Low Carb Eating

nnapieralski

I'm almost through my first week of eating low carb. It's been relatively easy but it does take a lot of self control and fair amount to planning. I'm going through the carb "withdrawal": grumpiness, fatigue, lack of concentration, etc. It hasn't been too bad, but I have noticed a difference. The biggest difference I've noticed is that the length of my cardio workouts have decreased. I was doing 30 to 35 min on the elliptical at 5.5mph, but now I'm down to 20 min at 5.0 mph and I'm DEAD! My boyfriend (a runner) said it's because my body is adjusting to not having carbs to use for energy. I haven't built up the enzymes that burn fat yet, and until I do....my cardio will continue to be slow and harder than usual.

Have any other low carb eaters experienced this?

bethanylaugh

Definitely! you'll get over it and you'll start feeling great, and then eventually you can work back to 20-30% carbs with the same fat burning efficiency. Be aware that you might experience some changes in your intestines & bowels for a week or 2 also!!

alishuman

Yes. And I don't like it, lol. I feel pretty much exhausted at the moment, and my workout was less than stellar.

Also, the other night we decided to get a pizza, and I did have a slice, tracked it, adn supplemented with fresh veggies... But the next day after eating it, I was sooooo cranky and irritable. Now that I'm back on track, I feel cheerful again. So, I think little splurges like that, even when they fall within my calorie goals, are going to be a "no" for me for a while.

durhamity

I eat carbs in the morning and decrease the amount per each meal so I plan my workouts in the morning and do really good with them, but by about 3:00 I am dragging!

neanderthin

Yes there is an adaptive phase, but it's not going to make any difference for fat loss.....it's still cals in vs out.

MaggieMay131

I am relatively low carb and yes, it's really tough at first. Consider upping your (healthy) fat intake for the added energy. (fat does not make you fat, I promise!) I have been eating fairly high amounts of protein + fat and haven't noticed any lack in energy or stamina. Good luck!

jessicajoy87

I'm on my second week. I only had withdrawls the first few days. I have done low carb before but I have been a little stricter this time because I am only staying on it for 6 weeks. I noticed I have a lot more energy if i make sure I get veggies in every meal!. I make omletes for breakfast and load it with onion, green peppers, and mushrooms! I usually have a large salad with my lunch and either annother salad for dinner or a steamed veggie- like broccoli. Good luck! You can do it!

EQHanks

How many g do you consider to be low carb?

And yes, I have experienced this in the past moody etc. It will pass soon!

cgavin77

How low are your carbs?
I just lowered mine (NOT Atkins low by ANY means, but much lower for me) last Sat and have noticed the EXACT same thing while working out. Normally I am running anywhere from 30-45 mins, yesterday I thought I was going to drop DEAD at the 15 min mark. Also almost didnt make it through my strengh training.
Glad to hear this is a little normal and will adjust itself. About how long does it take to get back to normal energy levels?

MaximalLife

I'm almost through my first week of eating low carb. It's been relatively easy but it does take a lot of self control and fair amount to planning. I'm going through the carb "withdrawal": grumpiness, fatigue, lack of concentration, etc. It hasn't been too bad, but I have noticed a difference. The biggest difference I've noticed is that the length of my cardio workouts have decreased. I was doing 30 to 35 min on the elliptical at 5.5mph, but now I'm down to 20 min at 5.0 mph and I'm DEAD! My boyfriend (a runner) said it's because my body is adjusting to not having carbs to use for energy. I haven't built up the enzymes that burn fat yet, and until I do....my cardio will continue to be slow and harder than usual.

Have any other low carb eaters experienced this?

I am in week 7, and it's hard on the energy, and mine is not a strict carb diet, so I can only imagine how you're feeling.
One more week, then I am easing back into normal eating.

But the results have been steady.
I am ALMOST in 34 pants - not quite, and after a month of maintenance, I will hit it hard again.

