[Rose426]

I started this new journey losing weight a few weeks ago relapsed for a couple weeks and March 1st. I started counting calories. I'm noticing I'm irritable, starving, having headaches, and overall miserable. At first I started off with 1100 calories per day then switched to 1800. Is it normal to get these withdrawal symptoms? I also feel like crap after working out my back is killing me and my stomach is so sore! What am I doing wrong here somebody help me.

[Chele614]

I felt pretty bad my first week then I leveled out by the second week. I felt better when I drank more water and less drinks with aspartame. They were giving me horrible headaches. I stopped diet soda too which was hard because I don't drink coffee. Also, no white flour or sugar. I feel more full on lower calories when I can eat more good calories. Good luck.

[Candeka]

I'm glad you switched your calories. 1100 is WAY to low! I'd go bonkers if I could only eat that much.

Where are your calories coming from? If you drastically changed your diet (such as if you drank a lot of pop or had a lot of sugar before and you went cold turkey off of it), you will get bad headaches from sugar withdrawal. If you drank coffee every single day and all of a sudden stopped, you can get caffeine headaches.

All of these should subside as your body adjusts to the new food amount/food items. If you did eat a lot of sugar prior, you should look up the effects on sugar addictions. A lot of people say its just as bad as cocaine addictions. Very interesting subject.

[Lee NZ]

It could be withdrawal - it depends what you were eating before and now. I was eating tons of sugar before and I know it took me a few days to feel better.

Quality wholefoods make me feel better. I am finding I have to keep self-talking at the moment to keep myself on track! LOL...like being my own coach as it were : )

Its great that being taller you can have more calories! It does make me irritable that I can eat so few at less than 5'2".

I am feeling a bit that way myself today as I ate too much yesterday and am trying to be extra-good today as I don't want it to turn into a slide. I don't want to undo any of the progress I have made.

What is your workout? Could you do something a little gentler on yourself until you get some strength up?

Don't give up...stay here and get the answers - I have found a lot of inspiration from lurking for a while! (am trying to post more!)

All the best!!

[124chicksinger]

1100 was def too low. Good thing you raised it. 1800 may be too high tho...I don't know...you should use an online calculator if you haven't already. Freedieting has a good one.

If you are doing too much too soon (overly exercising, excessive calorie cut) your body will let you know it.

Good luck.

[Vex]

Yep headaches happen at first. Normally I'd say something like "pop 3 ibuprofen and call it good".

However, if you are having them consistently for more than a week, I'd definitely go to the doctor and get checked out. Hate to have something else going on and just assume it's because of the calorie restriction

.

[gardend1va]

You also might be detoxing if you switched your diet drastically from processed foods to "clean" foods. I noticed that I felt really crappy the first few days of my diet, because my body was getting rid of aspartame and sugar and other toxic stuff. It makes you feel pretty bad as it leaves the body, but just know that the bad feelings mean you are actually doing something good for yourself n the long run.

Also, the sore muscles will go away after your body gets used to working out. It gets better! hang in there.

[Rose426]

Thanks everyone

I did drastically change my diet, and I used to be a major sugar addict. Anything sweet I would devour it! So I'm thinking it will take a week or two until I start feeling better.I also think I wait too long between meals and I'm getting hunger headaches.

[Nibbles]

Drinking a hot tea with just a teaspoon full of sugar mid-morning keeps me from having headaches in the afternoon. Or, you could even budget for something a little more caffeinated/sweet. I would suggest it, especially if you did a lot of caffeine before starting the diet. Caffeine headaches kill me.