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 > New Members & Low-Carbers > Newbies' Questions
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   ^
Old Sat, Aug-22-20, 04:42
MrsMole MrsMole is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 180/176/140 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress:
Default Feeling shaky and pounding heart

I’m on day 6 of the Atkins Diet. Day 3-5 were ok but I had dizzy spells so drank one or two mugs of broth which helped a little. This morning I have had an electrolyte drink too but I’m feeling very weak and shaky today. I can feel my heart pounding too. Is this normal? I have just had a handful of sunflower seeds which I know is not allowed in phase one but I’m wondering whether increasing the carbs slightly will help? I have also just taken a vitamin supplement with magnesium in to see if that helps. It’s making me anxious though, feeling like this so would greatly appreciate any advice.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2   ^
Old Sat, Aug-22-20, 11:47
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Increasing the carbs (with allowed from Dr. Atkins' list of allowed foods - i.e. veggies ) is what Dr. Atkins suggests, if it's just about the carb levels.

However ... it sounds like hypoglycaemia to me, which is low blood sugar, so it's probable that you didn't eat enough calories, and possibly also didn't eat the veggies. If you tell us what you ate, it will help us give you appropriate advice. You need to be eating proper meals, including 20g of carbohydrate foods from Dr Atkins induction list of veggies and initially it's really helpful to use My Plan to record your food intake so you can work out your calories, etc. Personally I am OK with about 800-1250 calories but most people eat more.

List your foods and amounts here, and we can take a look.

Last edited by Kirsteen : Sat, Aug-22-20 at 12:01.
Reply With Quote
  #3   ^
Old Sat, Aug-22-20, 12:53
MrsMole MrsMole is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 180/176/140 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress:
Default

Thanks Kirsteen for replying. I have been logging food into My Fitness Pal and maybe yesterday I didn’t eat enough. I’m always dashing in and out and used to grabbing food on the go during the day - I’ve never been one to eat breakfast either but am now trying to do that. Looking at yesterdays log I had a Mozzerella Chaffles with half an avocado and 3 rashers of bacon for brunch, a Diet Coke, a mug of beef broth and was then watching my son play cricket until the evening. Started to feel wobbly and didn’t have the energy to cook so all i had in the evening was a pack of puffed cheese, 5 slices of thin roast beef a tablespoon or two of cream cheese and some clotted cream to try and up my fat content.

Today, I have had scrambled eggs with spinach and asparagus for breakfast, a steak fried in butter with butter covered broccoli and green beans for lunch, a stick of celery with cream cheese and chorizo as a snack, a mug of broth and 750ml of electrolytes this morning. I have no idea what to have for supper but I probably won’t have anything as I’m not hungry and feel bloated.

I feel exhausted, have aches in my arms, stomach pains (could be menstrual), a bit of a headache and generally feeling weak. As a single Mum I can’t afford not to be on the ball to run my son around etc. So I’m torn between wanting to try and push through but know I need to drive a lot over the next two days and be on my game. No idea what to do! Sorry
Reply With Quote
  #4   ^
Old Sat, Aug-22-20, 12:57
MrsMole MrsMole is offline
New Member
Posts: 3
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 180/176/140 Female 66 inches
BF:
Progress:
Default

In terms of calories, today I have had 900 calories according to My Fitness Pal, I’ve had 68g fat (70%), 21g carbs (10%) and 42g protein (20%)
Reply With Quote
  #5   ^
Old Sat, Aug-22-20, 14:37
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
Default

Hi Mrs. Mole,

The Atkins diet takes a big management adjustment initially and it'll get much easier once you find your feet in terms of what you need to buy extra and where you can cut corners.

I am sure you haven't eaten enough either day for such a hectic schedule. Even though you don't feel hungry, you need to try to eat something because you're not feeling too good. Push your calories and your carbs a bit higher, and possibly go for more protein. You don't need to go as low as induction to lose weight, and you're better not to stress your body because stress can actually make weightloss harder!

What is your son eating?

You can eat the same food as your son if you add carbs for him e.g.
spag bog for him, but you can eat the same meat sauce with coleslaw instead of pasta;
moussaka with a cream cheese and egg topping, but you leave the potatoes.
Pizza without the base - just eat the topping
Burgers with no bun, etc.
Chicken fried in garlic butter; serve his with spaghetti in tomato sauce.
Microwave baked potato with tuna and beans for him; microwave baked rutabaga with tuna mayo for you. (You could have 1/2 baked sweet potato instead, but that has more carbs).

Try making a crustless quiche by mixing eggs with the same volume of water, add cheese and whatever else you want (cooked meat, uncooked thin bacon slices, veggies, etc.) Cook medium oven for 25 minutes or until the centre is firm. Serve yours with salad and your son can have potato salad, etc.

