Doing it Better

Today I joined MyFitnessPal to help me track calories and make sure I’m eating enough. As of late, with being poor, I justify myself not eating. I don’t eat breakfast, and lately I’ve been skipping lunch and just eating a regular-sized dinner.

Yesterday, thanks to snacking, I had 1200 calories. My basal metabolic rate (for JUST having my organs function) is 1255 calories. So, yeah. Also, 500 calories of what I ate yesterday was JUST desserts! So not only am I looking to eat enough, but to make sure what I eat is the good stuff.

Why being underweight is scary:

  • Light Headedness - Every once in a while, I feel like I’m just going to pass out.
  • Easily Drunk - At my weight, as few as 3 drinks is dangerous to my blood alcohol level. I am unable to legally drive after just one drink. This is scary, as I fear I could be taken advantage of or pass out on a night of light celebration. Especially because I live at high elevation and you get SUPER easily drunk here.
  • Lethargy - Understandably.
  • Reproduction - Not to get into too much detail, but when I was working out a lot over the summer, my “friend” said sayonara. Amenorrhea is the main signal above all the others that something is wrong. And while I don’t plan on having kids right now, I’d like to someday.
  • Vitamins - Luckily I haven’t experienced a lot of the problems associated with being underweight that I had in the past, like the hair loss and severe nausea. I just feel brittle. This is actually true, because being underweight can lead to osteoporosis. On that note:
  • Osteoporosis.
  • Mood - I get cranky.
  • Immune System - It is LOW. I can tell because even though I haven’t snagged a cold yet, I get a lot more canker sores.
  • Skin - Along with immune system, acne flares up and skin in general looks sallow and ugh. I can get bruises that last a week.
  • Anemia - The source of the lethargy.
  • Organ Problems - Worst-case scenario.

With MyFitnessPal, I’m excited, because not only do I get to track calories, but it tells me how many I need in conjunction with a healthy exercise regimen (as opposed to an excessive one).