Eating healthy gives me headaches

jenfigmar
jenfigmar Posts: 40
edited November 10 in Food and Nutrition
I started eating healthier and counting calories a couple of days ago. I've noticed that I've been getting headaches often. Is it that I'm eating to little calories? Or I'm missing nutrients? Or something I'm doing wrong?
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Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Did you stop drinking caffeine?
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Less chocolate? Did you stop drinking coffee or drinking sodas? Headaches make me think of caffeine withdrawal, but you haven't really posted enough information for even this guess.
  • neveragain84
    neveragain84 Posts: 534 Member
    Sounds like caffeine withdrawal or just a shock to your system if you went cold turkey on sugar and your old diet. I don't know enough about food allergies, but it could be an allergic reaction. I have an ex who is allergic to chocolate and says she gets terrible headaches if she eats it.
  • I also had bad headaches for first 3 days. However I knew it had to be caffeine since Pepsi was my favorite drink of all time.. 3 days and it will be gone if thats the case.
  • queenliz99 wrote: »
    Did you stop drinking caffeine?
    QuietBloom wrote: »
    Less chocolate? Did you stop drinking coffee or drinking sodas? Headaches make me think of caffeine withdrawal, but you haven't really posted enough information for even this guess.

    Nope, never been a caffein drinker. No coffee, no soda, and I do eat chocolate, but some times. I haven't changed much the foods I eat. Just trying to eat less carbs, like pasta, bread, rand rice. And no fastfoods abd sweets. And eating less in general. I'm thiking I might be dehydrated? But the amount of water that I consume haven't changed much either. If anything I've increased water intake(just a little).
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
    Cutting back carbs has given me headaches. If you are cutting back carbs you need to make sure you're drinking tons of water as you are losing more water as a result.
  • Sounds like caffeine withdrawal or just a shock to your system if you went cold turkey on sugar and your old diet. I don't know enough about food allergies, but it could be an allergic reaction. I have an ex who is allergic to chocolate and says she gets terrible headaches if she eats it.
    lanajim wrote: »
    I also had bad headaches for first 3 days. However I knew it had to be caffeine since Pepsi was my favorite drink of all time.. 3 days and it will be gone if thats the case.
    Cutting back carbs has given me headaches. If you are cutting back carbs you need to make sure you're drinking tons of water as you are losing more water as a result.

    Then it might be the less carbs intake(which I think was a lot more before). I'll try to drink more water too.
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  • GingerbreadCandy
    GingerbreadCandy Posts: 403 Member
    Open your diary?
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Why cut carbs in the first place? Do you have a medical condition?
  • Bridgie3
    Bridgie3 Posts: 139 Member
    Maybe the headaches are a coincidence; sleeping funny, that time of the month, watching too much telly, been on the internet more than usual? Often when you start a new thing, you spend a lot of time googling. That can be hard on your neck and cause tension headaches.
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  • LauraSav97
    LauraSav97 Posts: 55 Member
    I had headache problems because I wasn't drinking the correct amount of water (2.2 litres a day) and when I started eating less it meant I was losing the water that was inside the food and I got even more dehydrated than I usually was and began to get headaches. This could be your problem so just try drinking more water.
  • myfatass78
    myfatass78 Posts: 411 Member
    I get sick for the first week or so everytime I try to eat healthy. I consider it "dieters flu" and it lifts after a while.
  • LazyNightOwl
    LazyNightOwl Posts: 166 Member
    Those darn Google headaches are the worst...lol. But seriously...caffeine withdrawal headaches are no laughing matter! I took advantage of a pretty bad cold to go off the sodas. I figured since I was going to be in a horrible mood anyway may as well make it useful. OP, where are your headaches located? That could pinpoint the type (tension, sinus, etc).
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    We can't help much with your diary closed.
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  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    I started eating healthier and counting calories a couple of days ago. I've noticed that I've been getting headaches often. Is it that I'm eating to little calories? Or I'm missing nutrients? Or something I'm doing wrong?
    How much are you eating?

    What's your daily intake? If you aren't eating enough, you could definitely be missing nutrients. If you are eating enough, then possibly yeah, that could be wrong.

