I have recently moved into an apartment, and REALLY started to eat cleanly. I have been following the foods that make you look good nekid and JMB’s Massive Eating program, and have leaned out consederably. One thing I have really noticed, is that with only consuming quality carbs, I seem to be getting hypoglycemic. Once I eat, I can feel the thermic effect, as I sweat my ass off, then get cold. About two hours afterwards, I get really shaky and feel lightheaded. I then eat again and go through the same process again. As a sidenote, EVERYBODY on my father’s side of the family has or had type 2 diabetes. I have been testing my blood sugar, and my levels fall into the normal category (70-90). Even after slamming surge, my bsl only peaks at 95, again below the “diabetic” threshold. I wonder how this is happening when statistically, I am pre-disposed to diabetes? -The Starkdog
I’ve had the same experience. Twice I’ve tried to follow Massive Eating, and twice I’ve quit after a couple of days. I get the shakes and my vision gets weird on the edges. I always test borderline diabetic when I have bloodwork done, and my mom is insulin dependent.
On the upside, I do really well on keto diets.
Starkdog, could you lay out for me how you’re eating in conjunction with working out? Example:
Morning Cardio
P+F
P+F
P+F
Weight Training
P+C
P+C
P+F
Are you doing Surge PWO?
How many grams of fat and what type of fat are you taking in per meal?
How many grams of carbs and what type of carbs are you taking in per meal?
Are you using any insulin mimicers; i.e., chromium picolinate, ALA or r-ALA, etc.?
Are you cutting or bulking?
Sorry for all the questions. Hope we can help.
Unfortunately, I have to go back to work now. TT, I’ll repost the breakdown later tonight. -The Starkdog
Tampa-Terry has listed good questions. How many clean carbs are we talking in each meal, and how much protein relative to them?
Do you drink coffee at anytime during the day? What’s your sleep cycle lately?
Hey SD,
I wouldn’t be so quick as to assume that you are turning diabetic because your bloodsugars (BS) are not elevated.
The reason that you’re now feeling these syptoms of hypoglycemia arer quite common when one switches their dietary intake to a more “clean” appraoch and it results in weight/fat loss. Here are some of the reasons why:
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First of all you said you are now leaner. It is shown that as your bodyfat % decreases your insulin sensitivity increases. This is one of the reasons diabetics are encouraged to lose weight.
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In your new diet compared to your old diet you are probably consuming less calories per meal and therefore your BS would return to a normal fasting state quicker. Also since you are probably more insulin sensitive now, your sugars would drop lower than fasting and that would result in the hypoglycemia.
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This new diet is probably lower in saturated fats and these fats are known to decrease insulin sensitivity and the fact that fat in general will decrease gastic emptying.
A reason for postprandial hypoglycemia in many people is increased gastric emptying (food leaves the stomcah faster). Since food leaves the faster from less intake of fats in some meals, and a smaller intake of food initially in the stomach, the food enters the GI sooner and glucose/fa’s/aa’s enter the blood stream quicker. This would cause insulin to react faster and use the nutrients sooner therefore causing your BS to drop at a faster rate.
- Your new diet is also probably lower in carbs (glucose) than previously. And you are feeding your body more often, which would result in an upregulation of insulin activity.
In my experience with myself and people I work with, this is a very common aspect of cleaner eating, and it is not necessarily a cause for concern. Your body is now becoming less efficient, which is a good thing. This means you are storing less energy and instead burning more . Less storage means more external energy sources are required to maintain energy levels.
Consider this a very good thing, and just work with it to control it within measurable standards. If it starts to become a real problem, then add some more fiber to your meals to decrease gastric emptying and reduce the release of nutrients to the blood stream and therefore decreasing the secretion of insulin.
I am intrigued by what Cassanova wrote…but it feels counterintuitive, somehow. Does removing 120 calories of fat have a drastic effect on gastric emptying? And Berardi’s meal combos generally mean MORE carbohydrates per meal.
Something to try in the morning is a small amount of fructose (from a small amount of low GI fruit) first thing, preferably with some protein powder, before your high-starch P+C meal 30 minutes later. That’s been proven to diminish the postprandial hypoglycemia of the high-starch meal.
Cass, thank you for the insightful information. I do believe that you are on the right track. I work in the lumber dept. at Lowe’s, and am constantly moving lumber, deadlifting sacks of concrete, and curling cinder blocks(not as a workout, but loading materials, and transferring them to customers trucks, etc.). My work schedule varies, a la retail land, but I usually work 35-40 hours a week, and get quite a workout(I’m working on a lumberjack workout article). Diet wise, I usually consume the following:
Meal 1:
1/2 cup oatmeal with 7 grain cereal(fiber galore)
Grow
20 oz water in addition to MRP
While at work, meals 2-4
Meal 2:
1 cup of lite yogurt
8-12 oz cottage cheese
1 cameo apple(good and crunchy)
20 oz water
Meal 3:
2 chicken breasts,or meat roughly 50-60g protein
portion of lima beans, green beans, or brocolli
1 small salad of mixed greens with dressing(1tsp olive oil, 1tsp carlson’s cod liver oil, and italian spices)
8 oz cottage cheese
20-32 oz water or unsweetened ice tea
Meal 4:
Same as meal 2
Meal 5:
2 cans of tuna, or 1/2 can of salmon
1/2 of a large sweet potato
1 small salad
20-32 oz water or ice tea
Meal 6:
60g of protein
8 oz cottage cheese
2 tbsp carlson’s cod liver oil
32 oz water
I hope this provides some insight into my diet. So far, I haven’t re calipered myself, but I’s say that I am finally sub 15% bf. I now weigh between 235-240 pounds. Interestingly enough, the only other supps I have been using are Hot-rox and Mag-10(1 dose/day). I have noticed a huge difference in my upper chest and traps. I’ll try to post some pictures to help monitor the progress. Thanks again for the great information. -The Starkdog
My son is very sensitive to drops in his blood sugar, even when it’s not technically low. My father-in-law had the same thing. You don’t have to be truly hypoglycemic to experience symptoms.