Am I under eating?

loulouowens
loulouowens Posts: 103 Member
edited June 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all

Long time user (over 80lbs loss!)

I'm 5ft 9" Female, currently weigh 173lb. Ive always been set at sedentary, desk job, normal running around, dog walking etc

I've been at it over 12 months now (breaks for christmas, birthdays, holiday) but Im starting to feel tired, my hair has gone very very thin. Im not overly worried I know it will come back once i start eating at maintenance. Ive got 19lbs to get to goal.

now 2/3 weeks ago i got a fit bit. I never take it off unless for showering! my daily burn is anywhere between 2200 - 2400 if i take 500 from that (1lb a week) that gives me 1700 - 1900 calories a day to lose 1lb? (im currently eating 1420) I have never really eaten my adjustments because it wasn't from exercise just everyday life, now im starting to think i have been under eating a little and this may be the reason for hair and tiredness?

Ive just worked out my bmr which is 1553. if i use the harris benedict formula, for sedentary i get 1363, or lightly active 1635

or should i just slow my loss down to 0.5lb then mfp gives me 1610? or leave it at 1lb a week and change to lightly active? also gives me 1610? or leave at sedentry and eat back 1/2 or all my adjustment? (negative adjustment is enabled)

I just feel I need more food!! :#
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Replies

  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    Loss of hair? Tiredness? Go to your doctor to rule out anemia and check your thyroid. Consider a daily multivitamin if you are on a very low calorie diet. I lost hair once in a stressful event in my life. Hair loss started 3 weeks after. It could be anything.
  • patbev61
    patbev61 Posts: 1 Member
    edited June 2017
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Yes, you are likely eating top little. I would bump up to what MFP gives you to lose 1/2 pound per week. If you continue to feel tired and have hair loss after a month of eating more, then I would go see your doctor to be checked for anemia.
    Good luck!
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Depends on your losses, what are they currently? Have you taken a diet break at all? What is your fat intake like?

    You have enough of your own data to judge whether your Fitbit is accurate or not, you can't beat your own numbers.

    It certainly sounds like adjustments need to be made somewhere and a trip to the doctor to rule out any deficiencies is a good idea.

    Don't worry about carbs, fat is the main thing you need for nutrient absorption.
  • loulouowens
    loulouowens Posts: 103 Member
    Wow thanks for all your helpful replies.

    I weigh everything to the gram on a digital scale so I'm confident in my tracking

    I do allow myself breaks for holidays, Christmas etc

    In the last 3 months I've lost 14lbs so not massively over 1lb per week, so if I had eaten those Fitbit adjustments I probably wouldn't have lost even 1lb per week.

    This month so far I've lost 3.5lbs

    I always hit at least 8000 steps but most days I'm nearer 10000 or just over

    I sync quite a few times during the day, so I will leave it at sedentary, but slow my weight loss to 0.5lb per week and eat all my adjustment? (Or am I supposed to eat 50% of it, or is that just for tracked exercise?)


  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    At your height I have you at a range of 1500 - 2100 calories per day. IMO, you are likely under-eating...
  • tjones0411
    tjones0411 Posts: 179 Member
    patbev61 wrote: »
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.

    Nope. I've eaten under 75g carbs for the past 18 months...much of that under 50g and am still maintaining all the functions just fine.

  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    tjones0411 wrote: »
    patbev61 wrote: »
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.

    Nope. I've eaten under 75g carbs for the past 18 months...much of that under 50g and am still maintaining all the functions just fine.

    I would change that to you may be under-eating carbs. Some do well on low carb, some don't...
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    tjones0411 wrote: »
    patbev61 wrote: »
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.

    Nope. I've eaten under 75g carbs for the past 18 months...much of that under 50g and am still maintaining all the functions just fine.

    I would change that to you may be under-eating carbs. Some do well on low carb, some don't...

