Not enough carbs?
bikermike5094
Posts: 1,752 Member
all week I've been focusing on protien and trying to limit carbs but yesterday after my egg and cheese breakfast i felt like crap all day. achy, tired etc. So today i had half a glass of chocolate milk with my eggs and cheese and feel tons better, even on 4.5 hrs sleep thanks to a sick coughing wife. Could my lethergy yesterday have come from a lack of carbs in the am???
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Replies
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I don't know how low you were but I think it's possible. I know someone will chime in and say carbs have nothing to do with it, etc, but I personally have to keep my carbs over 100 or I feel like crud.0
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makes me kind of worried that i might be pre-diabetic...0
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If you think that you might be pre Diabetic, I would go to the Dr.
However If you limit your carbs it is common to go through a period where you feel a bit flu-ey. But thats just your body getting used to not being feed loads of carbs so its like carb withdrawel. It could be caffine withdrawel if you gave up caffine? Was you drinking enough water?0 -
drink tons of water and drink my daily three diet cokes religeously....0
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Not to get too preachy because I recognize the benefits of high-protein diets but the body needs _some_carbohydrates to function, just like the other macronutrients. Since I started having at least one (sometimes 2-3) pieces of fresh or dried fruit a day I feel so much better. Could be the carbs, could be the vitamins, don't really care as long as I feel good. YMMV.0
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People react to low carb diets differently. One of the responses is lethargy, particularly if your body is used to getting a certain amount daily or at a specific time. Some people don't really feel any different, and others actually feel more energized. It's very specific to the individual.0
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makes me kind of worried that i might be pre-diabetic...
Get checked out to be on the safe side,!!!0 -
Thanks.. I'm going to stick to high protien meals but maybe just a 1/2 glass of chocolate milk to get some sugar. Sorry, i hate fruits so thats not an option.0
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If this is your first week cutting down on carbs, it is very common to go through the carb-flu and feel sick. I've been eating low carb for about 10 weeks, and the first week felt like a chronic hangover. After that I felt like a million bucks ever since. So I wouldn't be discouraged so quickly, but if it doesn't go away in a week or two, then you might want to re-assess.0
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Agreed, this is commonly known at the low-carb (or Atkins) flu. It really is a detox of your system flushing out the sugar. A lot of people never push past this stage and feel that the low carb diet/lifestyle won't work for them, but hang in there and it does get better.
I ate low carb for several years from about 2003-2006/07 and then fell off the wagon and gained a weight back from eating junk (horrible stressful job situation and mild depression can be a real *****). When I started the first time I had the worst headaches of my life (I NEVER get headaches normally) for about 4 days, after that I felt amazing. Same thing happened when I went back to low carb again this time for about 2 days. Just push past it and it'll go away, just make sure you are eating plenty of vegtables and fats. All of your carbs should be coming from sources like vegtables and some fruits (berries are typically lowest in carbs) and the rest of your diet should consist of moderate protein and high fat.
Another pro-tip is when you are feeling achey make a cup of beef broth or bullion and drink that, fixes me up right away, and works as well for sore muscles after working out.0 -
Hell yes, low carbs means that you don't have the fuel that give your body energy.....don't do that, eat a balanced diet, something that you can do forever......0
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yeah, got to find that balance and what works best for my body.. not too brigh on nutrition so its a learning experience.0
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I'm on a low carb high proftein program. Doctor and nutritionist recommended and supervised and I was warned that the first 3-5 days I would feel lethargic, which I did and now a week later I have tons of energy and feel good. Like someone else said, it's a withdrawl process your body is going through. If you can stick with it and give it a few days see how you feel.0
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yeah, got to find that balance and what works best for my body.. not too brigh on nutrition so its a learning experience.
not sure how you prepare your eggs, but try to mix some oatmeal into your eggs when you're cooking them. it will give you a jolt of carbs to start the day.0 -
Hey There Biker Mike,
I had the same problem, Until I read an amazing book about clean eating. A light bulb turned on in my head. It takes a bit of getting used to cause i am a total sugar a holic but I feel so much better and the weight is slowly coming off. I stared a blog as a kind of therapy and to keep me accountable, my equivalent of diet coach. I have posted my meal plans, some tips i've tried and loved, also some links to products and foods I had a hard time finding in a regular store. Check it out it may help.
http://mission-size6.blogspot.com/0 -
The people who are stating that you absolutely need lots of carbs for energy are, frankly, incorrect. Carbs can be your primary source of energy, and that is the common diet that is taught in American education. It is not, however, the only option.
Once you get over the initial "carb flu" which several people have mentioned, your body can adjust to burning proteins and fats as your primary energy source. Many people find that a low carb lifestyle is easier to maintain in the long term, since it can do a better job of keeping your hunger in check and provide a feeling of a more steady stream of energy. People for whom carbs can be a trigger for overeating can be great candidates for a low carb lifestyle.
"Low carb" does not have a universally agreed upon definition, however. I try to eat roughly 60-100g net carbs per day, with as few sugars and as much fiber as possible. Some using a traditional eating strategy would call this low carb, but others within the low carb community view this as a higher carb diet. People are frequently comparing apples and orangutans.
When trying to dissect advice from this forum, it can help to remember that few people agree upon the definition of low carb, fewer still understand that is not an inherently unhealthy eating strategy, and only a handful of commenters have enough of a science background to really understand what is being discussed. At some point in our schooling, we have all received basic instruction on proper nutrition, but this does not give everyone an equal understanding.
If you struggle with "traditional" healthy eating as a lifestyle choice, then you may want to become educated about a lower carb lifestyle. It is not a good fit for everyone, but many people do benefit from it. Regardless, become educated before you dive in.0 -
I personally do much better with more carbs and less protein.
