What changes have you noticed since Low Carb
soldiergrl_101
Posts: 2,205 Member
Carbs do so much more to the body behind the scenes than I imagined...I used to be a bottomless pit for food. Two weeks into low carb high protein/fat im never hungry, I basically have to force my self to be like hey its lunch I have to put something in my stomach even though I dont want to. Also I noticed that my constant tiredness is gone, and I no longer have this mental fog messing up my concentration.
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No more hot flashes, no more sleep problems, no more heart palpitations, no more heartburn, no more mental fog and exhaustion, no more cravings and hunger, no more hypoglycemic symptoms. Weight is starting to come down, body fat is reducing.0
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Wow it helped for hot flashes as well0
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I still have major hunger and mental fog. LOL But I think that's because I work out a lot. A lot of times too much.
My main benefit is that I no longer have any urges to binge, which is my main reason for sticking to low carb.0 -
Less cravings for treats, more energy, less knee pain, less heart palpitations, improved (but not yet eliminated!) acid reflux.0
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No cravings for candy and my cystic acne completely cleared up!
Also noticing my nails seem stronger.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »No cravings for candy and my cystic acne completely cleared up!
Also noticing my nails seem stronger.
Oh I hope it helps with my acne too
Thats awesome that it helps so many people in different ways. I have been telling everyone about it haha
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »No cravings for candy and my cystic acne completely cleared up!
Also noticing my nails seem stronger.
Oh, yeah, I forgot, my hair seems really different, like it has more volume and is less greasy.0 -
DrawnToScale wrote: »Less cravings for treats, more energy, less knee pain, less heart palpitations, improved (but not yet eliminated!) acid reflux.
My husband has been dealing with reflux for the past 6 to 9 months. We heard about some research indicating that study subjects showed more improvement with acid reflux symptoms when they added acid to their systems before meals, compared to treatment with proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole. I'll see if I can find a link.
Anecdotally, my husband has had a remarkable improvement since he started drinking water with concentrated lemon juice prior to meals.
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soldiergrl_101 wrote: »Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »No cravings for candy and my cystic acne completely cleared up!
Also noticing my nails seem stronger.
Oh I hope it helps with my acne too Thats awesome that it helps so many people in different ways. I have been telling everyone about it haha
I hope it helps yours too! I have even done a 3 month antibiotic to try to get it clear up before and it only slightly improved with that just to come back again just as bad as before the meds a few months later. I suddenly noticed a stubborn area on my cheek had no underlying lump anymore one day. I checked my skin all over and realized that I hadn't been having breakouts and under skin swelling for several days at that point. That was about 3 weeks in! It's been about 7 weeks now and I haven't had any recurrence of the cysts.Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »No cravings for candy and my cystic acne completely cleared up!
Also noticing my nails seem stronger.
Oh, yeah, I forgot, my hair seems really different, like it has more volume and is less greasy.
I feel like my hair is a bit healthier looking too but mostly I think it's growing faster.0 -
Benefits I've noticed:
Never feeling insanely hungry. This gets mentioned by practically everyone following this WOE, but the joy of it really can't be overstated. I never feel like eating is mandatory, and that gives me so much more flexibility. It gives me more patience with my kids. I often prepare their meals before mine, as I've always done, but now I'm not trying to beat my own hunger clock and getting snippy with them because I want to hurry up and eat mine. I feel like I can delay any meal by at least an hour after the first mild hunger pang, if not more. This morning I waited until after my morning workout, a little after 10AM, to eat breakfast. I had only had coffee with HWC when I got up at 7AM, and my body is used to eating right after 7AM. Wasn't a big deal at all, and my workout went great.
A more sculpted looking body. I can't say for sure that I've lost fat, only that I've lost weight. But I'll be damned if I don't look better, more proportionate, more sculpted, more feminine, younger, in clothes that fit when I was this weight previously. So maybe I am losing fat and keeping muscle. Either way, it feels awesome.
Cleaner teeth. At the end of the day, flossing, I always used to notice the icky, goopy yellowish plaque that stuck to the floss. Now it's just bits of meat and vegetable fiber. My teeth don't get that gross, plaquey feeling.
More steady, abundant energy. Post-carb flu, which took me a full month to come out of, I get what people talk about when they say they feel amazing on low-carb diets. (I was a slow learner when it came to electrolyte balance, plus I got sick, hit it too hard with Keto without doing my homework first, travelled...) It's not a euphoria, but it's a kind of steady, strong energy that makes you feel like you could climb a mountain and have a little energy to spare at the top.
