Small frame and feeling tired

chrisosemrik
chrisosemrik Posts: 16 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone. I just started my journey to a healthier me, and I have a few questions. If anyone has any tips or pointers, I would be incredibly grateful :).
First off, a bit about what I'm working with. I'm a small 25 year guy, barely 5 feet and with a really, really small frame. I currently weight 126lbs, and would like to go down to 110lbs. I have a sedentary job and even outside of it I have never exercised before. I can't do some workouts, because I have really bad knees and can barely walk, but others I simply have only excuses for.
Now, I calculated my TDEE to be around 1680, so I have set my daily limit to 1300 calories, of which 30% are proteins, 20% fats and 50% carbs. I just started two days ago, but I find that ever since then I've been really tired. I can still accomplish normal daily tasks, but I just can't talk to people, my brain feels kind of dead and fuzzy, and I'm sluggish and slow all the time. Is this normal at the begging and will it go away, or am I doing something wrong?
Also, does anyone have experience with losing weight with a very small frame? Any general tips would be incredible, I find it hard to dig up information that's not related to average sized people.
Thank you very much and hope you have a great day!
Chris

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    when you say you have 'bad knees and can barely walk' do you have a medical diagnosis for this?
  • srk369
    srk369 Posts: 256 Member
    Since you have a small amount to lose, it's suggested that you set your goal you 1/2 lb instead. That will give you more calories to work with and might help.
  • chrisosemrik
    chrisosemrik Posts: 16 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    when you say you have 'bad knees and can barely walk' do you have a medical diagnosis for this?
    Yes, I do. I have had several surgeries, and while I don't need a wheelchair anymore, I'm definitely not as stable on my feet as some people are.

    srk369 wrote: »
    Since you have a small amount to lose, it's suggested that you set your goal you 1/2 lb instead. That will give you more calories to work with and might help.
    That's basically what I'm doing right now, isn't it? Sorry, I'm new to this, so I might not really u der stand :). If my calorie deficit is just 250-350 calories a day, wouldn't that make 1/2 a pound a week?
  • onward1
    onward1 Posts: 386 Member
    Are you feeling hungry also? You shouldn't feel tired and sluggish.
  • chrisosemrik
    chrisosemrik Posts: 16 Member
    onward1 wrote: »
    Are you feeling hungry also? You shouldn't feel tired and sluggish.
    Not at all. I still crave food and I'm wanting to eat out of boredom, but I'm not actually hungry. I'll see, maybe it will go away in a couple of days? It's not like I can really add calories anyway, my deficit is on the smaller side already.
  • srk369
    srk369 Posts: 256 Member
    edited April 2017
    chrisosemrik wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    when you say you have 'bad knees and can barely walk' do you have a medical diagnosis for this?
    Yes, I do. I have had several surgeries, and while I don't need a wheelchair anymore, I'm definitely not as stable on my feet as some people are.

    srk369 wrote: »
    Since you have a small amount to lose, it's suggested that you set your goal you 1/2 lb instead. That will give you more calories to work with and might help.
    That's basically what I'm doing right now, isn't it? Sorry, I'm new to this, so I might not really u der stand :). If my calorie deficit is just 250-350 calories a day, wouldn't that make 1/2 a pound a week?

    You are correct, sorry. Read it too quickly. Then I would think to start at the TDEE that was calculated as maintenance and eat that for a week. If you are feeling fine on that and not losing weight (they are estimates and may not be 100% correct) then slowly cut 50/100 a week and judge how you are feeling on that calorie level. I never experienced a fuzzy feeling. I hear tired a lot at the start, but not fuzzy. Maybe you will just take longer to adjust and determine a good level to eat at. Good luck!

    eta: typo
  • chrisosemrik
    chrisosemrik Posts: 16 Member
    srk369 wrote: »
    chrisosemrik wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    when you say you have 'bad knees and can barely walk' do you have a medical diagnosis for this?
    Yes, I do. I have had several surgeries, and while I don't need a wheelchair anymore, I'm definitely not as stable on my feet as some people are.

    srk369 wrote: »
    Since you have a small amount to lose, it's suggested that you set your goal you 1/2 lb instead. That will give you more calories to work with and might help.
    That's basically what I'm doing right now, isn't it? Sorry, I'm new to this, so I might not really u der stand :). If my calorie deficit is just 250-350 calories a day, wouldn't that make 1/2 a pound a week?

    You are correct, sorry. Read it too quickly. Then I would think to start at the TDEE that was calculated as maintenance and eat that for a week. If you are feeling fine on that and not losing weight (they are estimates and may not be 100% correct) then slowly cut 50/100 a week and judge how you are feeling on that calorie level. I never experienced a fuzzy feeling. I hear tired a lot at the start, but not fuzzy. Maybe you will just take longer to adjust and determine a good level to eat at. Good luck!

    eta: typo

    Thank you very much, I'll do that and see how things go :).

  • TxTiffani
    TxTiffani Posts: 799 Member
    Could you do some arm exercises? I've seen the table peddlers that you peddle like a bicycle but with your hands. Boxing either a punching bag or just boxing the air...if you do it quickly and with gusto it's a decent workout. Maybe you can find some things you can do to give a bit more activity without having to use your legs? Swimming? I'm also 5' with a goal of 110ish and if I don't have an extra deficit with some activity it's much harder for me to lose despite low calorie levels.
  • codename_steve
    codename_steve Posts: 255 Member
    Have you decreased your sodium intake? Often when people start a new way of eating, they tend to eat less processed foods and this can lower sodium levels. I feel as you've decided when my sodium is too low.
  • chrisosemrik
    chrisosemrik Posts: 16 Member
    tiffanifair wrote: »
    Could you do some arm exercises? I've seen the table peddlers that you peddle like a bicycle but with your hands. Boxing either a punching bag or just boxing the air...if you do it quickly and with gusto it's a decent workout. Maybe you can find some things you can do to give a bit more activity without having to use your legs? Swimming? I'm also 5' with a goal of 110ish and if I don't have an extra deficit with some activity it's much harder for me to lose despite low calorie levels.
    Those are some great ideas! Thank you so much, I'm going to try all of those. After reading your reply I even started googling for places to buy swim shorts from, so thank you for inspiring me :).


    codename_steve wrote: »
    Have you decreased your sodium intake? Often when people start a new way of eating, they tend to eat less processed foods and this can lower sodium levels. I feel as you've decided when my sodium is too low.
    Ah, I haven't even thought of that. I never really ate a lot of salty or processed food, but cutting them out completely is definitely a big change. I'm going to look into that and increase my sodium intake, so hopefully it will help :). Thank you so much!

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    You could also try an aqua fit class. They are great for people with mobility problems.

    Also, check out your local gym, rec centre, you may be able to build a good work out using machines and Dumbbells. You could be seated for a lot of the exercises.

    MFP is set up to eat your exercise back, you will need those calories as you have little leeway in your intake.
    Start by eating back 75% and adjust so you are losing at your expected deficit.

    I am a small boned woman, 5'1 102lbs, and found I really needed my exercise calories otherwise I was incredibly lethargic.

    You may want to eat at your maintenance for a couple of weeks then slowly drop your calories so you are losing at .5 lbs a week. It may help with the foggy head.
    Also, don't be afraid to play with your macros, meal timing, and number of meals you have in a day.

    It will take quite a while to lose the weight as you have little to lose. Be prepared for minuscule movements on the scale. You will lose if you stick with it. :)

    Cheers, h.
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