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truediamond11
truediamond11 Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey there, I have been eating 1200 ish calories for few days but feel really sluggish and nauseous. I am 5.2'' and weigh 80 kilos ( 176 pounds). Almost sedentary , 27 yr old and mother to an almost 2 yr old. Can you also suggest the calories I should be eating?
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  • mantium999
    mantium999 Posts: 1,490 Member
    edited June 2015
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    What is your goal? Calories you "should" be eating is highly subject to what you wish to acheive. Though, if you feel sluggish, you likely aren't eating enough.

    ETA-Based on your stats, using a calculator I enjoy, puts you at a calorie target of 1430 and still maintain good, progressive weight loss.
  • truediamond11
    truediamond11 Posts: 14 Member
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    120 pounds. Thanks a lot.
  • KNoceros
    KNoceros Posts: 324 Member
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    Erm, your diary is private
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    I'm also 5'2. When I started at 211 lbs, I was eating closer to 14-1500 calories/day. Even in the 170's I ate more than 1200 and still consistently lost weight.

    I'm now 150 lbs, having lost 61 lbs. You can and should eat more, especially if you're feeling sluggish. Or even if you feel that it's too low of a calorie goal. Nothing is set in stone, you know. You can have a smaller deficit and still lose weight consistently. It all adds up eventually.
  • geministyle
    geministyle Posts: 30 Member
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    1200 calories seems really low. I'm 20 years older than you and 10 pounds lighter, and eat around 1400-1500 calories a day and still lose. It's still not a lot of food and no room for "extras", but if I eat enough protein and fiber it's generally enough to keep my energy level high.

    You might want to calculate your TDEE and then eat at a 20% deficit or so, and see how you feel.
  • joepratt503
    joepratt503 Posts: 191 Member
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    Mess with your macro ratios...Jack up the protein and reduce the fat. Lower fat diets allow you to eat more because of the caloric difference between a fat and a carb/protein. Its not exclusively about deficit....especially if you aren't losing the weight or making your goals.

    I am not suggesting that IS the answer, but it's trial/error for every person on here...so you gotta make changes until you see that scale drop or what is the point?
  • TheLegendaryBrandonHarris
    TheLegendaryBrandonHarris Posts: 502 Member
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    I'm 6'3" tall and eat 1400 calories a day.
    When I feel sluggish it's usually because I got too many calories from carbs, or simply didn't sleep well the night before.
    I looked at your diary. You seem to be getting a well-rounded sampling of foods. As long as you are measuring the sugar for your teas and snacks accurately you're not overdoing it there. Some pastas/carbs but nothing too bad. Protein with cheese and eggs.

    When do you feel sluggish? What are you doing when you notice the sluggishness?
    For instance, as part of my job, right now I am sitting at my desk listening to politicians yammer on about a bill in the Florida House of Representatives. I. Feel. Sluggish.
    Haha, but it's not from my diet.
    If I get the chance, I will take a walk and it'll perk me up. Exercise does help.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited June 2015
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    It's tough to say for certain without knowing your bodyfat %, but you are likely in the 30-40% bodyfat range and maintaining in a sedentary state at 1700-1850 calories per day. As you lose or gain weight, your maintenance calories and macros will change.

    More activity would benefit you a lot. Try to set aside at least 30 minutes for exercise every day or every other day.

    As far as diet, in order to lose weight safely, you need to consume 10-20% less than your maintenance calories.

    You are also undereating dietary fat by quite a bit, which has been proven by scientific research to be quite unhealthy.

    Dietary fat: Minimum of 0.40-0.45 grams per 1 lb. bodyweight
  • pocok31
    pocok31 Posts: 4 Member
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    I am 5'4", 70 kg, and I eat 1550-1650 kcal/day. My tdee is over 2000. My loss is slow (at least not as fast as I would like) but consistent. I am grumpy if I eat less, so I'd rather move more so I can eat more
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    You're definitely aiming to lose weight too aggressively if you don't feel well. It's not a race to the finish line!

