I feel so tired and sick lately, am I not eating enough?

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adriammmm
adriammmm Posts: 9 Member
edited February 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
first off I'm gonna say that I have pretty wild anxiety issues, but i've gotten a good hold on them with CBT and medication. a buttload of medication. medication that makes me very very tired. but I've learned to adapt my life around it. i adapt around it by taking naps! that usually helps.
but lately i feel even more tired than usual and i wonder if it's because i cut down on calories? when i first started my ~weight loss journey~ i was eating 1500 calories a day, but a few weeks ago i cut down to 1200 and i started feeling awful. i'm so tired and i have a headache constantly, as if i have the flu. i drink 3 liters of water a day. i'm rather sedentary lately because it's winter and i don't feel like exercising outside in the cold, but lately doing any sort of physical activity makes me tired. i took the dog for a short walk today and immediately after my body just crashed and i fell asleep for three hours. i woke up an hour ago and i still feel half dead and i can't focus on anything. if i stand up too fast my head starts pounding.
i don't drink coffee or anything with too much caffeine - even with my medication, it still gets me uncomfortably jittery, so it's out of the question. like i said, i'm pretty sedentary (at the moment anyway, when spring comes around i'm gonna take up running again). some websites are saying that even 1200 is too much for me with my sort of lifestyle if i'm trying to lose weight. would taking vitamins help at all? i could do 1500 again, i suppose, but i like the results i'm getting with 1200 a day.
maybe it's those fun obsessive anxiety issues showing their head, but a part of me thinks that maybe there's an underlying medical condition going on here because this fatigue is so bizarre, even for a sleepy person like me. but i want to get opinions from the internet before i jump to any wild conclusions!
EDIT: oh yeah, forgot to mention, 23 y/o female, 5'7", 170 lbs, vegetarian.

Replies

  • ambsnic17
    ambsnic17 Posts: 305 Member
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    I would say it is from the decrease. Your body was used to the fuel you were giving it. When I decrease I get all wacky: tired, moody, irritable, headaches etc. what made you decrease? (Maybe I missed that part)
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,949 Member
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    If you were getting results with 1500, I'd go back to that. No point feeling like even more crap :( You have lots to deal with so feeling as good as you can even if the weight loss is slower seems like a better option to me.
  • hazleyes81
    hazleyes81 Posts: 296 Member
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    Also I know when I cut down on activity it makes me more tired. The more active I am, generally the more energetic I tend to be.
  • adriammmm
    adriammmm Posts: 9 Member
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    ambsnic17 wrote: »
    I would say it is from the decrease. Your body was used to the fuel you were giving it. When I decrease I get all wacky: tired, moody, irritable, headaches etc. what made you decrease? (Maybe I missed that part)

    i thought i could get faster results by cutting out more! i felt i could get away with it, since i'm not really active. but maybe that's not the case :/
  • ambsnic17
    ambsnic17 Posts: 305 Member
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    Gotcha. I read too quickly, sorry. Try increasing by 100-200 to see if you feel better and are still seeing results. You will need to try it for at least two weeks to give you enough time to see/note any changes.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    adriammmm wrote: »
    ambsnic17 wrote: »
    I would say it is from the decrease. Your body was used to the fuel you were giving it. When I decrease I get all wacky: tired, moody, irritable, headaches etc. what made you decrease? (Maybe I missed that part)

    i thought i could get faster results by cutting out more! i felt i could get away with it, since i'm not really active. but maybe that's not the case :/

    faster doesn't always = better

    i'm currently losing 0.7 lbs per week. I could lose faster if I cut my calories more, but I wouldn't feel my best and wouldn't be able to into my workouts with the same energy/intensity.
  • KPraesto
    KPraesto Posts: 1 Member
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    Go back up to 1400 a day. Get out and get some sun.
  • shannon_daly3
    shannon_daly3 Posts: 27 Member
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    It also depends on what you eat with those 1200 calories. Whenever I eat lots of salt and sugar my energy levels are always lower and I feel more tired. I would try to up your calories by 100-200 for one day and eat very nutritious food and limit anything processed, sugary or salty. Also make sure you get a good night's sleep some people need 9+ hours and thats totally fine! I hope you feel better !
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
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    Go back to the 1500. Your body is telling you loud and clear that 1200 is just not enough for you. Fast isn't worth feeling awful.
  • mtzgirl
    mtzgirl Posts: 6 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I use the TDEE calculator because I think MFP sets mine too low. I can't survive off of 1200 calories a day! You may want to try it out as well. http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
  • samanthachen
    samanthachen Posts: 360 Member
    edited February 2016
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    mtzgirl wrote: »
    I use the TDEE calculator because I think MFP sets mine too low. I can't survive off of 1200 calories a day! You may want to try it out as well. http://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    I agree with ^^ comment. MFP always set me a bit too low. Manually adjust to your liking/needs based on your TDEE. It sounds like your body is telling you outright that 1200 isn't going to work. Faster is definitely not better, even though we'd all really, really like it to be.

    From said TDEE / BMR calculator (using your stats and sedentary lifestyle):
    Your BMR: 1560
    Your TDEE: 1794

    Right now, I think you will feel better at a 0.5lb/week loss because you are relatively close to your goal weight range. You might need to get up and move a bit to open up that deficit allowance because even a 0.5lb/week loss would take you below your BMR. You don't need to get intense until you are ready, but a nice 30 minute walk at a decent pace will open up that gap, and you can eat around 250 calories less than your TDEE. Otherwise, if you are not ready for exercise, you could try 1560 (your BMR). You were already there pretty much and know it feels much better than 1200.

    Good luck. :smile:

    Edited to say: P.s. Sorry if my comment is rambling or a bit redundant. Typing with my two little boys running around, singing, and making noise behind me. Haha
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    Here's the thing - you don't have much to lose op so 1200 may be entirely too low for you. I know I couldn't function on it !
    Faster is not always better.
    I would personally raise your calories back up and see how you feel after a few weeks back up at 1500.
    Best of luck to you !
  • rsleighty
    rsleighty Posts: 214 Member
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    Make sure you are getting enough water and enough vitamin d. I feel tired, sick and generally crappy when I get even a little dehydrated. Vitamin D deficiency can mimic symptoms of depression and you feel more tired.
    If it is an option, see your Dr to rule out any underlying physical cause for your fatigue.

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