feel hungry otherwise i'l just eat some of them, but my training sessions are right b4 dinner time M-F and just after breakfast on sat and sunday so i've already fueled up either way. and i have 20Kg's of excess to lose

    on a side note if you drink lots of Caffeine it will do that to you, i know first hand. Too much and you will have headaches, muscle twitching, brain fade, lack of sleep, heart arythmia and high blood pressure.


    That's true! But my energy is so low, that I keep on trying to source fake energy to compensate. Which is probably adding to the whole problem of dehydration. So many good points raised here. So glad to see everyone who has replied is so insightful!!
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
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    Several things here running through my mind some of them previously mentioned.

    Dehydration
    Heart issues
    Change in diet with less carbs
    Your body is just starving
    Sodium is too low

    I would recommend one day a week to eat a bit more and have more carbs. Somewhere around 2000 calories. I have found with myself, if I sweat and don't intake extra sodium, I will experience these same symptoms. I had the blood work done and my aldosterone levels came back low. It was a 'light bulb' moment for me. Once I added in more sodium to my diet, symptoms went away.
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
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    http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-1200-Calories-Day-Important-When-Dieting-13080864
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    To clarify...do you have PCOS?

    It's mixed. Some Drs say I have PCOS, others say PCO. But i do have cysts on my ovaries and some side effects like acne, lack of periods etc

    People with PCOS often do better with lower carbs (not low, just lowish/moderate). However, on looking at your diary, you are already pretty low on carbs. If I were you I would try to up your calories a bit, but to up them by increasing fats and protein and keep your carbs at the 100 - 120g level.
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
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    also one thing that has just occured to me this can be the symptoms of a potassium defecit, avocados are a good source, do you get cramps of any kind often?
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
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    go see your doctor.

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