Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Low Carb Health & Technical Forums > General Health
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 06:24
Angelle Angelle is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 135/135/110 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Default So Tired

I have been completely exhausted starting in the middle of the day. Is this related to my new lifestyle of low carb? I'm not hungry, I think I get enough calories and fat. Yesterday I had some broth (not low sodium), but it seemed to have no effect. Last night I could barely keep my eyes open through supper. Maybe now that I'm not eating so many carbs I am feeling my body's real tiredness and my body is telling me I just need more sleep. I usually go to sleep at 9 or a little later and wake up at 4:45 on school days. What should I do differently, if anything? Is this typical? Will it just pass? I am a preschool teacher and my little friends are built for speed; this is really tough.

Thank you all in advance for your help. I have already learned a great deal from the collected wisdom here.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 09:24
Baylor1's Avatar
Baylor1 Baylor1 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 137
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 000/000/000 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress:
Default

Are you eating enough?? How lone have you been doing this? Sometimes when you get to the days where your body is switching fuel sources, You can feel tired but it will go away and you will feel great!
Add more salt all day long.. That will help a lot.
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 10:26
eljohnw eljohnw is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,074
 
Plan: , LCHF
Stats: 259.6/222.4/130 Female 62 inches
BF:67.2/60.2/normal
Progress: 29%
Location: Hilton Head SC
Default

I felt tired and even dizzy for the first 3 weeks on LC. Now I have far more energy with less food and have lost 16 lbs the first month. I am happy
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Tue, Jan-31-17, 14:11
deirdra's Avatar
deirdra deirdra is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 4,324
 
Plan: vLC/GF,CF,SF
Stats: 197/136/150 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress: 130%
Location: Alberta
Default

Are you getting enough salt? The diet is a diuretic and contains little salt unless you add it. ~1 tsp/day of half potassium, half sodium salt and ~250 mg of magnesium can ward off fatigue and dizziness.
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Wed, Feb-01-17, 06:21
Angelle Angelle is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 135/135/110 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Default

Thanks, deirdre, eljohnw, and Baylor1. I think I eat enough. I am eating an egg scrambled with onions and peppers for breakfast which is what I have always eaten, lunch is usually a big salad with some kind of meat or seafood (whatever we ate the night before). Snack is 1/4 cup of kefir with a couple of tablespoons of chia in it. Usually if I feel hungry any time I have a few slices of pepperoni, then supper around 6. The weekend (only 1 so far) was less structured, but comparable. I see where many people eat a lot more on this forum, but I am trying to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.

I did get some chicken broth to drink, but it didn't help. Maybe I need to sip it all day and not wait. I will do that today, deidre.

Baylor1, I just started this a few days ago. Maybe my body is adjusting? I hope you're right that this is a temporary thing, Eljohnw

Also, I am wondering if I have always had a slump midday, but was not conscious of it because I was just not paying attention to my body. I know my eating habits and body awareness were on autopilot. I'm going to ask my husband and coteacher today.

The thing is, unless I want diabetes and heart disease I have got to stop eating the way I did before. I can't go back and I want to make this work. One thing I'm looking forward to on this forum is diving into the recipes section. My repertoire for LCHF is pretty sad.

Thank you all again!
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Wed, Feb-01-17, 07:52
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,367
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

First suggestion is always more water and more salt, but it also takes a few weeks to ramp up to consistently fat-burning. More here: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/side-effects

You are also at a weight that is considered a healthy BMI, 110 borders on underweight. Your body isn't going to shed fat happily.
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Wed, Feb-01-17, 17:27
Angelle Angelle is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 135/135/110 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Default

Thanks, Janet! My words might have been confusing. I weigh 135. My doctor said 110 is the weight that is healthy for my small frame. Should I ask him about that? I only ever weigh myself at the doctor's office and have. O plans to change that. The reason I am doing low carb is my blood glucose level (123) and that I am insulin resistant.

I guess I thought I would feel great, but am not. I will read the information on the link you sent. I did have a thermos of chicken broth that I drank throughout the day and did feel better. Again, thanks!
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Thu, Feb-02-17, 04:07
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,367
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Good the broth is working...we are so conditioned by Advice to reduce salt, which is incorrect for most people, that it hard to get enough. Good thread on that here: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...210#post8626210

Body frame is something BMI doesn't factor in, but at 110 and 5’2”, that is a BMI of 20. Still normal, but 19 is headed to underweight. Better than BMI for overall health and a sign that you have corrected your insulin resistance, is having a waist half your height. Simple test and free if you have a tape measure.