    There's no such thing as "under-eating carbs" - when your body doesn't have carbs for fuel, it switches to burning fat through a process called nutritional ketosis. Many people and entire cultures have followed a keto diet for many many years without adverse health effects.

    Keto/low-carb isn't for everyone, but there's no reason that carbs would be to blame for OP losing her hair or feeling fatigued regularly.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    edited June 2017
    loulouowens wrote: »
    Hi all

    Long time user (over 80lbs loss!)

    I'm 5ft 9" Female, currently weigh 173lb. Ive always been set at sedentary, desk job, normal running around, dog walking etc

    I've been at it over 12 months now (breaks for christmas, birthdays, holiday) but Im starting to feel tired, my hair has gone very very thin. Im not overly worried I know it will come back once i start eating at maintenance. Ive got 19lbs to get to goal.

    now 2/3 weeks ago i got a fit bit. I never take it off unless for showering! my daily burn is anywhere between 2200 - 2400 if i take 500 from that (1lb a week) that gives me 1700 - 1900 calories a day to lose 1lb? (im currently eating 1420) I have never really eaten my adjustments because it wasn't from exercise just everyday life, now im starting to think i have been under eating a little and this may be the reason for hair and tiredness?

    Ive just worked out my bmr which is 1553. if i use the harris benedict formula, for sedentary i get 1363, or lightly active 1635

    or should i just slow my loss down to 0.5lb then mfp gives me 1610? or leave it at 1lb a week and change to lightly active? also gives me 1610? or leave at sedentry and eat back 1/2 or all my adjustment? (negative adjustment is enabled)

    I just feel I need more food!! :#

    So why not eat 1700 - 1900 as suggested by your fitbit?

    Why have a fitbit if you're just ignoring it?
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    edited June 2017
    toxikon wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    tjones0411 wrote: »
    patbev61 wrote: »
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.

    Nope. I've eaten under 75g carbs for the past 18 months...much of that under 50g and am still maintaining all the functions just fine.

    I would change that to you may be under-eating carbs. Some do well on low carb, some don't...

    There's no such thing as "under-eating carbs" - when your body doesn't have carbs for fuel, it switches to burning fat through a process called nutritional ketosis. Many people and entire cultures have followed a keto diet for many many years without adverse health effects.

    Keto/low-carb isn't for everyone, but there's no reason that carbs would be to blame for OP losing her hair or feeling fatigued regularly.

    First of all, the process you are referring to is called gluconeogenesis. Secondly, I said may because some do well on low carb and some don't.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    loulouowens wrote: »
    Erm I've not mentioned carbs! :)

    Yeah I know. Someone brought it up though and I just wanted to clarify...
  • emmieems
    emmieems Posts: 27 Member
    If you're tired and your hair is like that and you simply don't feel good then maybe. Something similar happened to me and I lost my period for almost a year from it.
  • tjones0411
    tjones0411 Posts: 179 Member
    edited June 2017
    J72FIT wrote: »
    I would change that to you may be under-eating carbs. Some do well on low carb, some don't...

    I was referring to the statement from patbev61 above that said a body needs a minimum of 150g carbs to maintain function. No. I agree that some do well on low carb and some don't, but that doesn't change the fact that the 150g carb as a requirement to function is completely false.

  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    tjones0411 wrote: »
    patbev61 wrote: »
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.

    Nope. I've eaten under 75g carbs for the past 18 months...much of that under 50g and am still maintaining all the functions just fine.

    I would change that to you may be under-eating carbs. Some do well on low carb, some don't...

    There's no such thing as "under-eating carbs" - when your body doesn't have carbs for fuel, it switches to burning fat through a process called nutritional ketosis. Many people and entire cultures have followed a keto diet for many many years without adverse health effects.

    Keto/low-carb isn't for everyone, but there's no reason that carbs would be to blame for OP losing her hair or feeling fatigued regularly.

