7 Days Left on Low carb and fading fast

snowflake954

maybe, just maybe, you're lacking energy because you're not eating enough carbohydrate

Crazy talk! You mean cutting out your body's number one energy source gives you a lack of energy? No way!:drinker:

Number 2 energy source and then the body can make it itself. Although just to correct you, I don't think the OP has been cutting OUT carbs, she has been eating low carbs.

That said as she is only doing this for 30 days - not sure what benefits she will se in such a short period of time.

"She" is a 36 year old male--according to his profile.

tennisdude2004

maybe, just maybe, you're lacking energy because you're not eating enough carbohydrate

Crazy talk! You mean cutting out your body's number one energy source gives you a lack of energy? No way!:drinker:

Number 2 energy source and then the body can make it itself. Although just to correct you, I don't think the OP has been cutting OUT carbs, she has been eating low carbs.

That said as she is only doing this for 30 days - not sure what benefits she will se in such a short period of time.

"She" is a 36 year old male--according to his profile.

LOL - Sorry OP!!

(thanks for correcting me)

Annie_01

And ignore the naysayers about the low carb diets, because it is a diet and it works.

Watch out when you carb up since it will knock you out of ketosis.

I am not a naysayer about low carbs...I can't eat that way but if you can and feel good...then go for it.

However...

You yourself said that you have days that you feel dizzy...that you have to up your sodium and other things to off set this. You also mentioned exercise...I assume this is because of low energy.

I read Chris Powells book on carb-cycling...tried it for about two weeks...ditched it for something that did not give me brain fog...irritability...low energy...etc...etc.

Here is what I do question about low carb. In Powelt's book he had a statement that went something like this...

"If you are experiencing brain fog...if you are feeling weak...irritable...then it is working."

My question is...why would anyone follow a diet that gives them "brain fog"...not to mention all the rest of that stuff?

I know...I know...give your body time to adjust. My thoughts...the human body can adjust to various situations...some of them not so good for said body...so unless you have a medical reason...why would you adjust to something that has side affects of dizziness?

Again...I am not a naysayer...I am trying to moderate my carbs(yes...I am a carb lover). I am doing this however so that I can increase my protein and fats and still stay in my calorie range.

tennisdude2004

And ignore the naysayers about the low carb diets, because it is a diet and it works.

Watch out when you carb up since it will knock you out of ketosis.

I am not a naysayer about low carbs...I can't eat that way but if you can and feel good...then go for it.

However...

You yourself said that you have days that you feel dizzy...that you have to up your sodium and other things to off set this. You also mentioned exercise...I assume this is because of low energy.

I read Chris Powells book on carb-cycling...tried it for about two weeks...ditched it for something that did not give me brain fog...irritability...low energy...etc...etc.

Here is what I do question about low carb. In Powelt's book he had a statement that went something like this...

"If you are experiencing brain fog...if you are feeling weak...irritable...then it is working."

My question is...why would anyone follow a diet that gives them "brain fog"...not to mention all the rest of that stuff?

I know...I know...give your body time to adjust. My thoughts...the human body can adjust to various situations...some of them not so good for said body...so unless you have a medical reason...why would you adjust to something that has side affects of dizziness?

Again...I am not a naysayer...I am trying to moderate my carbs(yes...I am a carb lover). I am doing this however so that I can increase my protein and fats and still stay in my calorie range.

The reason people get brain fog (for some its a day for others it can be a couple of weeks) is because the diet (med to high carb) in their upbringing (I'm generalising and drawing from personal experience) has made there body reliant on glucose as a primary fuel source.

My own personal view on this (although I am sure it is shared by a majority of other people on LCHF diets) is that glucose whilst a quick burning fuel source is not necessarily the most efficient.

For example your body can only store a limited amount of it at any one time, therefore a constant refuelling process is needed.

Also while it is optimal to consume a limited amount of carbs a day - it is not essential, your body can produce more than enough glycogen to fuel the brain, other organs and cells which require glucose.

And unless you are training each day at + 75% effort, your muscles can quite happily function without vast amounts of glucose.

Once LCHF dieters have adapted there body's (and have moved beyond the fog - my personal experience was 2 days and it wasn't that unpleasant) you do not have to rely on constant re-fuelling, you can eat when your hungry and you have a constant stream of energy (using ketones for fuel).

I can get up on a Sunday morning, have a cup of coffee - do a 9 mile hike with friends and not need to eat until about 1pm, all whilst having no dips or spikes in my energy levels.

I can normally eat about noon on week days and then in the evening (on Mondays and Tuesdays) about 7pm play 2 hours of doubles tennis and not need to eat second meal until 9.30pm, all without energy loss (plus I am finding I can get around the court easier).

In fact the only time I carb up is before my high intensity sprint sessions on a Friday and Ju-Jitsu on a Wednesday.

For me that's how much I need a medium to high carb diet and yes it was worth getting through the fog.

I think not everyone will adapt as well, but for the ones that do I am sure my experience is similar to theirs.

But LCHF is only one way of losing weight. A calorie counting deficit works just as well.

