Feel sick after cutting calories

celtzcastle · July 2014

I'm a 28-year-old female, 5'7" and 126.4 lbs at last weigh-in. (Starting weight was ~131 a little over a week ago.) I'm trying to lose some inches off of my hips so I look more proportional (39.5 inch hips, 26 inch waist....ugh). I am also trying to tone my lower body and increase the size of my upper body, though from past experience I believe the latter is unlikely to happen.

My original net Calorie goal was 1200, but I didn't feel well so I increased it to 1400. Then the past couple of days I've been feeling awful again, so I decided to increase the limit to 1600, but aim for 1400 most days. I'm doing 50% carbs, 30% fat, 20% protein.

My symptoms after cutting calories: insomnia, shortness of breath, dizziness upon standing, and blacking out. I checked my blood sugar this evening while feeling sick and it was fine (115 mg/dL).

I do have a history of endocrine/metabolic problems, including prediabetes, thyroid disease (first Graves' Disease, then hypoactive thyroid after treatment), secondary carnitine deficiency with high acyl-carnitine to free-carnitine ratio (I do take a prescription L-carnitine supplement for this), and osteopenia. I haven't had my L-carnitine levels tested in a couple of years but they are probably fine; when my free L-carnitine levels are low I have arrythmia, but my heart has been beating normally recently, despite feeling sick.

EDITED because I didn't get to my actual question (I guess I'm also experiencing a decrease in cognition): has anyone else experienced these symptoms after cutting calories? Would stimulants/vasoconstrictors (i.e., caffeine) help with the breathing and dizziness? I believe insomnia is common after cutting calories; do you have to take a sleep aid to deal with that, or is it better to save up calories and eat before bed in order to feel sleepy?

Hell_Flower · July 2014

I only feel sick if I cut my calories drastically for a day. And I mean drastically - under 700.

What you've described doesn't sound normal, in my humble opinion, especially with your medical history. Might be worth getting checked out with your GP and a personal trainer/nutritionist to have a look at your diet/ work out.

For the insomnia - I've found that 400g of magnesium supplements help a LOT (long term intermittent insomniac over here). They aren't cheap (least not in the UK), but so worth it. Take them about an hour or so before bed.

neandermagnon · July 2014

you should see a doctor because it's not normal to feel so ill from cutting calories - at your size 1400-1600 cals isn't that big a cut* and you shouldn't feel so ill from it. Even if this amount of calories is too low for you, you shouldn't feel this ill... the human body can easily withstand 24 hrs of no calories at all, with no symptoms apart from hunger and possibly a headache (more likely to be caffeine withdrawal than lack of food, going my my Muslim friends who have this issue when fasting for Ramadan!)

Have you cut sodium out of your diet? Some of the symptoms could be explained by low blood pressure, e.g. dizziness on standing and blacking out.

*this depends on your activity... if you're doing a lot of exercise, then you could be eating too little - if the symptoms come on after exercise, then the most likely cause of some of them is not eating enough to fuel your workout and the fix is to eat more, including a meal or snack right after your workout. But the symptoms you list seem a little too severe even for that, especially shortness of breath - if that comes on after exercise (i.e. over and above the normal being out of breath from exercise) it could be exercise induced asthma.

In any case I think you should see a doctor. It could be nothing and it could be easily remedied by eating more, especially post-workout...... but I think a doctor needs to rule out other possible causes because these are not normal symptoms that you'd get from cutting your calories too low.

RodaRose · July 2014

Disturbance in sleep, breathing issues, dizziness, and blacking out are not part of cutting calories.

Eat your calories any time of the day or night that you want.

You need to see your doctor soon.

RodaRose · July 2014

TavistockToad · July 2014

go to the doctor

EvgeniZyntx · July 2014

See a doctor, those are not normal signs of cutting calories but of cardio pulmonary distress of some sort possible due to your other conditions. Only a doctor can evaluate the clinical significant and provide you with a diagnosis.

touslesmemes · July 2014

I'm a 28-year-old female, 5'7" and 126.4 lbs at last weigh-in. (Starting weight was ~131 a little over a week ago.) I'm trying to lose some inches off of my hips so I look more proportional (39.5 inch hips, 26 inch waist....ugh). I am also trying to tone my lower body and increase the size of my upper body, though from past experience I believe the latter is unlikely to happen.

My original net Calorie goal was 1200, but I didn't feel well so I increased it to 1400. Then the past couple of days I've been feeling awful again, so I decided to increase the limit to 1600, but aim for 1400 most days. I'm doing 50% carbs, 30% fat, 20% protein.

My symptoms after cutting calories: insomnia, shortness of breath, dizziness upon standing, and blacking out. I checked my blood sugar this evening while feeling sick and it was fine (115 mg/dL).

I do have a history of endocrine/metabolic problems, including prediabetes, thyroid disease (first Graves' Disease, then hypoactive thyroid after treatment), secondary carnitine deficiency with high acyl-carnitine to free-carnitine ratio (I do take a prescription L-carnitine supplement for this), and osteopenia. I haven't had my L-carnitine levels tested in a couple of years but they are probably fine; when my free L-carnitine levels are low I have arrythmia, but my heart has been beating normally recently, despite feeling sick.

