Just started and feeling really tired.

tonyawilliams10048
tonyawilliams10048 Posts: 4
in Introduce Yourself
I started my weight loss journey on 6/4/14 . I probably consumed about 5000 or more calories a day. My Doc put me on 1200 cal but I was so terrified I would go over I stayed too far under. I decided to bring it up to 1450 because I'm dizzy and it is hard to lift my arms and I kinda hurt all over. Has any one ever experienced this?

Replies

  • chocolatexxmintt
    chocolatexxmintt Posts: 85 Member
    Yes.. this happened to me at first. I kept the same calorie goal but tried not to eat under that. I eat at 1200 -1300 and burn off the extra. I also found working out made me tired toward the end of the week. BUT HANG IN THERE because after a while you don't anymore. Now when I work out I feel more energetic than before. :D
  • sybabe35
    sybabe35 Posts: 99 Member
    It's true! I used to work out and then just feel exhausted and take a nap afterwards. Now, when i finish working out, I take a shower then eat a light meal for dinner (since I work out after work). I still have enough energy to get some night time activities done before retiring for the day. The next day, I am full of energy physically and mentally. I feel a change now that if I don't work out for 3 days in a row, I feel tired earlier but not get any good sleep. Work out on a consistent basis and your body will adjust and thank you for it! An added bonus: I get sick a lot less, and recovery time is less as well!
  • slcooper77
    slcooper77 Posts: 4 Member
    Good Morning! It is a huge lifestyle change!! I started about 8 weeks ago, the tired will eventually wear off and what replaces it is this amazing energy you didn't know you had. Don't stress out about your diet, just keep trying until you find what works for you. One thing that works for me is is that I carry a giant water bottle with me and I keep it full. Sometimes your body tricks you in to thinking you are hungry when you are actually just thirsty. Don't expect immediate results, it is slow and tedious, stick with it!
  • jmangini
    jmangini Posts: 166 Member
    I'm 46 and I get exhausted from my workouts and they do make me hungrier. On non workout days, I am usually not hungry at all. From my experience, if you are going to cut that many calories, I'd focus on losing the weight through diet first. Maybe do 3 cardio sessions of 30 minutes a week. Or lighter high rep weights. Then after you've lost some good weight, start a more intense exercise routine and add a few more calories to your diet. I find losing weight much easier without intense exercise as it makes me much hungrier than normal. If you are just starting out of course you're body is in shock eating so much less and being more active. Wean into it upping your workouts every 3 weeks. Also you may not be eating enough complex carbs, which is the body's preferred energy. Especially the brain. Or you could be eating too much simple sugars, which will cause extreme crashes.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    I strongly encourage you to discuss these symptoms with the doc that put you on this diet. There's a difference between just being tired (normal) and being dizzy and in pain (not normal).
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    Hi There congratulations on your lifestyle change.

    One possible reason that you are feeling tired is that you just are netting way too low.

    Look up BMR and TDEE

    here is a great post that helps

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/703064-is-scooby-the-best-calculator

    Here is another post I really like

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1255406-dont-be-afraid-to-eat-more-ladies

    There is a lot of great info here ... . welcome! :flowerforyou:
  • Oi_Sunshine
    Oi_Sunshine Posts: 819 Member
    Hi There congratulations on your lifestyle change.

    One possible reason that you are feeling tired is that you just are netting way too low.

    Look up BMR and TDEE

    here is a great post that helps

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/703064-is-scooby-the-best-calculator

    Here is another post I really like

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1255406-dont-be-afraid-to-eat-more-ladies

    There is a lot of great info here ... . welcome! :flowerforyou:

    Please take the time to read these. At 5'3", I ate at 1200. I lost weight, but I was losing my hair fast than normal, was tired and irritable, and eventually aggravated my gall bladder, which I had to have removed, and I plateaued after around 25lb. The point of losing weight is to get healthy, but this doesn't feel healthy at all, does it? My metabolism took two years to recover. Doctors are not infallible. Discuss your experience with him and increase your daily goal, eating as closely to it as you can.
  • benjib84
    benjib84 Posts: 125
    I was on a VLC diet last week (for a weeks boost) ... I was actually on just under 800kals a day....
    Day 1= Edgy
    Day 2 = No energy
    Day 3 = Dizzy, Headaches, etc etc etc
    Day 4 = FEEL AMAZING but hungry all the time
    Day 5 = FEEL AMAZING , Not hungry
    Day 6 = Feel AMAZING, not hungry
    Day 7 = Not even getting hungry - LOST 9lb.

