We are going to be moving to a new home on July 1 and we started this diet yesterday (June 19th) We are both concerned about the reports of sever fatigue during the first week or so of the induction phase. Especialy since we have a whole house to move and only a 10yo and a 2yo to help....can't you just see them saying "oh lay down and take a nap guys we'll move the sofa for you" Did anyone else experiense bouts of fatigue during their induction phase, and what did you do to combat them?

Thanks for any help you can give
Tina

Hi Tina,

Welcome to the board!

You and Hubby should be over the fatigue from carb withdrawal before July 1st. Be prepared for a burst of energy that will be perfect for moving. Just make sure you keep plenty of LC food already prepared and handy. Moving is quite stressful and because it take a while to re-group after a move, you'll be grateful to have it around and ready to eat.

Karen

Moving and packing and unpacking ... Ugghh ...

Yes, Karen is right, the blahs from de-carbing your system should be over by the end of the 2-week Induction period. Another common cause of fatigue, headaches etc .. is low potassium ... which you lose in the urine, and especially with ketosis, you're probably going to the bathroom more! You can take potassium as a separate supplement (you're taking a good multi-vitamin & mineral supplement too, right?? ) or easiest and least expensive is to use a salt-substitute product, such as Lite Salt, which contains potassium chloride mixed with regular salt. You just sprinkle on your food, or use in recipes as usual. A few sprinkles a day is enough to keep your potassium levels "topped up"

Another thing, don't let yourself get hungry. EAT some protein. Have protein foods ready to grab in the fridge and cupboard .. boil up a whole dozen eggs, they'll keep for days in their shells in the fridge ..... cook up a whole chicken or chicken parts ... delicious cold ... with mayonnaise as a "dip" .. leftover roast, etc ... cans of tuna, salmon or sardines, cheese or beef jerky (watch the carbs though). This isn't a "diet" where you must go hungry and deny yourself food. Only thing you need to restrict is the carbs. So, eat up!! ..

And I hope the move goes well ... it's so stressful.

Doreen

Have you guys considered writting a book? The two of you, along with fern and tamaren (spelling? the one with the Dilbert avatar?) You have helped me more in two days than the entire Dr Atkins book! I think I wasted my money on the book...but atleast it got me interested enough to find you guys! Ok, enough with the flatery, right?

I keep forgetting that it's ok to eat. I grew up in a family of dieters and starving (followed by giving up and binging) was a way of life.

The funny thing is that I have trained myself to go for days without eating anything but dry toast...but I never loose an ounce. I hope this diet is different. My doctor says the reason I am tired all the time is that I don't eat anything, she said she didn't care what diet I went on so long as it involved food.

I have been been making more trips to the bathroom today, also I am drink a lot more water and unsweetened lemonade.

I haven't gotten a vitamen yet as Dr Atkins explaination of what levels of what minerals is just so darm confusing! I stood in the vitamin isle for a half hour trying to get one that matched his recommendations...200 of this, 152 of that, etc. I will pick up some of that Lite Salt today, though.

Also I will start gathering some ideas for ready made snacks to have on hand for the move.

Thanks again guys!

It's never a waste to read the book, and maybe even at some point you may want to have a look at one or more of the other program books too ... not so much because you want to follow those plans, but because they expand and give even more explanation and examples to what Atkins is talking about. Protein Power and Carbohydrate Addicts are good examples, but there are others. Besides, if you hadn't read the book, that's the first thing we would have suggested you do .. The vitamins recommended by Dr. Atkins are great, ... there's even a line of Atkins supplements you can buy ... but they're not necessary for the Atkins lowcarb program to be successful. However, you'd be doing yourselves some good to take a good quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement. A once-daily is perfect ... something like Centrum or Quest. Try to get a formula that is "Super" or "Forte" or "Stress" type .. these will have extra B-vitamins especially, which are important. If you want to add other individual supplements, that's fine .. but a good general multivite taken once a day is really good "insurance"

Doreen

Oh, flattery is always welcome!

Books are great starting points. Atkin's does make it seem easy, but it's not for a lot of people. I second Doreen with the other books, especially Protein Power. And she's right! We would have berated you into reading "a book"! We ignore those that don't.

All of us have have LC knowledge because (and I take the liberty of speaking for others)we're "lifers". Reading other boards and newsgroups, talking about it, listening and reading books gives us tools. I've never had leg cramps - probably because I've always taken a Cal/Mag/K supplement - so one of the things I always forget to suggest is potassium. I am a sugar-junkie though, so I look at it through that perspective most of the time. I think everyone is an addict.

