Low carb and feeling weak

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Morty90210
Morty90210 Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Why do I feel so weak eating low carb? Everyone says how great they feel. I must not be eating enough fats? I eat veggies and meat and some cheese mostly.

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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,401 MFP Moderator
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    Probably an electrolyte imbalance or calories are too low. How many calories and how much sodium are you consuming. You should be 3000-5000mg+ if you are really low in carbs.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited March 2017
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    How long have you been eating low carb? Could you still be adjusting? From the little bit I've read on the topic, it's not something you just up and decide to do one day, then 2 days later you feel like superman.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    The most common reason those on a low carb diet feel like they have no energy is simply because they don't get enough electrolytes (as previously mentioned).

    A common solution is to eat foods high in sodium. Pickles and drinking pickle juice are fast and easy solutions. Try 1/4 to 1/2 cup of pickle juice to start with and give it 30 min. to see if you feel better.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Eat some carbs?
  • charlenekemp07
    charlenekemp07 Posts: 36 Member
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    For how long are you doing this? You get carb flu for the first few days, if you stick to it, you will feel better after a couple of days. Most people get the carb flu at the 3rd day and it lasts about 3-4 days
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    Probably an electrolyte imbalance or calories are too low. How many calories and how much sodium are you consuming. You should be 3000-5000mg+ if you are really low in carbs.

    I agree. Probably low in sodium. There is 2300mg of sodium in a teaspoon of table salt. Add salt to water, drink broth or take salt tablets.
  • ksz1104
    ksz1104 Posts: 260 Member
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    Are you drinking enough water? How extreme is your low carb? Maybe you need to have some fruit also.
  • Ayalaandrew8899
    Ayalaandrew8899 Posts: 11 Member
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    Like people said keep an eye on electrolytes but do bump up your fats when going low carb. Your body needs energy from somewhere and if carbs are low then it will turn to fats next. Also you do feel weak at first when doing low carbs but it gets better. My advice, care cycle. If you stay low on carbs then after a while your metabolism slows down a lot. So carbs cycle. Four or five days low carbs and the other days go high carbs and refeed day. Then start all over.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    Ayalaandrew8899 wrote: »
    My advice, care cycle. If you stay low on carbs then after a while your metabolism slows down a lot. So carbs cycle. Four or five days low carbs and the other days go high carbs and refeed day. Then start all over.

    No, don't do this. It will prevent your muscles from adapting. It takes several weeks to become fat adapted and 3 high carb days per week will prevent that. Also, you probably will not be feeling well as your body starts to try adapting and then has to go back.
  • DietPrada
    DietPrada Posts: 1,171 Member
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    Ayalaandrew8899 wrote: »
    Like people said keep an eye on electrolytes but do bump up your fats when going low carb. Your body needs energy from somewhere and if carbs are low then it will turn to fats next. Also you do feel weak at first when doing low carbs but it gets better. My advice, care cycle. If you stay low on carbs then after a while your metabolism slows down a lot. So carbs cycle. Four or five days low carbs and the other days go high carbs and refeed day. Then start all over.

    Um ... no. This will just stop you from adjusting to burning fat instead of sugar. I encourage you to do some actual research before giving people bad advice. I've been Keto (under 20g carbs a day) for 4 years, and there's nothing wrong with my metabolism - never been better.

    I do agree though, low carb/low fat = starving, can cause you to be tired, weak and light headed. Up your fats. In fact for the first couple of weeks, eat as much protein and fat as you like while keeping your carbs low - until you adjust and then you can worry about your calories.

    Magnesium/Potassium/Salt are your friends. So are dill pickles. They're like a magic thing when you're first adjusting to low carb.

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