new to low carb.... headaches?

ms_smartypants wrote: »

christinev297 wrote: »

When you guys talk about broth, is it like beef/chicken stock you add to soups? I don't think I've ever seen actual "broth"

I use beef/ or chicken bullion cube with water as my broth

Thanks. How many do you add?

joel4003 wrote: »

If you are going low carb I'd increase your cal intake but only with Proteins, as for the head aches go they will pass with time just keep with it and drink water. Stay positive

The body handles excess fat more easily than it handles excess protein, especially if you are on the diabetes spectrum. As a treatment for diabetes, seizures, or obesity, the research suggests the protein should be capped at the amount needed to sustain lean body mass, with the remainder of the calories needed to run your body coming from fats.

I have been low carb (<30g day) for 3 years now.
I can't tell you how to avoid the keto flu, as I got it when I started even though I knew all the ways that are supposed to reduce it.
I had it for 11 days, but suddenly had energy after it was over.
I started close to 100g carbs a day, but went to 50g a day when I knew it was possible, lowering it further a few months ago to see how it affects me.
Every person is different as to how many carbs consumed will have a negative impact. Once you get over that keto flu hump, you can test it.
Athletes and naturally carb adapted people can handle way more than I can.

I was looking at your mention of having 56g fat the other day. I had 150g of fat the other day, lol.
Still losing weight. Most people don't have to have the amount of fat I have (I shoot for 80% of calories), but it made my decent BG readings even better, so staying with it for now.

fastforlife1 wrote: »

I am fine at 50-60 carb grams a day, but when I try to go to 20 -30 grams, the headaches are just terrible, and I keep getting leg cramps. I eat a lot of salt and take magnesium and potassium. The weird thing is when I just fast - no food - I don't get these bad side effects. I never do very low carb for more than a day or two because I hate the headaches.

You're not getting enough electrolytes if you are getting those symptoms. You need more salt because low salt has lowered your Mg and K and caused the leg cramps. I had them too until I finally added what seemed like excessive amounts of salt. It was resolved very quickly after that.

It can take a few days to show a positive. As long as you are low enough it will happen.

Many keto'ers go below 20g of carbs per day to start and then add back some carbs later. I'm in ketosis at 20-30g of carbs but above 30g of carbs my ketostix start going negative.

If you want to hurry up the process, do some strenuous exercise or try a fast or fat fast (eat mostly just fats).

Good luck!

Try Excedrin instead of ibuprofen for the headache. Works miracles for me.

Go to health food store. Buy a pound of Himalayan sea salt and some empty size 0 capsules. Go home and make your own healthy salt caps. Take one 3 times daily with meals.

Up your sodium and get some magnesium sup if you don't Kate them already. I found a cube of bouillon helped when I first started when I did get a headache

Been on LoCarb 8 weeks. 167-160lbs. only 7 lbs loss. Active 66yo. 15-24 carbs/day. 1300-1500 calories. Now I'm getting headaches. Goal normal BMI= 143
Some one said cut out dairy but wow, that's a third of what I eat. Hmm.
Any ideas as to why my loss is soooo slow?

JauntyJackie wrote: »

Been on LoCarb 8 weeks. 167-160lbs. only 7 lbs loss. Active 66yo. 15-24 carbs/day. 1300-1500 calories. Now I'm getting headaches. Goal normal BMI= 143
Some one said cut out dairy but wow, that's a third of what I eat. Hmm.
Any ideas as to why my loss is soooo slow?

I think you're doing pretty good. That's about -1 lb per week. That's a nice loss, especially considering that you are within 20 lbs your goal weight.

If you want to lose faster you could consume a few less calories, but I think you are doing well. If you keep this up you'll be at goal before April.

If you are getting the headaches, up your sodium to closer to 5000 mg per day. Consider increasing potassium and magnesium too; those may be getting low if you sodium has been low for a few weeks. Try the above mentioned forums too. I'm still a newbie at only 5 months in. There are many veterans in the groups.

Best wishes.