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Am I eating enough

SarahxHim
SarahxHim Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
146 pounds 5'1 female eating 1200 calories a day or just a little under. Am I eating enough however? Light activity (walking between classes and around parking lots), but I feel so exhausted and keep craving butter. I also drink about 4-5 bottles of water a day, but I feel pretty light headed when I move around.

Replies

  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    You are on the shorter end, so the 1200 calories might be close to OK...BUT given that you're tired and light headed, upping your calories might be worthwhile.

    What weight loss goal did you pick here? Consider changing to 0.5lb/week, which might give you more calories.
    What activity level did you pick? Are you tracking your activity? If you picked sedentary, maybe you're closer to lightly active.
    Are you hitting your protein and fat goals? Many people go low fat when they're trying to lose weight, but we need some fat to feel our best.

    ~Lyssa
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    How fast are you losing weight? 1200 isn't ridiculously low for your height, but if you're not feeling great it's probably worth it to lose a bit slower and up calories.

    You can also up your fats if you are craving butter. It is an essential macronutrient. You should be getting at least .35g per pound of bodyweight per day.
  • EricaCraigie
    EricaCraigie Posts: 1,396 Member
    That's not much water.. and I would say you're sedentary
  • bapity88
    bapity88 Posts: 98 Member
    Have you ever had your thyroid checked? I was exhausted all the time, light headed, gained a ton of weight. Got checked and I have hypothyroidism. Just something to look into.
  • nihalkhann007
    nihalkhann007 Posts: 6 Member
    As per what you have written you are in a slight deficit of 200-300 calories. If you goal is weight loss then what you are doing is right and I'm sure you may have achieved your desired weight loss. However being in a deficit for too long is not advisable. You can increase your calories from 1200 to 1500 which is your maintenance as per your activity stated.

    Regards
    Nihal khan
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