Low Iron & Weight Gain/Loss Problems?

AestheticStar
AestheticStar Posts: 447 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
So when I started using MFP, I suspect I had low iron to start with. My goal was to lose ten pounds. I lost eight pounds, usually by burning 1,200+ calories, & eating 1,200-1,400. I was doing good for the first 6 months. Then I started getting fatigued, didn't have my usual energy, but still worked out 6 days a week, but cut down on how many calories I burned, but tried to stay in the 900 range. I noticed clothing started fitting tighter & thought it was the Jillian Michaels programs I did, because hers are so strength based & I thought I packed on muscle. I had another blood test done, & my iron was still low. I put on ten pounds basically, which is ultimately upsetting. I've read that low iron CAN cause weight gain because it slows your metabolism in the process. I've been taking an iron supplement & started with a low dose of 28mg. I started feeling like I had some more energy, & started doing HIIT workouts again & trying to burn as many calories as I could as well as fat. Now I'm up to 65mg 'cause I started feeling sluggish again. I haven't noticed a drop at all in my weight.. I'm starting to become frustrated with this & don't know what to do. Anyone else having these problems or experienced this? I'd be grateful for any information or advice.

Replies

  • Serena272
    Serena272 Posts: 53 Member
    Read later
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 683 Member
    Hi I am anemic I have to take iron tablets everyday and ive had no problem losing weight, my biggest problem with what you've written is you are eating 1200 and burning 1200+ calories so you are burning your body out or do you mean you eat 1200 more than you burn? you need to fuel your body healthily so it can function I would suggest seeking gp help as it may not be iron specifically but you are deficient in all things.
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 683 Member
    you need to be netting your BMR in calories just to function and extra to workout I feel this is why you are fatigued netting 900 is severely dangerous please seek medical advice
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    If you are burning and eating about the same amount of calories, it is no wonder you feel sluggish. Upping your iron alone isn't going to do it. With that much exercise, you need to eat more food. Set your weekly weight loss goal to 0.5 lb. per week and eat back about half of your exercise calories.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    this sounds eating disorder-y. please see a doctor.
  • AestheticStar
    AestheticStar Posts: 447 Member
    I don't have an eating disorder. I eat three to four healthy & large meals daily, with snacks in between, so that's definitely not an eating disorder. Trust me. I don't burn the calories I used to & I have cut back. But the thing is, I don't have a steady job right now, & I'm not active really aside from when I exercise & the few house chores I do. That's why I like to exercise an hour or so a day & do yoga at night to try to make up for my inactivity. And I think if I was at a risky place health-wise, my doctor would have already told me so & the only thing that's low is iron 'cause I don't eat red meats like I used to. I just had the tests done in the last two months, & everything was good besides the iron. And a lot of fitness people I follow have stated that you should burn more calories than what you eat. So, I guess they are wrong then..
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    a lot of fitness people I follow have stated that you should burn more calories than what you eat. So, I guess they are wrong then..

    They stated you should burn more calories than what you eat, or they stated you should burn more calories than what you eat from exercise?
  • AestheticStar
    AestheticStar Posts: 447 Member
    hortensehildegarde wrote: »
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    a lot of fitness people I follow have stated that you should burn more calories than what you eat. So, I guess they are wrong then..

    They stated you should burn more calories than what you eat, or they stated you should burn more calories than what you eat from exercise?

    That you should burn more calories than you eat in general. I've seen it on a few YT channels from fitness experts.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    hortensehildegarde wrote: »
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    a lot of fitness people I follow have stated that you should burn more calories than what you eat. So, I guess they are wrong then..

    They stated you should burn more calories than what you eat, or they stated you should burn more calories than what you eat from exercise?

    That you should burn more calories than you eat in general. I've seen it on a few YT channels from fitness experts.

    Yes that would be correct that you need to burn more calories than you eat in order to lose weight, however your OP would suggest you are only counting burn from exercise.

    There is NO way you have ever only burned 900 calories in a day unless you are something like under 4 feet tall and 70 lbs or have some kind of metabolic disorder and also bedridden. Equally unlikely you have ever only burned 1200 calories in a day.

    That is why people say you sound like eating disorder territory, because you seem to be reporting calories burned from exercise alone and completely ignoring your BMR calories.

    Likewise if you are eating "three to four healthy & large meals daily, with snacks in between" it is unlikely you are only eating 1200 calories on those days (we'd have to see open diary entries to know what you consider "healthy and large" but to use those adjectives in conjunction with saying you eat 1200-1400 calories a day, which is very restrictive, tends to suggest disordered eating as well).

    Not saying you have an ED or anything, just trying to explain why people may be responding oddly to your post. The facts as you have stated them don't seem to logically add up.

