A little background: I've been doing Atkins for the past four months, sticking with the induction level (<20g carbs/day) the entire time because I've been happy with it. I'm one of those weird folks who I doesn't miss the carbs AT ALL. and it doesn't hurt that my IBS symptoms disappear when I'm low-carbing. My summer exercise of...not choice (I was rehabbing a knee injury) was power-walking, which fit well with my lack of muscle glycogen.

Anyway, my bum knee is doing great now, so I've been working 3-4 hours/week of ice skating into my schedule. Since I'm both a skating novice and in generally lousy shape, both my speed and endurance are limited by muscle strength more than anything else. I skated for about a month on Atkins, and my legs always felt dead and did not seem to be getting stronger week-to-week.

So two weeks ago (and after much research), I decided to try carbing up on weekends. The carb-ups have made a HUGE difference in my skating; my legs feel lively and seem to be getting stronger. I'm planning on sticking with the CKD model for the next three months or so, and switching back to strict low-carb or perhaps TKD when I'm where I want to be strength-wise.

Alas, there's been a major problem thus far: I've done two carb-ups, and during the first 2-3 days of the low-carb phase after each carb-up I've had severe diarrhea. It doesn't feel IBS-related, but then again, who knows? I had similar issues when I first started Atkins, and I understood that it was part of the adjustment period. I can see where this may also be an adjustment issue with CKD, but I can also see where some folks just don't have the constitution for switching between high carb and low carb so often.

Have other folks experienced diarrhea while switching from strict low-carb to CKD? If so, does it, um, ever end? As I said, I'm otherwise very happy with the plan...but this could be a dealbreaker.

i havent experienced diarrhea, but i do spend a good portion of Sunday on the throne due to large volume of food that i consume on friday and saturday (carb load days)

I wish I experienced Diahrea, my bowel movements are as often as the Olympics while CKD'ing. Even when using a fiber supp.

jclip... when I switched to CALP after doing SKD, I got diarrhea. but when I cut my carbs back down it went away... I am planning to do a carb-up (refeed) soon, so I will keep you posted... teehee

I have been thinking about my last post... the diarrhea may have been from the salad I wasn't use to... my system couldn't handle it in the beginning. I think that is all it was. Because now I don't have that problem...

I found your post interesting because I skate too, 3 - 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I too found that in the midst of induction I have heavy legs, and have to really push myself to keep up with the girls.... This is really good news to me in that I wanted to try CKD but have been really cautious because I am so carb sensitive or should I say addicted that I can't trust myself. I have been worried that I would do my 2 days of carbs and then be unable to get off them on time!

Maybe doing this with the heavy workouts that are supposed to accompany them is the secret!

Thanks for the insight.

Carl