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    • Post low-carb diet trauma

    Posts: 52 Member
    edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
    I decreased my daily calorie total to 1300 and carb percentage to %30 and lost 10 lbs but felt very weak at the end of 2 weeks. I increased them again for the following 2 weeks and I'm still feeling very weak. My TDEE is 2200 and I've been between 1500-1700 calories/day. I'm 5' 7" and 161 lbs, looking to lose another 10 lbs.

    Has anyone else felt very weak after a low-carb diet and how long did it last? Is it normal to still feel very weak after starting to eat carbs?

    I have no rush to lose weight, I just want to feel normal again. My muscles just refuse to move. There are no other factors causing this weakness that I know of. This low-carb diet killed me :(

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    • Posts: 5,446 Member
      I'm also 5'7. I doubt it's the low carb (30% isn't that low!) - I'd feel like a bag of hurt on 1300 no matter what I ate. Eat more. Of whatever.
    • Posts: 3,358 Member
      edited June 2015
      Are you low carbing for a medical reason?

      If not, ask yourself this question; "What's the point of continuing a diet in which I will feel like crap?"
    • Posts: 3,586 Member
      It doesn't sound like it's the low carb, like the previous poster mentioned 30% isn't that low. I eat around 10% and have plenty of energy. If you are now eating more carbs and still don't feel well it's likely something else. Have you tried eating more calories? Have you seen your doctor to rule out any medical conditions?
    • Posts: 17,456 Member
      edited June 2015
      Are you sure you're hitting sufficient micro nutrients ...vit C, B, folate?

      Doesn't sound like a carb issue to me...sounds closer to anemia
    • Posts: 17,456 Member
      Also I lost and maintained at around 50-60% carb so if you don't like it...come off it
    • Posts: 5,446 Member
      rabbitjb wrote: »
      Are you sure you're hitting sufficient micro nutrients ...vit C, B, folate?

      Doesn't sound like a carb issue to me...sounds closer to anemia

      Very well could be. Vit D insuffiency, too.

      I think you really have to plan nutrition if you're going to eat a measly 1300 (which again, alone, would leave me feeling ill. Or murderous)
    • Posts: 33 Member
      There are good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs (less/no sugar) give you a lot of natural energy because they are filled with good fiber. See your doctor if this continues.
    • Posts: 17,456 Member
      edited June 2015
      Silverstar721 wrote: »
      There are good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs (less/no sugar) give you a lot of natural energy because they are filled with good fiber. See your doctor if this continues.

      Nope to labelling food good and bad

      Yep to seeing doctor if it continues
    • Posts: 1,520 Member
      Some people get keto flu really badly. I didn't experience anything but a little brain fog, but I was sure I was drinking tons of water and making sure to get enough potassium, magnesium and sodium. They have keto calculators and you usually get a slightly higher calorie limit than what MFP gives you.

      Sorry low-carb didn't work for you! Hope you find something that DOES! :smiley:
    • Posts: 11,750 Member
      ogmomma2012 wrote: »
      Some people get keto flu really badly. I didn't experience anything but a little brain fog, but I was sure I was drinking tons of water and making sure to get enough potassium, magnesium and sodium. They have keto calculators and you usually get a slightly higher calorie limit than what MFP gives you.

      Sorry low-carb didn't work for you! Hope you find something that DOES! :smiley:

      Except that the OP wasn't low carb and wouldn't have got to that state...

      OP, if you lost 10lbs in 2 weeks and you've only got a relatively small amount to lose, you likely just ate too few calories. Eat more and lose weight more slowly.
    • Posts: 5,864 Member
      Silverstar721 wrote: »
      There are good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs (less/no sugar) give you a lot of natural energy because they are filled with good fiber. See your doctor if this continues.

      What makes a carb good or bad?
    • Posts: 17,456 Member
      RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      What makes a carb good or bad?

      Parenting
    • Posts: 797 Member
      rabbitjb wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      Parenting

      giphy.gif
    • Posts: 1,520 Member
      RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      What makes a carb good or bad?

      They are referring to satiation and nutrition. But if we're nitpicking, and you just want to pretend you didn't understand, then that's fine too.
    • Posts: 52 Member
      Thank you for all the comments and advice. Here are my replies:

      -IsaackGMOON, no, there wasn't any medical reason for my low carb diet.

      -auntstephie321, no I haven't seen a doctor for this unusual weakness, but I will if it continues.

      -rabbitjb, ogmomma2012 and tomatoey, no, I haven't been watching my vitamins and micronutrients very closely, but I've been taking multivitamins and calcium daily, as well as drinking plenty of water and taking electrolytes with water too.

      -Silverstar721, after 2 weeks of low carb, I ate "good carbs" for the next 2 weeks and I still feel terrible. I eat quinoa, sweet potato, brown rice and lots of vegetables and fruits.