SpencersHeart

I think "yo-yo" is the operative word.

I would suggest before you start anything, educate yourself on which journey you would like to embark on and will follow as a life style.

Before I started my weight loss life style I looked around these forums...read what some of the members were doing, checked some books from the library, and picked the style that best fit my way of wanting to live the rest of my life.

And it never hurts to get a good physical work up and talk with your doctor about appropriate exercise.

Good luck with whatever you choose. :flowerforyou:

Annie_01

Just don't understand people who think doing some magical diet will make them lose weight quickly. Unless of course for medical issues, just eat at a reasonable deficit and exercise, it's really that easy!!

I wouldn't say it's easy. Simple, yes. Easy? Not always.

Simple and Easy are synonyms for each other, meaning practically the same thing.

Not always...

Something can be simple to understand but not easy to execute.

Such as my eating/fitness plan...it is very simple...eat less/healthier and move more with the most beneficial moves. That is fairly simple. It has not always been easy to determine...what foods that I need to accomplish what I want and what moves to do to get to the fitness level that I desire.

Simple plan...not always easy to accomplish.

Plus my mind and my body...well...they will sometimes tell me my simple plan is cr'p!

Annie_01

I dont believe too much in net carbs so if it has carbs I count all the carbs for my day. Im eating a veggie every other day since I dont like too many, but I also was horribly constipated one day so I decided to fit in some veggies. Today Im going to have me a ceasar salad and day after tomorrow going to eat green beans.

Your statement sounds as if you are trying to eat defensively...eating to fix problems that your diet is causing. Why not take a more proactive course...eat to prevent problems.

We all find ourselves having to adjust some things in our diet...I have worked on sodium, potassium, upping our fats or proteins.

Sorry but it sounds a little strange...at least to me...for someone to say...day after tomorrow I am going to have green beans to fix my constipation!

Rhozelyn

Here's my experience of "Low Carb"
6 months on Dukan diet....only about 20g of carbs/day
Lost weight quickly then after 3 months...stagnation...probably ate heaps of protein which still gave me lots of calories.
I adjusted to the dizziness....eventually but it never really went away for good.
After 3 months of stagnation I went back to my "norm" or "super norm"....end result I'm heavier than I have ever been 2 years on.
Was it worth it? Temporarily it was great to look good though I NEVER felt good/energetic so never again
I have borderline kidney problems, kidney stones and gallstones now....so really I would NEVER do a low carb diet again.

tennisdude2004

Here's my experience of "Low Carb"
6 months on Dukan diet....only about 20g of carbs/day
Lost weight quickly then after 3 months...stagnation...probably ate heaps of protein which still gave me lots of calories.
I adjusted to the dizziness....eventually but it never really went away for good.
After 3 months of stagnation I went back to my "norm" or "super norm"....end result I'm heavier than I have ever been 2 years on.
Was it worth it? Temporarily it was great to look good though I NEVER felt good/energetic so never again
I have borderline kidney problems now....so really I would NEVER do a low carb diet again.

Ouch - kidney problems doesn't sound good. 20g carbs is seriously low (IMO), I know some Aitkin Dieters can work well on 20g (but not for me).

Hope your better now though.

rlengland2014

I have been on a low carb diet for about a month. It was initially a challenge because I was carb addicted too, but I stuck it out. I don't really crave carbs any longer, but on my birthday I had a flour less chocolate lava cake. With 10 minutes I felt horrible, with nausea, GI upset and headache. I feel fantastic and better than I felt before. It's the right choice for some people but I think it's a lifestyle change, not a 30 day challenge.

Annie_01

I went to the store and just bought a regular multivitamin and going to try to hit only 30 carbs again today and see what happens.

I think that you need to do some research. Multi-vitamins are not instantaneous. They take a while to build up in your system to make a difference in how you feel. They are a long time aid along with a nutritious diet to better health. Taking one...won't be a quick fix.

mdallas6

There sure are a lot of low carb haters on this low carb question! You don't need sugars and carbs for energy (20-30 is fine). Yes it does work, very well in fact. Don't knock it until you have tried it folks!

mharvey4523

Personally I don't think you should do low carb. I know for some people it's amazing and sustainable, but if you can only seem to do it for 30 days (or however long you've been on it) then to me it seems more of a 'diet' instead of an actual lifestyle. My rule is if I don't think I can sustain it for the rest of my life I don't do it. You need to be realistic and to me, low carb isn't because your bodies first choice for energy is carbohydrates. Carbs aren't inherently bad, people just tend to overeat them, particularly the bad ones like white bread and rice. Just focus on high quality carbs and stick with them in the morning, that way you have time to use them for energy.

Rhozelyn

Here's my experience of "Low Carb"
6 months on Dukan diet....only about 20g of carbs/day
Lost weight quickly then after 3 months...stagnation...probably ate heaps of protein which still gave me lots of calories.
I adjusted to the dizziness....eventually but it never really went away for good.
After 3 months of stagnation I went back to my "norm" or "super norm"....end result I'm heavier than I have ever been 2 years on.
Was it worth it? Temporarily it was great to look good though I NEVER felt good/energetic so never again
I have borderline kidney problems now....so really I would NEVER do a low carb diet again.