You have read two excellent books..are you doing the Duke clinic plan in the back of WWGF? you don't even have to count carbs, super simple, but it works out about 20g a day and that is great for reducing BG very quickly. If you want to see results from dramatic clinic cases, there are some talks by Dr Westman at DietDoctor. The one on LCHF, Diabetes and clinical experience. https://www.dietdoctor.com/member/popular#westman
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Thu, Feb-02-17, 07:01
Angelle Angelle is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 135/135/110 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Default

Wow, Janet! The info on your first link was great and I am really looking forward to watching all the videos in the second link (my classroom beckons!). Regarding weight, I don't weigh myself (even tried to get rid of the scale last year as "bathroom clutter," but my husband wouldn't let me) and was just going by what the doc told me. When I go back for my follow up at the end of the month, I think I'll just tell him that he can worry about my weight. I'll focus on my blood work and well-being. If it goes up, down, or stays the same, I am focusing on eating the best I can. I read a quote that I love that said LCHF isn't about "lowering" or "losing," it's about correcting.

I follow the Duke diet in the back of the Atkins book to some extent, but I added to it some things that aren't in there. I make my own (plain) kefir from grass-fed, whole milk and can't live without it. Since I have been drinking it (several months), I feel better in lots of ways. To 1/4 cup or so, I add a couple spoons of chia seeds. I eat that as a snack every day and it is in addition to whatever I eat on the diet. I also don't worry about portion control because I am trying to learn to eat to hunger (I'm a clean player). So I might eat more or less than recommended, but I think in the long run I will learn how to eat. I am not a measurer in general.
Reply With Quote
  #10   ^
Old Thu, Feb-02-17, 08:30
cotonpal's Avatar
cotonpal cotonpal is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,282
 
Plan: very low carb real food
Stats: 245/125/135 Female 62
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: Vermont
Default

If your goal is to normalize your blood glucose levels then you might want to consider counting carbs. It is primarily carbohydrates that raise blood sugar levels and it is useful to learn how your body reacts to them. You may not be a person who measures but you can change that. All you need is a blood glucose monitor and some strips. It's better to know what's happening in your body than to just assume its OK.

Jean
Reply With Quote
  #11   ^
Old Fri, Feb-03-17, 06:19
Angelle Angelle is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 135/135/110 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Default

Thanks, cotonpal. I have thought about that, but I don't know how long it take for the blood glucose to come down. Since I am seeing the doc at the end of the month, I thought I should just wait. If I measured now, would I see a difference from a week ago? If so, I will do that.
Reply With Quote
  #12   ^
Old Fri, Feb-03-17, 06:49
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,367
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

If your previous lifestyle included refined carbs and sugars, and you are at a healthy BMI, by switching to VLC, you would likely see lower Fasting and post-prandial BG readings drop. But start taking BG at home and test it for yourself, the results would help you decide if you need/want a new lab test. HBA1c is an average of around 3 months so that moves slower.

Last edited by JEY100 : Fri, Feb-03-17 at 08:00.
Reply With Quote
  #13   ^
Old Fri, Feb-03-17, 12:04
WereBear's Avatar
WereBear WereBear is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 14,600
 
Plan: EpiPaleo/Primal/LowOx
Stats: 220/125/150 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 136%
Location: USA
Default

A friend of mine went gungho and impressively did Induction: but he was afraid of salt and it showed. He's doing much better now.

Eating low carb revamps the body's approach to hydration and electrolytes. Sodium (salt,) potassium, and magnesium are vital to feeling good; make sure you are getting plenty of all of these.
Reply With Quote
  #14   ^
Old Fri, Feb-03-17, 18:23
Angelle Angelle is offline
New Member
Posts: 8
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 135/135/110 Female 5'2"
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: New Orleans, LA USA
Default

Wow! Thanks for your good advice, Janet and Werebear. I will get a kit at the drug store. I am very psyched that my BG might have already normalized. My goal is to be healthy and energetic for my whole life. To stay away from chronic disease. The more I read, the more I think that might best be achieved by Atkins.
Reply With Quote
  #15   ^
Old Fri, Feb-03-17, 19:06
cotonpal's Avatar
cotonpal cotonpal is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,282
 
Plan: very low carb real food
Stats: 245/125/135 Female 62
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: Vermont
Default

Glad you have decided to get a meter and strips. As others said your bg can normalize pretty quickly if you are careful about your carbs but remember to not get discouraged if it isn't where you want it yet. Low carb is still the healthy choice no matter how slow or fast your body responds to it.

Jean
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:49.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.