Just don't have energy!
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Telugammayi87
Posts: 170 Member
So I've been doing "low carb" since the beginning of June. I've lost 11 pounds only going to the gym twice, after not being about to lose anything for almost a year , which is AWESOME!! My ketostix have been saying I was in ketosis consistantly.. again great! However, I just am not having ANY energy. None. It's hard for me even to do my job. I have cheating twice. One day having around 150 TOTAL carbs and the other around 220 TOTAL carbs. After refeeding carbs again I have energy and feel good. As soon as I get back into ketosis, my energy is zapped. I am eating enough. You can view my diary. I average 65% fat/30-35% protein/ 5-10%carbs. Am I just not adapting to keto yet? Should I give it more time? Suggestions?? I can handle the cravings, they're not that bad... I just can't handle the total lack of energy.
Thanks in advance! Feel free to add me if you're at least somewhat active on here. Always looking for new friends
Thanks in advance! Feel free to add me if you're at least somewhat active on here. Always looking for new friends
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Replies
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can only relate my experience...
below 20g carbs, day 4 in ketosis and on a high (feeling of wellbeing) from certain chemicals released in the body but still not back to full energy.
Day 10 back to full energy and training session leaves trained muscles burning nice and warm unlike i ve ever felt on carbs.
Day 14 400g carb refeed. 3000 cals
and off we go again.0 -
Have you had any muscle cramps or twitches? You might want to supplement some sodium and/or potassium, if your electrolyte levels are off from dropping the carbs. That can sometimes make your feel lethargic. That's why Dr. Atkins recommended drinking broth.
Dr. Mike Eades does as well: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/tips-tricks-for-starting-or-restarting-low-carb-pt-ii/0 -
Perhaps add a vitamin b complex to your routine. It will help improve your energy, stress, & irritability for that Time of the month too..0
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Thanks for the replies everyone! I do take a Super B complex as well as a multivitamin. Perhaps it is the diuretic effect of the diet. I drink aroudn 1.5 gallons of water per day as well. I believe I'm getting enough sodium because I'm even adding a pinch of himalayan sea salt to my water bottles. But it definitely could be a potassium/magnesium deficiency as my muscles haven't cramped, but are a bit achy and hurt if I use them too much.
I do feel much better today... but i had a lot of carbs yesterday. Oddly, the scale doesn't go up after a "refeed." I find that strange.0 -
I think I will try upping the fat to around 75-80% for a week and see if that helps the adaptation period 0
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I find the days after a cheat are the toughest. You aren't in ketosis so your body is looking for carbs for fuel which you aren't giving it. You SHOULD be tired!
My biggest success involved diet only, no gym. I went from 215 to 165 in about 6 months. I'd recommend skipping the gym for a while. At least until your adding carbs back in, maybe 2 months. Figure out your carb count for losing then watch that number go UP as you add exercise back into your day.0 -
Actually.... I have tons of energy today! It's when I get back into ketosis that my energy is zapped. Yeah.. I've not had the energy to go to the gym at all. I'm going to go today though since I do have the energy. Nothing hardcore, maybe just a long quick walk. I'm on my feet all day at work running around anyways. I walk 15k-20k steps per day before I even hit the gym! I do want to get back to the gym soon though... losing weight, but I don't want my body being.... "saggy"... lol.
Thanks for the reply!0 -
Have you had any muscle cramps or twitches? You might want to supplement some sodium and/or potassium, if your electrolyte levels are off from dropping the carbs. That can sometimes make your feel lethargic. That's why Dr. Atkins recommended drinking broth.
