More carbs = less energy???
erika_307
Posts: 82 Member
Have any of you upped your carbs after keto and found that you have less energy? I was doing strict keto for about 6 months or so, then when I reached my goal weight, I added in more calories and carbs. I haven’t gained any weight back or had any real cravings, but I just don’t feel as great. Now I’d say I average around 80 - 90 total carbs per day, but I just don’t have that much energy anymore.
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Have any of you upped your carbs after keto and found that you have less energy? I was doing strict keto for about 6 months or so, then when I reached my goal weight, I added in more calories and carbs. I haven’t gained any weight back or had any real cravings, but I just don’t feel as great. Now I’d say I average around 80 - 90 total carbs per day, but I just don’t have that much energy anymore.
That's exactly what happens to me. As soon as I go up too much in carbs I feel more tired and less motivated. My number seems to be right at around 50 grams max or I get bogged down.1 -
Same. Anything over 50ish and I get tired and lethargic.1
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agreed. More carbs definitely = less energy. Not what we've been told in the past huh?1
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Have any of you upped your carbs after keto and found that you have less energy? I was doing strict keto for about 6 months or so, then when I reached my goal weight, I added in more calories and carbs. I haven’t gained any weight back or had any real cravings, but I just don’t feel as great. Now I’d say I average around 80-90 total carbs per day, but I just don’t have that much energy anymore.
Your post is timely for me and I mentioned something to my husband just this morning as I was dragging around the house. That said, Lethargy could correlate to many things but:
YES. While increased carbs didn't seem to impact me initially, I have absolutely felt more lethargic as the month has progressed.
As a 5 year low carb loser and maintainer...Just this month I decided to up my carbs and track everything daily again. Generally speaking, my last 2 years have been in the 50 total or fewer category of carb eating (with occasional flexing up on special occasion such as a holiday meal). During the month of August I've averaged ~90 total carbs daily. Mostly vegetables, legumes, lentils. The purpose was to see if increased carbs made a difference in hunger/cravings/weight maintenance. No difference.
Back in 2014-15 after weight loss, I had episodes of super carb bingeing (bags of candy, tubs of ice cream, bags of chip type snacks. True binges (versus just over eating) so have always been aware that the super-charged carb and calorie intake brought about lethargy (ETA: for me) but each episode involved extreme carbs/calories versus just "a little".
Lethargy is not something I set out to monitor in August 2018. Silly me. It was just a few days ago I began to feel this lethargy and was pointing my finger at "less sound sleep". Again, silly me. As a side note, I have also engaged in near zero intentional exercise this month. I note that because 1) exercise would likely help remedy the lethargy and 2) maybe I just don't feel like exercising when in "this state"? During weight loss averaging 128 daily total carb grams (and a caloie deficit), I was also exercising daily (plus experiencing the joy and motivation psyche) of seeing the # on the scale drop.
I highly suspect I'll be dropping back carbs in September.3 -
Thanks for all your replies. I’ve been wondering for a while now if my lack of energy could be related to eating more carbs. Sounds like it very well could be! I guess I’m gonna have to try going back to strict keto to see if I feel better. Darn! I was enjoying eating more fruit!0
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I can tell when I have gone over 50ish carbs. Lethargy hits and is hard to shake it off. I no longer track my food, I can just tell when it is too much. Right now, it is a battle daily, we have garden fresh tomatoes and raspberries. Luckily I can freeze raspberries to enjoy during winter, but we don't have enough to process the tomatoes, so just trying to add them to salads and make some fresh salsa to add to meals. Right now I am alternating days between eating those two fruits, I count tomato as a fruit, because of science. I have cut back on cauliflower and broccoli to make room for the in season fruits. I am staying at the top of my comfort range and since this happens only this time of year I am ok with it. I just can't over do either one or it is nap time for me. LOL1
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me too. I feel best between 20 to 50 carbs a day, and I feel more tired/hypoglycemic if the carbs creep up. I guess I am fat adapted! lcfh since 2013.2
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I feel sluggish when I consume too much carb, whether or not I'm coming off keto. It has to do with insulin levels, no? I'm also more likely to get carb cravings.0
