Low calorie count + workouts = tired

[unhappymale]

Hi folks, I have recently started to ramp up my workouts and am working with a nutritionist on reducing my calorie count to 1,250 a day.

For context:
- I am 5' 10", F, 46 YO
- I lift with a trainer 2x a week for an hour and am trying to run 12+ miles a week (which has to ramp for the half marathon I'm supposed to run in April) .
- I am consistently hitting my protein goal (100g/day), and drinking a lot of water. I try to keep my carbs low, but not too low. I eat a healthy, balanced diet for the most part and am tracking on MFP.

Here's the rub: I am so tired. I'm getting what I would consider enough sleep for me at 7 hours, but I can barely make it through the day without really dragging. Naps have become a necessity which doesn't really jive with a 45-50 hour work week.

What typically happens is I have grand plans for the week and by Thursday my body presents me with a big dose of nope.

Do I need more carbs? More...? H-e-l-p.

 

[timothy2016]

@unhappymale I’m 5’11 and I’m losing on 2200 calories a day. Eat more! What you’re doing low is not sustainable if you’re feeling so sapped for energy.

 

[jose221]

@unhappymale Eat a banana 30 minutes before your workouts!! It truly makes a difference

Last night, I forgot my banana, so during class I was wondering why I wasn’t able to do the excersizes as well as I used to. I was so damn tired. Then it dawned on me that forgot to eat my pre-workout.

When you’re on that low (I’m at 1200) then you need to time it right when you give your body energy to do the workout things. (Granted, I eat back my calories, so I probably eat around 1400 a day)

 

[unhappymale]

@jose221 I love my bananas before workouts!!!

 

[thehindubrahmin]

@unhappymale Fire that "nutritionist"

 

[st831]

@unhappymale I’m 1,68 and 61kg. I eat around 2000 calories a day and still manage to lose weight. You just need more food.

 

[jdn2604]

@unhappymale I'm 5'10.5 and have been consistently losing weight on 1,652 calories day and I DO account for exercise. You need more calories!!!

 

[fanofjesus333]

@unhappymale Yeah, more calories. I'm 5'8" and trying to lose 20 or so more pounds. I'm eating 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, doing hard cardio 3x a week, and generally losing about 4 pounds a month.

So I'm shorter, less active, and intentionally eating at a pretty big deficit. You might need to eat a bit more each day.

 

[frostyman]

@unhappymale Is that total calories or net calories? Because that seems crazy low for someone so active. I'd say spring for the full eight hours of sleep, and revisit that calorie count if the tiredness persists.

 

[dawn16]

@unhappymale Wtf. As a 5’10 girl myself I would eat my own arm before I’d east 1200 a day

 

[jordan221]

@unhappymale You cannot train for a half marathon and be eating that few calories! Goodness, I was ravenous when I was training and my normal, not training TDEE was like 1500-1600 calories a day. When running it was more like 1800!

Edit: just read that you are 5’10”... you may need to consider getting a dietitian and not a nutritionist, at least not a nutritionist who doesn’t think that’s an acceptable number for a tall woman who is active!

 

[brandon24]

@unhappymale Yeah there's no secret here. You aren't eating or sleeping enough!

 

[spence]

@unhappymale Are you trying to lose weight, recomp, or build muscle. Unless you are trying to lose a lot of weight fast, 1250 cal sounds really low.
If your running 12 miles and lifting 2x/week you are burning at least 1800 calories a week...you would just have to another 1700 to lose a pound a week. That would be a reduction of only 250 calories a day under your maintenance weight. The lifting you are doing is counterproductive if you don't eat enough.. I'm 43, 5'11 and 134 lbs...I eat 1650 when I am in a deficit...trust me those 400 calories make a difference(it's an extra meal). I am also a runner and started lifting. Running burns way more calories than lifting. You need to eat. What does your nutritionist say?
.

 

[dawn16]

@unhappymale I'm 5'11" and if I ate 1250 cals a day, even just laying on my butt doing nothing, I'd be a tired freaking blob. Those cals are really low, even for cutting, which it sounds like you're not doing.

Why is the nutritionist keeping cals so low? Are you trying to lose weight?

I cut on about 2250 cals for reference while weight training 5x/week.

 

[unhappymale]

Thanks all! I just checked using the TDEE calculator:

Your BMR Is: 1598
Your TDEE Is: 2126

I'm willing to try just about anything at this point so I'm going to see about increasing calories and see what happens. FWIW, I'm currently at 192 and am hoping to get down to 180.

I worked with a nutritionist 4+ years ago and the dietician that I saw a few weeks ago was the one that recommended the 1,250 cals. :/

I am going to update MFP to 1,500 and will aim for 1,500 - 1,750 with the same protein goals and see how I feel. I mean, it can't get worse than I feel right now...

 

[spence]

@unhappymale Awesome...good luck! This sounds much better! You need your energy!

 

[ekb]

@unhappymale Good luck!

I do recommend going closer to a 1700 average (TDEE - 20%). Like many others here have said, going below your BMR is not recommended, especially if you want to stay healthy and alert. Going significantly below your BMR will mean your body may start breaking down muscle instead of fat for energy. That's why most places recommend slow weight loss (0.5-1 lbs per week).

For tracking your weight loss, I also recommend the Happy Scale app. It does a good job setting realistic goals and takes into account normal fluctuations, getting rid of a lot of the anxiety around weight loss. It also does a great job reminding you to only weigh yourself once during the day (in the morning right after you use the bathroom).

 

[bn123]

@unhappymale Why don't you eat a heap more calories for a day and see how you feel? Have a big food day and get some extra sleep, if you feel a bit better then there's your answer. I definately don't think you're eating enough, you must have some extreme willpower!

 

[threedwellness]

@unhappymale I'm also 46 and I have similar issues. At 3:00 I would feel drunk I was so tired. My thyroid is borderline but seems to be ok and you may be perimenopausal I started lifting more and I'm eating more like 1,600-1,700 (I'm 5'8"). Those last ten pounds did not magically come off but I'm stronger now and I finally feel like I have an actual life.

 

[edee]

@unhappymale 5'10" 25 y/o female here and I maintain on 2600 calories a day (146 lb. if it's relevant). Granted, I do doubles most days, but still only spend about 90 minutes total a day in the gym. You may not need to eat as much as I do, but you definitely need to eat more.