# 1500-1800 calorie diet. With headaches?????



## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

OK you dieters. I have an issue with headaches lately. I have lost weight before by getting serious. But this time I seem to get a slight headache daily on my old tried and true calorie reduction. I don't feel hungry at 1500 to 1800 cal's a day, but for weeks now I get headaches. Anybody have an idea what's up? I'm 51 and 246 Lbs today. I get headaches daily and think it might be from less calories! Sleep is fair, I pound some beers at about 40oz about three times a week. Lots of veggies and fruit, boiled chicken and fish. Low carbs from corn tortillas and slices of bread etc.

Hate the headaches big time. Is age and low calorie catching up???


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## mgreene (Jul 7, 2010)

Not a MD but...

How big is the caloric deficiency?

When you cut your calories did you cut out caffeine (coffee, soda, etc)? This causes headaches in some people.

Dehydration? Getting enough water on the nights you drink? Three nights a week is about every other day. Not a ton of beer (IMHO), but it might be enough to keep you slightly dehydrated. 

Just my $.02.


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## bombbaram (May 4, 2009)

Low carb can be a huge problem. I am a personal trainer, and we recommend at least 50% of your intake come from whole grain carbs. I know that goes against everything in the media but riding a bike with no carbs is just like driving a car with no gas. Try upping your calories to 2000 and breaking your nutrients as follows...50% carb 35% protein and 15% fat. This may really help


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## CONoobie (Jul 2, 2010)

jimbowho said:


> OK you dieters. I have an issue with headaches lately. I have lost weight before by getting serious. But this time I seem to get a slight headache daily on my old tried and true calorie reduction. I don't feel hungry at 1500 to 1800 cal's a day, but for weeks now I get headaches. Anybody have an idea what's up? I'm 51 and 246 Lbs today. I get headaches daily and think it might be from less calories! Sleep is fair, I pound some beers at about 40oz about three times a week. Lots of veggies and fruit, boiled chicken and fish. Low carbs from corn tortillas and slices of bread etc.
> 
> Hate the headaches big time. Is age and low calorie catching up???


Calories pretty low for your size, especially if you are exercising as well. From what I have read, you normally get very hungry if you cut out too many calories.. Definitely watch that as you continue on the diet. Headaches could be from many things.. Dehydration, low blood sugar, trying to cut out caffeine if you normally drink it, MSG (at least for me), tightness in your neck/shoulders, or a misalignment in your neck.. Hard to say really. Hope you can get rid of it! I hate headaches as well, don't normally get them, so when I do, I am not very happy!


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

coffee is the same, but I cut out cream & sugar. Liking black better now. Water may be the culprit here, I used to try to polish off close to a gallon a day and I have not done that. I'm on it. I did not know my intake for the last year, probably 3000-4000??? Fried chicken makes it move.

As for the beer! I try to stay away during the week, but if I jones I go get a Qt of Miller Highlife and power it down like a dog on a piece of meat. I refuse to not pound beer. 

Looks like it's time to learn more about nutrition. I will up the calories to 2000 & ease into much more water. Will respond with results around wednesday. Great advice. Thanks


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## split.therapy (Apr 27, 2008)

bombbaram said:


> Low carb can be a huge problem. I am a personal trainer, and we recommend at least 50% of your intake come from whole grain carbs.


Low carb is not a problem. You do not need to eat grains at all. In fact you can have significantly healthier fat loss without them.

I've been following the Paleo diet for over a year. All of my carbs come from veggies, fruit and nuts. I have significantly more energy, I'm leaner and my rate of recovery is better than when I ate a grain based diet. Carbs only make up 10% of my total kcal intake.

I'm also a trainer, s&c coach, therapist, former pro-athlete and currently I am a research & development athlete for a backcountry ski company. I train about 20-30hrs. a week. I'm 43, 6'1.75", 240lbs. @ 10%bf.

jimbowho, What are the rest of your stats? weight? bodyfat%? activity level?


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

Just got back from a ride with fast youngins. Offroaders! I'm the old 
expert guy on the team but I'm getting smoked.

I don't know my fat content, but it's flabby and my headache already started. Just a banana and coffee this morning. I drank 
Gatorade mixed 50/50 also before keytime.

I have a twinge of headache already. Kind of scary. Will re-tool with water and food today. What bugs me is when I do a proper 
routine instead of just eating whatever I feel it in my brain.

Maybe I'm just not acclimated yet to my new routine. I have a race on the 22nd in three weeks and I don't want to suukkk. Thanks everyone. Any insight is great.

PS. I have looser guilt now when I eat too much! I love a good monster cheese burger.


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## split.therapy (Apr 27, 2008)

How tall are you? 
Rule #1. Can not out train a poor diet.
Rule #2. Eating the wrong foods or insufficient food will cause your body to burn lean tissue and store fat.
Rule #3>100,000,000. Food is fuel, not entertainment.


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## uzurpator (Dec 8, 2005)

At 246lbs you are starving yourself. You should be cutting at about 2500 calories. With weight lifting, you should be losing fat with 3000 calories.

With 1500/day you are pretty much asking for starvation mode, and are, most likely, asking for a major jojo effect.


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

6'1" I'm already on plan B. I will try 2000 calories a day with a lot of water. I might add that I cut out Mayo, butter, olive oil. I will stick with the oil. This all makes sense. Good info people.


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## CONoobie (Jul 2, 2010)

You do need some good fats, may want to supplement with fish oil, or flax seed oil if you are going on a strict diet. Your body can't produce those Essential Fatty Acids.


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## split.therapy (Apr 27, 2008)

jimbowho, Your BMR is 2147.73 kcals 
Guesstimation on activity level is moderate = 1.55xBMR = 3329kcals
Reduce by 20% for fat loss = 2663.2 kcals
Macro breakdown - 
PRO - 200gr. / 800kcals
CHO - 180 gr./ 720 kcals
Fat - 127 gr. / 1143 kcals.

Try to get carbs from fruit and veggies. 
Eat less than 100gr. of carbs on non-training days.
Weight training 2-3 x per week with compound movements will prevent the skinny fat syndrome.

Check out this site
www.thepaleodiet.com
Paleo Diet is key!
I have never been this lean with this little effort in my whole life.

Good read!
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article_issue/issue_635?s=prevTitle#green-faces-diet


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## jimbowho (Dec 16, 2009)

UPDATE.

Lots of water & watered down sports drinks. 2000 calories and two or three Tbl spoons of olive oil. I'm on a one a day multi vitamin. Trying to sleep more. Fatty bass is darn good.
Headaches are going away and very faint. I don't remember my system being so temperamental. My Sis said she had the same problem trying to hard to blow off the fat. 

Thanks again all.


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