43 y/o Professional Chef, work 10-12 hours per day. Eating a lot of protein, salads, taking multivitamin. Drinking some water, lots of coffee with Splenda, and Canfield's Diet Chocolate Fudge soda (LOVE it!). Been on LC for almost 2 weeks, have lost 6 pounds...but TIRED/no energy all day.
Gallbladder gone, haven't noticed any bowel problems.
I had Hodgekin's Disease 2 years ago, went through chemo, in remission. Could the chemo drugs have affected liver enough to make LC problems? Liver function blood tests all in normal ranges.
My brother-in-law, on & off LC for years, says I might be one of those people whose blood sugar level crashes, because the chemo may have changed my liver. Is he just a twit?
I'm determined to stick with this, but I REALLY need some energy! Not easy being a chef on LC - have to taste things and spit them out.
Any ideas on how to increase energy? Thanks! Jackie

Hiya
I can't answer in regard to the chemo thing, but I CAN say that you shouldn't have too much protein. The body metabolises this into glucose, which can delay or prevent the onset of lipolysis/ketosis.
You want to get most of your calories from fat. I can't remember the exact figures, but it's well over 50%.

Good luck on your journey! (Just remember the first few days are likely to be sucky. It gets MUCH better after that!)

Steven

Hi Jackie,

As long as your liver function tests are within the normal ranges, you have nothing to worry about liverwise.

One thing I noticed - you have read protein Power but not Atkins. If you want to do Atkins, modified or not, you'll find it a lot easier if you read the book. Protein Power is a great plan to follow though, if you decide to go with that.

Feeling tired and weak can be caused either by dehydration, potassium deficiency or both. Are you drinking plenty of water? You need at least 2 litres/64 oz PLUS another 250 mL/8 oz for every 25 pounds you wish to lose. Yes, it's a lot of water, but you'll feel a lot better for it.

As for the potassium, you can either take tablets or use a potassium salt such as No Salt - available in supermarkets with the ordinary salt. You should be taking about 400mg potassium daily.

It is important to drink plenty of water while taking extra potassium. And if you choose to take the tablets, always have them spread throughout the day and with food, or they can irritate the stomach.

Anyone who takes fluid tablets or blood pressure tablets should check with their pharmacist or doctor before taking potassium supplements.

All the best to you, Jackie!

Rosebud

I really think you are asking the wrong people. This is a great forum and I love it. However, I am not an ongologist (spelling, but you know cancer doctor) and nor are the people on this sight. We don't know your medical history and the details of how cancer impacts the liver or other body organs. Please talk to your doctor about this diet and how it may impact your body. And I would like to add, I'm so happy that you are alive. You won the battle of cancer.
Angie

AngieT - you are right that this site is not to be used in place of your own physician. However, some members like Rosebud, Doreen T and others are registered nurses and can speak in general terms about medical things.

Chefjackie: another thing to try is smaller meals but more frequently - 6 is often suggested. Or have a snack between the 3 major meals. Make sure it includes protein, fat and some of the low GI carbs from veggies.

And some people just need a higher level of carbs than Atkins Induction allows. Dr. A's books ALL say to add 5 grams of carbs (so you go up to 25 gm daily in week 3, etc) each week until you stop losing and then go back down. Some people lose better at 40 grams than at 20. And feeling well is part of staying with a plan. Just choose the carbs wisely.

Happy you are here and doing so well.

I understand that you cannot, and Should not, give medical advice! But...I asked my doctors (Primary and Oncologist) about Atkins, and neither believe in it. "Old School" doctors that still believe in the AMAs low-fat diet, in spite of the fact that it hasn't worked for decades...sigh.
Will take your advice: watch proteins, more water, potassium, smaller meals more often. According to the Keto strips, I am in ketosis, so that's a good sign.
I was a big carbo-junkie before. Most chefs are. We cook for other people all day, and don't want to do any more when we get home. So, we pick up pizza, burgers, Chinese food, etc, on the way home. Not an easy habit to break, and understandable that it will take some time to get over the sugar withdrawl.
Here's a decent "recipe" for your after dinner-need a dessert time:
Put 6 oz Canfields Diet Chocolate Fudge soda in a blender. Add 5 oz heavy cream, and 3 or 4 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Not quite a milkshake, but sates that craving, and tastes great! Has a few carbs, but well worth it.
Thanks for the help! Jackie

Dr. Atkins believed that cancers feed on sugar, so that stabilizing your blood sugars and keeping them low with a low carb diet would, at very least, not contribute to the cancer's development.

He did write other books like the "Age Defying Diet" and the MicroNutrient Diet book which goes into this more fully.

And in the meantime, you will be controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides and, according to Dr. A, strengthening your immune system.