Thu, Jan-15-04, 20:16
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New Member
Posts: 6
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Plan: Atkins
Stats: 260/226.5/~200
BF:
Progress:
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Sure, today she has had:
1 egg
3 sausage links (2 grams of carbs)
2 squares of cheddar chese
3 pieces of roast beef with mayo salt + pepper
2 pieces of fresh mozzarella
Yesterday, before the mentioned soda and OJ she had:
2 eggs
A pound of crab + butter
a few pieces of brocolli
After reading about loss of energy on atkins.com it looks like she's going through carbohydrate withdrawal:
Quote:
I've heard that doing Atkins will give me more energy, but since I've started the program I feel weak and lethargic. Why and what can I do?
The first thing you must do is check with your doctor and make sure these symptoms aren't a result of a medical condition. If nothing is medically wrong, you may be suffering carbohydrate withdrawal as you start the Induction phase. Headaches, irritability, nausea, dizziness and fatigue are the most common symptoms. If you have a tendency to get migraines, carbohydrate withdrawal may trigger them. If you’re going to experience withdrawal, it generally starts within 12 hours of changing your diet. Fortunately, it generally doesn’t last more than four or five days, although occasionally it can last up to a week.
If you’re not taking a multivitamin and mineral, essential oils and Atkins Dieters’ Advantage, sometimes taking vitanutrients is all you need to address the fatigue.
It’s important to understand that your body has been running on a glucose (sugar) metabolism all your life. Glucose is the body’s preferred source of fuel because it burns fast. Atkins sets up an alternative metabolic pathway for producing energy: You switch from a primarily glucose metabolism to a fat metabolism. Withdrawal occurs during the adaptation period in which that switch takes place. Until you adapt to this new fuel source, you may feel tired, have headaches or experience other symptoms.
When your body becomes accustomed to burning fat for fuel, these symptoms should go away. In the meantime, you may alleviate them by increasing your carb intake slightly. Do this by eating more vegetables such as salad greens, spinach, broccoli and string beans. Once your body adjusts and symptoms have abated, reduce your carb intake to 20 grams a day again.
One way to keep your energy up is to eat snacks rich in protein and fat throughout the day. At home, try a slice of turkey or cream cheese on celery. On the go, pack some cheese cubes, macadamia nuts or an AtkinsTM Advantage Bar.
Some people try the Atkins program for three or four days and then give up, which never gives their bodies the chance to make that metabolic switch. You don’t start to burn fat until about the fifth day of the program. Once you switch to a fat metabolism and your body adapts, you should feel energized. Most people say they get a “rush” after four days.
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