Just keep thinking of your goals, and push through.

All Is Possible.

hipsgalore

bumping-- getting ready to start this style of eating next week

jessicajoy87

About working out. Its really hard to have a long steady workout while low carb dieting. Your energy stores are used up very quickly. Thats why low carb is typically ideal for strength trainers and and for short high impact exercise. But if you keep at it I noticed that your body will adjust to the exercising and it gets better.

NYCDutchess

I eat a cup of oatmeal about a half hour before working out. It really helps.

I do low carbs, but I do eat some. Always whole grain though. And small portions.

jamja72

Low carb eater for more than 3 years with lot's of energy!!


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TK421NotAtPost

It'll take about a week for your body to adjust.

cgavin77

It'll take about a week for your body to adjust.

Thanks! I will be looking forward to that.
HOPING to see some changes in my body from lowering the carbs and upping some GOOD fats. I hate to think Im giving up my Friday pizza all for nothing! hahhaah

nnapieralski

I haven't cut carbs out totally. I make a yogurt and berry smoothie every AM for breakfast. I eat vegetables at lunch, dinner, and snack time. I eat some brown rice as part of one meal as well.

I am staying away from white breads, pasta, cookies, chips, white rice, potatoes, etc. Basically anything white and starchy. I've never been a pop drinker, so I don't have to worry about that.

I know that I need to eat more healthy fat, but it's hard after 30 years of hearing "fat is bad for you"!!

While I adjust to burning fat instead of carbs I'm concentrating on my strength training instead of my cardio.

chefkev

I am several months in. It's just the way I eat now. No big deal.

There is truth in calories in and calories out, but most people do not take into account the inefficency of burning ketones vs glucose. Ketobodies have fewer available calories by weight than fat, so it takes more to yield the same number of burnable calories. That is why low carb dieting is so fast. Often faster than fasting, which your body will go after muscle tissue first.

I feel great, training for my first triathlon. I have more energy than I know what to do with. My workouts are incredible. I am gaining muscle and strength way faster than I thought possible at 41.

Stick with it. Don't worry, you will get blasted here in the forums for following a different "religion" than other dieters. They will all tell you that it is dangerous. They should talk to my Dr who I see monthly for blood work. I am no longer diabetic, my cholesterol is 155, BP at the dr was 120/68 this week. Not bad after driving there in traffic for 45 mins (i am not patient). My macros are set at 60%fat, 30% protein, 10% carb. Yeah, very low carb. Plenty of veggies in there too.

So, if it works for you, stick with it.

chefkev

Low carb eater for more than 3 years with lot's of energy!!


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and you aren't dead from 7 heart attacks? All you can eat is bacon wrapped butter sticks!!! LOL!!!!!
Way to go!!!! :bigsmile:

cgavin77

I am several months in. It's just the way I eat now. No big deal.

this is my goal!
Looking to be "full" from good fats and proteins. Im not cutting out carbs 100% but I have certainly lowered my intake! Other then the less energy in the workouts I feel GREAT> MUCH less bloated and sluggish after eating. And Im full for much longer streches.

tvbibber

I've been low-carbing for about a month. Here's my plan:

1. 125 grams fat per day
2. 110 grams protein per day
3. 50 grams carbs per day (no more than 12 per meal)

I eat five small meals, but have a big breakfast before my workout.

At first I had no energy to just do normal things, let alone workout, but my energy level is picking up now and I have found that if I do a 30-minute interval cardio by simply increasing intensity as opposed to speed, I burn the same calories as if I did a full hour! That way, I don't run out of stamina and am able to finish the workout. Also, be sure to drink LOTS of water. Low carb diets usually increase your sodium intake, and you need that water to keep you hydrated.

If you just cannot get your energy level up, read up on "carb up" weekends. This is when you refill your glycerone levels in your body by eating carbs over the weekend (healthy carbs) and then lower the limit Monday - Friday. There are lots of good articles on the Internet about it.