      -livingleanlivingclean and auntstephie321, yes, I have been eating more calories for the past 2 weeks and that's why I posted in the 1st place. It went like this:
      2 weeks of low carb low calorie
      Started feeling weak at the end of those 2 weeks, so:
      Ate more calories and carbs for the following 2 weeks
      Still feeling abnormally weak at the end of those more calorie weeks

      My question is: Does it take longer than 2 weeks to feel normal again after increasing calories?

      I didn't do this consciously. I didn't want to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks. I was just a beginner and ignorant. Now I'm very frustrated that this weakness will not go away. I thought I would be back to normal in a week after eating more again.

      I was wondering if anyone experienced something like this and how long did it take to feel normal again..
    • Posts: 3,358 Member
      Gulen28 wrote: »
      Thank you for all the comments and advice. Here are my replies:

      -IsaackGMOON, no, there wasn't any medical reason for my low carb diet.

      There's really no point on low carbing then. But anyways, I can't dictate what you do. All I recommend is slowly introducing carbs back into your diet so you hopefully feel better, as @rabbitjb said, make sure you're hitting your micronutrients.
    • Unknown
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      edited June 2015
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    • Posts: 3,358 Member
      edited June 2015
      shell1005 wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      There is no point in low carbing if there isn't a medical reason? Why the heck not? Why would it not be a choice for someone to use in order to eat at a deficit if it worked for them?

      I'm just voicing my opinion. As I said, I can't dictate what the OP does. Does it sound like its working particularly well for OP at the moment?
    • Unknown
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    • Posts: 5,446 Member
      IsaackGMOON wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      I'm just voicing my opinion. As I said, I can't dictate what the OP does. Does it sound like its working particularly well for OP at the moment?

      Very unlikely the 30% carb factor would be the reason for tiredness, more likely it's the low calorie factor.

      OP try eating at maintenance for a while until you feel better.

      Are you exercising?
    • Posts: 650 Member
      edited June 2015
      It's perfectly normal in the first 2-3 weeks of starting a low carb diet to feel fatigued. Dr. Atkins specifically mentions it in his book in the context of the Induction phase of the Atkins diet - but also says that if you push through it you get rewarded with greater energy levels, vigor, and weight loss down the line. I certainly found that to be the case myself.
    • Posts: 8,578 Member
      rabbitjb wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      Parenting

      I pee'd a l'il.

    • Posts: 52 Member
      edited June 2015
      tomatoey, I am exercising but with great difficulty. I can not exercise as much and even when I do I feel terrible during and after it. My muscles constantly scream. I used to feel so strong :(

      I think I'm supposed to eat at least 2000 calories/day, probably more, just for maintenance. I've been trying but I find it very hard now. I think my stomach shrunk or something. Time to eat avocados I guess...
    • Posts: 5,446 Member
      It might be an idea to talk to your doctor.
    • Posts: 52 Member
      DrEnalg wrote: »
      It's perfectly normal in the first 2-3 weeks of starting a low carb diet to feel fatigued. Dr. Atkins specifically mentions it in his book in the context of the Induction phase of the Atkins diet - but also says that if you push through it you get rewarded with greater energy levels, vigor, and weight loss down the line. I certainly found that to be the case myself.

      Thank you for your input. At least I know now it's normal to feel fatigued. What I'm feeling though is a little more than fatigue. My body is in an emergency mode, I feel abnormal. As many people suggested I think I cut my calories too much to feel this bad. I went being super strong and energetic to not being able to hold my arm up.

      Also, feeling strong and being able to exercise as much as I want to is more important to me than weight loss at this moment. Actually, just to feel normal again is more important than weight loss. I gained 2 lbs last week eating more (didn't help me feel stronger) but I don't care.
    • Posts: 52 Member
      tomatoey wrote: »
      It might be an idea to talk to your doctor.

      Thank you. I'll keep eating more calories for another week and if it still doesn't get better I'll go see my doctor.
    • Posts: 28,055 Member
      rabbitjb wrote: »
      Are you sure you're hitting sufficient micro nutrients ...vit C, B, folate?

      Doesn't sound like a carb issue to me...sounds closer to anemia

      Gulen - since you only went down to 30% carbs for two weeks, and increased them the next two weeks, it doesn't sound like the reduced carbs was the factor. When my anemia is untreated I feel like this - are you losing more hair than normal?
    • Unknown
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    • Posts: 52 Member
      kshama2001 wrote: »
      show previous quotes

      Gulen - since you only went down to 30% carbs for two weeks, and increased them the next two weeks, it doesn't sound like the reduced carbs was the factor. When my anemia is untreated I feel like this - are you losing more hair than normal?

      No I'm not losing more hair than usual, but I think you're right. I'll see my doctor right away...
    • Posts: 44 Member
      tomatoey wrote: »
      Very well could be. Vit D insuffiency, too.
      This! fatigue is a major symptom of Vitamin D deficiency (which we all have to some degree). I couldn't believe how much energy I got back when I started taking a D3 supplement with Calcium (to boost absorption). If you like your diet for other reasons (I'm 100 pounds overweight and I feel just fine on 1,100 to 1,300 calories most days) then try a viramin D supplement.
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