EDITED because I didn't get to my actual question (I guess I'm also experiencing a decrease in cognition): has anyone else experienced these symptoms after cutting calories? Would stimulants/vasoconstrictors (i.e., caffeine) help with the breathing and dizziness? I believe insomnia is common after cutting calories; do you have to take a sleep aid to deal with that, or is it better to save up calories and eat before bed in order to feel sleepy?

Hi there, you are right in upping calories; 1400 sounds good.

I guess your division of protein/carb/etc. is fine... I can't see it being an issue. If you are worried there are online macro calculators you can seek out via a quick Google search... "IIFYM calculator"

What will help: More sleep, more water. + What will make matters worse: Drugs(e.g. caffeine), stressing your body by exercising at a high intensity (maybe mix up routine or make it easier/longer in duration if u want to burn off same amount of cals E.g. yoga, free weights to work select limbs). + Possible reasons for strangeness: Detoxing out harmful toxins from system, system shock by losing too much weight or by changing a diet/exercise routine/sleep cycle dramatically.

System shock is something I have gone through a few times; the change in lifestyle was the catalyst and what you have sounds similar in symptom. I'd take it easy in terms of exercise. While you may want to go full speed and continue losing at the high rate you have apparently lost at, it would be better to slow down. If you literally feel your heart speed up and/or beat uneven/strangely, stop/breathe and decide to do a lesser impact exercise and/or calm yourself down. Keep your heartbeat normal... You cannot blackout while paying attention to your heart and taking it easy

. If you do not let your heart to speed up much and continue doing what you are doing spare the exercise and "over exertion", in a few days, you should feel a little weird but better. If symptoms persist, seek a medical professional because I am just a MFP user. Hope I made a bit of sense.

Sidenote: If you feel dizzy, lower your head so the blood rushes to it and you are at a lesser chance of blacking out and hurting yourself.

celtzcastle · July 2014

Thanks everyone; I did suspect I shouldn't be feeling that way from such a minor Calorie deficit. I actually have a yearly checkup on Monday, and will make sure to get my thyroid, free carnitine, iron/hemoglobin, A1C, etc. tested. The doctor ordered some blood tests last year, just to ensure everything is stable, but I never made it to the lab.

I do have a history of low blood pressure (it would regularly run 80/50) and was given salt tablets as a teenager but they mostly just made me feel bloated. Later (in my early 20s) I was diagnosed with L-carnitine deficiency, which can cause low blood pressure and arrhythmia. Since I was prescribed Levocarnitine, my blood pressure has been in a healthier range, so I haven't needed to take extra salt. I just looked at my diary for the past week and the lowest amount of sodium I consumed was around 1300 mg, and sometimes it was as high as 3000 mg, so I think I'm getting plenty of salt.

Perhaps my L-carnitine levels have dropped just enough so that my blood pressure is low, but my heart rhythm is still fine.

Muscleflex79 · July 2014

You are on the lower end of healthy BMI for your height - you may want to talk to the dr. about your desire to lose even more weight.

MB_Positif · July 2014

Sounds like you don't have pounds to lose. I'd recommend strength training and eating at maintenance honestly. See your doctor about the symptoms and ask if you are healthy enough to strength train. Then look into Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5

Edited to add: strength training will change your body shape through body recomposition. Genetics are still at play, but I think you'll see better results with strength training than a calorie deficit

fe2o3girl · July 2014

You are on the lower end of healthy BMI for your height - you may want to talk to the dr. about your desire to lose even more weight.

I agree.

celtzcastle · July 2014

Thanks for your response. I do not use caffeine, so that is not causing my symptoms. I was considering using it to bring my blood pressure up, but it would likely make my insomnia worse so I won't go that route. I also have not been over-exercising; on Tuesday I stopped exercise 10 minutes in due to feeling awful, and Wednesday and Thursday (yesterday) I felt awful despite not exercising. I am drinking lots of water.

I'm sure I would feel a lot better with more sleep, though I have been sleep deprived before without experiencing this specific set of symptoms. I will try to catch up on sleep this weekend and see if things improve.

Regarding the rapid weight loss: I'm pretty sure it's mostly water, due to how much heavier I am at night (sometimes 5 lbs heavier). I think my body is burning through my glycogen stores at night due to the energy deficit.

Thanks for the advice about bringing my blood to my head. I usually just sit down as quickly as possible (if I'm able), but kneeling with my head down would probably be more effective.

celtzcastle · July 2014

I really do have a lot of fat on my thighs and butt. It's like I have two bodies stuck together--a skinny top half and a large bottom half. It is hard to buy a dress that fits because my top half is a 0-2 and my bottom half is an 6-10 (depending on brand and line). If my fat were distributed more evenly I would not be trying to lose weight. I will take a picture later in leggings and a tight top and you will see what I mean....

celtzcastle · July 2014

I thought that distribution of fat is determined by hormones and genetics. Can weight training cause a large enough shift in hormones that the fat will redistribute? I would love to have some more fat on my ribs, back, and chest.

MB_Positif · July 2014

I thought that distribution of fat is determined by hormones and genetics. Can weight training cause a large enough shift in hormones that the fat will redistribute? I would love to have some more fat on my ribs, back, and chest.

You can't choose where you will gain fat, but you can with hard work create a more proportional body through strength training. Here's my personal example. For the last 2+ years after losing 50 pounds I have gone from a size 8 to a size 4 without really losing anymore weight. I mostly strength train.

Feel sick after cutting calories

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