Losing weight but tired all the time?

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cruisintolose
cruisintolose Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Wondering if anyone else is exceptionally tired all the time while trying to lose weight? I know that colories could be the issue. Trying to lose 2lbs a week, so my calories are set at 1200. On average it is about 1300 or so. I however am not losing 2lbs a week. In the last month it has been a little over 1. I am just trying to figure out why I am so tired. Usually when I exercised in the past I always had more energy. That is not the case this time!

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  • theoneandonlybrookie
    theoneandonlybrookie Posts: 341 Member
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    Hi! If you are exceptionally tired, the first thing that I would recommend is going to your doctor for blood work. You could be deficient in a particular vitamin that is causing your fatigue. I had problems with anemia in the past, and I felt tired all of the time. There are other deficiencies that could cause you to feel tired, as well.
  • frosty73
    frosty73 Posts: 424 Member
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    It could be as simple as your body trying to counteract the effect of losing weight. When you are losing weight, your body is going to try to conserve or replace that energy by increasing your appetite, making you tired (so you won't burn as many calories), etc.

    I find myself alternating between full of energy at odd times, and just drained or sleepy most of the time. But if it's affecting your life, you might want to check with a doctor to make certain it isn't something serious.
  • TeddyBear47
    TeddyBear47 Posts: 200 Member
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    Hi, You can Try Taking B-12 and Vitamin D, should help
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
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    If you are tired all the time, you should be concerned that you are now burning a lot less calories than you were before. So eating 1200 calories might be counter-productive and you should probably increase them. Also could be your macro-nutrients aren't right. Make sure you're eating good quality foods.
  • subigirl
    subigirl Posts: 53 Member
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    I would agree with "theoneandonly"...it is most likely a nutrient deficiency. I, too, have had problems with anemia my whole life, and one of my symptoms when it is bad is fatigue. Make sure you are eating plenty of green leafy veggies and that you are getting plenty of vitamin C, as this is needed for the body to process iron. You didn't specify if you ate meat or not, but if you do, try to add a little more lean red meat to your diet. One thing I have found when I was trying to lose, I would get so wrapped up in eating chicken or fish, and would not eat enough red meat, which is also iron rich. Sometimes, just eating a lean steak made me feel better.
  • jobie4153
    jobie4153 Posts: 40
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    Are you eating enough carbs? They give you energy.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    Make sure you eat enough, and get plenty of water! Also, you need to be sure you're getting a decent night's sleep every night to hold off exhaustion. When I'm trying to lose weight, I find I need a little extra sleep at night.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    I agree with theoneandonly.

    Also, use MFP "tools" tab and find out what your BMR is. You shouldn't be eating fewer calories than your BMR. Remember, BMR is the amount of calories your body needs just to function, even if you laid in bed all day or if you were in a coma.
  • KareninCanada
    KareninCanada Posts: 830 Member
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    Yes, try to eat more! 1200 calories is likely not enough for you, unless you're dedicated to eating back your exercise calories AND making sure that what you eat is good-quality food.

    I have also added "iron" to the nutrients on my tracker. I tend to run low - not to the point of anemia, but working harder to keep that up definitely helps with not getting run-down.
  • Bikini27
    Bikini27 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    It all depends on what those 1200-1300 calories are comprised of. When I was just trying to make it within a certain range and not really paying attention to the nuturitional value of the food, I was exhausted and wanted to give up. Instead, I started looking for fresh fruits, fresh veggies, lean proteins, almonds, and dairy and I started feeling *so* much better and it was easier to go home and get a workout in.
  • Whodatgirl77
    Whodatgirl77 Posts: 238 Member
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    I was thinking this same thing earlier. For me, I think its all the exercise that I've added over the last month and some days I'm simply tired (and sore). I think for me its just my body adjusting to all the changes and reminding me that rest is important too.
  • JanuaryJan
    JanuaryJan Posts: 39
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    I agree that you should first see your dr. to rule out any kind of thyroid issues or deficiencies. It could also be the KIND of calories you're consuming. Also, be sure that you are drinking all your water during the day, it makes a big difference. I am tired all of the time too, and I ordered a fitbit from fitbit.com to track my steps, activity, and calories burned. It also tracks my sleep at night. Come to find out I am awakened many times during the night and my sleep is only at about 80% effeciency, which is one of the explanations for the fatigue. Definitely have your Vitamin D and Thyroid checked with your dr. first though, before you trying other things. You may be getting too few calories for the amount you are burning during the day. I found that what had worked for me prior times losing weight does not work for me now. Your body changes and responds differently, which is why you may not be experiencing the same results as in previous times. I hope you can find some answers! It's hard to stay on focus when you're so tired!
  • subigirl
    subigirl Posts: 53 Member
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    I forgot to ask, are you taking any vitamins? A good multivitamin is often highly recommended if you are cutting calories to lose weight, as we can sometimes not get enough nutrients from smaller amounts of food (the recommended daily requirements are based on a 2000 calorie diet). I take a multivitamin, and I take a kelp supplement to help get the extra iron without having the adverse side effects that normal iron supplements cause (i.e., not being able to go to the bathroom). Kelp also contains iodine, which helps support a healthy thyroid, as hypothyroidism can also cause fatigue, and another reason you may want to get some blood work done. Hypothyroidism can cause you to have a slow metabolism, and thus make it harder for your to lose weight. As much as I distrust doctors, only a doctor can tell you for sure if you suffer from this very common problem. :)
  • mamalade1
    mamalade1 Posts: 42
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    What's your overall diet like? Are those 1200 calories good quality, whole and balanced? And yes, I second getting a blood work up done - if you're low in iron, it's good to know so you can counteract it. If you're not, there's really no point in taking extra iron (and in fact, too much iron can hurt you). 1200 also seems a bit low to me, unless you're not doing any exercise. I'm a five foot tall female and although MFP has allotted me 1200 as well (before exercise) there's no way I could happily function on that amount.
  • JanuaryJan
    JanuaryJan Posts: 39
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    by the way - where can I find the weight loss tickers?
  • JanuaryJan
    JanuaryJan Posts: 39
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    Never mind, I think I found it. :) I should have looked first.
    14611817.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

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