How Long Before I Adjust to Low Carbs?

Diet and Nutrition
1

When I say low, I have about 135g at breakfast. A couple of sandwiches with whole grain bread on workout days for lunch (post-workout; so, 4 pieces of whole grain bread). When I get home, I only eat green vegetables and meat.

Add in about another 30g from milk intake, I usually only have milk with whey protein shakes.

So not that low, but I’m used to way, way more. I’d only really ever eat pasta in the evening, and quite a lot, with an equal or greater amount of meat. Now I’m eating things like broccoli and steak - well, that’s pretty much it. Basically, I’m used to high carbs, high protein, low fat.

Anyway, there are a few problems. Right now, I feel like I’m about to throw up, and have been feeling ill every time after I eat - if it’s a P+F meal.

I’m pretty hungry all the time. It’s not about being full as such, low carb meals don’t get me anywhere near ‘satisfied’, despite how many greens I add to the mix.

I’m seriously struggling to find stuff to eat for low carb meals outside of home.

Even though I’m getting around 8-10 hours of sleep a night, they’re never good.

I don’t seem to have any energy. I went to the gym yesterday like “how the hell am I going to do this, I don’t feel pumped up to lift heavy at all”. I’m a beginner, so I was still able to pass my lifts of last week, I was pretty surprised.

I had a pizza on Friday night because I was sick of feeling like I was eating nothing, afterwards I felt awesome. Like I could go to the gym and tear up the place. Had the best sleep I’ve had in a while too, and in the morning I looked a bit leaner, and fuller.

So, I had another (yeah, I know, but apart from these 2 pizzas, I really don’t eat any “bad stuff”) Saturday morning, again I felt particularly awesome afterwards, and had a great sleep that night too. (keep in mind these 2 nights, I only had like 7-9 hours and felt like I had closer to 11 or 12). I turned Sunday into a control day, basically had < 30g carbs all coming from milk (not including green vegetables).

Anyway, as I said, I’m a beginner, and I’ve been eating this stuff since about 23rd Feb. I don’t know my body well enough to really assess if I don’t respond well to a “low carb” diet - not sure if I’m still in a phase of adjusting. Either way, I can’t really see myself sticking to this.

Not having any substantial food at lunch is killing me. Just looking for some general advice, and please let me know if you need any more details. I’ll respond quickly. I’m pretty close to convincing myself to get a pizza again tonight!

2

I dont think you are doing low carb. I believe low carb is below 70g or 50g of carbs a day.

3

[quote]bwbski wrote:
I dont think you are doing low carb. I believe low carb is below 70g or 50g of carbs a day.[/quote]

Well, far lower than I’m used to then.

4

You would have to eat less carbs and get into Ketosis if you want to avoid the “i feel like shit” feeling. Eating just enough carbs to keep you out of ketosis can be torture for some.

5

[quote]elusive wrote:
You would have to eat less carbs and get into Ketosis if you want to avoid the “i feel like shit” feeling. Eating just enough carbs to keep you out of ketosis can be torture for some.[/quote]

I have a different strategy…not sure how well it works for low carb but a friend has used it for low-cal dieting and says it helped.

6

How low of carbs, and for how long does it take to hit ketosis?

7

Depends on the size of the person (how much LBM they carry), but 50grams a day for 7-12 days. It can happen a little quicker if you deplete your glycogen stores through your weightlifting.

Im not claiming that Ketosis is the answer to your problems, but it MAY be. I’m assuming you’re trying to lose fat. With the way things are now, you’re giving your body low amounts of glucose (lower than you’re used to). The body is struggling to function optimally on low glucose levels. You feel like shit. You have a few options, as I see it.

  1. Suck it up and deal with it. Fatloss doesn’t always come easy.

  2. Lower your carb intake to 50grams or lower to ease your body into Ketosis. Your body will then have a steady supply of ketones as fuel and won’t feel like shit.

  3. Increase your carb intake, to provide your body with the glucose it wants. You may have to lower other calories from other macros or do more cardio ect…

8

[quote]PonceDeLeon wrote:
elusive wrote:
You would have to eat less carbs and get into Ketosis if you want to avoid the “i feel like shit” feeling. Eating just enough carbs to keep you out of ketosis can be torture for some.

I have a different strategy…not sure how well it works for low carb but a friend has used it for low-cal dieting and says it helped.[/quote]

Does it involve ecstasy? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

9

How low of carbs, and for how long does it take to hit ketosis?

10

what diet involves ecstasy?

11

[quote]bwbski wrote:
what diet involves ecstasy?[/quote]

LOL, none that I know of. Maybe someone else can chime in with some interesting ideas though.

12

I have done the Velocity two times and each time was the same. Days one and two were easy, days three, four and five were miserable, day six was tolerable and day seven through day ~21/22 were easy.

As others have mentioned you don’t seem to be low carb. I understand you are eating less than usual so maybe your body just needs some time to acclimate. Lowering your carb intake, as suggested, may also help.

Christopher

13

[quote]monkey_space wrote:
I have done the Velocity two times and each time was the same. Days one and two were easy, days three, four and five were miserable, day six was tolerable and day seven through day ~21/22 were easy.

As others have mentioned you don’t seem to be low carb. I understand you are eating less than usual so maybe your body just needs some time to acclimate. Lowering your carb intake, as suggested, may also help.

Christopher[/quote]

Yeah, but have you done the V-Diet on ecstasy?