Tired every day but getting decent sleep?

Get a proper thyroid panel including fT3 and fT4, but also ferritin, Vitamin B12 and folate, and Vitamin D tested.

How long has this been going on? Also, what are your stats, how tall are you, how much do you weigh, what is your goal weight, and what rate of loss are you aiming for?

Couple of things:
- You are not eating very many calories and it could just be you're not eating enough calories. The reason we take diet breaks is because it helps us refocus and see how everything is going. If you have a break and find that it's got better, well then you've found your answer. It's because you're not eating enough.
- In a similar vein: As you're not eating very many calories it may be that your diet is deficient in something, not getting enough iron (for example) can make you feel tired, and switching up your diet can sort that out.
- Oh, and eat back your exercise calories. I see you said you didn't, which mean if you're only eating 1200kcals a day, you are definitely underfeeding yourself. Those calories are meant to be eaten back!
- Are you drinking plenty of fluids? Dehydration can make you feel tired
- Have you recently changed the amount of caffeine you consume. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms are real. As is caffeine dependence. If you want to change your caffeine consumption, do it slowly.
- Could you be suffering from SAD? Fatigue can be a symptom and if this has come on only in the last month or so, it could be the effect of the changing seasons. Getting some sunlight during the day, such as going for a short walk at lunchtime, can really help.


If none of this seems to apply to you, then go see a doctor. But seriously, increase your calories first, as it'll probably be the first thing your doctor suggests. And eat back those exercise calories!


Remember that when you are tired all the time, often your NEAT decreases (as your body tries to conserve energy). Meaning that over a normal day you burn less calories living. That might be partially contributing to your decreased loss rate. These are subconscious things, so you've probably not noticed them however they massively add up. Sorting out your fatigue will probably help with your weight loss.

MeganReid1991 wrote: »

I took a diet break in oct for about a month.
I currently eat anywhere from 1200-1400 calories a day. I have been staying closer to 1200 because I was really trying to amp up my weight loss.
I only work out twice a week and I don’t eat those back.
I really don’t want to take a break because I just took one in oct.. and I haven’t lost a lot sense oct.
I will book a appointment with my doctor.

I would increase your calories a bit until you see a doctor. Maybe go to maintenance until you get checked out. If everything is fine then maybe have a smaller deficit and slower loss.

When I was exhausted no matter how much sleep I got or how much I ate it turned out to be a thyroid problem.

Joining the chorus of blood test time. If everything there comes back OK, consider increasing calories for a while. I recently tested low in ferritin (but not quite anemic), which meant my diet was lacking in iron and my body was stealing from its stores to keep me (barely) afloat, so make sure they check for that in addition to the usual iron levels. Also, as already suggested, Vit D and B12. A full panel just to cover your bases.

How are your macros? You mentioned the drop in calories, but have your macros switched up recently? When you described tired and foggy, my thoughts went to carb intake. I know a lot of people report those same feelings when the carb intake drops, so you may have unintentionally bumped those down lower than what your body likes when you lowered calories.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Talking to your doc, as you say you plan, is the right answer. Don't let us internet amateurs play like diagnosticians and tell you what the problem is.

Comprehensive blood tests and other medical work-up are the right idea. It could be one of the things people here have mentioned . . . or not. No one mentioned sleep disorder; that's another possible one.

+1 to doctor.

Definitely the doc with blood work should be your first step. Please do not supplement with iron before you know if that is the issue. Don't play the guessing game because you could end up adding another issue to your problem. If you are not iron deficient & start supplementing, the excess will store in your organs rather than flush out of your body if you don't need it.

I was anemic years ago & took a natural source iron rather than medical-grade high dose supplements and the reason is that your body can only process so much iron & what doesn't get processed stores in other parts of your body. Plus it will constipate you...not good!! Anyway, if iron deficiency is your problem, please look into the source of supplementation. Just food for thought.

Lots of good suggestions to talk to your doctor about. I second the sleep disorder one. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea after reaching a reasonable weight and keeping it off. I was sleeping 8 hours a night, but clearly it wasn't restorative sleep. I hope you get your answers. I go through phases of what you describe, but can usually attribute it to the darkest days of the year. Be sure to press for answers. You know your body. Don't get blown off or dismissed. Good luck and come back and tell us what you find out.