Mental Performance at Work and Weight Loss

whatsallthisthen

I've noticed that anytime I lower intake to even reasonably below my TDEE I have a significant decline in mental functioning.
Processing and I/O seem to be significantly slower, and I'm distracted by a preoccupation with food and minor hunger.

Does anyone here work in a intellectually engaging field(bonus points if it involves math and programming) while losing weight? How do I minimize the impacts of this reduction on my brain functioning? It’s my understanding that the brain takes quite a bit of nutrition to keep going.

I want to do a lower carb diet, and do IF, but I don't see how this will ever work.

Thanks!

kshama2001

I'm in an IT related field.

I reduced carbs and upped protein slightly, increased fiber, have conservative weekly weight loss goals (started with 1 pound per week and am now doing 0.5 pound per week), and am only hungry right before meals.

Getting some cardio at lunch time, usually a walk, has helped my afternoon productivity considerably.

critterbug15

There are a lot of low carb, high functioning brains out there. If you're going low carb after eating a high supply of carbs on a regular basis, it can take your brain some time to adapt to using ketones, but give it a few weeks before you throw in the towel on the lower carbs. It can take a while. Give yourself time to adapt. Or lower carbs slowly.

Coffee? Does that help you personally?

LazSommer

Yes. New project/system implementation where I was basically the only person designing and the main programmer. Was on a large deficit, did fine. Unintentionally did intermittent fasting, it worked out. Water and coffee.

ridge4mfp

I am also in an IT field. I develop software. I have noticed that I am slower than I used to be, but it really began before I started losing weight. I will be 60 this year, and I am just not as quick. For most of the time I have been losing weight, I had a 2 lb per week goal. I was fine on that for months, except if I did not get plenty of sleep. I try my best to get a full 8 hours, and I nap on weekends. When I reached 80 lbs lost, it really got tough. Once I hit 40 lbs to goal, I dropped my goal to 1 lb per week, and things have been considerably easier. But I still need the sleep!

I eat a balanced diet, I have done low-carb before and hated it. I could NOT stay awake.

hhazzouri

Your body needs time to adjust to your new diet, you'll be fine in a couple of weeks. That said i suggest skipping breakfast all together to avoid the early morning insulin spike.