    If I were you, I'd up my calories to 1500 (I plugged your data into an online calculator), and follow sixxpoint's recommendations to increase your dietary fat intake. You'll probably need to drop your carbohydrate intake to do this. Don't drop your protein intake as it's pretty low already. You might want to up it, in fact. Dieters need more protein than the average person in order to preserve lean muscle mass as they are losing weight.

    When you diet, you lose fat and muscle. Eating more protein and doing some form of resistance training helps to minimize the amount of muscle tissue lost. Losing weight slowly also minimizes this as well.
  • truediamond11
    truediamond11 Posts: 14 Member
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    Thanks a lot to each one of you.
    Brandon- I am actually very accurately measuring everything. But yes I am not including exercise. But I really do not have the energy these days.
    Sixxpoint- yes I am trying to omit oil and such but isnt that a good thing?
    Gosh weight loss thing is so confusing.
  • truediamond11
    truediamond11 Posts: 14 Member
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    Mamapeach - ok this makes sense. So I should up my calories to 1500 and include exercise and up protein and fat. Should I eat back exercise cals?
    Thanks again all of you <3
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    truediamond11 wrote: »
    Mamapeach - ok this makes sense. So I should up my calories to 1500 and include exercise and up protein and fat. Should I eat back exercise cals?
    Thanks again all of you <3

    A lot of exercise calorie burns are overinflated. It's probably better to just eat back 1/3 to 1/2 of them.

  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
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    Track oil. Oil is fat and it's roughly 120 calories per tbsp.
  • TheLegendaryBrandonHarris
    TheLegendaryBrandonHarris Posts: 502 Member
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    truediamond11,
    To be clear, I don't necessarily mean 45-60 minutes in a gym. I was just able to take 15 minutes and go for a quick walk. It has helped immensely.
    But I do wish you the best!
  • juliebowman4
    juliebowman4 Posts: 784 Member
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    truediamond11 wrote: »
    Hey there, I have been eating 1200 ish calories for few days but feel really sluggish and nauseous. I am 5.2'' and weigh 80 kilos ( 176 pounds). Almost sedentary , 27 yr old and mother to an almost 2 yr old. Can you also suggest the calories I should be eating?

    I have had 4 children.
    I assure you, mothering a 2yr old does not qualify for a sedentary lifestyle.
    If the car isn't running well.....maybe you haven't put enough gas in.
  • geministyle
    geministyle Posts: 30 Member
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    OP - you can up your fat intake without resorting to oil. Avocado, nuts, full-fat dairy - YUM!

    On days where I exercise I will allow myself to eat back up to half of what Garmin says my "burn"
    was. But oddly, exercise often suppresses my appetite so I don't feel the need.
  • truediamond11
    truediamond11 Posts: 14 Member
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    geministyle wrote: »
    OP - you can up your fat intake without resorting to oil. Avocado, nuts, full-fat dairy - YUM!

    On days where I exercise I will allow myself to eat back up to half of what Garmin says my "burn"
    was. But oddly, exercise often suppresses my appetite so I don't feel the need.

    Okay what kind of exercise are you doing??
  • geministyle
    geministyle Posts: 30 Member
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    truediamond11 wrote: »
    geministyle wrote: »
    OP - you can up your fat intake without resorting to oil. Avocado, nuts, full-fat dairy - YUM!

    On days where I exercise I will allow myself to eat back up to half of what Garmin says my "burn"
    was. But oddly, exercise often suppresses my appetite so I don't feel the need.

    Okay what kind of exercise are you doing??

    I do a little bit of everything. Spin class, kickboxing class, yoga, running (not long distance - maybe 2-3 miles), weight lifting. Depending on my work schedule and other responsibilities in my life, I work out 3-6 times per week.

    I find that I am more likely to stick with regular exercise if it's something I enjoy, and I do get bored easily. Plus, switching it up works different muscles differently, so it's probably good that I have a bit of "exercise ADD" - LOL.

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