Low energy while losing weight? Here's what you can do!

When you lose weight, you might expect to have more energy, but many people notice the opposite: they feel tired, sometimes even exhausted.

Fatigue while trying to lose weight can be quite discouraging. It's especially difficult to stick to your goals and diet when you're tired.

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to prevent this.

Read on to discover what you can do to stay energized and why you might feel sluggish and tired when losing weight.

These are the 6 main reasons why you might feel tired while losing weight:

When you eat fewer calories, your body simply gets less fuel.

This can lead to fatigue, especially if you suddenly eat much less than you are used to.

Diets can sometimes lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron, B vitamins, vitamin C , zinc, and magnesium, especially when the diets are not properly balanced.

These deficiencies can significantly reduce your energy levels, resulting in fatigue.(1)

With a low-carb diet, you may experience more fatigue in the first few weeks because your body is adapting and has to get energy from fats instead of carbohydrates.

This can temporarily lower your energy levels.(2)

When you lose weight, insulin production decreases because your body needs to store less glucose. This can lead to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels, with peaks and troughs in your energy levels.

It is good to know that this effect is often temporary, because after a while your body adapts to it and starts to regulate blood sugar better.(3)

In addition to insulin, the balance of other hormones in your body also changes when you lose weight.

Leptin, the satiety hormone, drops, signaling your body to conserve energy. This results in less energy and you feel tired more quickly.

Thyroid hormones also play a role in your energy use: when you lose weight, your thyroid gland can become less active, leading to less energy.

These hormonal changes can cause fatigue and increased cravings, making it harder to maintain your weight.(4)

Losing weight is often combined with increased exercise, which is beneficial, but it can also lead to low energy. Exercise increases your energy needs, while you eat less.

Without the right balance, this can cause fatigue as your body struggles to meet both your activities and basic energy needs.

Especially with crash diets, you lose a lot of muscle mass in addition to fat, because when there is a sudden energy shortage, your body breaks down proteins from muscles for extra energy.

And less muscle mass means your metabolism slows down, because muscles use energy even at rest.

So, with less muscle, you burn fewer calories, which lowers your energy levels and can lead to feeling exhausted, especially if you're already getting few nutrients.(5)

It's important not to cut calories too much. Generally, you can cut back between 300 and 500 calories per day, depending on your activity level (more exercise = more food).

This ensures you lose weight gradually without significantly impacting your energy levels. It's also easier to maintain than so-called crash diets.

Make sure you get enough of important nutrients:

• B vitamins : This group of vitamins plays a key role in converting nutrients into energy.
• Vitamin C: Supports normal energy metabolism.
• Iron: Contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body, which is essential for the functioning of muscles and the brain, and helps to reduce fatigue.
• Magnesium: Supports normal energy levels in the body.
• Zinc: Supports the normal functioning of the immune system and contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, both mentally and physically.

I recommend you check out our pages on these nutrients to find out how much you need per day and in which foods they are commonly found.

If you have trouble getting all the nutrients you need from your diet, you may consider taking a nutritional supplement.

When eating less, it is extra important that what you eat is rich in essential nutrients.

A low calorie density diet means choosing foods that are low in calories but packed with beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

This helps you give your body everything it needs without quickly consuming too many calories.

Think vegetables, fruits, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, lean meats, and legumes.(6)

Eat small portions regularly (4-6 times a day) to prevent your blood sugar from fluctuating too much and choose fiber-rich foods with a low glycemic index (GI).

Foods high in fiber and with a low GI, such as quinoa, brown rice, vegetables and legumes, raise your blood sugar more slowly (than, for example, white pasta, rice, etc.).

This helps keep your blood sugar more stable, so you'll experience fewer energy spikes and dips.(7)

Sleep is essential for energy. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Good sleep helps your body recover and prevents you from feeling extra tired.(8)

A regular sleep pattern is also essential for weight loss. Try to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day.

If you have trouble falling asleep, try relaxation exercises or meditation before going to bed.(8)

In addition to all the above tips, natural supplements can support weight loss and contribute to your energy levels.

Here are 3 examples of powerful nutritional supplements for weight loss:

Berberine is a bioactive compound from the barberry plant (Berberis) and has been used for centuries in traditional Asian medicine for a variety of health purposes.

In the West, its popularity is growing due to scientific interest in its effects on blood sugar levels, gut health and cholesterol. (10)

Our Berberine Premium supplement contains Rebersa® Berberine: the best berberine extract in the world!

• 500 mg Rebersa® Berberine per serving (with 97% purity)
• Helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels*
• Is good for blood cholesterol levels*
• Supports the heart, blood vessels and liver*

Green tea has also long been a well-known fat-burning aid, making it incredibly popular in natural fat burners. It's packed with antioxidants that protect against free radicals, especially important during weight loss.

Our Natural Fat Burner has been specially developed to support your body during weight loss.

It contains only natural ingredients that have been selected and dosed based on scientific research.

These are the benefits of our natural fat burner with green tea:

• 480 mg Green tea extract per serving
• 18-in-1 weight management formula ( including all B vitamins! )
• No feeling of being rushed or restless
• Supports fat burning and blood sugar levels
• Reduces fatigue and supports energy levels

Our Natural Fat Burner contains a balanced dosage of all B vitamins .

Prefer a separate supplement? Choose our Vitamin B complex with:

• All B vitamins in active form
• Support for mental balance and nervous system
• Extra strong dose of B12 and safe dose of B6
• Active folic acid (5-MTHF folate) from Quatrefolic®