If I have a high protein meal without enough carbs to balance things out, I get a headache, I feel really grouchy and my stomach hurts and feels like it's full of stones.
I stick to 55% carbs, 15% protein and 30% fat. I feel really good at that ratio. I'm energetic, able maintain my weight loss, feel happy and don't have any problem staying lean/recovering from tough workouts.
Every body is different in what it takes to function optimally. :-)0 -
Wander over to the link below and start reading some success stories of a different kind.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/category/success-story-summaries/#axzz1m0CYz5op0 -
The people who are stating that you absolutely need lots of carbs for energy are, frankly, incorrect. Carbs can be your primary source of energy, and that is the common diet that is taught in American education. It is not, however, the only option.
I suppose that depends on context, are they absolutely needed, no, but for high level athletic performance, sports like running, cycling, boxing, MMA, high volume resistance training, CHO is likely to lead to better performance and improvements in said areas.0 -
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I suppose that depends on context, are they absolutely needed, no, but for high level athletic performance, sports like running, cycling, boxing, MMA, high volume resistance training, CHO is likely to lead to better performance and improvements in said areas.
Generally, I assume that people looking to lose weight and asking for diet advice are not yet in a place where they need a specialized diet to meet high-performance athletic goals, but it is a fair point that a high carb load is important for specific activities.0 -
If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.0 -
If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.
I assume you mean the fat adaptation theory, which is as much a fairy tale as the supposed metabolic advantage to low carb diets0 -
If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.
I assume you mean the fat adaptation theory, which is as much a fairy tale as the supposed metabolic advantage to low carb diets
The idea that an endurance athlete can go from being dependent on primarily glucose, to burning mostly fat at similar intensities isn't a fairy tale. Otherwise there wouldn't be low-carbing marathoners out there like myself.0 -
Nothing like some solid anecdotal evidence. :drinker:If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.
I assume you mean the fat adaptation theory, which is as much a fairy tale as the supposed metabolic advantage to low carb diets
The idea that an endurance athlete can go from being dependent on primarily glucose, to burning mostly fat at similar intensities isn't a fairy tale. Otherwise there wouldn't be low-carbing marathoners out there like myself.0 -
Nothing like some solid anecdotal evidence. :drinker:If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.
I assume you mean the fat adaptation theory, which is as much a fairy tale as the supposed metabolic advantage to low carb diets
The idea that an endurance athlete can go from being dependent on primarily glucose, to burning mostly fat at similar intensities isn't a fairy tale. Otherwise there wouldn't be low-carbing marathoners out there like myself.
Look up Stephen Phinney. Your snide remarks are getting old.0 -
It's ok, the feeling is mutual, might I point out the ignore option to your left.
Nothing like some solid anecdotal evidence. :drinker:If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.
I assume you mean the fat adaptation theory, which is as much a fairy tale as the supposed metabolic advantage to low carb diets
The idea that an endurance athlete can go from being dependent on primarily glucose, to burning mostly fat at similar intensities isn't a fairy tale. Otherwise there wouldn't be low-carbing marathoners out there like myself.
Look up Stephen Phinney. Your snide remarks are getting old.0 -
The point is, it's a lifestyle choice based on the individuals adaptability and capability of long term success, not that there is an advantage, one way or the other.If you just switched to low carb, you will have reduced energy levels for a while.
And you must also eat more fat as that is now your fuel source.
As for people that say you cannot do hard workouts low carb, they are wrong. Keto-adaption, when you finally hit it, gives you more energy then you ever had in your entire life. It is not always an easy journey to get there. I just recently started testing negative for ketones, despite being ZERO carb. I have more energy and feel wonderful all day long. I cannot describe it at all. It is truly amazing. I am getting most of my calories from fat and eating lots of nice meaty protein. I am definately a born carnivore
Eating low carb, high protein, low fat is a death sentence. All ancestral people who had a natural, low carb diet ate most of their calories from fat. Eating low carb requires you not get more than 35% of your calories from protein and the rest should come from fat.
As your kidneys become increasingly more efficient, you will also need to be sure you get a little extra salt. If you run out of energy while low carb, high fat, its salt you lack.
Dr. Stephen Phinney just came out with an excellent book about doing low carb correctly. He has spent 30 year studying low carb athletes and provides amazing insights based on real science instead of bro science.
There is no such thing as an essential carb, but you do require time to adapt as we have spent our entire lives, since birth, being fed sugars in various forms.
I assume you mean the fat adaptation theory, which is as much a fairy tale as the supposed metabolic advantage to low carb diets
The idea that an endurance athlete can go from being dependent on primarily glucose, to burning mostly fat at similar intensities isn't a fairy tale. Otherwise there wouldn't be low-carbing marathoners out there like myself.0 -
If you're feeling crappy, have a little piece of fruit. Somedays you may need it, some days you may not. Have a lack of energy, eat some energy!0
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I have been reducing my carbs by about half each week for about 3 weeks.
Week 1 : Around 200 +
Week 2: Around 100
Week 3: Around 50
Week 4: Around 20-30
I found that I didn't go through the horrible mood swings, lethargic feeling aka "carb flu" as someone above called it. When I stopped eating as many carbs I increased my fat consumption and protein (I was not getting enough even if I was following a normal diet) to give my body fuel and to feel full longer. I find I actually have more energy now then ever before, sleep better, feel well rested after less sleep, have better concentration....honestly it's just made me a better person.
I should also say I have PCOS/IR so a metabolic disorder of sorts so this is the only way I know to lose weight. Calories in/out just does jack **** for me...don't be a hater please
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