Dizzy on 1400 calories a day

deeanah
deeanah Posts: 14 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm eating 1400-1500 calories a day (not net, just eating). I have been doing this consistently for about 3 weeks. The last three days I've also exercised and have been feeling dizzy. At first it was only after my work out and better once I ate. But today I have been dizzy all day. If I bend over to pick something up I see all black for a second or so. A quick google search talked about low blood sugar or not enough calories.
I know none of you are doctors but any ideas whether I am not eating enough?

I'm 5'3" and about 195lbs.

Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    When you plugged your numbers into my fitness pal and told them you wanted to lose one pound a week what did it tell you?
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    Its sounds a lot like low blood pressure, have you cut out a lot of salt from your diet (moved away from processed foods?)
  • deeanah
    deeanah Posts: 14 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    When you plugged your numbers into my fitness pal and told them you wanted to lose one pound a week what did it tell you?

    It gives me 1460. Then drops to 1210 for 1.5 lbs.
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    Its sounds a lot like low blood pressure, have you cut out a lot of salt from your diet (moved away from processed foods?)
    For the most part yes. But on the weekends I still indulge as long as I'm within my calories.
  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
    edited April 2017
    Aim to lose 0.5 pounds a week will help you have more calories to eat and thus feel less dizzy (unless it's a medical problem).

    Also why aren't you eating at least 50% of your workout calories? If you're working out and accurately tracking 1400 calories with your burn you could actually have a net of 1100 or even less depending on how much you worked out and what you burned.
    If you want to continue to loss at least a pound a week eat back some of what you burned.

    But I do think 0.5 pounds might be better and feel like like a restriction.
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 661 Member
    You don't need to avoid salt. I also find a small hard candy or two (logged of course) can help with a dizzy spell if it's just a blood sugar drop. But pay attention to what your body is telling you. Your exercise may need more calories.
  • kayeroze
    kayeroze Posts: 146 Member
    I'm 5'2 and 198 (lost 9ish pounds already), mine is at 1.5 pounds week with 1310 as the main, but with exercise I get close to 1700
    -1900 calories usually (have a Fitbit Blaze to measure exercise cals). I know in my first try a year ago, I didn't eat as much and still worked out, lost steadily between 1-2 pounds but was starving and lethargic. This time, I eat the majority of my exercise calories and aim for high protein (100 g about) and 100+ oz of water with regular exercise. Maybe you need to change your macros a bit, drink more water, and see how much sleep you're getting. I also would suggest that you might need to eat more if you're consistently under all the time. I'm still losing weight (at a rate I feel is too rapid atm), and constantly snacking/eating all day.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    deeanah wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    When you plugged your numbers into my fitness pal and told them you wanted to lose one pound a week what did it tell you?

    It gives me 1460. Then drops to 1210 for 1.5 lbs.
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    Its sounds a lot like low blood pressure, have you cut out a lot of salt from your diet (moved away from processed foods?)
    For the most part yes. But on the weekends I still indulge as long as I'm within my calories.

    Are you "eating back" your exercise calories? Eat back at least half.
  • deeanah
    deeanah Posts: 14 Member
    Thank you all so much for all the responses.
    In regards to eating back workout calories, I had MFP set to 1.5 lbs which had me at 1210, then my exercise is typically around 300-400 calories burned according to my Fitbit and that's how I end up at 1400-1500 calories per day. So i do eat some back, but maybe as someone else said I should set my goal to lose more slowly since my body is clearly not liking this.

    I should mention I also have it set to sedentary and I only track calories burned during workouts. I disconnected my Fitbit to MFP from recording steps because I was getting 150+ calories just from getting dressed/ready for work in the morning and walking around the office here and there.
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    crb426 wrote: »
    You don't need to avoid salt. I also find a small hard candy or two (logged of course) can help with a dizzy spell if it's just a blood sugar drop. But pay attention to what your body is telling you. Your exercise may need more calories.

    I wasnt suggesting to avoid salt, actually the opposite might be needed. After adding more salt into my diet I no longer suffer dizzy spells as it helps raise blood pressure. I have relatively low blood pressure, when I donate blood I am often asked to about dizzy spells, I once asked if all the water I drank beforehand contributed to low blood pressure and was told no it should actually make your blood pressure higher (that particular day my BP was 97/54).
  • jdog022
    jdog022 Posts: 693 Member
    I had this issue for 15-20 weeks and it suddenly went away when I was out of the country for 3 weeks and I know I was still in a calorie deficit. Long story short I figured out that Truvia was the cause and it is a listed side effect. I use Splenda now and no issues.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    This happened to me when I had low blood sugar. I just spaced out my meals more evenly and it fixed itself right up. Might be worth having your bp checked too!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    deeanah wrote: »
    Thank you all so much for all the responses.
    In regards to eating back workout calories, I had MFP set to 1.5 lbs which had me at 1210, then my exercise is typically around 300-400 calories burned according to my Fitbit and that's how I end up at 1400-1500 calories per day. So i do eat some back, but maybe as someone else said I should set my goal to lose more slowly since my body is clearly not liking this.

