Did low carb eating help you with tiredness?

[displace]

I'm curious about trying a lower carb diet, not a strict diet but mostly staying away from processed foods and junk carbs. There have been so many topics here lately it got me thinking. I do know if I eat a lot of carbs for breakfast then within a few hours I feel horrible (hot, feeling like I almost need to stop everything and sit down, and feeling unwell for hours after). I thought I needed more protein but even with protein if I have cereal I get that way. But if I eat just eggs and vegetables I feel great (relatively).

I also am always tired at nap time and almost always can't function (grumpiness mostly) unless I rest or sleep. I used to contribute that to being overweight and naturally tired from having to lug around my weight, plus thyroid problems. But maybe it's from my carbs from lunch?

 

Sorry so long. Have you had excessive tiredness and feeling bad resolve from a lower carb diet?

[Aiden]

I've kind of played with a paleo diet and have noticed that overall, I feel better and less tired when I'm eating more in accordance with the guidelines than less. I've also found that I can "cheat" with regard to dairy and legumes--dairy, peanuts and beans seem to be just fine for me. The real kicker seems to be grains, especially wheat grains. When I eat less wheat, I feel less tired and less achy all around (I deal with some unexplained pain in my shoulder that seems less likely to arise when I'm limiting grains). When I eat more wheat, I feel more tired and more achy. I still don't avoid it altogether, though sometimes I think I should.

[JustEm]

Yes as long as I'm getting enough protein and fat to replace the carbs.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

I've kind of played with a paleo diet and have noticed that overall, I feel better and less tired when I'm eating more in accordance with the guidelines than less. I've also found that I can "cheat" with regard to dairy and legumes--dairy, peanuts and beans seem to be just fine for me. The real kicker seems to be grains, especially wheat grains. When I eat less wheat, I feel less tired and less achy all around (I deal with some unexplained pain in my shoulder that seems less likely to arise when I'm limiting grains). When I eat more wheat, I feel more tired and more achy. I still don't avoid it altogether, though sometimes I think I should.

 

This is me too. I don't feel better immediately, but over the course of a week or so, I start to gradually realize I have more energy, am less grumpy, and don't feel so sluggish and like I just want to curl up in bed quite so much!

 

Maybe eating carbs on an empty stomach is kicking off a bad blood sugar reaction for you? Especially with something like cereal, which is usually pretty processed. If you have to have a carb, maybe try a small bowl of steel-cut oats with lots of protein instead, or have a small healthy carb as a mid morning snack instead. 

[TammyinTN]

It took about a week to get over the missing carbs thing...I started to get my fats and proteins in the right ratio and then I didn't feel so tired.    

[fairfarmhand]

Yes. If I eat too many bready carbs, I do feel sluggish and sleepy.

 

Try shifting to a protein plus veggies for lunch and see how you feel.

 

I have to eat eggs every morning too or I feel off and crave cookies all day.

[displace]

This is me too. I don't feel better immediately, but over the course of a week or so, I start to gradually realize I have more energy, am less grumpy, and don't feel so sluggish and like I just want to curl up in bed quite so much!

 

Maybe eating carbs on an empty stomach is kicking off a bad blood sugar reaction for you? Especially with something like cereal, which is usually pretty processed. If you have to have a carb, maybe try a small bowl of steel-cut oats with lots of protein instead, or have a small healthy carb as a mid morning snack instead.

Yes, it's worse with cereal but still quite noticeable with oatmeal/fruit for breakfast, unless I eat a mid am snack. I haven't thought about it before now really.

[displace]

Yes. If I eat too many bready carbs, I do feel sluggish and sleepy.

 

Try shifting to a protein plus veggies for lunch and see how you feel.

 

I have to eat eggs every morning too or I feel off and crave cookies all day.

Yes, I'm going to try more veges for lunch and less pasta/rice. I eat whole grain (brown rice and pasta) but I wonder if I'm just too sensitive. There is diabetes in my family so I'm hoping to limit risk by limiting carbs and eating healthier. I tend to prefer fruits to veges so I'll transition to more vege. I had a chef salad for lunch today and feel ok so far. Not excellent but still awake!

