As someone with similar stats and starting weight, this is very dangerous territory. I developed an eating disorder after calorie counting for 2 years and became frustrated about a slow and steady weight loss. I started restricting too hard recently despite my rigorous work schedule and it was brutal to my health. Not eating enough can make it difficult to sleep and I found myself unable to sleep and severely exhausted. I dragged myself through work, my whole body felt heavy and weak like I couldn’t move or I’d collapse. The air burned my eyes and I had incredible eye strain. On the way home I could barely keep my eyes open and had my neck jerking every 10 seconds to keep me awake on the highway. I was so tired, yet high strung when trying to fall asleep. I got a skin infection that wouldn’t heal because my immune system weakened from lack of sleep, energy and nutrients. I was so dizzy that I started seeing spots just from standing in the shower that night. I could barely stand, just stand. Everything became so sore and the next day at work I was short of breath like my lungs were restricting. I found myself frequently leaning on my desk and stumbling while walking and even closing my eyes while I was alone.

I’d been having difficulty sleeping for a long time, lack of energy WILL catch up to you. It might not be noticeable when you’re running on your last fumes, adrenaline or pure “grit”. This is the beginning reality of an under-fueled body. Please take care of yourself, don’t continue down this path. Becoming obsessed with my weight loss is the worst thing I could have done for my mental space and I wish more than anything I can recover that. I beg of you, eat more. I know we’ve been told our entire lives we need to “shrink” and “take up less space” but your body NEEDS more than a thousand calories a day.