Clean eating and headache

C

caricampbellcool

Active Member
Hey Everyone,

Since Sunday I have eaten totally clean, and therefore my
carb intake has decreased, as well as my calories.
so I take in an average of 1600 calories a day and my carb %
has been around 48%. But I have been tired, I can't get up in the morning, and I have had a slight headache since Monday.
Coincedence, or does really clean eating make you go through a junk food withdrawal? I didnt' eat bad to begin with, I just ate more carbs, and maybe a couple hundred more calories a day.
What do you guys think about this?
Oh, I am quite active. I workout almost every day and dance. Maybe I'm not taking in enough calories?
thanks!
Cari
 
No. I am having the same amount. I really wonder if it is the carbs. I had a nature's valley granola bar with lunch and feel a little better, but lots of times I wake up around 5 or 5:30 and this week I have felt so crappy in the morning that I haven't been getting up till 7, and then I still feel bad.
Weird...
 
Just my humble opinion, but your body is telling you that your change is too drastic too fast.

If you didn't eat to bad before, then why not make smaller changes at a more constant pace in order to let your body adjust? I figure if it takes you a few more weeks to get to the clean eating that you want with a better chance of success, then why not? The last thing that I'd want to see is for you to get discouraged and give up because it was just too tough. It's much better to take to slower and get there than to do it fast for a short period of time.

I figure that you've been eating the old way before for some time, what's a bit more with changes?

Again, just my humble opinion.

Keta. :D

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I get headaches when I don't eat enough carbs and I definitely would get them if I only ate 1600 calories. (i maintain a good weight with 2000-2200 but I do a lot of running, so maybe that's high) I don't know about others, but I wouldn't say clean eating needs to mean such a low levels of carbs. I'd say just cutting out sugar and low nutrient carbs should help a lot. Still including a good deal of whole grains, fruits, and veggies should help with your energy levels. As someone else said, it might just be because the change was sudden, but those numbers would be pretty low for most people as active as you.
 
Wow SammyB!

You must have some low protein and low fat if you're carbs are somewhat higher.

I know for me, I run about 20/20/60 to 25/25/50 and that's when I try hard. The 20/20/60 is rough for me to do.

What are your ratios?

Thanks for sharing.

Keta. :D

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RE: H2O?

Yep, plenty of water.
I have been feeling fine in the afternoons, but the mornings are what's kickin my butt. Maybe my dinners are too small. I'm gonna stay on the same eating plan (it's that M+F hers 8 week plan we were talking about a couple of days ago), and see if I get used to it. If not, I'm upping the calories a little.
Thanks for everyone's input!
Oh, my normal (maintening my weight diet) ratios, are around
55,25,20 or 60,20,20, but now I am at 45,30,25, sort of a zone diet thing.
 
Hi Cari!
Maybe the headaches are in part due to cutting out sugar from your diet. I know that when I cut out sugar (and all refined carbs) from my diet a few months ago, I had terrible headaches for about a week or so... guess I was really "addicted" to the stuff :-rollen
On the other hand, be careful not to reduce your "good carbs" (fruits, veggies, whole grains) and calories too drastically... 50% carbs seems a bit low to me. I usually feel (and look) my best when I eat around 60-65% clean carbs consistently.
Good luck!
G.
 
I shouldn't have said "so low". :) I guess I was thinking the combination of such low calories and 48% carbs looked painful to me. I don't know my exact ratios because I don't track my food intake precisely. My guess was my quick addition of what i'd eaten in the last few days. Perhaps I eat more than 2200 then? If not my total intake of calories, I am very concious of my protein intake. I am vegetarian so I have to make sure I get complete proteins. I aim for 0.9 x body weight for protein. (about 20% of my total calories) Also because I'm vegan, I end up with very low fat intakes. So i use olive oil, wheat germ and flax seeds on salads to get my essential fatty acids.

Basically, my language was a little dramatic. I guess I just see 1600 calories and it makes my head ache thinking about it. It might be just right for someone else though. I'm a wuss about some things--if I don't eat enough I feel horrible.
 
Why don't you try having a light snack right before you go to bed. Like a small glass of milk or a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with a cracker.

Don't know if it will help, but you never know.....Jodi
 
Thanks everyone for your help.
I increased my calories to 1800 and have had more energy.
I think I may have just had a little sick bug, because I had a sore throat the past couple of days too.
But I read in Muscle and Fitness Hers that if you're trying to lose weight you should take in 11 calories per pound of body weight, or 12 calories if your metabolism is higher! Does that seem low to anyone else?
 
My humble opinion . . . that seems high to me.

Make things simple. Stick between 1,600 and 2,000. Start at 1,600 and work your way up until you "feel" good.

Again, just my humble opinion.

Keta. :D

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