More patience. I'm at peace with the way I'm eating and exercising, I don't get hunger crashes, and the upshot is that I can be more patient and connected to my husband and kids, without any extra effort. Who doesn't want that?
Minimal to non-existent seasonal allergies. I live in Austin, sinus infection capital of Texas. My whole family is sniffling and I'm fine. It's usually the other way around.
I haven't noticed the hair and skin improvements yet, but I'm excited about that prospect!0 -
Chronic sinusitis has gone away. Fibromyalgia pain is less intense and less frequent. No food cravings (even with open chips in the house), being able to eat the eggs and sausage and leave the hashbrowns and toast on the plate (to take home for my dog). I've never had that kind of strength before.0
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Rarely feel hungry
Didn't realize how addicted I was/am to carbs
Lots of energy and no fatigue as long as I keep my electrolytes in check
Sleeping way better. Don't wake up 10x a night.
Stable molds
TMI no more constant yeast infections
Reduced PMS symptoms
I could go on and on and on.
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These are amazing benefits!!! What are y'all taking for electrolytes?0
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I am about a week and a half almost 2 weeks and I love that I can go for a while without eating and I am not wanting gnaw my own arm off. I am not having the reactive low blood sugar that I was suffering from all the time every time i had the typical breakfast. I love that the weight seems to be coming off so much easier with this WOE . I love that I am not brain foggy or exhausted all the time. This has been an eye opening experience for me. I am going to try the acid before a meal to see if it helps me because so far I am still having acid reflux..I am hoping it goes away .0
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Here's a link about GERD and underproduction of stomach acid: http://chriskresser.com/what-everybody-ought-to-know-but-doesnt-about-heartburn-gerd/0
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On now for work seem like a month but I am not sure its been a month. I notice less pain in my body when I get out and walk. I no longer feel out done from a work out. I feel great on this low carb diet just have to keep lowering my carbs. What is reminded amount of carbs for a 1200 calorie diet? How can you get the calories and the carbs to balance out, so you do not go over. Normally for breakfast I get in about 300 calories.0
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The ability to wait long periods to eat if there is nothing suitable available.
Clear, acne free skin for the first time since my teens.
Steady consistent weight loss.
Generally avoiding the feeling of gnawing, must have it now hunger.
Ability to say no to the treats and cakes my colleagues bring in.
More energy and better mood on waking.
Freedom from shoulder pain that had been bugging me for a decade.
I should look at this list when I think of ever changing the way I eat!0 -
less likely to eat "bad" food, less stomach upset. No stomach cramps if I do eat something sweet. Ability to say no to sugar or bread when I am out. The ability to eat ONE potato chip if I feel must try it.0
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I don't feel that much different. I know that is boring!
But it is good in its own way. I don't feel like the lower carb lifestyle does anything upsetting to my body or state of normalcy.
I just want to burn off body fat and not feel starved, or jittery from diet pills, or like I'm on some strange eating plan that I can't continue.
This feels like normal life to me.
I can say I had a good workout day and fell into bed like a dropped rock...
Slept soundly.0 -
No more hot flashes, no more sleep problems, no more heart palpitations, no more heartburn, no more mental fog and exhaustion, no more cravings and hunger, no more hypoglycemic symptoms. Weight is starting to come down, body fat is reducing.
I've been tweaking my carbs down and agree that my menopausal sleep is improved, as is my mental fog, and jangly feeling.
No hot flashes
limited night sweats (it is summer after all)
I haven't had ANY heart palpitations lately.
I have my fingers crossed that the 3x a week ocular migraines are truly improved.
I'm waiting a while to see if my menopausal vertigo improves. It *seems* better, but I'm being cautious there.
No weight loss, but I'm 5'6" and 135 (a healthy weight) and mid menopausal, so I'll take no weight GAIN.
I'm assuming the combination of tweaking my carbs down (they were always somewhat low since I never ate much grains and almost no added sugar) and my somewhat recently added menopause supplements (dong quai and black cohosh).0 -
[Everyone has had such great successes from this its very motivating 0
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I notice less night sweats but I am also taking St. John Wort to stabilize my mood.0
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mlinton_mesapark wrote: »Here's a link about GERD and underproduction of stomach acid: http://chriskresser.com/what-everybody-ought-to-know-but-doesnt-about-heartburn-gerd/
Thank you very much for this link!