    First of all, the process you are referring to is called gluconeogenesis. Secondly, I said may because some do well on low carb and some don't.
    Ketosis is a metabolic state in which some of the body's energy supply comes from ketone bodies in the blood, in contrast to a state of glycolysis in which blood glucose provides most of the energy.

    Ketosis is a nutritional process characterised by serum concentrations of ketone bodies over 0.5 mM, with low and stable levels of insulin and blood glucose.[1][2] It is almost always generalized with hyperketonemia, that is, an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood throughout the body. Ketone bodies are formed by ketogenesis when liver glycogen stores are depleted (or from metabolising medium-chain triglycerides[3]). The main ketone bodies used for energy are acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate,[4] and the levels of ketone bodies are regulated mainly by insulin and glucagon.[5] Most cells in the body can use both glucose and ketone bodies for fuel, and during ketosis, free fatty acids and glucose synthesis (gluconeogenesis) fuel the remainder.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis

    What does "do well" even mean? Anyway... I don't want to get into a completely off-topic argument and derail OP's thread, so I'll just end this here and agree that OP should up her calories and eat as many or as few carbohydrates as she wants because it's not relevant whatsoever.
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    Yes. You are eating too little.

    Yes, adjust your deficit to 250/day.

    Yes, eat more of what your fitbit measures you've earned.

    And rock on.

    This.

    Also, I would double check with a medical professional if your hair has thinned and you feel very tired that it's not something else. It's likely you just need to eat more, but none of us are medical professionals and health issues should be addressed with people trained to do such.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »
    Loss of hair? Tiredness? Go to your doctor to rule out anemia and check your thyroid. Consider a daily multivitamin if you are on a very low calorie diet. Eating at a deficit. I lost hair once in a stressful event in my life. Hair loss started 3 weeks after. It could be anything.

    Fixed it for you! You should never be on a very low calorie diet without a doctor's supervision. Because you can do harm to your body.

    The doctor's visit is a good idea as any nutrient deficiencies are caused by not eating enough. Iron, Vitamin D, B Vitamins can all impact energy (and Biotin for hair).

    Your body doesn't consider hair important, so when it detects a shortage it will starve your hair of what it needs.

    Only so much fat can be metabolized in a day. After that, your body will also use lean mass for fuel. Yes, a calorie deficit is needed to lose weight, but one that is too severe will lead to harm over time, which is what you may be seeing.

    You should reduce your weight loss to .5 pounds per week. And remember it will take time for you to bounce back. It's a cumulative effect, like the issues you are having.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    edited June 2017
    loulouowens wrote: »
    Hi all

    Long time user (over 80lbs loss!)

    I'm 5ft 9" Female, currently weigh 173lb. Ive always been set at sedentary, desk job, normal running around, dog walking etc

    I've been at it over 12 months now (breaks for christmas, birthdays, holiday) but Im starting to feel tired, my hair has gone very very thin. Im not overly worried I know it will come back once i start eating at maintenance. Ive got 19lbs to get to goal.

    now 2/3 weeks ago i got a fit bit. I never take it off unless for showering! my daily burn is anywhere between 2200 - 2400 if i take 500 from that (1lb a week) that gives me 1700 - 1900 calories a day to lose 1lb? (im currently eating 1420) I have never really eaten my adjustments because it wasn't from exercise just everyday life, now im starting to think i have been under eating a little and this may be the reason for hair and tiredness?

    Ive just worked out my bmr which is 1553. if i use the harris benedict formula, for sedentary i get 1363, or lightly active 1635

    or should i just slow my loss down to 0.5lb then mfp gives me 1610? or leave it at 1lb a week and change to lightly active? also gives me 1610? or leave at sedentry and eat back 1/2 or all my adjustment? (negative adjustment is enabled)

    I just feel I need more food!! :#

    At 1420 you are not eating low calorie (and certainly FAR from very low calorie!!). I suggest a visit to your doc to rule out other issues, as previously suggested.
  • Chadxx
    Chadxx Posts: 1,199 Member
    loulouowens wrote: »
    Wow thanks for all your helpful replies.

