[cupcakecathy]

I was afraid of the same lack of energy when I started. I work the 11-7 shift so lack of sleep is normal to me. I have to say that I have felt great and now into week 3 with a total weight loss of 13 lbs. My appetitie is gone, I never hungry.

[wendywendy]

Originally Posted by photogirl74

YES! I'm on day 6 of IP and I have been crying nonstop for the last day and a half. I also have the worst urge to just hit someone or break something. I can't remember EVER feeling this depressed and irritable on any diet - ever - and I've been thru them all. Medifast, NS, Jenny, WW, PhenPhen. I also have absolutely zero energy, I don't even want to go up the stairs to bed, just crash on the couch. Felt like I was going to pass out today while running errands and nearly ran my car off the road. Could barely walk my dog. Normally on a day like today, I would have been out on my bike doing 20-30 miles - but thats not alloyed even if I could have. This is the worst! I'm giving IP one more week and if this doesn't improve, I'm done. It's too much money to feel like this and not feel healthy.

I didnt suffer any symptoms of depression but i had wicked headaches and bit moody for 2 weeks because of starting IP. I wasnt sure if i could do IP long term if those symptoms continued. After much reading i found that the more dependent our bodies are to carbs and sugars it seemed that the worse of of these symptoms get in the beginning.

I spoke to my coach and she increased one of my vitamins and also advised me to increase an additional IP packet so that my body didn't struggle so much with the stress of transitioning to no carbs and sugars. Since we are all different on how our bodies respond I'm thinking that you should talk to your coach about increasing your packets and or vitamins to reduce the stress on your system. Perhaps even having some blood work from family doc if you can to ensure your blood levels are in check. I've found now that i have adjusted to IP I'm back to 3 IP packs and the regular vitamins and now feeling really good. Also make sure you are getting adequate sea salts, this can wreak havoc to your neurological system if are not. Salt is an absolute necessity to our bodies.

I hope this helps cause those initial IP side effects can feel awful.

[love2travelmom]

I too am feeling out of sorts...not sure if it's depressed but certainly moody!! I think it's the withdrawal from carbs for me as I'm only on week #2 and am still craving them!

[photogirl74]

It turns out there was gluten in the IP products and thats what made me so sick, weak and moody. It also triggered the first migraine I'd had in over 3 years - since I was diagnosed with Celiac - and that was the final clue as to what it was. I could barely stand or see. I stopped IP and took almost a week for the gluten symptoms to fully get out of my system.

[Twinnymama]

Hello everyone. I have been on IP for 6weeks and have lost 13lbs at my 5 week weigh in making me halfway to my target. I would've thought I would've felt better than I do. I'm feeling very emotional and almost depressed. Is this normal? I've never been like this before. I'm very emotional, it's just not me. Anyone gone through the same?

[Sundove]

Sorry to hear you're feeling low. It's pretty common for low carb diets from what I've heard. It might be lowish blood sugar too. I experienced moodiness & irritability on IP. One theory is that your gut makes serotonin, a mood-regulating brain chemical, from dietary carbs. So cutting back a lot on carbs means less feel-good serotonin is made. There are supplements but I do not think there is evidence that they work for this problem.

Also there are hormonal changes that might affect your mood. Fat stores hormones that get released when the fat is burned for fuel.

A suggestion is make choices on the higher end of the allowed carbs. Make sure to have your restricted each day, and choose the higher carb allowed veggies. Eat unlimited ones if you like, but don't count them as part of your 4 cups. You should still lose fine if you stick to protocol. Just a suggestion Good luck!

[Twinnymama]

Thank you for your advice. I've never experienced this and it's terrible. Everything you said makes sense. I've been skipping my restricted snack and maybe I shouldn't be. I don't eat meat only fish and shellfish so eating the appropriate protein has been difficult as well and my coach dleant really offer up anything besides stick to the protocol sheet.

Thanks again

[Slipfree]

Twinnymama, hormones from the fat burning can definitely create moodiness. Not sure about you, but I used food for comfort or stress reduction and with IP that is gone. Plus, often being on program makes you less social because of the planning and temptation.

My advice: do something nice for yourself. Have a good cry. Eat your restricted. Make sure you are drinking your water. Posting on the threads helped too.

Sending you a hug.

[Twinnymama]

Thank you, I needed that.

[Grateful4Health]

Twinny - definitely eat your restricted. I agree with all that Slip shared. Take care of yourself like you never have before. From now on… the rest of your life… but esp. during P1.

Also if it persists get your hormones & thyroid checked… many of us here have found that we were using food as a drug that we actually needed - i.e. our body was low in something so we were compensating for the low energy with food/insulin bursts etc. just to keep going.

And crying can be a good thing….
And… if it persists… you may even want to look at the emotional sources of the depression….

But my experience once my hormones were balanced was that the crying jags came and went and were actually very cleansing.

[3bigdogs]

Hi Amber! It's been a while but I'm happy to see you are still here. Are you doing jenny Craig? Is that why there is an ad on your post?
________
Mary

[Grateful4Health]

No that’s just something new 3fatchicks is doing where the newest post seems to have an ad right on it. I see it on yours now since you are the most recent

[hysteria_625]

Actually Mary - I see you are doing the "E-Trade" diet

Glad to see you popping in! Please stop by the 2015 board - a couple of us have graduated into maintenance