Hi all,

Well, it's two months now and I'm down somewhere between 7 and 9 pounds. I'm enjoying this WOE and not denying myself very much (except of course anything carby) which is probably why my weight loss is slow to non-existent now.

But I hope someone can answer two questions I have about something that has happened since I started Atkins, and was even happening when I was doing a more Schwartzbeiny thing:
although I eat a good, non-carby lunch, I very often (like just about always) feel the need for more just a little while later. I eat lunch at home, drive back to work, which takes about 7 minutes, and usually make myself a cup of tea or decaf. It's then that I really feel as if I need more to eat. It's also a time when, if ever I'm going to, I crave something sweet.

For instance, today I had the better part of a can of tuna with mayo, some pork rinds, and half an avocado for lunch. When I got back here I got into the macadamias (which I said I wasn't going to buy any more ), because I felt like SOMETHING MORE.

The other thing that happens is that I often get very sleepy. This used to occur when I ate a high carb lunch, but I didn't think it should after a lunch like the one I just ate. I'm sittting here at the computer trying to keep my eyes open!!

Anyhow, anybody experience the same thing? Am I not eating ENOUGH carb for lunch? Why do I get so sleepy?????

Anyone know?

Thanks,

Joanna

Hi Joanna,
I just used the carbohydrate counter to find avocados and it looks to me like they are NOT extremely low carb.
Maybe a high dose of carbs at one time is triggering hunger.
Just a thought!!
Good luck....
Trudy

It was a California avocado, and half of one of those is about 6.5 g of carb, so I don't think that could be classified as an overload. I probably eat LOTS more in macadamias if I can get my hands on them!!

I'm really at a loss, expecially with the sweet craving, which doesn't happen all the time, but enough for it to be quite noticeable.

Gradually waking up now....

Jo

Joanna,

Just a thought, I have become hooked on the sugar-free gum, after meals. I have not been a big gum chewer all my life, but found that after a LC meal, like tuna, I needed something sweet to just finish off eating experience and get on with the day. Based on the label the gum only has one carb, I still haven't figured out just how to compute if there are hidden carbs, but the gum has saved me many times from worse alternatives!!

Good luck

Joanna

I recently discovered that each cashews sends me into a sugar craving....no dah! So I will not eat anymore of them. Maybe something in your diet is triggering this reaction.

Just a thought.

Dee

This exact same thing started happening to me 2 weeks ago when I started taking chromium picolinate with my lunch. I also got very bad headaches. I'm wondering if maybe it is lowering my blood sugar TOO much? I have suspicions that it may have been low even before starting low-carbing.

I have also have been in a depression that started around the same time as I started the chromium, and read online that it can also be caused from low blood sugar. I cut the chromium out yesterday and felt a little better already. Am hoping it will improve. I have been low-carb for about 3 months now and felt wonderful until about 2 weeks ago.

If anyone can explain how chromium works on a low-carb diet, I would appreciate it. All I can find online is that it "helps regulate insulin response" and "helps body use glucose more effectively."

Sorry if I got your thread off-subject.

Your suggestions and comments are really appreciated.

Luna, I sometimes wonder about putting ANYTHING into my body. I know certain supplements are supposed to help with some complaints, but each body is unique, and we really don't know what we're doing, do we?

I'm not an advocate of prescription drugs, but at least they are tested before being unleashed on the population. (I'm sometimes not sure abouit the testing, but that's another story )

Anyhow, I think I'm reaching the conclusion that the less one takes the better. And if you're going to take something you've never taken before, I think you owe it to yourself to find out as much as possible about it and the possible problems associated with it. It's a little scary, isn't it?

I still have no idea what's going on, but thanks again everyone, and have a great day!

Jo

Hi Joanna,
The perfect meal should let you experience every taste. I think that our minds have a little checklist and will nag us if we don't fill it. When I am experiencing a craving I first ask myself if it is coming from my head or my stomach/body. This of course works after the induction phase when the body is trained to go after the fat instead of glucose for energy.

I have noticed that those quick meals often lack one or more taste elements or the time to appreciate what is there. Remember I am talking about balance, and not addressing any previous "sugar issues" you may have had. If life was one big round of Frosted Flakes then you have to deal with habituation and that is another story. OOPS I'm writing an essay here!

Just quickly...with the fatigue. High protein should make you more alert (after induction). How is your general lifestyle? Is the candle burning at both ends? Sometimes a "normal" day is not a healthy one. OK I'm outta here....Colin

Eat the same meal for 3 days. Remove 1 item from the meal everyday. Food intolerences (according to atkins) can make you crave carbs.

I just mentioned this very same phenomenon in the BFL forum.

A year ago when I first stumbled onto lowcarbing (as I figured out for myself what I needed to do to make myself feel better) I used to have the same symptoms including bloating, gas and headaches. The need to eat something MORE was especially bad after eating a very highcarb meal (pasta & bread in particular). And yes the need was for something sweet.

All that went away w/ lowcarbing. However, it has resurfaced again in the past few weeks of my BFL challenge. I am getting the same symptoms--extreme tiredness, wanting to eat more, more episodes of bloating--even though I am eating more protein than ever before.

I can't figure out what is going on either. And the worst part is that I am gaining lbs AND inches over the past few weeks. It is extremely frustrating and depressing, to say the least.

HI Joanna,
You are describing exactly how I feel. I sit at the computer and feel if I put my head down I will go to sleep. I know you don't want to take much in the way of supplements, but the knowlegable people in this forum say it is very important to take Potassium. I am doing this, but so far I have been not seeing much improvement. Also adding this salt that is really potassium(no salt)
I am losing weight. This is the fourth week.I feel
if this does not change I will have to change,
perhaps going to a more liberal plan with carba such as protein power or cad. I realize also that there is much talk of withdrawal sysptoms but not after almost a month; something is wrong and it might be the plan and my body don't get along!!!
Lot's of good look. Take a look at previous posts on "potassium" also"exhausted"
Allen

Homegirl! How totally frustrating!! Have you tried upping your carbs a little? A woman here at the office has been BFLing for two years now and she has lost a lot of weight (in my opinion, a bit too much, but maybe I'm just jealous :rolleyes I know the plan calls for a more balanced approach. I just find that once I start eating carbs there seems to be a bit of a snowball effect. I'm much more comfortable without them.

Allen: I am taking potassium, but like you, have not noticed any amazing rise in energy. I did notice that the horrible low back and leg ache I experienced during the first few days of induction disappeared almost magically when I started taking it. I think maybe a few more carbs might do the trick for you -- worth a try. If you get negative effects you can always cut back again.

Colin: I know what you mean about mouth vs. stomach hunger and I think this is the former. But it's very pronounced sometimes and not so bad at other times. For instance, today I had a half stick of celery and a hamburger patty with melted cheese on it and I'm not nearly so 'hungry' or so sleepy as I was yesterday.

Tecaddict: My lunches are usually so simple I'd be eating nothing after three days!! But you're right. It's important to look at what I'm eating and see if there's a link. Thanks.

It's all a journey, right?

Thanks all,

Jo

Jo, Homegirl:

I have the exact same symptoms when I use caffeine. Even if it's just tea or decaf (decaf still has caff in it, just less). It makes me hungry when I've just eaten; it makes me sleepy about 30 - 60 minutes after drinking it.

You might try going totally off caffeine and see if it makes a difference.

Allison