Does South Beach make a person cranky?

[Alexandra]

Does detoxing from all the fun carbs make you grumpy? If so how long does the grumpiness last?

Thanks

[tvaleri]

I've read that yes, no carbs does make one cranky :) We need carbs for proper brain function. It's the bad carbs we don't need, you know, super processed stuff.

After trying Atkins a few years ago and Michael Thurmon's Six Week Body Makeover recently, there's a world of difference in restricting bad carbs and cutting all carbs out. The latter program worked as long as I followed it. Lost six pounds in a week. But when I went back to eating normally, I gained all six pounds back :(

 

My new mantra. Life's too short, all things in moderation :)

Smiles,

Teresa

[Ibbygirl]

LOL I thought you were talking about the actual South Beach.:lol::lol::lol: And YES it does make you cranky! ;) :D

[Rosie_0801]

I don't know about the South Beach diet, (it's not my style) but when I was gestational diabetic, I found each new dietary restriction put me out of sorts for about a week and a half.

 

Rosie

[Matryoshka]

If you're talking Phase 1, the way I always got through it was to make sure I had at least one meal with beans every day - dry beans like kidney, pinto, garbanzo, etc. are allowed in phase 1, and they do have carbs, just complex, slower-digesting ones. Having a serving or two of tomatoes (also have some carbs) is another good idea. You'll notice that most of the SB breakfasts have tomato juice - that's why. I don't like tomato juice, so I had other servings of tomatoes, and/or the beans.

 

Phase 1 of South Beach is not as low in carbs as Atkins (nor anywhere near as high in fat). They are not the same diet.

 

A helping of humus, or a dinner of chili or bean soup did wonders for me and got me through phase 1 intact and still sugar-detoxed.

 

Don't feel tied to the menus. I never did the menus. I looked at the list of allowed/not allowed Phase 1 foods, used some of their recipes (they are good - especially the ones in the cookbooks), but also mostly adjusted my own recipes, and made dishes that would last more than one meal so I didn't have to cook so much. Mmm - hearty lentil soup with turnips instead of potatoes (yes, turnips and lentils are also allowed on phase 1!)

[elise1mds]

If I don't get carbs with a meal, I'm a bear, South Beach or no!

[dirty ethel rackham]

It took me 3 - 4 days of serious grumpies. I had to have help making the meals those days because I was somewhat tired and weak. About day 4 or 5, I felt much more nergetic and more like myself. I had to be careful to eat enough food. I required a little more fat than was on that diet. Also, I had to move to phase 2 faster because I didn't have enough fuel.

[Dirtroad]

Yes, just like coming off candy or soda or other mild addictions. It will pass & your energy will surge!

[freeindeed]

I'm on Day 5 of Phase 1 now. I was cranky for the first 3 days, but I felt good yesterday, and today I feel GREAT. I have so much more energy now than I did when I was eating those bad carbs.;) It's not that hard, REALLY-I PROMISE:D, and this strict phase only lasts two weeks. Then you can add in good fruits and grains. Even in Phase 1, you get three meals, plus two snacks, and a dessert. Here's what I ate today: bkfst.-cranberry flavored water (no calories), hard-boiled egg, two slices of turkey bacon, coffee; morning snack-two pieces of light string cheese; lunch-water, salad (lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, light cheddar cheese, & hard-boiled egg with balsamic vinagrette dressing); afternoon snack-celery with natural peanut butter, coffee; dinner-water, baked & seasoned fish, broccoli and cauliflower; dessert-ricotta cheese with pkt. of sugar subst. and vanilla extract. Of course I drink lots of water all day, too. I've always been pretty good about drinking my water. After 5 days, my stomach is visibly smaller.:D I do exercise regularly, too, so I know that helps as well. I'm really liking South Beach so far.

[SquirrellyMama]

I was very cranky. In fact I was supposed to go to jury duty selection during Phase 1. I told my neighbor that if I got on that jury "someone is going to jail!" :cursing:

 

Lucky for whoever was going to be on trial I did not get on that jury :lol:

 

I'm not on SB anymore and I'm much happier :hurray:

[KrissiK]

I didn't get cranky, but I do eat a lot of beans. I have to have something that fills me up and veggies just don't do it for me. BTW, when any of you were on phase 1, how strictly did you stick to the whole absolutely no sugar, even in salad dressing and ketchup? Now, it's not like I eat a lot of either, so I'm not worrying about that. My phase 1 consists of, well, following all the rules except that, and it's been almost 2 weeks and I've only lost a couple of lbs. I just wonder if my metabolism is rebelling and hanging on to the weight or if that tablespoon a day of salad dressing is really making that much of a difference.

[KidsHappen]

IMO, any diet is bound to make a person cranky, and one without sugar, wine or chocolate? GRRR! :angry:

[Lilymax]

IMO, any diet is bound to make a person cranky, and one without sugar, wine or chocolate? GRRR! :angry:

 

That's what I was going to say. All diets make me cranky. And the crankiness lasts until I go off of it! :lol:

[Mom0012]

Yes, it did make me very irritable! I vividly remember a mini-family vacation we took a few years ago because I was on my second week of the South Beach Diet and I could barely control myself because I felt so irritable.

 

Now, I do follow a lower carb eating plan on a regular basis, but it's not as low as South Beach. On a regular basis, I will eat an egg or melted cheddar on whole grain toast for breakfast, grilled chicken in a tortilla wrap or chicken salad on whole grain bread for lunch and a small portion of meat with lots of veggies for dinner. This doesn't make me cranky at all and actually evens out my moods very well.

 

Lisa

[melissel]

LOL I thought you were talking about the actual South Beach.:lol::lol::lol: And YES it does make you cranky! ;) :D

 

:lol:

 

To the OP, I didn't do South Beach, but I did cut back on my carbs the last time I really "dieted," and whew, was I a mess! I actually posted here about it because I couldn't figure out why I was snarling at everyone all day long, and I finally realized it was the carbs. I didn't even cut back that far, really, or so I thought, so I guess that says something about how many carbs I eat normally!

[Paisley Hedgehog]

nm

[Dawn in OH]

It depends on the person, but in general yes, especially women.

 

The old Atkins Diet was well known for causing crankiness, because it has a phase of NO CARBS, where, from what I understand, the South Beach Diet focuses on the good carbs.

 

If you are dieting or making a dietary lifestyle change of your own, be sure to include the "good carbs" in your diet.

 

The elimination or drastic reduction of any "regular" part of your diet will have a phase of withdrawal including, but not limited to; headaches, crankiness, loss of energy. Depending on the person, most of the symptoms are quickly overcome.

[texascamps]

Detoxing from sugar stinks!!!!.

 

the first time we did Atkins, we both felt lousy but I figured it was from the yeast die off and which he talks about then our bowels were in an uproar.

 

Subsequent Atkins attempts only made us kranky those first few days until the energy kicks in. Hang in there, there are very few highs out there like the first 14 days of Atkins.