But truly, hang in there! You're going to do fine! )

Acg67

There is truth in calories in and calories out, but most people do not take into account the inefficency of burning ketones vs glucose. Ketobodies have fewer available calories by weight than fat, so it takes more to yield the same number of burnable calories. That is why low carb dieting is so fast. Often faster than fasting, which your body will go after muscle tissue first.

Too bad low carb/keto diets have no metabolic advantage. Any initial faster weight loss vs a mixed diet is water weight, and studies have shown greater fat loss on a mixed diet vs low carb diet holding calories constant

chefkev

There is truth in calories in and calories out, but most people do not take into account the inefficency of burning ketones vs glucose. Ketobodies have fewer available calories by weight than fat, so it takes more to yield the same number of burnable calories. That is why low carb dieting is so fast. Often faster than fasting, which your body will go after muscle tissue first.

Too bad low carb/keto diets have no metabolic advantage. Any initial faster weight loss vs a mixed diet is water weight, and studies have shown greater fat loss on a mixed diet vs low carb diet holding calories constant

Depends on the study and the actual amount of carbs. Many of the studies never lowered the carbs to the level to induce dietary ketosis. There are many studies that show the opposite. Like I said, pick a "religion".

The "advantage" is fact that a ketone body is an inefficient fuel source. When a gram fatty acid is converted to a KB it contains 7 calories. A gram of fat has 9. This means that the normal pound of fat has less than 3500 calories once converted.

MissKim

I am on my 2nd week of low carb/paleo/primal, my own version of everything Your body will adjust and you will feel better, promise! I've done this lifestyle several times so I adjusted back pretty quickly, but the detox sluggish time is hard, you just have to fight through it. 5 hr energy and black coffee are your friends Good Luck!

don't stress about all the people that will condemn low carbing with "facts' and "opinions", all that matters if your choice and what works for you! Everyone's body is different and requires different ways of eating. Me personally, I am insulin resistant and will be diabetic soon if i don't make the changes. so my body works really well with a lower carb diet.

Acg67

There is truth in calories in and calories out, but most people do not take into account the inefficency of burning ketones vs glucose. Ketobodies have fewer available calories by weight than fat, so it takes more to yield the same number of burnable calories. That is why low carb dieting is so fast. Often faster than fasting, which your body will go after muscle tissue first.

Too bad low carb/keto diets have no metabolic advantage. Any initial faster weight loss vs a mixed diet is water weight, and studies have shown greater fat loss on a mixed diet vs low carb diet holding calories constant

Depends on the study and the actual amount of carbs. Many of the studies never lowered the carbs to the level to induce dietary ketosis. There are many studies that show the opposite. Like I said, pick a "religion".

The "advantage" is fact that a ketone body is an inefficient fuel source. When a gram fatty acid is converted to a KB it contains 7 calories. A gram of fat has 9. This means that the normal pound of fat has less than 3500 calories once converted.

Controlled metabolic ward studies showing no advantage,

http://www.ajcn.org/content/20/10/1104.full.pdf

http://www.ajcn.org/content/21/11/1291.full.pdf

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/92/11/4480.full

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8968851

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8561057

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2319073

I beleive there is only one metabolic ward study showing a metabolic advantage to keto diets and that has never been able to be recreated

amh1974

I can't and will not do low/no carb. Besides the fact that I LOVE my carbs my mood was awful, I felt awful all day and this was still after a week. At the time that I tried it I didn't know that I could have withdrawal. I did a little research and found out that I'm just one of those people who can't do it. My carbs always come from whole grains. I do low carb for dinner instead. NEVER AGAIN!!!

tecallahan

I'm not buying the bad press on Low Carb -- read "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Traube. It is not a diet book - it's a scientific study that discusses what happens when we eat different ratios of food.

