Hair of the Dog: Beating the Low-Carb Hangover

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After much conversation with finalist Brittany and other friends, I’ve decided to move back towards my original diet goals and go low-carb. This is one of the few diets I’ve never tried—for a few reasons. First off, I was scared of the myth of the original Atkins diet, which has the reputation of prohibiting vegetables and other foods that are essential to your health. Second, I am not a big meat eater. I really don’t like pork (yes -- even bacon, yuck!) and I’d much rather have a big carton of strawberries than a hunk of meat. Also, I’m a sugar addict, natural or processed! My favorite foods are blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate… none of which are carb-friendly.

After discussing with friends and doing a good bit of research, I decided that maybe low-carb wasn’t so bad. After all, I am a big-time sugar-crasher, meaning that when I haven’t eaten for a significant period of time I have a major meltdown. I get shaky, feel nauseated, and become EXTREMELY cranky (Erik, my fiancé, will be happy to verify this). I also have developed a pretty sensitive stomach as I’ve gotten older, and many heavy gluten/carb-laden foods tend to upset it. Diabetes runs in my family, and I really need to get a handle on my sugar intake. Finally, I need a change. I’m sick of counting calories and I’m not seeing as much progress as I’d like.

I did some research this weekend and set my diet goal for Monday. I’m going to do two weeks with little-to-no carbs (20-25 net), like the first two weeks of the new Atkins diet. After that, I’m playing it by ear. If I see results in weight loss and the way I feel I will try to stick with it. After my research, I realized that low-carb/no-carb wasn’t terrifying and doesn’t involve a meat-only diet. That’s a myth. Truth is, it involves a lot of vegetables that are low in sugar content and lots of lean proteins. AND you don’t have to count calories. LOVE it!

Here’s the tricky part: right now, I’m in the midst of carb-withdrawal. Like a bad hangover, I’m feeling tired, woozy, cranky, and like I can’t focus on things properly. Apparently this is to be expected, but not enjoyable! This seems to be the first week funkies… something that most people experience. I’m sure it doesn’t help that I gorged on carbs this weekend knowing that I would be cutting them out as of Monday. In my unfortunate state, I started looking for ways to beat the low-carb blues… and I found some that give me hope:

1. Drink lots of water.

2. Eat, eat, eat. Snacks keep you from feeling that woozy feeling.

3. Take your exercise down a notch as your body tells you… just for a day or two.

4. Eat more protein, fiber, and fat.

5. If you’re feeling especially rough, have a low-glucose fruit like some grapefruit or an apple.

6. Stock the pantry! Lean meats, veggies, and apparently sugar free jello all make good food choices when you’re feeling desperate.

This isn’t something I plan on doing forever. To complete my weight-loss I’ll surely be back counting calories in no time…. I’m just trying out my options and seeing if I can get my sugar cravings back under control.

Make it a goal to “kick-start” your goals this week with something new and different…. and be prepared to adjust to the change!

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