    At some point someone will likely also pop in and state that you can't build substantial muscle (other than possibly a little newbie gains) while eating in a caloric deficit. No idea about how accurate that is but I mention it as you may like to educate yourself on how one builds muscle as well since it may help you figure out some of your issues. I haven't researched it myself but have seen that statement repeated time and time again by a lot of tiny people who have lost a lot of fat and/or built a lot of muscle mass so I tend to think their success speaks something to the credibility of that statement.
  • AestheticStar
    AestheticStar Posts: 447 Member
    Like I stated, I DON'T currently have an active job, so yes, I am counting workout calories & chores I do around the house. Other than that, I'm basically seated most of the day, not being active. I clearly know what I'm eating & yes, I DO log over 1,400 calories in food if not a little over on some days to balance out my workout calories. I'm not trying to build bulky muscle.

    I know that I don't have an eating disorder & those close, & especially those I live with, know I don't. Unless you spend a day with me & see what I'm eating, it's pretty messed up to say someone has an eating disorder when they don't. If I had one, my doctor would know & would be able to tell.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    edited November 2014
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    hortensehildegarde wrote: »
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    a lot of fitness people I follow have stated that you should burn more calories than what you eat. So, I guess they are wrong then..

    They stated you should burn more calories than what you eat, or they stated you should burn more calories than what you eat from exercise?

    That you should burn more calories than you eat in general. I've seen it on a few YT channels from fitness experts.

    When people say that, they are talking about the total calories your body burns throughout the day. I don't know your stats so I'll use mine. I naturally burn 1300 calories throughout the day by functioning. I need to eat those calories. Because that's what my body needs to function. If I eat a little less every now and then, it's no big deal. But in general, we should eat our BMR calories. What these experts mean is that you need to burn the excess calories you eat beyond that BMR. So for example, if I am a moderately active person, I will burn around 2000 calories throughout the day (more than my BMR). If I want to lose weight, I need to eat somewhere between that BMR and 2000 calories. If I eat more than that, I will gain.

    There is no possible way any expert would ever tell you to burn all of the calories you eat with exercise. even not knowing your stats, I can say your body naturally burns that 1200 you're eating. Burning 1200 more would be what is making you so tired. Your body isn't getting what it needs to function.
  • AestheticStar
    AestheticStar Posts: 447 Member
    terar21 wrote: »
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    hortensehildegarde wrote: »
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    a lot of fitness people I follow have stated that you should burn more calories than what you eat. So, I guess they are wrong then..

    They stated you should burn more calories than what you eat, or they stated you should burn more calories than what you eat from exercise?

    That you should burn more calories than you eat in general. I've seen it on a few YT channels from fitness experts.

    When people say that, they are talking about the total calories your body burns throughout the day. I don't know your stats so I'll use mine. I naturally burn 1300 calories throughout the day by functioning. I need to eat those calories. Because that's what my body needs to function. If I eat a little less every now and then, it's no big deal. But in general, we should eat our BMR calories. What these experts mean is that you need to burn the excess calories you eat beyond that BMR. So for example, if I am a moderately active person, I will burn around 2000 calories throughout the day (more than my BMR). If I want to lose weight, I need to eat somewhere between that BMR and 2000 calories. If I eat more than that, I will gain.

    There is no possible way any expert would ever tell you to burn all of the calories you eat with exercise. even not knowing your stats, I can say your body naturally burns that 1200 you're eating. Burning 1200 more would be what is making you so tired. Your body isn't getting what it needs to function.

    I do understand & know that & I have read up on these things. I'm not saying that these fitness experts were directly telling me this, but that they posted this stuff out there for everyone. And they said that you should burn more than you eat, not counting what you normally burn without exercising, hence why that is extremely confusing with advice some "experts" give. I have upped what I take in food wise, but some times, depending on the time of the month, my appetite lacks sometimes too, so I usually take down my activity level. I'm not burning the 1,200 though anymore & I stated I've cut back the exercise calories.

    Thank you for the advice though. Your advice was helpful, & I'll reference back to what I wrote down as my BMR in my journal & balance it out. I kind of forgot about the BMR thing at times too, even though I'm not really active during the day & sitting a lot of the time.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
    edited November 2014
    "And they said that you should burn more than you eat, not counting what you normally burn without exercising"

    Really? that sounds insane- so they want me to do 2000 calories a day worth of exercise? Seriously, that just sounds nuts and contrary to everything I have seen recommended on these boards but I am intrigued.

    I understand to "burn more than you eat" counting BMR and regular activity and exercise, but to do it off of exercise alone, excluding BMR and normal daily activity burn?

    I feel like I really want to see these videos, do you recall which YT channels you saw this on or names I can search?

    ETA: Reading back now I wonder if I read that totally backwards? Can you give an example with numbers? (and regardless of what that advice is or isn't its sounds like you are on the right track for your fatigue issue, I am just curious about the exercise recommendation not trying to get too OT)
  • earth_echo
    earth_echo Posts: 133 Member
    I've found the most effective way to take iron is to do so before bed. Your body is less able to absorb iron in the presence of eggs, dairy, coffee, and soy (and there might be others too). It's hard to avoid eating all that stuff plus food can be in the digestive track for hours. UGH! Personally, I gave up trying. One iron pill before bed works great (for me, anyway).
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