    Have you taken the time to determine what your intake *should* be?
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Looks like everyone beat me to it, but yeah, how much are you eating? Are you eating enough?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    If you indeed are eating too few calories, yeah, you're prone to get headaches. Whether you're eating too few calories or not, is hard for us to decide as we don't know how much you are eating.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    If you are eating too few carbs, it's possible to get a headache at the beginning. Another culprit could be water. When you had more food, you got more water by default (food contains water). Now that you're eating less, you are getting less water. Try to drink more. OR, it could be just a coincidence.
  • JillyCornwall
    JillyCornwall Posts: 376 Member
    Without seeing the OP's diary its all guesswork. Regarding water it could actually be the opposite, drinking too much when eating less food can take all the low sodium and electrolytes from the body which would also cause headaches. Who knows...
  • November_Fire
    November_Fire Posts: 165 Member
    Less carbs doesn't mean no carbs at all. You still need fuel.

    I did the whole 'greek yoghurt for breakfast, protein lunch' thing and was crippled with headaches by the afternoon. Cut down your carb portion size, sure, easy way to lower daily calories, but don't omit them entirely.
  • MrM27 wrote: »
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    I started eating healthier and counting calories a couple of days ago. I've noticed that I've been getting headaches often. Is it that I'm eating to little calories? Or I'm missing nutrients? Or something I'm doing wrong?

    How many calories are you actually eating?
    Open your diary?

    I'm sorry I thought the diary was public. I fixed it.

    Thorsmom05 wrote: »
    Why cut carbs in the first place? Do you have a medical condition?

    I was diagnosed pre diabetic not long ago. I have a big history of medical conditions including that. I didn't eliminated carb completely tho.
  • MrM27 wrote: »
    Those darn Google headaches are the worst...lol. But seriously...caffeine withdrawal headaches are no laughing matter! I took advantage of a pretty bad cold to go off the sodas. I figured since I was going to be in a horrible mood anyway may as well make it useful. OP, where are your headaches located? That could pinpoint the type (tension, sinus, etc).

    Even though she already stated the she doesn't drink coffee or soda you're still going to go with caffeine?



    Surprised there has only been 1 post asking how many calories she's eating.
    dbmata wrote: »
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    I started eating healthier and counting calories a couple of days ago. I've noticed that I've been getting headaches often. Is it that I'm eating to little calories? Or I'm missing nutrients? Or something I'm doing wrong?
    How much are you eating?

    What's your daily intake? If you aren't eating enough, you could definitely be missing nutrients. If you are eating enough, then possibly yeah, that could be wrong.

    Have you taken the time to determine what your intake *should* be?

    Yes, according to my info, to lose weight I should get from 1200-1500. I did the calculations in different pages and all said more or less the same.
    Looks like everyone beat me to it, but yeah, how much are you eating? Are you eating enough?
    If you indeed are eating too few calories, yeah, you're prone to get headaches. Whether you're eating too few calories or not, is hard for us to decide as we don't know how much you are eating.
    Without seeing the OP's diary its all guesswork. Regarding water it could actually be the opposite, drinking too much when eating less food can take all the low sodium and electrolytes from the body which would also cause headaches. Who knows...
    Emberlain wrote: »
    Less carbs doesn't mean no carbs at all. You still need fuel.

    I did the whole 'greek yoghurt for breakfast, protein lunch' thing and was crippled with headaches by the afternoon. Cut down your carb portion size, sure, easy way to lower daily calories, but don't omit them entirely.

    I just opened my diary, I'm sorry I thought it already was.
  • My guess is your body is reacting to its lack of "junk" and is not happy. Keep it up and I bet you'll feel a difference real soon, especially since your diet change is still very new!

    Good luck!


  • KaylaB401 wrote: »
    My guess is your body is reacting to its lack of "junk" and is not happy. Keep it up and I bet you'll feel a difference real soon, especially since your diet change is still very new!

    Good luck!

    Thank you all! I'm gonna wait a couple of days to see how it goes. I'll try to drink the recommended amount of water for me, and maybe I'll increase a little my calorie intake. If there's still problem I'll go to my doctor. Anyway, I have to go to my dr soon to check my cholesterol and triglycerides. So if anything, she can check for other things there too.
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  • MrM27 wrote: »
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Those darn Google headaches are the worst...lol. But seriously...caffeine withdrawal headaches are no laughing matter! I took advantage of a pretty bad cold to go off the sodas. I figured since I was going to be in a horrible mood anyway may as well make it useful. OP, where are your headaches located? That could pinpoint the type (tension, sinus, etc).

