Low carb diet made me feel awful

I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

Low carb is traditionally used by weight lifters, body builders, boxers and
wrestlers. There will be some here that'll tell you that low carb is good
for endurance athletes, but they are not exercising at the level of
intensity that you are. Having said all that, you can do short cycles of low
carb to induce a carb loading scenario, and at the same time you might be
able to shed a few unwanted pounds. In your case though, you probably don't
want to cut your carbs too drastically.

And yes, to answer your question, this is from personal experience.

--
JC

Eat less, exercise more.

--
wrote in message
...
I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

wrote:

I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?






I felt a bit run down during the first week but that was it. After
that...tons of energy and less hunger!

Andi
256/202/175
LC since 7/19/03

Most lifters I know cycle or they can't get through a workout. I lift
light-moderate weights 2-3 times a week and use a stationary bike for cardio
about 3-4 times per week and have found that if I don't time some carb intake
a few ours before I'll weaken considerably after as little as 15-20 minutes. I
like plain oatmeal a few hours before working out.

I've been fine having oatmeal every morning (1/2 a serving with protein drink}
and rely on fruit and veggies for carbs the remainder of the day. I eat
5-6 meals a day. Every Sunday, though I carb load at my Father In Laws:
Pasta, white pizza, bread and fruit (and a meat entre-he's a great cook). Come
Monday morning I'm very energetic and thsi scheme hasn't hurt my waistline
or increased hunger.


In article ,
says...

Low carb is traditionally used by weight lifters, body builders, boxers and
wrestlers. There will be some here that'll tell you that low carb is good
for endurance athletes, but they are not exercising at the level of
intensity that you are. Having said all that, you can do short cycles of low
carb to induce a carb loading scenario, and at the same time you might be
able to shed a few unwanted pounds. In your case though, you probably
don't
want to cut your carbs too drastically.

And yes, to answer your question, this is from personal experience.

--
JC

Eat less, exercise more.

--
wrote in message
...
I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

wrote:

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

Yes, I've had the same experience. At the peak of my training I was running
over a hundred miles a week and experimenting with things like carb loading.
I was extremely sensitive to minor changes in my diet, especially carb level.
I found that by restricting carbs below a certain level my stamina was
the same up to about 15 miles into a run, but was measurably impacted
beyond thst.

Most people don't train cardio at that level so it's not an issue for
them. Back then I didn't need to do maintenance diets as I do now
because my calorie consumption was so high it wasn't necessary.

None of this is a slam against low carb. It's just a fact that
it does have a measurable depletion effect on glycogen levels, just
not to the point where it's noticeable at anything below
competitive training levels.

--
Reg email: RegForte (at) (that free MS email service) (dot) com

You don't say how many carbs you were taking in nor how fast you expected to
take to lose the weight. If you only need to drop 10 pounds, a simple
reduction in your daily carb count would work, especially with your level of
physical activity.

If you tried to start at the Induction Phase, now wonder you felt bad. I
suspect you went to the extreme.



wrote in message
...
I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

Yep.. similar experiences (lack of energy during workouts) so I added
wholemeal bread and fruits to my diet.. still fairly low carb though
compared to the average person's intake.

I have lost 13 pounds in total since I started exercising/dieting. I'm at
my half-way point. Gotta lose another 13 or so. There is no way that I will
survive my 2 hr long workouts without carb loading. At night, I don't eat
much carbs but protein and vegies. I wake up being in ketosis.

wrote in message
...
I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

() wrote:

I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
[......]
Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

I have experience of eating lots of carbs like an athlete for many years
while I slowly got fatter. Even though I was cycling 10 miles several
times a week. Then this year, after four months low carbing I lost 30
pounds. I've also managed to keep it off for a further three months even
though i've been virtually unable to exercise thanks to a broken leg.

It seems to me that the most valid criticisms of low-carbing come from
people into 'extreme cardiovascular exercise'. The point is, most of us
don't do extreme cardiovascular exercise, many of us kidded ourselves we
are going to take it up real soon now as we piled on the weight from the
mounds of 'healthy' pasta.

Those who's performance really is effected by not having vast sugar
reserves in their muscles probably shouldn't be low carbing, or should at
least know enough to carbo load the day before they need the reserves.
For huge numbers of the rest of us, low-carbing makes sense precisely
because it isn't a diet designed athletes.

For what it's worth, I found no problem keeping up my 10 miles cycling per
day while low carbing

IMHO, a very low carb diet (30-50 grams a day) is great for weight reduction
if you have a lot to lose...however, I have been adding carbs, sometimes up
to 100 a day and still managing to lose a small amount or maintain my 57
pound weight loss. I have more energy than I did on fewer carbs and I did
suffer dehydration even though I am an avid water drinker. Also have better
blood pressure readings but my low carbing did bring my blood sugar and
cholesterol down. From my limited experience, it seems as though a low carb
diet is indicated for obesity and diabetes but may not be the best idea for
an athlete that has a leaner body mass and needs more energy than a
sedentary person, just my 2 cents worth...anyway, it's worked for me. I
pretty well eat whatever I want anymore but cut my portions size down. The
Atkins diet did help me shrink my stomach up enough that I am satisfied with
less food now and know when to quit

Nancy J
world class shopper


wrote in message
...
I'm not saying low carb diets don't work i've witnessed obese people
slim down from it. However, there are major drawbacks to a low carb
diet, if you're into extreme cardiovascular exercises like distance
running low carb can really mess you up. I'm a 6+ mile cross country
runner and I decided to experiment with low carbing to cut down 10 lbs
of what I felt was excess weight gained during the holidays. I did see
weight loss but it also dramatically effected my endurance on runs.
Not only did it do that but it made me feel weak, unnecessarily
dehydrated (even though I was constantly drinking water replenishing
fluids in my body), and generally "bad" for the days I was on the
diet. I just went to the doctor a few weeks after being on the diet
and he told me to discontinue what I was doing immediately. He did
some bloodwork and my triglycerides, cholestorel levels, and blood
pressure turned out to be abnormal.

As soon as I started eating carbs again (mainly pasta, fruits, and
bread) I noticed an improvement within a couple days. I believe low
carb works for people with enormous weight issues to begin with but
those that are exercise minded and just want to "slim" a little
traditional dieting options could be more viable.

Anyone have or heard of similar experiences?

On 12/22/2003 11:11 AM, Glenn wrote:

For what it's worth, I found no problem keeping up my 10 miles cycling per
day while low carbing

I think that the problem comes in when you are exercising at a high
intensity for more than 60 or 90 minutes at time. How long does it take
for you to ride 10 miles on your bike?

--
jmk in NC