    Im back to normal now but the point in all of this, going from such a high intake down to what you are on, those symptoms seem normal and will be gone in a few days so hang in there. Youll feel great for it.
  • benjib84
    benjib84 Posts: 125
    Ps drink LOTS of water... innitially I was on about 2 litres a day... then the Doctor suggested doubling that to kill the symptoms i was getting so i did, and it worked! (I swear getting 10 pints a day in me helped shed the weight).
  • Tminus18
    Tminus18 Posts: 17 Member
    1200 is really low, especially if you are exercising. Have you tried to calculate your calorie needs using the TDEE calculator? I did a 1200 calorie plan and could not maintain. When I recalculated with the TDEE it reccomended 1550 per day while exercising 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. I would discuss with your doctor about increasing your caloric needs and focusing on your carb, protein and sugar intake instead of overall calories.
  • pope66682
    pope66682 Posts: 249 Member
    Make sure you are replacing your burned calories to hit your goal. This is a common mistake. If you eat 1400 calories and burn 200-300, you need to eat an extra 200-300 calories. Netting only 1100-1200 calories a day is borderline dangerous
  • tonyawilliams10048
    tonyawilliams10048 Posts: 4
    Thank you, I'm truing to decide if I should call him.
  • tonyawilliams10048
    tonyawilliams10048 Posts: 4
    Thank you all. All your suggestions have been very helpful. I think it was the TEEDEE not sure if I said that right said I should do 1450 to loose 1.5 lbs a week. That's my next step. Again thanks to all of you.
  • miss_phat_booty
    miss_phat_booty Posts: 117
    I find it very scary doctors are telling their clients to cut their calories all the way down to 1200. It's ridiculous! You don't have to eat 1200 cals to lose weight, why don't they know this? Why don't they tell their clients this??? :mad:
  • Dshowell
    Dshowell Posts: 1 Member
    Please feel encouraged. When I began my serious journey in December 2013, I wasn't sure if I could do it. Fitness pal is a great tool and based on my weight I start with 1540 calories. I was really worried that I would be hungry but I worked through it and made wise choices of foods that would fill me up. I've lost over 40 lbs and now eating 1350 calories and I'm not hungry. What has really helped me is wise food choices... foods that fill you up. In addition, eating breakfast really helped me. Please don't give up. The weight will come off and you'll feel so much better.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    a drop from 5000 calories down to 1200 or 1400 a day may not be healthy. you might want to ask your doctor for a referral to a dietician or nutritionist - my experience is that most doctors don't seem to know that much about nutrition. i have type 2 diabetes, and i get dizzy and shaky if i don't eat enough. while my blood sugar doesn't drop below 120, a large drop in blood sugar not only doesn't feel good but also can put extra stress on your body.

    my favorite TDEEE/BMI calculator - it has 3 versions, so you can sort of get a frame of reference.
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
  • jmangini
    jmangini Posts: 166 Member
    First, 5000 calories is way too many for anyone. You need to find your personal calorie intake that will allow you to lose weight. I personally need to drop below 1500. You can eat strategically to drop to that calorie cap, while still eating good quality nutrient dense foods. Cutting calories forces you to be way more intelligent about what you eat. Below is a sample diet for a man to lean out. As you will see, you can eat a lot and get good nutrition if you eat good foods.

    Meal 1

    ► 6 egg whites
    ► ½ cup oatmeal

    TOTALS:
    Calories: 266
    Protein: 30g
    Carbs: 32g
    Fat: 4g
    Meal 2

    ► 6 oz nonfat or
    ► 1% greek yogurt
    ► 1 banana

    TOTALS:
    Calories: 258
    Protein: 17g
    Carbs: 44g
    Fat: 0 g
    Meal 3

    ► 6 oz chicken breast
    ► 4 oz sweet potato
    ► 1 cup broccoli

    TOTALS:
    Calories: 406
    Protein: 60g
    Carbs: 30g
    Fat: 0g
    Meal 4

    ► post-workout shake with 35g whey protein

    TOTALS:
    Calories: 120
    Protein: 35g
    Carbs: 4g
    Fat: 1g
    Meal 5

    ► 6 oz salmon
    ► ¼ cup brown rice
    ► 4 oz asparagus

    TOTALS:
    Calories: 315
    Protein: 24g
    Carbs: 16g
    Fat: 19g
    Meal 6

    ► 6 oz cottage cheese
    ► 10 almonds

    TOTALS:
    Calories: 205
    Protein: 21g
    Carbs: 9g
    Fat: 8g
    TOTALS FOR THE DAY:

