south beach diet is great but i have a problem!

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mrnice1058
mrnice1058 Posts: 54 Member
in Food and Nutrition
ok i started the south beach diet on Monday (with the exception of last night!..lol i had DD coffee and muffin) and its working great staying full and happy but the problem ia m having is i am getting leg cramps in the middle of the night now. two nights in a row. am i not taking in enough water? i am at 10 cups or more a day now which is about normal for me anyway. but could it be the lack of fruit in my diet or something? can someone give me a hand with this?
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  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
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    Could be potassium deficiency.
  • mabennett
    mabennett Posts: 53
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    i just read on another board where people are putting a bar of soap under the fitted sheet near their feet on the bed. no more leg cramps. might be worth a try........
  • jerzypeach
    jerzypeach Posts: 176 Member
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    Try a banana, or coconut water.....the fresher the better.
  • yentess
    yentess Posts: 167 Member
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    Are you excercising too? It might be that you need to stretch your calves more. I was a dancer for 13 years and I would frequently get middle of the night leg cramps. Try doing some stretches before bed and see if it helps.
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    Low calcium and/or potassium can cause those cramps. I found that out the hard way once.
  • rooster70460
    rooster70460 Posts: 206 Member
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    Yep low potassium is most likely the culpert. Eat banana's or get some potassium pills. I have the same issues and it SUCKS!!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,108 Member
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    i just read on another board where people are putting a bar of soap under the fitted sheet near their feet on the bed. no more leg cramps. might be worth a try........

    :huh: Not sure if srs.


    OP, seems it would be easy to have a Potassium deficiency on South Beach. Most of your potassium from food is going to come from veggies, fruit, and dairy.
  • amysuespears
    amysuespears Posts: 127
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    Definite Potassium Deficiency.... check this site out... it has high potassium foods in easy measured portions :)

    http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/potassium-foods.htm
  • kbc525
    kbc525 Posts: 149
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    i just read on another board where people are putting a bar of soap under the fitted sheet near their feet on the bed. no more leg cramps. might be worth a try........

    umm my fiance's Danish grandmother swears by this. We think she's crazy but she swears by it.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    Try a banana, or coconut water.....the fresher the better.

    Or spinach, which gives you a lot more potassium for a lot fewer calories.
  • TArnold2012
    TArnold2012 Posts: 929 Member
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    You need to track your potassium. Try banana, baked potatoes, meat, cantaloupe, tomato, yogurt are all good sources.
  • jutymo
    jutymo Posts: 162 Member
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    Definite Potassium Deficiency.... check this site out... it has high potassium foods in easy measured portions :)

    http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/potassium-foods.htm

    Not necessarily. I have these and have had for the last 4-5 years and my potassium levels are on the HIGH side. No problems with low potassium for me. I think it's food related but I can't quite figure out what triggers them. I'll have none for 1-2 months and then have them every night for 7-10 days. There's no apparent pattern, no apparent cause and docs don't seem concerned at all. So go figure.

    I haven't tried the soap yet but read about it a long time ago. Guess I should since it can't hurt anything, lol.
  • mrnice1058
    mrnice1058 Posts: 54 Member
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    i am working out nothing heavy yet. basketball, baseball, and bike riding so far. i am going to start up p90x on monday. I really do think it comes down to potassium. because i am drinking water. and it only cramps at night not during sports or right after only while i am sleeping and i make a move and then boom it locks up. i am going to check out that site but i forgot about spinach i am going to text my wife now since she is out shopping to get me some spinach!
  • Biggipooh
    Biggipooh Posts: 350
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    Magnesium is suppose to help with muscle cramps.
  • cmbrysonussery
    cmbrysonussery Posts: 55 Member
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    Potassium and Magnesium.
  • camelgirlmn
    camelgirlmn Posts: 226 Member
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    I know this sounds weird. But have you gained more muscles or fat in your llegs recently? That happened to me when my legs started getting more muscles. Also, happened when I gained more weight.
  • Sabresgal63
    Sabresgal63 Posts: 641 Member
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    Yep low potassium is most likely the culpert. Eat banana's or get some potassium pills. I have the same issues and it SUCKS!!

    I agree with the potassium thing....but before taking pills, see your doctor. Too much potassium can cause other problems in your body.
  • gomisskellygo
    gomisskellygo Posts: 635 Member
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    It most likely is the lack of Potassium. The same thing happend to me on the SB diet. You could go right in to Phase II of SB. I read that Morton's Table salt will help as well. I have no idea if that is true though!
  • Cynthiafaron
    Cynthiafaron Posts: 114 Member
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    sometimes a lack of salt in your diet can give you leg cramps - my Dr told me this when I was expecting , I cut out all salts so my ankles would not swell so much - but in exchange , I got leg cramps at night !
  • mrnice1058
    mrnice1058 Posts: 54 Member
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    I know this sounds weird. But have you gained more muscles or fat in your llegs recently? That happened to me when my legs started getting more muscles. Also, happened when I gained more weight.

    no sir i have big legs already my calves are very big muscle wise i use to dunk playing basketball and i use to play football one thing that has never gone away is my muscular calves

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