Hi all,
I have tried Atkins a number of times, the last time was a month ago (I lasted a week!)

I agree with the low carb eating plan but for some reason I get feeling really sick after only a day or so. the last time I tried it I didn't go for complete induction but ate a little fruit between meals to counteract the low carb induced illness (which is why I stayed with it for a whole week).

I also took lots of vitamin C and flax seed as this diet constipates me terribly, but to no avail.

I also drank > 3 litres of water daily but still felt parched.

I really want to make this work but don't know who to overcome these problems. Can you help?

Churchmouse, Welcome to LCE!

When you say you felt sick during induction what did you feel? A headache or queasy or some other symptons? A number of people report feeling kind of headachy or fatigued for the first few days of low carb eating as their bodies detoxify and convert to a fat burning mode (the liver depletes its store glycagon for one thing). That headachy feeling rarely lasts more than a few days.

But, eating fruit between meals isn't likely to keep you in induction mode (20 g net carbs per day) where your body is going through those metabolic changes. So I'm thinking, perhaps you were feeling sick for some other reason?

How much fruit were you eating? And, what kind of fruit? Certain fruits, in small quantities (say 1/3 cup of berries or melon), fit into the Ongoing Weightloss phase, but even that is individual. Instead of fruit, I'd recommend snacking on some lc veggies and dip, or celery and a bit of cheese.

A guideline for water consumption is to drink 1/2 ounce per each pound you weigh. E.g., a 150-pound person should drink 75 ounces of water. You are drinking over 100 ounces a day. If that's about right for your weight, the thirsty feeling may just be your body adjusting. If you've unconsciously substituted salty snacks for sweets, it could be the extra salt is making you thirsty.

Those are just some thoughts and ideas...

__________________
~~~Teelbee
Back to GOAL!!!
start weight: 176/goal range: 137-134/now: 138
Reached goal in Aug. 2003 - 4rd year of maintenance.

You just got some really good advice! I find that when I increase my water intake, sometimes I feel even thirstier as my body adjusts to the increase. Sometimes it helps to put a little lemon juice or peppermint extract in the water. It helps to cut that pasty feeling you sometimes get in your mouth when you are cutting carbs. But stick with the water! You need it! You'll soon figure out how much you need to drink a day, but make sure you get at least the 8 glasses everyone recommends.

Wishing you success, and hope you soon get to feeling better. This is a wonderful way of eating, and after you get past the induction "flu", you'll be surprised at how much better you feel.

__________________
Nita

Welcome, churchmouse.

Teel & Nita are right, of course. Most people go through a sort of detox when they start Atkins, feel pretty lousey and don't really start feeli right until the end of the first week or so. Then, however, most feel better than they've felt in years.

I can guarantee that if you're eating fruit between meals, you're not reducing your blood glucose (and therefore insulin) levels, as is the point behind low carbing. So, if you felt bad doing that, it wasn't from low carbing, because you weren't.

You may want to re-read your book to remind yourself of the fundamentals and then give it a try. We'll be here to help.

__________________

Hi all,
Thanks for the response and advice. Let me give you a little more info and then see if you can figure out what I'm doing wrong.

In the past, when I have tried this program according to strict induction rules, I would start shaking and feel very week within 24 - 48 hours, and it would get worse from there. The shakes would increase in intensity and then I would begin to feel sick to my stomach... after about 3 days of this I would abandon the program and start eating carbs again. Invariably I would begin to feel like my old self in about an hour, except for the extreme constipation, which could last almost a week.

That's why I decided to try to ease into induction last month. I followed the rules except for a few strawberries, blueberries or almonds whenever I started to feel shaky, and it seemed to help, the sticks were still turning purple and I lost 7 lbs. in less than a week. However, I still felt a little bit shaky, I was plagued with intense thirst and constipation and my eyes and forehead were throbbing constantly. Eventually I abandoned it yet again.

I started again yesterday, so far so good. I had to eat a couple of strawberries after lunch to calm the shakes, but other than that, things seem to be going alright.

I also found a way to combat the constipation... I have added a pro-biotic in the form of human bowel microflora at about 10+ million per day and it's really helping me.

Does anything jump out at you?

Thanks for the support.

Churchmouse,
What you are describing sounds much like the *induction flu*...symptoms much like the flu...headache, upset tummy. They should go away in a few days; often times you have to *work through* these physical feelings. On the other hand, *shaking* could be a symptom of other things; extremely low blood glucose comes to mind. I would suggest you get medical clearance from your physician before continuing any further with low carb.

Also something else to consider; low carb eating is not for everyone. Some of the other lower carb plans might be *more right* for you, such as SouthBeach or Protein Power, or Carbohydrate Addicts Diet(CAD).
Just a thought.

Seriously though, you should consult your physician.

HTH
Good luck to you.

__________________
~~~~
Shelley
~~~~

Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!