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KathleenPub
KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So when I originally joined MFP I was staying at my 1200 calorie limit and wasn't eating back my excercise calories. I was losing pretty good and then plateaud (sp??) for a while and started to zig zag on calories. I found that this was the best for me to lose weight and it kicked started everything again. Now I am on my last ten lbs or so and was losing about .5lb or 1lb a week and seeing a real difference in my size but over the last week or two I have been feeling like crap. I was getting really light headed, fatigue and dizzy spells and a lot of the time feel like I am "coming down with something". I noticed that when this was happening that eating made me feel better. Soooo, I started to eat back my excercise calories. The dizzy spells and light headedness has stopped and I feel better in general BUT I have stopped losing and have actually gained a lb. I have been staying at or just under my goal (including excercise calories). Any advice on what to do so that I can lose weight AND not feel like I'm starving/about to pass out??
Ps. I am going to the doctor next week to check iron and such just to make sure, but till then....
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  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    I'd almost bet money you where dehydrated
    So when I originally joined MFP I was staying at my 1200 calorie limit and wasn't eating back my excercise calories. I was losing pretty good and then plateaud (sp??) for a while and started to zig zag on calories. I found that this was the best for me to lose weight and it kicked started everything again. Now I am on my last ten lbs or so and was losing about .5lb or 1lb a week and seeing a real difference in my size but over the last week or two I have been feeling like crap. I was getting really light headed, fatigue and dizzy spells and a lot of the time feel like I am "coming down with something". I noticed that when this was happening that eating made me feel better. Soooo, I started to eat back my excercise calories. The dizzy spells and light headedness has stopped and I feel better in general BUT I have stopped losing and have actually gained a lb. I have been staying at or just under my goal (including excercise calories). Any advice on what to do so that I can lose weight AND not feel like I'm starving/about to pass out??
    Ps. I am going to the doctor next week to check iron and such just to make sure, but till then....
  • lovelyrose11
    lovelyrose11 Posts: 609 Member
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    I agree you should go see your dr...are you on a special diet other than watching your calories? Like, maybe a low-carb diet? The reason I ask is b/c when I don't eat enough carbs I feel really crappy.
  • lovelyrose11
    lovelyrose11 Posts: 609 Member
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    agreed...check your water intake.
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
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    I don't think so, I drink A LOT of water. Probably about 15 cups a day, at least. And it was an all day type of thing, just a little worse after work outs.

    And no special diet and lots of carbs lol, plus I upped my protein.
  • Melissa_DLC
    Melissa_DLC Posts: 7
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    I am going through the exact same thing! Its frustrating because I still exercise the same amount but Im not losing ANYTHING! I am half way to my goal so far I have lost 47lbs but now its like 2-3 lbs a month instead of 5-8 lbs a month like in the beginning. I find that I also have to eat some carbs in order to have energy to workout so I can't really cut those out. UGH! Maybe switching up workout routines? I have only been doing zumba so maybe if I try a different exercise that might trick my body to working out differently and lose more??? Well good luck and let us know if you find something that works!
  • Brandongood
    Brandongood Posts: 311 Member
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    Im there too. I am close to my maintenance weight so the body is more stubborn to hold on to the last bit of fat it seems. I am going to try and switch to a 250 cal deficit instead of a 500 cal deficit and see what that does for me. Try that see what happens
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I am so glad that you are eating more and not starving yourself. I think it's time to stop focusing on the scale and concentrate on how you look and feel. What type of exercises are you doing? I would add strength training, if you are not doing any, and maybe try something new if you've been doing the same thing for a while.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    i'd keep going with the excercise calories - it might take a few weeks for your body to catch up after being on low calories for so long. I know it sounds daft but check your sodium intake. if you're low on salt your blood pressure will be low - this can cause faintness.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    just noticed your response about water - try cutting back to 8-10 glasses as you will be flushing out sugar/salt.
  • lmalaschak
    lmalaschak Posts: 346 Member
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    Um....are you possibly pregnant? I'm not trying to start anything here, but those symptoms sound rather familiar.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    First, you need to eat more (which I think you learned). Second, set your goal to .5lb per week and eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories. Next, you gained water weight which is very common for those under eating. To gain a lb of fat you would need to eat 3500 calories more than you expend (which is very very unlikely). Second, you should be careful with eating below your BMR as doing this will slow your metabolism.
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
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    My workouts are :
    Mon, wed, fri. : Jillian Micheals Ripped in 30 (still on level one) and 30 minute program on the elliptical.
    Tues and thursday: 30 minutes elliptical and yoga.
    Weekends usually either elliptical or a walk, sometimes yoga.
    I also throw in Jillian Michelas Yoga Meltdown sometimes too.

    I tend to drink water when I am thirsty and it just ends up being alot lol.

    I really shouldn't be pregnant (although thats the first thing that comes to mind too since I have four kids lol) since I had my tubes tied last year.

    It's always so tempting to starve lol, but from experience, it never lasts and then Im worse off than when I started.

    Thanks for replying everyone!
  • WilliamsPeggy
    WilliamsPeggy Posts: 440 Member
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    Um....are you possibly pregnant? I'm not trying to start anything here, but those symptoms sound rather familiar.

    That's what I was thinking...then read that your tubes are tied. I hope the doc has an answer for you & an easy solution.
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
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    This sounds good and is kind of what I was thinking, but it's reassuring to hear from someone else.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    you also may have built muscle? try measuring instead of weighing.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    you also may have built muscle? try measuring instead of weighing.

    You can't build muscle on a large calorie deficit. Your body needs fuel in order for you to gain lean muscle mass.
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
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    I would add some strength training. You might just need time for your body to adjust to the high calories before losing weight again.
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
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    I would add some strength training. You might just need time for your body to adjust to the high calories before losing weight again.


    Define strength training? Isn't Jillian Micheals strength training? I don't have time to go to a gym so it has to be something I can do at home :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    I would add some strength training. You might just need time for your body to adjust to the high calories before losing weight again.


    Define strength training? Isn't Jillian Micheals strength training? I don't have time to go to a gym so it has to be something I can do at home :)

    It's not bad of a program and it does have strength training. In my opinion there are better programs but they are a bit more extreme (P90X2, P90X, Chalean extreme, insanity). But when you do JM, make sure you use heavy weights. The more the better.
  • KathleenPub
    KathleenPub Posts: 38 Member
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    I would add some strength training. You might just need time for your body to adjust to the high calories before losing weight again.


    Define strength training? Isn't Jillian Micheals strength training? I don't have time to go to a gym so it has to be something I can do at home :)

    It's not bad of a program and it does have strength training. In my opinion there are better programs but they are a bit more extreme (P90X2, P90X, Chalean extreme, insanity). But when you do JM, make sure you use heavy weights. The more the better.

    Those programs scare me lol, I keep thinking I want to try them someday but like I said...I'm a little frightened lol. I still get really sore from JM videos.

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