Post: #1

This summer I'm going on a more aggressive carb cutting diet to trim up for summer. I've cut almost all sugars and carbs from my diet, and while the difference is huge for my body, I feel ridiculously tired every day and struggle to finish my workouts. Sometimes I can't help but nod out at my desk at work despite getting 9-10 hours of sleep. Is this normal for people with a low carb diet? How do you get through? Load up on caffeine or just power through?

Post: #2

Sorry this should have been placed in "lifestyle"

Post: #3

Once a week eat a lot of potatoes, sweet potatoes starting out. This will help reset leptin levels and should help with lethargy. This should be in lifestyle section though.

Post: #4

Dude, when I start cutting up and dieting hard core I feel like shit at work. I start getting light headed and tired after lunch, its a pain in the ass. I kind of got used to it, but sometimes I will add an afternoon snack just so I can get through the day.

It's definately normal. I'm trying to eat a little bit more this year and just pick up the intensity of my workouts.

Post: #5

From what I understand, your body will start switching onto fats as the primary energy source. This takes time though, maybe a week? I've been on a similar diet for a while and my body usually takes a week to change over.

Post: #6

Can't you take those multivitamin suplements?

Post: #7

For me at least, it starts working immediately. What do you guys weigh? I was 163 this morning before I stepped in the shower (5'8), and I will try to cut down to 155.

If you already have decent muscle quality you should start getting cut as soon as you start cutting out the calories/carbs.

Post: #8

I'm 6 foot 185 pounds. Based on my muscle mass if I got down to 170-175 pounds I would be completely shredded. Before I started cutting I was 195 pounds. I'd say I've been cutting for about 2 weeks now, the exhaustion has been getting worse I've just been powering through and then basically passing out after my workouts. I haven't been doing a carb loading day though, perhaps I will try that kbell.

Post: #9

I feel the same. I've been eating a little bit more before I work out now, it makes such a difference for me in the gym, and I try to eat less when I am sitting on my ass.

I've been also trying to add more cardio so I can eat some more, but its tiring.

I also get the worst gas, not from having to shit, but from that empty stomach gas....

Post: #10

Coffee solves that problem for me. Maybe dump an extra shot of espresso?

Post: #11

One large cheat meal/carb-up per week is OK if you're working out. If you really need the energy to power through a serious workout you can eat a large sweet potato smothered in salt and butter before working out.

On a keto diet you should be eating more calories from fat than protein (too much percentage of protein in diet can take you out of keto and cause weakness and diarrhea), and starting out you're going to be pissing gallons of fluids, which is going to deplete you of needed minerals and cause you to feel lightheaded and fatigued.
To prevent this you should be eating about five grams of salt per day (more is OK) and ~400-500 mg of magnesium citrate every night before bed. I usually boil up broth to drink during the day because getting enough salt can be difficult.

Two cups of raw leafy vegetables (spinach, whatever really) are mandatory on keto even if you are on a very low carb diet, like <30 grams, you need your vitamin k and potassium. You also want to avoid caffeine and nicotine while cutting or fasting because too much dicking with your metabolism might cause adrenal fatigue, which blows ass.

Post: #12

You aren't meant to eliminate carbs, or even have a tiny amount, for a prolonged period.

This seems to have arisen out of people trying to gimic Paleo.

You need carbs for your brain to function properly, not just energy.

Getting dizzy from exercise, taking stairs, taking a shit... etc means you are in a bad way.

I agree with some who eliminate all carbs when cutting, typcially steak and eggs (protein and fats) only. This is when your body consumes fat instead as it's source of energy. However....

THIS IS NOT IDEAL LONG TERM.

But even when you follow this, you're supposed to reset it after 3-5 days, and eat a pizza or something.

You aren't going to live the rest of your life in a healthy manner have no carbs, and trying to supplement your energy through large caffeine doses for the rest of your life.

Post: #13

Coffee, eat lots of fats (put butter on everything), cook in olive oil, eat bacon. Especially start out the day with bacon and eggs.

