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Originally Posted by CaptainSlow
Well after being on this diet for about a week I thought I might share how it's going as well as some of the concerns I have.
So far the scale says I have lost about 10 lbs but I'm guessing most of that is water weight. I am enjoying the foods I am allowed to eat and I'm usually never hungry after a meal. However, there have been some issues.
Most days I feel very weak, tired, and sometimes dizzy when I move around. This has been most apparent at the gym. I still cannot lift as much as I could before (3 sets of 8 reps of benchpress @ 225 lbs before, and now I can barely finish 3 sets of 8) and I don't have that extra reserve when I'm at the end of a set. For example, I used to be able to push out the last rep or two of my second or third rep but now I try I can't push it out no matter how much I try; it's like there's nothing left in the "tank". I would hate to have this low carb diet affect all the work I have put into the gym over the last few years (when I started going to the gym I could barely benchpress 45 lbs). I was doing some brief searches on the Net about low carb diets and some sites stated that because I do not have any carbohydrates for fuel my body is going to my muscles for fuel with means I am losing muscle mass? Is this true?
Should this type of feeling be going away soon? Will I get my strength back (i.e. not feeling weak and having nothing left in the "tank")? Is it even worth continuing this diet if my strength/muscles are being negatively affected?
There is nothing I would like more than to lose weight (255 lbs now @ 6' 3") but if it's at the cost of my health (tired, weak, dizzy) or my strength (i.e. muscles, weightlifting amount) I would rather eat the carbs.
Any thoughts?
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One week's not really enough to know, but I'd say a 10lbs loss would indicate that you aren't eating enough. That will definately sap your strength.
Then, even if you are eating enough, the switch to lower carbs can give you lower strength levels until you get used to it. They should come back.