Dr. Mike Eades does as well: http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/saturated-fat/tips-tricks-for-starting-or-restarting-low-carb-pt-ii/
Thanks for this website!!0 -
It sounds to me like you have not stayed in ketosis long enough to become fully keto adapted. Make sure you keep up your sodium intake. And keep your fat macro high. Don't worry about calories for the first couple of weeks but stay in keto.0
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I have been doing low carb for almost a month now. The first week I had little energy and couldn't workout like I had. I started adding Mio Fit to my water for the electrolytes and staying more hydrated (i have a condition that makes me chronically dehydrated so before low carb i drank several liters of water a day). Adding the electrolytes and just more hydration really helped with my energy levels and i'm back to jogging/walking ~2miles 3xs a week. You just need to give your body a chance to adjust and supply it with the tools it needs to work. I honestly have more energy now than I did before starting the diet0
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Actually I am totally with you Telugammayi! I have been doing this 6 weeks, keeping carbs between 20 and 35, generally the former. Still not enough energy to do extra activity. Definitely couldn't exercise! Trying to keep up my water quota and salt but do have quite a few night time leg cramps. Take salt with potassium in it, a magnesium supplement and multiple vitamin. Like you have lost weight without much trouble due to 65%f, 25%p avoiding all wheat and sugar. Maybe we need to look at if some of what we are eating is working against us e.g. Dairy, nuts? Will sent friends request! Maybe more tweaking in order :-).0
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I am 3months in ketoing and feel good now, but I was extremely tired and lethargic for a long time after starting. I even needed to eat a bit more some days. Potassium and magnesium helped but it just took time. Some days even 2 months in I had to have a nap in the afternoons.
But it does get better so keep going, I feel great now. Some people feel great after a week or two in, but for me it was around 9-11 weeks in.0 -
ok I've not had your experience but I approached the whole thing a bit differently. I've been doing it since October of 2011.
You're about 4-5 weeks into it. I measure grams of carbs per day and am now only down to 50 grams per day but for a long time was at 70-100. So you might say I eased into this whole lifestyle a bit. I can't quite translate how many grams per day of carbs you're doing based on the % of your calories so I'm guessing here a bit. but I'd say you brought it down real fast and real hard and got good results but yes, it's taking time for your body to adjust. The initial weight loss is largely water, I experienced the same thing relatively quickly as did my wife. but taking that much water out is inclined to throw off your electrolytes. I do the Himalayan pink salt too but can't say much more about it.
assuming the fatigue is the only thing you're experiencing as a problem, I'd consider measuring your carbs by grams per day and allowing yourself 50 grams or so and see how you feel after a few days. but my guess is that in a few more weeks you'll completely adjust and your energy will come back on its own. I'd not be overly concerned at this point.0 -
Is it possibly that your blood sugar is simply dropping too low? I know several people who have this issue when low carbing. It wouldn't be such a bad thing to test your blood sugar now and then to see if you might have an issue in that area. Or, if you feel THAT much better when eating more carbs, it could just be that a super low carb approach isn't for you, and you would feel better w/ a more moderate amount of carbs (though still below the USDA guidelines). Listen to your own body, and don't assume that what works for someone else is best for you.0
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Hey everyone, thanks for the tips!
I actually stopped low carb for sometime.. a few weeks. BUT the past 3 days I've been back doing it. Finally in ketosis today. It's funny, I knew it before I even peed on the darn stick. I felt exhausted, my body ached, and I was not hungry at all.
This time around, I'm determined, and I bought some no sugar electrolyte powder from whole foods, a magnesium supplement, and I'm taking 5 htp. Also ready with the Chia Seeds and Flax Seeds for additional fiber to keep me ..... moving
No boyfriend around to interfere with my diet.. he's halfway across the country for 3 months.. definitely long enough for me to adapt (I hope) without him saying "c'mon let's go get some ice cream!" :laugh:
Not jumping off the low carb wagon though... the two weeks I WAS eating more carbs, my stomach was a WRECK. Had some sort of stomach bug for a week straight. Ruined our 2nd anniversary :ohwell: When I'm doing low carb, my IBS is totally 100% gone.
thanks again everyone... still would love to have support! (particularly females... sorry dudes!) 3 months until my big vacation let's see what I can do!! :flowerforyou:0 -
Not jumping off the low carb wagon though... the two weeks I WAS eating more carbs, my stomach was a WRECK. Had some sort of stomach bug for a week straight. Ruined our 2nd anniversary :ohwell: When I'm doing low carb, my IBS is totally 100% gone.
Have you paid attention to what carb-y foods may be doing this? I eventually figured out I had a gluten intolerance, after cutting out the carbs (and therefore wheat), then "cheating" and getting horrible bloating, etc back. I have had a lot of othe health issues disappear/reduce as a result.0