The important thing, and I think what makes or breaks you is attitude. Looking at this WOL as freeing rather than restricting, is the way to go.

So start making and freezing LC foods now!

Karen

The site was down last night so I didn't get your advice before I left fot the store but I took the book with me and stood there for an hour trying to find a mulit-vitamin that matched his specifications...I even asked the pharmasist to help and he gave up to. I ended up getting "Centrum Advanced Formula" and a bottle of "Fish Oil--EPA/DHA Concentrate" It says to take the Fish Oil 3x a day at 2 tablets (6 total) that seems like a lot...can you overdose on this stuff? As for the vitamin B...Centrum has listed "B12 6mcg" and "B6 2mcg" should I add more?

Well, I'm off to go boil eggs and read!

Thanks again guys

I completely agree with Doreen and Karen on books. I have found that I will reread a book several times over a period of time due to the motivation factor. I remember when Susan Powter's Stop the Insanity came out. I dropped 15 pounds in a month (though that type of diet, weight never stays off) and I was pumped every time I read a few chapters. When I hit a low point now, I pick up Dr. Atkins and I feel like I can do ANYTHING! The wealth of information reminds me that I'm doing my body good and helps me to keep on going.

So, yes - books are great tools no matter what your reason for reading them.

~Lisa

The funny thing is that I love to read and I normaly would read anything (even Atkins) and enjoy it, but I just can't seem to concentrate. I am irratable and I'm tired and my head hurts constantly. My husband says that it is too soon for me to be going through sugar withdrwals (3 days on LC diet so far) but I fell very strange.

I catch myself wandering in the kitchen looking for something to eat and not finding what it is I want (I have no idea what it is that I want to eat). All I ate yesteday was one hard boiled egg and when my husband got home he talked me into an omlet but after I ate it I felt sick at my stomace I thought I was going to vomit (and it was not due to your cooking, Dale....I know your reading this hahahaha). I filled the frig with all kinds of LC foods (shrimp, sliced beef, sliced ham, bacon) but none of it sounds any good..and normaly it would sound great.

Did anyone else feel lost, irrated, tired, etc when they started the LC diet? Did your symptoms appear this soon? Is my husband correct in that I can't be experiencing withdrawls this soon?

One last thing...my husband lost 2 pounds the second day. He says that it is just a conincidence and can't be the diet working this quick. I myslef am afraid to weigh so I have no idea if I have lost or not. My question is: could taht 2 pounds be the diet, this soon?

Thanks to all for the encouragement and advice!

hi Tina,

Sounds to me like the stress from packing and moving is taking its toll.. .. You mentioned you've had previous problems with undereating, and I bet if you looked back at it, probably was associated with some stress or upset in your life ... even happy stress, like the birth of your children. I'm like that too ... I overeat when I'm bored and lacking any kind of mental stimulation ... but add any kind of anxiety, excitement, worry, elation, anticipation, apprehension ... the appestat turns off, and I have to choke the food down, when I actually remember to eat. Unfortunately, this has slowed my metabolism to a crawl, and works AGAINST in the long run.

Check out my essay on Cravings, in our Tips webpage .. http://www.lowcarb.ca/tips/tips007.html ... besides discussing emotional eating (or not eating), there's links to some helpful articles too. Truly, I think this isn't a case of carb withdrawal ... The issues for undereating are often the same as for overeating.

The last time I moved, I was so excited with anticipation of moving into my new, big bright apartment. Yet, I found myself wandering from room to room in my old place, and having doubts and regrets, and feeling lost and "displaced", like I didn't really belong ... the new place wasn't "home" yet, and here I was abandoning (or being abandoned by) the old.

On the 2 lbs that your husband lost, yes there's frequently a rapid initial loss on a lowcarb program. Things eventually settle down to a nice steady rate of lbs and inches lost. Don't worry about weighing yourself. Pretty soon, you'll feel your clothes getting looser ... that's a better indicator of fat loss!! Enjoy!

Doreen

Hi Tina,

I definitely think you are undereating. A normal stress reaction for non dieters anyway. But a month ago when I tried to get back into the swing of things the first time, I didn't eat much. I can't tell you how miserable I was. I finally gave it up, realized what I was doing wrong, went on vacation (family visit, probably stressful right there!) and started up againg this week. I'm eating more, and more frequently - even if it's just string cheese snacks. I am losing weight again, where I didn't lose much last month. I love it when I realize my mistakes and fix 'em!

The stress of the move will pass. Eat more. Feel better. Can't handle stress on an empty stomach, now can ya?

~Lisa