Ouch - kidney problems doesn't sound good. 20g carbs is seriously low (IMO), I know some Aitkin Dieters can work well on 20g (but not for me).

Hope your better now though.

Thank you! I need to drink >2L water daily and the doctor is monitoring the function (fingers crossed it doesn't deteriorate).The most frightening thing is to think of having to need dialysis. I am not here to preach but to just share my own experience. I am older and wiser now so I can't do any temporary fixes. Health is so important and I don't take it for granted.

Annie_01

There sure are a lot of low carb haters on this low carb question! You don't need sugars and carbs for energy (20-30 is fine). Yes it does work, very well in fact. Don't knock it until you have tried it folks!

I am not a low carb hater...I did try it and determined it wasn't for me. I knew that I would not be able to stick with it long term.

When I decided that it was time to be healthier I researched different eating plans...low carb, vegan and vegetarian. I tried them all for a period of time. In all three cases...for various reasons...I knew that they were not eating plans that I would adhere to. So I ended up going back to my regular eating plan...worked to make what I ate healthier...took the foods that I enjoyed and learned moderation. I found that making a few switches on some foods gave me what I was looking for...food that I love and still be healthy.

Do I think that low carb is necessary...no...not for me. If it is however for someone else and they have found it to be beneficial for them...I don't hate them because of it. There are always more ways than one to accomplish your goals...you just have to pick the one that will give you the best chances of succeeding.

In the case of the OP however...I think he needs to do some more research and not just pick some random way of eating. IMO...he is setting himself up for failure and if statistic are correct...he will through in the towel and be worse off that when he started.

ALNoog

Here's my experience of "Low Carb"
6 months on Dukan diet....only about 20g of carbs/day
Lost weight quickly then after 3 months...stagnation...probably ate heaps of protein which still gave me lots of calories.
I adjusted to the dizziness....eventually but it never really went away for good.
After 3 months of stagnation I went back to my "norm" or "super norm"....end result I'm heavier than I have ever been 2 years on.
Was it worth it? Temporarily it was great to look good though I NEVER felt good/energetic so never again
I have borderline kidney problems, kidney stones and gallstones now....so really I would NEVER do a low carb diet again.

That's where the problem lies..... People don't truly educate themselves about low carb and think they are following some plan and gorge on protein and then get kidney issues and blame it on the diet....... NO low carb diet says replace your cars with protein it says UP your protein which doesn't mean 5 pounds of meat a day.....

ALNoog

There sure are a lot of low carb haters on this low carb question! You don't need sugars and carbs for energy (20-30 is fine). Yes it does work, very well in fact. Don't knock it until you have tried it folks!

I am doing it and I love it so I am not a hater BUT Your 30 carbs a day should NOT come from soda and sausages..... That is NOT low carb and it's people like that who give low carb a bad name.... Of COURSE he has no energy... He is drinking empty carbs....

ALNoog

I ended up upping my carbs to 50 for the night cus my head felt so weird and I couldnt sleep. Maybe i'll go down to 30 again today. Anyone else think a multivitamin may work?

For you?.. No.... I was talking to her since she seems to be actually following the diet correctly....

lrmall01

That's where the problem lies..... People don't truly educate themselves about low carb and think they are following some plan and gorge on protein and them get kidney issues and blame it on the diet....... NO low carb diet says replace your cars with protein it says UP your protein which doesn't mean 5 pounds of meat a day.....

Actually Dukan is a low carb / low fat / high protein diet - especially in the attack phase which only includes lean protein and some oat bran. Carbs increase as you get closer to goal weight but people will do the attack for extended periods of time if they have large amounts of weight to lose - even though the diet plan says it should be for only 2 - 7 days.

See here for more details if you like: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/populardietplans/a/Dukan-Diet-Review_2.htm

tennisdude2004

Here's my experience of "Low Carb"
6 months on Dukan diet....only about 20g of carbs/day
Lost weight quickly then after 3 months...stagnation...probably ate heaps of protein which still gave me lots of calories.
I adjusted to the dizziness....eventually but it never really went away for good.
After 3 months of stagnation I went back to my "norm" or "super norm"....end result I'm heavier than I have ever been 2 years on.
Was it worth it? Temporarily it was great to look good though I NEVER felt good/energetic so never again
I have borderline kidney problems, kidney stones and gallstones now....so really I would NEVER do a low carb diet again.

That's where the problem lies..... People don't truly educate themselves about low carb and think they are following some plan and gorge on protein and them get kidney issues and blame it on the diet....... NO low carb diet says replace your cars with protein it says UP your protein which doesn't mean 5 pounds of meat a day.....

I would echo that.

There is a lot of misconception that the carbs you cut back on are replaced by protein. When in fact if you are already eating 0.7 - 1g of protein per lb of lean mass (for an active person). You are actually needing to replace the carbs with fat and keep the protein where it is.