2 weeks in and feeling different every week

(Stephan ) #1

Hey there guys,

I guess there are already a lot of such posts out there and I am sorry if this is inappropriate.

I am currently on day 17 of my transition into the carnivore diet. I started from a more or less high carbohydrate eating style with a lot of sugar from 0 to 100 in one day.
I know that might not have been the easiest move on my body but I am pretty stubborn.

Speaking of myself different doctors gave me diagnoses like Fibromyalgia, IBS, Anxiety and Depression (rarely) and PTSD.

The first few days I was feeling super energetic and afterwards a lot of my physiological issues plopped up, which was as expected.
After let’s say 1 1/2 weeks the psychological issues stepped in and it’s pretty terrible.

I don’t know if I am not eating enough at the moment since I have pretty heavy circulatory problems and a lot of panic attacks since Saturday.
I am eating some ground beef and eggs for breakfast at 11 am ( due to intermitted feasting, which I am doing for around 5 months now) and for Dinner mostly steak or liver and maybe some scrambled eggs.
I am also taking electrolytes two times a day.

Am I doing something wrong?
Would really like some feedback from more experienced people :slightly_smiling_face:

Have a beautiful day

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #3

Don’t try the intermittent fasting with carnivore. Eat three meals a day. The standard advice to newbies is, whatever the problem, eat more meat. Try that, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll look for something else, but that’s where to start. Going from a sugar-laden standard Western diet directly to carnivore is going to require a period of adjustment, and you just have to ride it out, sorry!

(KM) #4

Trying something that’s big and new can be really stressful, even if you’re happy and excited about what you’re going to attempt. It’s hard not to be impatient and it’s hard not to ascribe every good and bad thing that happens in a day to the New Thing. You have an eating plan now, can you possibly distract yourself a bit and just eat your menu for a few weeks while you focus elsewhere and see how things settle out?

(Stephan ) #5

Hi guys,

thank you for your replies, really appreciate it.

Thanks Paul for the advice to eat three times a day and quit the intermittent fasting, guess it makes sense that my body is pretty weak right now if I am not eating enough.

At least I am still super happy with my decision even though the start is pretty hard and I am always looking forward to my next delicious meal even if it’s kinda repetitive.

Thanks Matt for the link to Amber O’Hearn, i just recently watched a video with her and will make sure to read myself into.

I can keep you guys updated if that’s okay for you?
Hopefully MORE (:smile:) meat will help

(Robin) #6

Welcome!
Yes, keep us updated.
You got this!

(Marianne) #7

IMO, you’re not eating enough. Keto/zc is not a “diet.” The rules of conventional dieting that we’ve had ingrained in us from an early age do not apply. Be kind to your body (and yourself); feed it sufficiently, give it time, and let it heal. You may want to consider three meals a day, or two meals of ample portions. Your body will tell you if it doesn’t want/need to eat.

Good luck and best to you.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #8

A lot of the long-term carnivores say that what works for them is to eat eat three meals a day, with no time-restricted eating or fasting. They don’t necessarily recommend that for anyone else, but it’s something to consider, anyway.

(Stephan ) #9

Yeah I guess I pretty much grew up looking out not to eat to much throughout the day and since I started fasting maybe that viewpoint got a little enhanced, but yes my body definitely tells me otherwise.

Shall I eat three full meals or is a small one throughout the day okay 4 hours before dinner?

I am really glad that I found a place with experienced people, so I don’t feel like I have get through it all alone.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #10

Part of the purpose of eating a low- or no-carb diet is to minimise the amount of time during the day when insulin is elevated. A zero-carb/carnivore diet is going to keep insulin rises minimal in any case, and the race seems to have evolved to feel that three meals, spaced throughout the day, works well. Why not start with that pattern, and adjust from there as seems appropriate? I have found it much easier to listen to my body in these matters.

(Stephan ) #11

Okay thank you Paul! I will do so

(Robin) #12

Many of us slide naturally into fewer meals a day, but not on purpose. We follow the hunger. I usually eat one meal but sometimes 3.

This is a way of life that allows you to lose most cravings and eat when you are hungry.

I swear that the first time MY STOMACH told me I needed food was when I was keto. It wasn’t my mind saying I was hungry. It was my body saying, hey ding dong… I need some fuel. THAT IS HUNGER.
WHAT I knew in my earlier life was emotional hunger and addiction to sugar/carbs.

(Stephan ) #13

hey there,

just wanted to update you guys. Seems like my body slowly but steady is getting used to carnivore.
I realized that my body isn’t as energyless as it was a week ago and my tummy is getting used to it too, even though I only have to use the bathroom every third day or so.

My mood is getting more stable to little by little which is already good to see.

I still have a few symptoms here and there like muscle weakness and sometimes a feeling like I will have a cramp.
But I guess that’s still just the adjustment phase.

So yeah feeling a bit better now. :slightly_smiling_face:

(Alec) #14

Perfectly normal carnivore. Most of what you eat the body breaks down and uses. There’s just less waste to get rid of.

Cramp feeling: make sure you are having enough salt: don’t limit salt, eat it to taste at every meal.

Keep going, it’s clear you are getting benefits, and I am betting there is more to come.

(Stephan ) #15

One question I wanted to ask…
Is there a problem if I am loosing weight to fast?
I already lost around 8pounds over these three weeks and am currently on 182 for around 6ft…

(Stephan ) #16

Okay. Yeah I have a bit of problems with the strong taste of salt. :sweat_smile:
I try to salt every bit of groundbeef and steak and take electrolytes every morning.

(Alec) #17

I would say no. Most of your initial weight loss will be water weight: carbs are heavy! Also, per the above, don’t limit salt. Salt holds on to water, so if you think you are losing too fast it could be that. This is what happened to me early on in carnivore… I didn’t salt up properly, lost a lot of weight quickly, then regained a bit over 2 weeks when I resalted properly.

In general, it is important to eat when you are hungry. Don’t wait for meals if you haven’t got a lot of body fat and you get hungry. One of the big benefits for me on carnivore is that my hunger cues are now soooooooo much better than before. I can now trust them.

(Stephan ) #18

mmmh I tried to eat three times a day for some days but honestly I mostly start around 11am with lunch and am satiated until 5/6 pm.
As for above… how much salt is enough salt? Stupid to ask but I guess I use around 2 tablespoons of salt…

(Alec) #19

OK, in which case you do need to be careful, as you will likely not be eating enough sodium. Drinking some electrolytes or even salt tablets might be the way to go? But fast weight loss and cramps indicates lack of salt.

(Alec) #20

Just go with your hunger cues… 2 meals a day is just fine. That’s what I do, and I have lost nearly 80lbs over 14 months (effortlessly!)

How much salt? 2 tablespoons is too much… I am thinking more like 2 teaspoons. That should be enough unless you do lots of sport when you need more because you sweat it out.

(Stephan ) #21

sorry had a typo I actually meant teaspoons. God tablespoons sounds a bit heavy.
The sweating happens to more or less in the evening especially in bed.

Wow congratulations for your weight benefits! Awesome to hear.
And thank you for writing.