I've been dieting and I think I'm not eating enough, advice?

[Anonymous]

Basically, I feel like total crap. I'm tired all of the time, I'm cold all of the time, and I just don't feel perfect.

This morning I woke up and rushed to the fridge to eat my typical non-fat yogurt and fruit salad. After getting it ready to eat, I practically collapsed on the floor and I couldn't breathe. As soon as I started eating I felt better.

Usually, I'll eat fruit and yogurt for breakfast, boiled chicken breast and broccoli for dinner, then two whole grain-granola bars for dinner.

Am I not eating enough? Am I making myself sick?

I'm worried, but at the same time I want to keep losing weight like I have been.

Updates

+1 y

Thanks for all of your responses guys.

Updates

+1 y

Jesus Christ, all of my questions get so many views it's really weird.

[Tamikaze]

You do not give the portions you are eating so it makes it harder to judge this but I am going to assume you mean a cup of yogurt and that you do eat the whole chicken breast and a half cup or so of broccoli. Frankly, you are eating enough to not be passing out. That sounds like something you should be talking to a doctor about. But, yes, you can try adding a few things to this eating plan and seeing how you feel.

Breakfast sounds fine but add a piece of whole grain toast so you are getting more carbs. The carbs give you a quick boost of energy plus the fiber in the whole grain (make sure it has at least 2 grams of fiber per serving) will regulate your blood sugar to keep it even and not have spikes and dips.

I assume you meant you eat the chicken breast and broccoli for lunch, not dinner. Add a small side (1/2 cup) brown rice to that, again for the same reason you add bread at lunch.

I don't think the dinner of two granola bars is very balanced. You could take one of the bars and make a mid-morning snack, and then have a salad with a variety of veggies/fruits but just a little dressing for dinner, with maybe a glass of milk and then add the last granola bar to that.

Make sure you are getting more than 1,000 carlories a day. Under 1,000 is starvation rations and you will feel awful. Do not know your height and weight, but the average small boned (from your picture) 5'4" woman can eat 1,500 calories a day to maintain a good weight, which would mean you would lose weight on that plan until you got to a good maintenance weight. You can do the research on calories yourself online using your weight and height.

And, you need to think about options to change up what you are eating. You will get bored of boiled chicken and broccoli for lunch everyday. Start researching now and have several options for each meal or you will not be able to stay on a healthy eating plan. Healthy eating to maintain a good weight is about a long-term change that will always work, not a cycle of dieting followed by bad eating habits because you feel deprived.

[Tamikaze]

Oh, and I am 5'4", small boned and 46 years old and I am at a great weight. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner plus 2 snacks a day. I focus on making sure I am getting in fruits/veggies and whole grains as well as protein. I do not starve myself, I don't diet and I do socialize and eat out, but I mostly eat simple, clean food during the week and I feel great.

[Asker]

Thanks very much. At the moment, I am 5'6" and weigh 130 pounds.

[Tamikaze]

Then you definitely need to eat more than you are right now and you will still lose weight but will not feel awful. I am more of a fan of taking the way I eat and making a change or two to it and getting used to that and then making another change. So, depending on what your bad habits are you might eliminate fast food and replace it with an at-home meal, limit dessert to once on the weekend or replace it with something healthier, stuff like that (not enough room to write here).

[Tamikaze]

For me, I can get into the bad habit of snacking on crackers or cereal at night, so if that happens, I eliminate it, but I don't change anything else. After about 3 to 4 days, it's easy to not snack at night, plus who needs crackers for healthy living? Also weight training for girls can help you build some lean muscle and having more muscle causes you to burn more calories even at rest. You will looked toned, not like a muscular guy, and it will help in the process of being healthy.

[Asker]

Alright, I'll definitely add whole wheat toast. I can't cook, so brown rice or whatever is out of the question.

[Tamikaze]

In the U.S. they have a lot of easy brown rice sources. I can get bowls and bags of pre-cooked rice that you throw in the microwave and heat. Another store sells precooked frozen brown rice that heats up in 3 minutes in the microwave and gives a couple of servings. I don't like cooking brown rice from scratch myself, though I could. It takes too long.

[Tamikaze]

Oh, I see you are in the U.S. Uncle Ben's has brown rice packets that have 2 to 3 servings (depending on how much you eat at a time) that heat in the microwave for a few minutes.

[Asker]

Oh, okay great.

[Bubbles]

Loseing weight isn't about straving yourself. You need to eat more, your eatting good just eat more throughout the day. This is way you are fainting/cold/tired and you can get sick trust me I been there a few times it's not fun it can get worse. Just eat more, and this feeling will go away, but by the look of your picture why are you loseing weight?

[Asker]

Thanks for your advice. I'm losing weight because I'm fat.

[Bubbles]

Your not fat. I don't see a inch of fat on you.

[cjwright79]

You are definitely not eating enough. I don't buy into the whole 'eat less to lose weight concept', it superficial makes sense but I just don't think it works at all. Just be more reasonable, and whenever you're hungry or weak, eat woman!

[Asker]

Okay, thanks.

[DanteThomas]

Eat right, train hard. starvation is not the solution. You need to eat. That's your source of energy. Without energy you won't be able to exercise or have the strength you need to carry yourself through the day.

[Asker]

Thanks Tae. I think that's your name, haha.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you're not eating enough, you have to be careful! I don't diet but I seem to lose weight anyway and here's how. I seem to unknowingly be doing things that I end up reading in diet articles (you can't miss them!)

I eat a boiled egg every day and I make sure my stomach never growls. An egg a day is ok with cholesterol and helps you lose weight and the BIGGEST part of losing weight is to not be hungry because your metabolism will slow down and when you eat you will have a likelihood of either gaining weight or not having your weight budge.

You have to make sure you eat from all the food groups, the fruit in the morning especially is not enough. You need to have protein in that meal especially and try to get it into every meal.

There's a lot more to it but that's the basics.

[GIntrovert]

You losing too much weight too quickly, and are probably dehydrated... if you rush it you risk you health...

[Asker]

I understand, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Either more carbs or more protein. If you eat just lean meats, you should get some fat on the side, say in like ice cream, so you don't get protein poisoning.