Feeling a little shaky... Suggestions?

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lauradubbb
lauradubbb Posts: 15
in Food and Nutrition
I started dieting and exercising last Monday (08/15/2011), i've lost like 9 lbs already so i'm pretty happy about that. The first week is usually the best. But i've been experiencing some other changes with my body and didn't know if anyone else has experienced these. Im having more trouble falling asleep at night, and I also have this jittery/shaky feeling alot. I'm more energized since I've been exercising and didn't know if it was an adjustment to that, but i'm starting to get a little concerned. It's not enough that you can see me shaking, but it is enough for me to feel slightly uncomfortable/anxious. Of course I will go see a physician if it continues, I just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this during the lifestyle change process. And i'm not starving myself, or doing anything dangerous to lose weight. I take a multi-vitamin everyday and I eat. I just don't remember any of this being a problem before I started the diet. Any ideas of what could be going on?

Thanks in advance.

Laura

Replies

  • springtrio
    springtrio Posts: 429 Member
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    By eating enough how much is "enough" for you?
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    Tell me more about what you're eating.
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
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    You shouldn't be losing more than two pounds a week. This pretty much means you're starving your body, which is a no no.
  • mermx
    mermx Posts: 976
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    9lbs in 10 days is a big loss...what cals does MFP set you?

    It sounds like low blood sugar shakes to me..but without knowing more of what you are doing....
  • LamsieDee
    LamsieDee Posts: 85
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    I get this if I don't eat enough often enough. My blood sugar drops. could also be sugar withdrawal. did you stop drinking soda or caffeine recently too? what makes it stop? does eating something help? you need to track every bite and the times you feel like this, it should help you pinpoint what's going on. If it continues, definately see your doctor.
  • CatMauro
    CatMauro Posts: 225 Member
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    By eating enough how much is "enough" for you?

    Took the words right out of my mouth. Your blood sugar may be too low, or it could be dehydration or a whole other miriad of things. I would say take a look at all your nutrients and see if maybe you're consistantly too low on one of them. If there's no problem there and you're drinking lots of water then I would consult your Dr as if could be a heart thing. Hope it sorts itself out soon.
  • crystal_loga
    crystal_loga Posts: 106 Member
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    Sounds to me like you are not eating enough. You are loosing weight way too fast. MFP reccomends 1-2 lbs a week, 9lbs in less than two weeks can be dangerous.
  • MagsFYoung
    MagsFYoung Posts: 4
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    do you consume much caffene?
  • tashacan
    tashacan Posts: 121
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    I started dieting and exercising last Monday (08/15/2011), i've lost like 9 lbs already so i'm pretty happy about that. The first week is usually the best. But i've been experiencing some other changes with my body and didn't know if anyone else has experienced these. Im having more trouble falling asleep at night, and I also have this jittery/shaky feeling alot. I'm more energized since I've been exercising and didn't know if it was an adjustment to that, but i'm starting to get a little concerned. It's not enough that you can see me shaking, but it is enough for me to feel slightly uncomfortable/anxious. Of course I will go see a physician if it continues, I just wanted to see if anyone else had experienced this during the lifestyle change process. And i'm not starving myself, or doing anything dangerous to lose weight. I take a multi-vitamin everyday and I eat. I just don't remember any of this being a problem before I started the diet. Any ideas of what could be going on?

    Thanks in advance.

    Laura

    I don't know what you are eating but is it possible you need more protien in your diet? I know if I just have coffee for breakfast or something low in protien, by lunchtime I feel the same way....
    I hope you start feeling better!

    BTW, you are doing wonderful!
  • BethanyMasters
    BethanyMasters Posts: 519 Member
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    Sounds like how I feel when my blood sugar is low.

    Can't see your diary but I'd be willing to bet that your not eating enough to fuel your body for the amount of exercise you are doing.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    I would say probably protein or iron would help. Hard to tell without seeing your diary.
  • kgesq
    kgesq Posts: 65 Member
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    Nothing new to add, agreeing with everyone else. A 9 lb weight loss in 2 weeks isn't likely to be good for you or be permanent. Also, any caffeine in your diet?
  • MandyJaneRose
    MandyJaneRose Posts: 29 Member
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    Hi Laura,
    Losing 9lbs in less than 2 weeks is a LOT, and it's probably too much too soon. I assume that part of it is water weight, but you still shouldn't be losing more than a couple pounds per week, I think. I used to starve myself for years, usually having maximum 800 calories a day (often more like 300), and I was incredibly weak and often shaky. At the time, I saw this as "success", because I was very entrenched in having an eating disorder, but now I realize how unhealthy I was, and I was essentially destroying my body. If you are eating very little and exercising more than your body is used to, then you will definitely feel those shakes. I think that you have to break into exercising slowly, and make sure that you are still eating enough. When you have those shakes, i would recommend having a healthy meal, or maybe a fruit smoothie, and making sure you are getting at least 1200 calories in a day (and more if you are exercising).
  • cmonskinnylovee
    cmonskinnylovee Posts: 339
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    Are you hypoglycemic? I am, and I didn't really notice it as much until I started dieting. Hypoglycemia, in case you didn't know, is where your body is very dependent on the sugar that comes from your food because it doesn't make enough of its own. This causes your sugar to drop to dangerous levels, which can cause shaking, nausea, and sometimes can cause you to faint.