    I weigh everything to the gram on a digital scale so I'm confident in my tracking

    I do allow myself breaks for holidays, Christmas etc

    In the last 3 months I've lost 14lbs so not massively over 1lb per week, so if I had eaten those Fitbit adjustments I probably wouldn't have lost even 1lb per week.

    This month so far I've lost 3.5lbs

    I always hit at least 8000 steps but most days I'm nearer 10000 or just over

    I sync quite a few times during the day, so I will leave it at sedentary, but slow my weight loss to 0.5lb per week and eat all my adjustment? (Or am I supposed to eat 50% of it, or is that just for tracked exercise?)


    Your rate of loss will tell you what you need to know about calories. It looks like your TDEE is around 2000ish. If it were me, I would up the calories by 200 or so and focus on getting plenty of nutrients, not just calories.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,000 Member
    toxikon wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    J72FIT wrote: »
    tjones0411 wrote: »
    patbev61 wrote: »
    You are likely undereating carbs. Your body needs a minimum of 150 grams of carb per day to maintain functions. If you go under that consistently you can mess up your thyroid along with other problems. Make sure you track your carbs and get enough every day.

    Nope. I've eaten under 75g carbs for the past 18 months...much of that under 50g and am still maintaining all the functions just fine.

    I would change that to you may be under-eating carbs. Some do well on low carb, some don't...

    There's no such thing as "under-eating carbs" - when your body doesn't have carbs for fuel, it switches to burning fat through a process called nutritional ketosis. Many people and entire cultures have followed a keto diet for many many years without adverse health effects.

    Keto/low-carb isn't for everyone, but there's no reason that carbs would be to blame for OP losing her hair or feeling fatigued regularly.

    First of all, the process you are referring to is called gluconeogenesis. Secondly, I said may because some do well on low carb and some don't.
    Ketosis is a metabolic state in which some of the body's energy supply comes from ketone bodies in the blood, in contrast to a state of glycolysis in which blood glucose provides most of the energy.

    Ketosis is a nutritional process characterised by serum concentrations of ketone bodies over 0.5 mM, with low and stable levels of insulin and blood glucose.[1][2] It is almost always generalized with hyperketonemia, that is, an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood throughout the body. Ketone bodies are formed by ketogenesis when liver glycogen stores are depleted (or from metabolising medium-chain triglycerides[3]). The main ketone bodies used for energy are acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate,[4] and the levels of ketone bodies are regulated mainly by insulin and glucagon.[5] Most cells in the body can use both glucose and ketone bodies for fuel, and during ketosis, free fatty acids and glucose synthesis (gluconeogenesis) fuel the remainder.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis

    What does "do well" even mean? Anyway... I don't want to get into a completely off-topic argument and derail OP's thread, so I'll just end this here and agree that OP should up her calories and eat as many or as few carbohydrates as she wants because it's not relevant whatsoever.

    Really?
  • brznhabits
    brznhabits Posts: 126 Member
    Yes, it sounds like you could eat more and still lose.

    Don't feel like you have to choose between sedentary and lightly active. Through trial and error I know fall right in between so I override my setting. Alternatively you can select sedentary and then log extra activity.

    Also, what are you eating? Healthy-ish?

    And you should check in with the Dr. just to be safe.
  • loulouowens
    loulouowens Posts: 103 Member
    Think it's gone slightly off topic :D

    I eat well home cooked plenty of veggies and some fruit.

    I think I will leave myself set to 1lb loss until I'm at my last 14lbs and just eat my Fitbit adjustments! Although I think it over estimates! So far today I've done 8827 steps and it's given me 427 extra calories. If I ate those that would take my total today to 1857!!! Surly I can't eAt that and lose 1lb :/
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    sure you can - the MFP recommendations for weight loss, DO NOT include any calories from working out (or from steps that exceed what you set your daily activity level as)

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