    Even though she already stated the she doesn't drink coffee or soda you're still going to go with caffeine?



    Surprised there has only been 1 post asking how many calories she's eating.
    dbmata wrote: »
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    I started eating healthier and counting calories a couple of days ago. I've noticed that I've been getting headaches often. Is it that I'm eating to little calories? Or I'm missing nutrients? Or something I'm doing wrong?
    How much are you eating?

    What's your daily intake? If you aren't eating enough, you could definitely be missing nutrients. If you are eating enough, then possibly yeah, that could be wrong.

    Have you taken the time to determine what your intake *should* be?

    Yes, according to my info, to lose weight I should get from 1200-1500. I did the calculations in different pages and all said more or less the same.
    Looks like everyone beat me to it, but yeah, how much are you eating? Are you eating enough?
    If you indeed are eating too few calories, yeah, you're prone to get headaches. Whether you're eating too few calories or not, is hard for us to decide as we don't know how much you are eating.
    Without seeing the OP's diary its all guesswork. Regarding water it could actually be the opposite, drinking too much when eating less food can take all the low sodium and electrolytes from the body which would also cause headaches. Who knows...
    Emberlain wrote: »
    Less carbs doesn't mean no carbs at all. You still need fuel.

    I did the whole 'greek yoghurt for breakfast, protein lunch' thing and was crippled with headaches by the afternoon. Cut down your carb portion size, sure, easy way to lower daily calories, but don't omit them entirely.

    I just opened my diary, I'm sorry I thought it already was.
    The only your diary really shows is that you aren't logging accurately. You have entries that are .187 cup, .33 cup, .13 cup and for things that should be weighed. You have 5 oz of salmon as 68 calories. Then most days you don't even hit 1100 calories but that isn't accurate because your entries aren't accurate. You need to track better.

    Yes, because I don't have an instrument to weight food. Most of serving sizes here are in grams, I visually can't tell how much they weight so I change them to cups or tablespoons.
  • MrM27 wrote: »
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Those darn Google headaches are the worst...lol. But seriously...caffeine withdrawal headaches are no laughing matter! I took advantage of a pretty bad cold to go off the sodas. I figured since I was going to be in a horrible mood anyway may as well make it useful. OP, where are your headaches located? That could pinpoint the type (tension, sinus, etc).

    Even though she already stated the she doesn't drink coffee or soda you're still going to go with caffeine?



    Surprised there has only been 1 post asking how many calories she's eating.
    dbmata wrote: »
    jenfigmar wrote: »
    I started eating healthier and counting calories a couple of days ago. I've noticed that I've been getting headaches often. Is it that I'm eating to little calories? Or I'm missing nutrients? Or something I'm doing wrong?
    How much are you eating?

    What's your daily intake? If you aren't eating enough, you could definitely be missing nutrients. If you are eating enough, then possibly yeah, that could be wrong.

    Have you taken the time to determine what your intake *should* be?

    Yes, according to my info, to lose weight I should get from 1200-1500. I did the calculations in different pages and all said more or less the same.
    Looks like everyone beat me to it, but yeah, how much are you eating? Are you eating enough?
    If you indeed are eating too few calories, yeah, you're prone to get headaches. Whether you're eating too few calories or not, is hard for us to decide as we don't know how much you are eating.
    Without seeing the OP's diary its all guesswork. Regarding water it could actually be the opposite, drinking too much when eating less food can take all the low sodium and electrolytes from the body which would also cause headaches. Who knows...
    Emberlain wrote: »
    Less carbs doesn't mean no carbs at all. You still need fuel.

    I did the whole 'greek yoghurt for breakfast, protein lunch' thing and was crippled with headaches by the afternoon. Cut down your carb portion size, sure, easy way to lower daily calories, but don't omit them entirely.

    I just opened my diary, I'm sorry I thought it already was.
    The only your diary really shows is that you aren't logging accurately. You have entries that are .187 cup, .33 cup, .13 cup and for things that should be weighed. You have 5 oz of salmon as 68 calories. Then most days you don't even hit 1100 calories but that isn't accurate because your entries aren't accurate. You need to track better.

    I just saw the salmon thing. All my entries are either searching on mfp or scanning barcodes. That means I can't trust mfp nutritional info. I'll have to buy the thing to weight the food then.
This discussion has been closed.