    If this is the case, you HAVE to up your sugar intake. It is dangerous to your health if you don't. But don't go snack on crap like cookies and candy, get your sugar from fruits, vegetables, natural juices, and natural yogurt.
  • JediMaster_intraining
    JediMaster_intraining Posts: 903 Member
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    If you've never had anxiety before then I would look at what time you were exercising. I found that with my anxiety exercising too close to bedtime would keep me up longer than I wanted. Also are you drinking a lot of caffeine? I dropped caffeine forever and it seems to really be helping. The last thing I would look at is the multi-vitamin. For some reason, if I take my vitamin at night I feel weird and slightly shaky. Yeah weird. You might have lost a lot of water weight but definitely thats a lot of weight to lose in just a week!
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
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    9 lbs the first two weeks sound reasonable to me. I lost 6 lbs my first week on MFP, but it was probably mostly water and then lost 3 lbs the next week and then my weight loss became the normal 0.5 - 2 lbs week after that consistently.

    Anyway, perhaps it's your blood sugar, or maybe you are over doing it on the exercise.

    Steer clear of caffeine as this gives me the jitters too.

    If it continues and you are eating clean and adequately (lots of fiber and protein and water), then go ask your doc. :flowerforyou:
  • cmonskinnylovee
    cmonskinnylovee Posts: 339
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    You shouldn't be losing more than two pounds a week. This pretty much means you're starving your body, which is a no no.

    Depending on how much weight this person has to lose, 9 pounds in two weeks is perfectly fine in some cases. In the beginning of a diet, the body drops the weight quickly because it is willing to let it go. But the healthier and thinner you get, the more your body resists causing your weight loss to slow down.

    I've heard of overweight people losing up to 15lbs in two weeks, and keeping it off. Most of it is from the sodium cut (water weight) so that could be what's happening here too.
  • lauradubbb
    lauradubbb Posts: 15
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm eating around 1200-1300 calories a day which it's calculated around 1353 daily for me on here. I don't expect/want to lose that much weight that fast like the first week. I just know it was such a drastic change from eating like a cow and doing nothing active to watching what I eat and exercising every day. The first week I lost like 7 lbs and around 2 lbs since. The one thing I haven't changed is I still drink sodas. I drink alot of Diet Coke, but i've been doing that for a while so that isn't a change that may have caused this. I have started drinking more water since i've been working out. I don't do the recommended amount of water, but i'm trying to do better. I have completely stopped eating sweets. The only semi-sweeet thing that i eat are Special K Fruit Crisps some mornings. I know i'm getting enough protein cause i've been in the negatives on my calculater on here some for the protein part. It may also have something to do with the other problem of not being able to fall asleep at night, so i'm really fatigued/tired and my body is tired. I don't know. Just wanted to see what any thoughts would be. Thanks again!
  • Riley4ever
    Riley4ever Posts: 225 Member
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    Agree it would be helpful if you shared your daily cal allowance and if there is a certain time of day you're feeling "shaky" and can you be more descriptive re what you mean by shaky i.e. palpitations, dizziness, shakes like when you get if you are too cold? Low blood sugar can make you susceptible to fainting and anaemia can cause dizziness as can not eating enough. Also I've noticed MFP sets quite a low cal intake even if you start from a higher base - for example I started at 233 lbs and for a 2lb per week loss, MFP set my daily cals at 1200 but I know a lot of other diets which would start much higher than this (e.g. 1800) and reduce gradually as the weight comes off. I don't think it's a problem you've lost 9lbs in your first week - most of it will be water retention, I lost 7lbs in the first week but then went to 2 to 3lbs per week since. Good Luck. I think if it's concerning you, you should definitely see your Doctor. It's a good idea to do this anyway if you are planning on losing a lot of weight and depending on the health base you start from :)
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
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    Are you eating about 1300 calories and then working out? Or are you factoring in your exercise? Because if you're only eating 1300 calories, but then you workout and burn 700 calories, you may not be getting enough food. I'll have to go back and read what you said to begin with about your workouts.

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