starting LC and increased cravings for nicotine?

[katrine77]

I am posting this on behalf of a friend and partially as a point of interest.
I have been LCing for about a month. I feel GREAT! I am NOT a smoker, I am a carb addict and I have had NO cravings ....well, very few and very small!
When my friend listened to me extolling the wonders of this woe, she opted to try it herself. She has about 20-30 pounds to lose.
She says she was always the "skinny kid" and doesn't feel like she is a carb addict, but definitely eats more carbs than not.
Anyway, after a few days of LCing she has had sudden and very intense cravings to smoke. (she hasn't smoked in 3 months!)
She also is not experiencing the same stability of moods and energy that I am experiencing.
So, here's the question or perhaps hypothesis that I would like comments on:
Because she may not be an actual Carb addict, this diet isn't working for her and it is apparently having the reverse effect on the addictive process (?)
Thanks for your comments! :roll:

[tamarian]

The first few days of low-carbing ignite some withdrawl symptoms. This usually goes away after a week. As long as your friend is following the plan correctly, with water, veggies, supplements, she should be o.k. after a couple of days.

If she hadn't read the book, nudge her in that direction :)

Wa'il

[gwilson38]

Wa'il is right, she is likely just going thru withdrawl symptoms. I had huge withdrawls from day 2-6 due to lack of carbs. I quit smoking 9 weeks ago and I truely believe that my WOE helped tremendously. I didnt have any bad cravings at all.

[Karen]

Very simply put, our brains crave the buzz - that's seratonin and beta endorphin activity - that sugar gives us. When sugar is reduced, your brain sends out signals that it wants more which is what cravings are. Nicotine has the same effect. It makes you feel good! So as Wa'il said, it is withdrawal symptoms.

Karen