There may be some who can eat carbs and still lose weight -- but 45-50% of overweight people have an inability to correctly process and use the carbs as fuel. So, they pile on belly fat despite low calorie and exercise. I am one of these people - ride a bike, walk, run, strength training, etc. and I will not lose weight on so-called "good" carbs like fruit and whole grains.

nnapieralski

Hahaha! Thanks. I did a lot of research before I started changing the way I eat, so it's not as if I'm just jumping in on the latest "diet" fad. I got back in to working out in September and I've been counting calories for over a month now simply as a way to get a good idea of what I take in. I had already cut out junk food, so reducing carbs was the next logical step (at least to me after all my readings).

I've lost a lot of inches, but only 5 lbs because I've built up some solid muscle in my arms and back. I'm hoping that tweaking my diet will help me get to a healthier weight.

Acg67

I'm not buying the bad press on Low Carb -- read "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Traube. It is not a diet book - it's a scientific study that discusses what happens when we eat different ratios of food.

Only read that book if you want your head filled with nonsense, with the exception of the section on the lipid hypothesis.

dls06

There is truth in calories in and calories out, but most people do not take into account the inefficency of burning ketones vs glucose. Ketobodies have fewer available calories by weight than fat, so it takes more to yield the same number of burnable calories. That is why low carb dieting is so fast. Often faster than fasting, which your body will go after muscle tissue first.

Too bad low carb/keto diets have no metabolic advantage. Any initial faster weight loss vs a mixed diet is water weight, and studies have shown greater fat loss on a mixed diet vs low carb diet holding calories constant

Depends on the study and the actual amount of carbs. Many of the studies never lowered the carbs to the level to induce dietary ketosis. There are many studies that show the opposite. Like I said, pick a "religion".

The "advantage" is fact that a ketone body is an inefficient fuel source. When a gram fatty acid is converted to a KB it contains 7 calories. A gram of fat has 9. This means that the normal pound of fat has less than 3500 calories once converted.

Controlled metabolic ward studies showing no advantage,

http://www.ajcn.org/content/20/10/1104.full.pdf

http://www.ajcn.org/content/21/11/1291.full.pdf

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/92/11/4480.full

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8968851

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8561057

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2319073

I beleive there is only one metabolic ward study showing a metabolic advantage to keto diets and that has never been able to be recreated

I read one of the publications you posted and found it to be very interesting. I will continue to read the rest. Thanks for posting:
One of the parts I found interesting was this.
Unfortunately, many diets proposed to
the public lay claim to the scientific validity
lent them by studies such as those cited
above. The present work confirms earlier
reports, however, that the only metabolic
advantage offered by a low-carbohydrate
diet is its dehydrating potential. Upon representation
of carbohydrate in the presence
of sodium, this water debt must be
repaid. On the basis of this work it is felt
by the authors that a mixed diet is one in
which fluid shifts and their consequent
periods of confusion and alternating delight
and despair are offset, and is therefore
one likely to be of most sustained
benefit to the obese individual.
REFERENCES
1. LyoN, D. M., AND D. IıI. DUNLOP. The treatment
of obesity. A comssparison of the effects
of diet and of thyroid extract. Quart. J. illed.
1: 33, 1932.
2. ANDERSON, A. B. Loss of weight ims obese patients
on submaintenance diets and the effect
of variation in the ratio of carbohydrate to
fat in the diet. Quart. J. Med. 13: 27, 1944.
3. PENNINGTON, A. %V. A reorientation on obesity.
New Ermgl. 1. Med. 248: 959, 1953.
4. WERNER, S. C. Consparison between weight
reduction on a high calorie, high fat diet and
on an isocaloric regimen high in carbohydrate.
New Engi. J. Med. 252: 661, 1955.
Downloaded from www.ajcn.org by guest on January 13, 2012
Interesting-

chefkev

People like AGC67 are why I very rarely post or ask questions in the forums. I have learned better than to answer questions here. Not sure why I did.

Bye all!