Also cutting out all carbs and sugars is not a good idea for somebody with an active lifestyle. It might be a good start for a sedentary obese person but not a weightlifter. Focus on eating some good carbs - sweet potatoes, potatoes, bananas, etc.

Post: #14

Why dont you just eat carbs in the form of fruits and vegetables? If youre feeling lightheaded and tired, thats a sign that something isnt right.

Cut out bread and grains and sweets. Eat some carrots and beets. Have an apple. Dont think anyone ever got fat on apples.

Paleo of course allows for carbs. Just not grains and processed sweets.

Just have a veggie juice. 8

Post: #15

Also, I use dextrose in my protein shakes. It helps spike my glucose to get the nutrients into my body faster and satiates my carb crave.

Post: #16

It helps to ingest some sugar prior to working out. All I did was make a protein shake with skim milk instead of water, and the lactose in the milk does the trick just fine. Added plus is that if you're trying to boost insulin sensitivity through the diet, there's no fructose in milk sugars, so you aren't blasting your liver at all. (Although realistically that little sugar wouldn't be enough to turn your liver into foie gras even if it was pure agave nectar.)

Post: #17

Ok lots of good info guys, thanks. I was only planning on reducing carbs seriously for the summer, but I guess I do need to sparse them in and will try consuming more fruits and a little more fat. I'm currently working out 6 days a week and I've been doing this for a while so my body is conditioned to it, but the lack of carbs I guess pushed me over the edge.

Post: #18

That initial weight loss you get when you cut carbs is the depletion of your glycogen stores and the associated water weight. Glycogen binds about four times its weight in water. So if you lose a pound of glycogen you'll lose 5 pounds total off the scale.

Post: #19

If you want to look extreme, then unfortunately you have to take it to the extreme. There is nothing natural about getting your bodyfat down to 3,4,5 percent.

When I took my avatar picture I was working out 7 days a week, and eating like a squirrel. I used to do 5 mile runs in Coney Island every weekend on an empty stomach.

As I've gotten older I realized that I can get into pretty good shape without going insane, although I am going to Vegas in a month and getting pretty motivated ; )

But overall, dieting definately hurts. It's basically an uncomfortable feeling when you are cutting your calories so low that you are burning off fat.

Post: #20

Yes I was starting to question whether it was worth it because any potential gain I was getting to my game by cutting for the beach-time seemed to be negated by my lack of energy. Hard to explain, just don't feel like myself. Hopefully these adjustments will help though. This is only the second summer I've really tried to cut weight hard so I'm still learning.

Post: #21

Usually a couple beers would pep me up : ) I'd get wierd boners too. It screws with your hormones....

Get cut for summer, get laid, and then after labor day start eating again. It's worth it...

Post: #22

I just started a 6-7 week cut yesterday. I just decreased my caloric intake to about 1900 kcal a day, where I try to get at least 150g protein a day. This means that there isn't much space for carbs, since a large part of my protein sources have fat already (eggs, meats).

I'm on a multi and I take zinc. But yes, energy levels do decrease a little bit, but you get used to it. As long as you ain't dropping your caloric intake painfully (to anything below 1700 kcal) you should adapt and do fine.

Post: #23

I also use a once or twice weekly intermittent 18-20 hour fast to combat the feeling of cutting. I find that fasting twice a week achieves the same result and doesn't result in the same torture as weeks of cutting calories.

Post: #24

Personal experience- When cutting, I have to use Alpha Lipoic Acid 300mg per medium/heavy carb meal. Read up on the benefits, but lots of bodybuilders use it minimize carb load, help w/blood sugar stabilization, and anecdotally it reduces hunger spikes and craving.

Also up the fish oil dosage- I try to get around 4-6g of EPA/DHA (active ingredients)

From a workout persepective, I've stop pushing heavy weights, low reps and moved to a moderatley-heavy weight, moderate reps (squats, deads, bench, press) and doing more bodyweight activities (dips, pullups, chinups).

I am a workout beginner, but that has seemed to work well for me.

Post: #25

@MaleDefined I used to fast a lot too. It feels good to just detox my entire system. Almost every major religion has some type of fasting associated with it, its been around forever. I swear my abs look better just by clearing out my intestines...