    I should mention I also have it set to sedentary and I only track calories burned during workouts. I disconnected my Fitbit to MFP from recording steps because I was getting 150+ calories just from getting dressed/ready for work in the morning and walking around the office here and there.

    You may not really be sedentary, then. Sedentary setting allows for very few steps in the day.

    I'm sedentary, but I have a job that pretty much glues my butt to a chair for the entire work day. I do exercise to compensate :tongue:
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,260 Member
    edited April 2017
    deeanah wrote: »
    Thank you all so much for all the responses.
    In regards to eating back workout calories, I had MFP set to 1.5 lbs which had me at 1210, then my exercise is typically around 300-400 calories burned according to my Fitbit and that's how I end up at 1400-1500 calories per day. So i do eat some back, but maybe as someone else said I should set my goal to lose more slowly since my body is clearly not liking this.

    I should mention I also have it set to sedentary and I only track calories burned during workouts. I disconnected my Fitbit to MFP from recording steps because I was getting 150+ calories just from getting dressed/ready for work in the morning and walking around the office here and there.

    So we're down to you persistently under-eating for your activity level and your body slowing you down by making sure you continue to lose weight as slowly as possible.

    Your Fitbit adjustment is the difference between what you tell MFP you're going to spend in terms of calories for the day and what your Fitbit measures your caloric expenditure to be. The calculation concludes at midnight. It may or may not be entirely accurate for any particular person; but it is usually not as out of whack as many people seem to fear.

    MFP's sedentary activity level setting includes approximately 3500 steps in a day. Once you move around more than ~35-45 minutes and have more than 3500 steps you have exceeded the sedentary setting.

    Your "targeted" deficit, on paper, seems to be in the 1000 Cal range / 40% of TDEE range... which eventually will cause repercussions if you don't have a LOT of fat available to lose.
  • JaymeHayes14
    JaymeHayes14 Posts: 15 Member
    Are you drinking a lot of water? It could be dehydration. Also, are u taking any fat burners or supplements with caffeine? Do you weigh your food or are u just winging it?
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    I would suggest seeing a doctor. It could be serious or might be something as easy as dehydration, rough allergies, TOM, pregnant...anything.

    Blood sugar and blood pressure come to mind first. Go to your doc or an urgent care...let the trained professionals look.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    You're supposed to eat back exercise calories.
  • BradandLibby
    BradandLibby Posts: 14 Member
    I am having this same problem and started to get a little worried; it's been about 3 weeks now. Then I remembered I started getting dizzy right after I refilled my blood pressure medicine, and the pharmacy had changed owners. I've been taking blood pressure medicine for 35 years and never had an issue with it. But today I looked at the bottle, and yes, it says it may cause dizziness. It's probably not a coincidence. I still feel lightheaded on occasion, but I feel much better knowing there's a reason.

    For the OP, is there any medication, prescribed or OTC, that you used over the past three days? I hope you stop feeling dizzy soon.

  • deeanah
    deeanah Posts: 14 Member
    Thanks again everyone for all the suggestions!

    I read a lot of discussions here saying that setting to sedentary is the best option and to only eat back about half your exercise calories. I also read that "starvation mode" isn't a thing so that's what drove me to set things the way I did.

    I do have an office job and sit at a desk 8 hours a day, so unless I walk around at lunch time (which I try to do often) or exercise after work then I really am pretty sedentary.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,426 Member
    edited April 2017
    I'm just gonna add....SALT! If you are eating lower salt or lower carb, that will happen - add salt!!

    Low blood pressure = dizzy spells.
  • adamgoleafs87
    adamgoleafs87 Posts: 129 Member
    Why not go see your doctor?

    Probably the best idea.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    edited April 2017
    BradandLibby wrote: »
    I am having this same problem and started to get a little worried; it's been about 3 weeks now. Then I remembered I started getting dizzy right after I refilled my blood pressure medicine, and the pharmacy had changed owners. I've been taking blood pressure medicine for 35 years and never had an issue with it. But today I looked at the bottle, and yes, it says it may cause dizziness. It's probably not a coincidence. I still feel lightheaded on occasion, but I feel much better knowing there's a reason.

    For the OP, is there any medication, prescribed or OTC, that you used over the past three days? I hope you stop feeling dizzy soon.

    Just a note here for if you are losing weight ...

    It's not uncommon after losing some weight for your BP to come down. For some, it's rather precipitous even without a great deal of weight lost. Please make sure your dizziness is due to a side effect and not because your BP is dropping too low and you need to adjust your dosage. It can be dangerous if you need to and don't realize.
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
    If it's not a medical problem, is it possible you're not getting enough filling foods, like fruit, veggies, protein, whole grain, healthy fat? I eat a little less than that most days while exercising (350-600 calorie burn) and have never felt dizzy.
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