Is it normal for my legs to be cramping up? Does it have something to do with atkins? Ive been on atkins for about a week and my legs keep cramping up especially when im driving. So far this diet is not making me happy i feel pretty crapy

You are losing magnesium due to the water loss from induction. That is why your legs are cramping. Get you some magnesiumwith calcium. The directions on my bottle say to take a tablet with eatch meal. You will probably need to pick up some potassium also. You will feel better

If my informations is incorrect the moderators will correct me.

No corrections at all, Black.

You have been diminishing electrolytes from rapid water (and weight) loss. Get thee some minerals. Magnesium paired with calcium as well as potassium will help. I got the same cramping and it was alleviated by adding these things.

I guess it would be worth it if I were loosing weight but i lost 2 lbs the first 2 days and gained it back 2 days later.

Potassium is more important for leg cramps.

I take cal/mag everyday, but ran out of potassium. I have leg cramps. When the opposite happens, I don't get leg cramps.

Nancy, weight fluctuations are normal. Don't concentrate on the scale and let your body lose at its own rate. If you are experiencing leg cramps, it's probable that the diet is working, you just have to give it time.

It's more fun to only hop on the scale every week or so. You didn't gain the weight you want to lose a pound or two per day, so it's unfair to expect your body to banish it as quickly. If you are doing things right, you WILL see losses.

From what I've read, potassium is more for heavy or bloated legs and the magnesium does well for cramping. I take both. I started getting the heavy legs and started the potassium. Then I started getting WICKED leg cramps and started taking Magnesium/Calcium supplements too. The legs cramps went away after that. Some days I forget to take my mag/cals (I take them at a different time than I do the potassium and my multivitamin so I sometimes forget) and I can really notice the difference. I start to cramp again.

But then gaijingal you said the opposite happens for you. Nancy, I'd advise taking both to be on the safe side. You will feel MUCH better. Just remember to always drink a lot of water when you take supplements.

Are you using Fitday? It has a "Nutritional Requirement" report that I used to determine whether I was deficient in any vitamins or minerals because my first week of Atkins I would awaken in the middle of the night with leg cramps. After looking at my fitday report I saw that I was deficient in just about all areas, so I started taking a supplement, Atkins Basic 3. I started feeling better the next day and haven't had leg cramps since. If you're not already supplementing your diet, you should start immediately, leg cramps or not. If you are and you're still having leg cramps, then I'd suggest additional Magnesium or Potassium as other posters stated.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

The potassium / magnesium debate continues Which one actually helps? They both do. But, big but here, the potassium cannot do it's job if magnesium is defficient. Actually, many other minerals cannot work properly in the absence of magnesium, calcium in particular (which is why they often come combined as a supplement).

Nat

Now I know why my legs have been cramping! Thanks!

When I was pregnant, I had terrible leg cramps and the doctor advised me take extra magnesium. I was already taking the prenatal vitamins though-maybe that is why he didn't recommend potassium. The magnesium stopped the leg cramps.

I took potassium when I began this WOE because of my heart palpitations. I began taking the mag/calcium when my legs began cramping.

Black57

My legs do this if I don't take my calcium and magnesium