[Soror]

After #3 I was a lc disciple and it worked fabulous for me and I had lots of energy and felt great. Now it doesn't work for me with my thyroid issues but I don't eat a lot of carbier items like grains, legumes and potatoes so my diet is generally not as carby as the SAD. I find that I can handle many more carbs later in the evening than I can in the am but if stay too lc all day then my energy is lower and I cannot sleep well. Eggs used to work really well for me but they just don't anymore(they actually make me feel tired- it took me awhile to figure out why I was feeling tired even though I was eating lc in the am as always), these days I do super for breakfast often, today was a handful of leftover beef with sauteed cabbage and onions and fresh juice (apple, carrot, celery, lemon, ginger) about 40 g of carb. I know that technically something like oatmeal should work better than juice (even if it is fresh it still has more sugar without the fiber) but any grain totally drains me). I can do white rice in the evening and feel ok with it but it leads to weight gain. Usually my starch source is sweet potato and recently taro root. I think you'll have to tweak it around and see what works for you.

[displace]

I mean, I know people can "crash" after heavy and processed meals, but I didn't think it would be so dramatic. Just a little tiredness, not a pretty high need to sleep and rest.

[fairfarmhand]

Yes, I'm going to try more veges for lunch and less pasta/rice. I eat whole grain (brown rice and pasta) but I wonder if I'm just too sensitive. There is diabetes in my family so I'm hoping to limit risk by limiting carbs and eating healthier. I tend to prefer fruits to veges so I'll transition to more vege. I had a chef salad for lunch today and feel ok so far. Not excellent but still awake!

 

My body is quite sensitive to carbs so I use caution with pastas, breads, and rice, even if they are "brown" (whole grain or brown rice)

 

For instance, even steel cut oatmeal still gives me the sleepies unless paired with higher protein choices or a healthy handful of nuts.

[Soror]

I mean, I know people can "crash" after heavy and processed meals, but I didn't think it would be so dramatic. Just a little tiredness, not a pretty high need to sleep and rest.

GF brown rice pasta can nearly knock me out if I eat it, no matter what I pair it with, it is on my almost never list. I feel much better eating zucchini pasta and it is yummy with extra nutrients to boot.

[Greta]

I do know if I eat a lot of carbs for breakfast then within a few hours I feel horrible (hot, feeling like I almost need to stop everything and sit down, and feeling unwell for hours after). I thought I needed more protein but even with protein if I have cereal I get that way. But if I eat just eggs and vegetables I feel great (relatively).

I have reactive hypoglycemia, and your symptoms sound a lot like mine. Reactive hypoglycemia can happen when your blood sugar goes too high after eating a carby or sugary meal because you have insulin resistance. So your body releases more insulin to compensate, and then your blood sugar drops too low. I feel sweaty, shaky, weak, tired, and unable to think clearly when it happens. I bought a blood sugar monitor to confirm what I suspected: my blood glucose was going up to 160-180 after a meal (shouldn't ever go above 140) and then would drop into the 50's (shouldn't go below 70). I eat low-carb now, and my blood sugar stays within normal range, and I have no more crashes! Yay!

[Grover]

yes, without a doubt.  High water, fat and protein, low carb = all the energy my DH can handle :w00t: :w00t:

[Katy]

Not me.  It makes me feel more edgy, but less energy.  The highest energy I have is when I eat fairly high carb but modulate it with a small serving of beans before I eat the carbs.  If I get sleepy after carbs it's because I ate too much.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I can't eat cereal.  I really miss it.  LOL  But yeah if I eat it I feel awful.  Not sluggish, but like I'm going to claw my face off due to an extreme starved feeling.

I'm lower carb.  Have been for years.  I don't feel tired and sluggish too often.  I do recall though when first going low carb there was a transition period where I felt rather lousy.  So just wanted to warn about that possibility if you try it.

 

 

[NavyMommy]

I have to stay low enough with my carbs to stay  ketogenic, otherwise it doesn't make  a difference in my energy  levels. As long as I keep my net carbs around 20-25, and after the initial adjustment, I feel wonderful.