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SkinnyKerinny wrote: »These are amazing benefits!!! What are y'all taking for electrolytes?
@SkinnyKerinny : I have a BCAA powder I take pre (and during) workout that has some electrolytes. I use Gaspari Nutrition Aminolast. I also take Natural Calm brand magnesium powder at night.
If I find I need extra electrolytes, I have one of the following:
Oxylent electrolyte packets (like Emergen-C but without carbs)
A mug of chicken broth warmed up.
Main differences I've noticed since going on the keto diet:
1) Eating out's surprisingly a lot easier. Fiance is a carnivore and I was a super strict lactose intolerant seafood vegetarian for a very long time. Now we can go to a steakhouse or BBQ place and eat together.
2) I don't get as many "low blood sugar" headaches and shaky feelings.
3) My wardrobe is severely deficient. I need more flattering skinny clothes now.
-T.
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SkinnyKerinny wrote: »These are amazing benefits!!! What are y'all taking for electrolytes?
Electrolytes:
Sodium My new favorite sodium beverage is a bottle of Topo Chico with added salt and lemon juice. You have to add the salt very gradually, or else it will fizz over.
Otherwise, chicken or beef broth with about 1/2 tsp salt added.
Magnesium Natural Calm (Magnesium Citrate) drink, orange flavor, I'm up to 1 tsp per day and will try 1-1/2 tsp today. I have tried it in the past and had loose bowels from 1/2 tsp, but on LCHF I haven't had that problem. I also take a prenatal vitamin that has some magnesium oxide in it, but I understand that kind is hard for the body to absorb.
Potassium Nature's Bounty Potassium Gluconate, 595mg, 99mg as potassium. I'm going to try doubling this dose, as I got mild foot cramps last night.0 -
I've just been eating pickles and using no sugar sports drinks. I do take 400mg of Magnesium and 99mg of pottassium before bed at night.0
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mlinton_mesapark wrote: »SkinnyKerinny wrote: »These are amazing benefits!!! What are y'all taking for electrolytes?
Electrolytes:
Sodium My new favorite sodium beverage is a bottle of Topo Chico with added salt and lemon juice. You have to add the salt very gradually, or else it will fizz over.
Otherwise, chicken or beef broth with about 1/2 tsp salt added.
Magnesium Natural Calm (Magnesium Citrate) drink, orange flavor, I'm up to 1 tsp per day and will try 1-1/2 tsp today. I have tried it in the past and had loose bowels from 1/2 tsp, but on LCHF I haven't had that problem. I also take a prenatal vitamin that has some magnesium oxide in it, but I understand that kind is hard for the body to absorb.
Potassium Nature's Bounty Potassium Gluconate, 595mg, 99mg as potassium. I'm going to try doubling this dose, as I got mild foot cramps last night.
I get the foot/other cramps from the magnesium deficiency, not potassium. And adding in potassium makes my body dump the magnesium instead of absorbing it, so just FYI in case you encounter weirdness like me.0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »mlinton_mesapark wrote: »SkinnyKerinny wrote: »These are amazing benefits!!! What are y'all taking for electrolytes?
Electrolytes:
Sodium My new favorite sodium beverage is a bottle of Topo Chico with added salt and lemon juice. You have to add the salt very gradually, or else it will fizz over.
Otherwise, chicken or beef broth with about 1/2 tsp salt added.
Magnesium Natural Calm (Magnesium Citrate) drink, orange flavor, I'm up to 1 tsp per day and will try 1-1/2 tsp today. I have tried it in the past and had loose bowels from 1/2 tsp, but on LCHF I haven't had that problem. I also take a prenatal vitamin that has some magnesium oxide in it, but I understand that kind is hard for the body to absorb.
Potassium Nature's Bounty Potassium Gluconate, 595mg, 99mg as potassium. I'm going to try doubling this dose, as I got mild foot cramps last night.
I get the foot/other cramps from the magnesium deficiency, not potassium. And adding in potassium makes my body dump the magnesium instead of absorbing it, so just FYI in case you encounter weirdness like me.
Thanks for the tip, KnitOrMiss! I'm starting to loathe the taste of Natural Calm, as I've been increasing my dose up to the full 2 tsp, so I'll be shopping for a different form of Mg soon.
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I started back up taking my Inositol (B8) at night, and it seems to help the magnesium absorb better for my wacky chemistry...0
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