?? about Low-Carb diets & starting off

[mrsfrenchy]

Hi all!
My husband has started a low carb diet and is limiting himself so 50-100 carbs per day. He needs to lose a pretty substantial amount of weight--around 75lbs. He's only on the 2nd day. He's eating foods like eggs with cheese and bacon for breakfast, a big salad for lunch, cashews and cheese for a snack, and steak and veggies for dinner.

Before he was probably eating around 300-350 carbs per day (though we haven't actually counted), so they've been cut greatly.

Anyway, our question is this: is it normal to feel this yucky and tired when you start the diet? Does your body adjust? How long does it take to not feel like crap?

Before he would not eat breakfast, go to work for about 5 hrs, and not even eat anything until about 3 in the afternoon, but not be hungry before that. Now he's actually eating three meals and he's feeling really hungry and lightheaded throughout the day

[Violet2]

Totally normal.

Lightheaded and dizzy = eat salt as LC can cause low blood pressure. I used to eat boullion broth every day. Now I just salt my food.

Also be sure to supplement potassium and magnesium (look for magnesium citrate).

Most people feel like crap and give up b/c they don't properly supplement.

Also, it takes some work for the body to switch metabolically to a different fuel source and that can cause fatigue.

It should improve with time. I don't think induction flu lasts longer than a week.

OH! If he's hungry, then he should eat. Try to go for pure protein like chicken or beef, but don't ignore being hungry. This is the great thing about LC, you eat when you are hungry period, especially in the beginning.

HTH
V

[neverdoingitagain]

Originally Posted by mrsfrenchy

Hi all!
My husband has started a low carb diet and is limiting himself so 50-100 carbs per day. He needs to lose a pretty substantial amount of weight--around 75lbs. He's only on the 2nd day. He's eating foods like eggs with cheese and bacon for breakfast, a big salad for lunch, cashews and cheese for a snack, and steak and veggies for dinner.

Before he was probably eating around 300-350 carbs per day (though we haven't actually counted), so they've been cut greatly.

Anyway, our question is this: is it normal to feel this yucky and tired when you start the diet? Does your body adjust? How long does it take to not feel like crap?

Before he would not eat breakfast, go to work for about 5 hrs, and not even eat anything until about 3 in the afternoon, but not be hungry before that. Now he's actually eating three meals and he's feeling really hungry and lightheaded throughout the day

How much fat is he getting in the day? Ideally, it helps to keep fat intake around 60+% otherwise you get extremely hungry. Also helps get over the "carb flu" faster. It takes some people a couple days, others up to 6 weeks. Then you have others that don't get it at all or get it a couple of weeks later.
It can be an adjustment to be sure, but the benefits outweigh the short term
yuckiness

[e.naomisandoval]

Yup, I had a slight bit of the so-called "low carb flu" but luckily it wasn't that bad and now I feel great.

[lil_earthmomma]

Join us on http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/

[busymama77]

Low carb flu? Is that just the yuckiness you feel in the beginning or do you get actually sick?

I've been doing low carb for the past two weeks. I'm limiting myself to 50-75 per day and so far so good. I have cheated a couple of times, but it's okay to do so every once in a while. It's all about modertain and portion control!

As far as the yuckiness, yeah, I felt that, too. I started cold turkey, so it wasn't a gradual decline in my carb intake, but I'm happy with the results thus far and plan to keep on going!!!

I'm also taking a multi vitamin everyday, which I think is helping with how I feel, too.

Good luck to your DH, OP!!

[veronicam]

Low carb is absolutely not healthy. Cutting out carbs and eating bacon and cheese and steak is not going to make your body happy. Sure it might help you lose weight quickly, but it's bad for you and you will gain all the weight back.

The thing with carbs is.....get rid of the white carbs i.e. white rice, white bread, regular noodles and go with whole wheat. It's so much more healthy. Plus, if you are working out, you NEED those carbs for energy.

[crunchy_mama]

Eating low carb does not equate to just eating steak, bacon and cheese. Anyone who thinks it does imo isn't really qualified to speak about it's effectiveness and maintainability.

[mrsfrenchy]

Originally Posted by coachveronicam

Low carb is absolutely not healthy. Cutting out carbs and eating bacon and cheese and steak is not going to make your body happy. Sure it might help you lose weight quickly, but it's bad for you and you will gain all the weight back.

The thing with carbs is.....get rid of the white carbs i.e. white rice, white bread, regular noodles and go with whole wheat. It's so much more healthy. Plus, if you are working out, you NEED those carbs for energy.

So why exactly do you feel its unhealthy. If he's getting healthy fats, lots of vegetables (which provide the fiber that grain usually provide) a piece or two of fresh fruit a day, plenty of protein, and a sufficient amount of carbs to run the brain and body, what do you see as the problem?

[veronicam]

Everyone is going to have a different point of view, on EVERYTHING. I just think it's important that people understand the negatives of diets as well. Here is an article I found that explains my point of view.....

Low carbohydrate diet plans are considered part of the family of fad diets because they promote quick weight loss in unnatural conditions. With low carbohydrate diets, the body is forced to ignore vital carbohydrate levels in exchange for quick weight loss. While that may sound magical, it is important to understand the dangers associated with insufficient carbohydrate levels.

Decreased Brain Functioning
According to the Institute of Medicine, the brain alone requires a minimum of about 130g of carbohydrates a day just to maintain its psychological functioning. They institute also recommends that carbohydrates make up up at least 60 to 65 percent.

[neverdoingitagain]

MrsFrenchy, you might want to check out this blog
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/
There are plenty of peer-reviewed articles that give a good argument for low carb living. I would say that one is pretty good place to start.
Misconceptions abound everywhere.
How is your dh feeling now of days?