Here are some quick suggestions for grabbable food for yourself:
Boil up a dozen eggs to have one with mayonnaise or similar whenever you need it
Roast a whole chicken or a pork joint to have ready in the fridge, then just add some salad and caesar salad dressing or mayo when you need to eat.
A tin of tuna or other fish straight from the tin with or without mayonnaise
Cottage cheese or cream cheese straight from the tub (or add a few berries or spices for flavour) . I like to add spicy smoked paprika and a bit of stevia to cream cheese and eat it with celery sticks. It's a bit like barbecue flavour Pringles.
any cheese or cooked meat
peanut butter or tahini from the jar (forget induction for now, till your body adjusts)

Always follow Dr. Atkins' advice - he was a total genius and uber-experienced. He said that if you feel rough with carb withdrawal then raise your carbs. So do it, trust him, and know you're sticking to his diet by doing that. Read the book front to back and try the recipes.

Try aiming for 30-50 grams of carbs and see how you feel. If you can lose weight, stay with that number, or add extra carbs in 5g increments if you prefer more variety of food. If you don't lose weight, drop 5 carbs and see if that helps. Read the advice in the Atkins book about how to add in the carbs. It's full of good sense.

I hope you feel better soon. Eat a few carbs now, but go high-fiber and avoid sugar.

Don't suffer. It will put you off a wonderful, wonderful diet!

To me, your symptoms sound like hypoglycaemia, and really it's not surprising because you aren't eating enough.

Take care of yourself as well as you take care of your son. You deserve it. xxx

Last edited by Kirsteen : Sun, Aug-23-20 at 06:37.
Reply With Quote
  #6   ^
Old Sat, Aug-22-20, 15:58
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Atkins discusses a transition time. Usually in the furst week, but can linger deoending on the individual's ability to switch to processing fats as fuel.

Adding in carbs, and eating plenty will ease the transition. No reason to suffer.

Just eat more. Get adapted first. Plenty of time after for weight loss.
Reply With Quote
  #7   ^
Old Sun, Aug-23-20, 03:52
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,341
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

In addition to the good advice on food above, and the salt/ broth you are doing...don’t forget water! Reducing carbs is also dehydrating, the heart palpitations can be from not enough water. Carry a water bottle with you all day. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/side-effects
Reply With Quote
  #8   ^
Old Sun, Aug-23-20, 07:07
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 19,169
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
Default

Also.....cant beleive I did not mention earlier : MAGNESIUM. Low mag contributes to heart malfunction. 80% of world population is far too low.

MAGNESIUM CITRATE is better absorbed.
Magesium oxide is useless, less than 10% absorbed.
Reply With Quote
  #9   ^
Old Mon, Dec-06-21, 13:10
Dana 3.0 Dana 3.0 is offline
Team ToughBaby
Posts: 2
 
Plan: LCHF
Stats: 190/187.5/150 Female 67 inches
BF:
Progress: 6%
Default

I experienced those same symptoms (shaky and pounding heart) when I started taking a water pill to lower my blood pressure. My problem was low potassium, which can happen when the body starts excreting a lot of water. Drastically dropping carbs will do that, too, so maybe adding some potassium rich foods could help. I also sip water with 1/4 tsp of "NuSalt" and a squeeze of Mio added. That gives almost 800mg of potassium, and it helps me a lot.
Reply With Quote
  #10   ^
Old Mon, Dec-06-21, 16:14
LostAgain's Avatar
LostAgain LostAgain is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 536
 
Plan: 12/25/63 (c/p/f)
Stats: 218/207.8/155 Female 66 in
BF:
Progress: 16%
Location: FL, USA
Default

Also, if you take any medications for BP or diabetes, you might want to monitor closely with help of a doc.

My mom can't do Atkins with her current dose of Janumet. I tell her to work with the doc, but I think her doc is a "heart healthy" type. She needs a practitioner who believes in LC WOEs as healing.

But everyone already gave solid advice for the case of keto flu.
Reply With Quote
  #11   ^
Old Sat, Aug-27-22, 12:13
DaddioM's Avatar
DaddioM DaddioM is offline
Northern Mike
Posts: 20,755
 
Plan: This time? LOL..
Stats: 251/228/190 Male 73 inches
BF:Weight in journal
Progress: 38%
Location: Houston, TX
Default

One of the things Dr. Atkins suggested in his original book was to make sure you are taking a megavitamin. The one-a-day types are for survival rates.

Especially in the beginning, you're probably not gettying all the nutrients you need.

Mike
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 04:56.


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