    Calories: 1,557
    Protein: 176g
    Carbs: 135g
    Fat: 37g
  • MeanNurseGM95
    MeanNurseGM95 Posts: 49 Member
    I was very tired and sore when I first started. I went to my doctor and he gave me some prescriptions to help and he told me to take it slow. The pain, soreness, and just being tired will be gone before you know it. I feel great after i work out now. Also 1200 calories is very crazy to start with. I started with eating 1900 calories then slowly got down to 1500. When you start off heavier you can eat more and still lose weight.
  • EatwellLivehappy
    EatwellLivehappy Posts: 34 Member
    It's definitely a huge lifestyle change which can totes make you tired! If you're not used to consuming that amount of calories, of course you're going to be a little tired. But also, look at what you're eating. Is the food you're eating giving you the energy you need? For example, of course fruits and vegetables are very healthy and our diet should mostly compose of them, but if you're only eating cucumbers you won't have the nutrients you need to stay fueled. Make sure you're getting the right amount of fat, carbs and protein. Also make sure you're eating complex carbs instead of simple ones because simple carbs don't give you fuel.

    http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_understand_foods/carbs_versus.html Read up.
  • ncl1313
    ncl1313 Posts: 237 Member
    First, if you were truly averaging 5000 calories per day, cutting you down to 1200 immediately seems a bit extreme. I don't know why the doctor wouldn't have you gradually decrease the calories over a period of a month. Perhaps ask your doctor about that.

    I can only tell you of my personal experience, so take this with a grain of salt. I am pre-diabetic, so when I am eating a diet too high in simple carbs, I find myself feeling much more tired and hungry than when I am eating more protein, fruits, veggies, and other complex carbs. I'm not saying carbs are the devil incarnate (I still eat ice cream and candy and chips, just not a lot of them), just that they do happen to spike my blood sugar and when I start to come down off that blood sugar spike, I feel all kinds of sleepiness and crankiness coming on.

    In addition, as much as it sounds counter-intuitive, the more active I am, the less tired I am. Meaning that on days I don't take my walk because I was lazy and don't feel like it, I'm even more tired. If I get up off my butt and take my walk, I have more energy to get through bedtime with my terrible-two toddler and then some.

    And water. When I haven't had enough water, I'm super tired. So, I guess, protein+exercise+water=less fatigue for me. Maybe discuss those ideas with your doctor to see if he or she would recommend that for you too.
  • Autumnfilly2005
    Autumnfilly2005 Posts: 232 Member
    Good luck and hang in there! One thing that should be noted is that if your doctor put you in a 1200 cal diet, make sure you get ALL those 1200 cal! Going under by too much puts your body in starvation mode, where your body is burning muscle for energy. When you do eat, your body tries to turn everything into fat because it believes you need those reserves to survive the famine. I highly recommend stocking up on the protein!
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    Congratulations on making the change to become more healthy! It's a HUGE step, and it can be scary and sometimes very frustrating.

    I think there are a couple of things going on here, first going from 5000 calories a day down to 1200 calories a day overnight has probably shocked the H!@# out of your body. Some of the tiredness is to be expected, however, I do believe you should talk with your Dr. again and let him/her know all that is going on. It may have been too drastic a cut too quickly, or you may be working yourself a bit harder than he/she realized you would. Some exhaustion and soreness is to be expected, but diziness and pain are not a good thing.

    Best of luck to you!
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
    I was on a VLC diet last week (for a weeks boost) ... I was actually on just under 800kals a day....
    Day 1= Edgy
    Day 2 = No energy
    Day 3 = Dizzy, Headaches, etc etc etc
    Day 4 = FEEL AMAZING but hungry all the time
    Day 5 = FEEL AMAZING , Not hungry
    Day 6 = Feel AMAZING, not hungry
    Day 7 = Not even getting hungry - LOST 9lb.

    Im back to normal now but the point in all of this, going from such a high intake down to what you are on, those symptoms seem normal and will be gone in a few days so hang in there. Youll feel great for it.

    I am really sorry to disagree, but eating under 800 calories per day (and most likely doing some exercise) is just not a good long term viable solution. Losing weight fast is not the goal. Sorry to disagree, but I just have to respond... thanks!
  • jdawgs0314
    jdawgs0314 Posts: 34
    Feel free to add me.
  • jmangini
    jmangini Posts: 166 Member
    I was on a VLC diet last week (for a weeks boost) ... I was actually on just under 800kals a day....
    Day 1= Edgy
    Day 2 = No energy
    Day 3 = Dizzy, Headaches, etc etc etc
    Day 4 = FEEL AMAZING but hungry all the time
    Day 5 = FEEL AMAZING , Not hungry
    Day 6 = Feel AMAZING, not hungry
    Day 7 = Not even getting hungry - LOST 9lb.

    Im back to normal now but the point in all of this, going from such a high intake down to what you are on, those symptoms seem normal and will be gone in a few days so hang in there. Youll feel great for it.

    I am really sorry to disagree, but eating under 800 calories per day (and most likely doing some exercise) is just not a good long term viable solution. Losing weight fast is not the goal. Sorry to disagree, but I just have to respond... thanks!

    There was actually a newer study that demonstrated losing weight quickly was very effective for keeping weight off if anyone would like to check it out, here's the link

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/07/us-diet-weightloss-idUSTRE6464BQ20100507

Categories