[phall8180]

Ok, so day 18 and for the past few days I have been feeling light headed and dizzy. Today I am hungry again! What is going on???

[showgirlaz]

If you are at day 18 you should be well into ketosis and starting to adjust to it. This isn't uncommon, it is actually normal. The body starts to do two things at this point 1) more efficiently use the ketosis process for energy and 2) it will begin to self regulate with gluconeogenesis (making new sugars from other macro and micro nutrients).

Try a few things:

Take more water, you want to stay well hydrated.

Have some salt to make sure it isnt a drop in blood pressure. (It's very common for us to have a change in our blood pressure between the 2nd and 4th weeks)

Have an extra protein packet or some egg whites or even a whole egg with the equivalent of 2 egg whites.

The extra protein will help with the hunger, it will also help with the body regulating itself without burning your muscle.

Whether from the one egg yolk or from a tsp or two more of olive oil adding a bit of additional fat will help you stay full longer and possibly avoid cravings that can come following that new "hunger" feeling.

Use some hot tea, some hot pepper sauce, or red pepper in your cooking. All of these help the body in feeling more relaxed (tea) and full (warmth to the stomach helps somehow) and the spicy stuff helps with curbing the appetite too.

Just keep going, don't be afraid to add the packet or protein, it will actually keep you moving!

[phall8180]

Thank you so much! I was not aware of all this happening, my coach has not told me about this. I only have enough packets for 7 days (3x a day) so should I just add eggs? If I cook an egg, can it be scrambled (no milk of course) or "fried" ? I don't like hard boiled eggs.
I eat lots of pickles and make sure I use the salt required. Maybe adding in more Olive Oil and a cup or two of decaf tea?!
Thank you again

[showgirlaz]

Yes! You may certainly add eggs (2 per meal) or egg whites (about 4) or a combination of them (1 egg and 3 egg whites for instance).

You may also use a can of tuna, a 5oz portion of fish or chicken, and about a 4oz portion of red meat if you are doing a snack. Obviously for meals it would be a meal size portion.

Any eggs you cook may be scrambled (I use my immersion blender so they are very creamy), or fried (with a bit of pam or misted olive oil), poached or boiled. I have made the eggs into an omelette with fine chopped herbs and sauteed veggies for my lunch and then used a packet for my snack.

If you add the extra fat, just start with 1 more tsp. It is plenty and, try to add it directly to your salads it will help to break out and make more digestible the fat soluable nutrients in the lettuce.

You may certainly add decaf tea or coffee. Just make sure you are getting plenty of water still.

[phall8180]

Yes! You may certainly add eggs (2 per meal) or egg whites (about 4) or a combination of them (1 egg and 3 egg whites for instance).

You may also use a can of tuna, a 5oz portion of fish or chicken, and about a 4oz portion of red meat if you are doing a snack. Obviously for meals it would be a meal size portion.

Any eggs you cook may be scrambled (I use my immersion blender so they are very creamy), or fried (with a bit of pam or misted olive oil), poached or boiled. I have made the eggs into an omelette with fine chopped herbs and sauteed veggies for my lunch and then used a packet for my snack.

If you add the extra fat, just start with 1 more tsp. It is plenty and, try to add it directly to your salads it will help to break out and make more digestible the fat soluable nutrients in the lettuce.

You may certainly add decaf tea or coffee. Just make sure you are getting plenty of water still.

Called my coach, she hasn't responded yet. But I am hungry!! I just got in from class, had my morning shake around 8:30am. I have hunger pains like I am in week 1! I was thinking this plan, let me know if it's ok?:
B - IP shake
AM snack: 2 eggs
L - IP packet & 2C veggies
Afternoon snack (around 3-3:30p): IP Restricted
D - 5oz protein & 2C Veggies
Evening Snack: Veggies
I also drink about 100 oz of water and I take my vitamins and oil & salt. I the oil on salads with lemon juice and Mrs. Dash Italian Season.
Also, every morning I have a cup of decaf coffee. Maybe in the evening I will add a cup of decaf tea???
Thank you for all your help. Maybe adding this extra protein (eggs) will help also with my muscles, they feel tired, like walking up stairs and working in the yard..I feel like they are not getting enough nutrients???

[showgirlaz]

Originally Posted by phall8180

Called my coach, she hasn't responded yet. But I am hungry!! I just got in from class, had my morning shake around 8:30am. I have hunger pains like I am in week 1! I was thinking this plan, let me know if it's ok?:
B - IP shake
AM snack: 2 eggs
L - IP packet & 2C veggies
Afternoon snack (around 3-3:30p): IP Restricted
D - 5oz protein & 2C Veggies
Evening Snack: Veggies
I also drink about 100 oz of water and I take my vitamins and oil & salt. I the oil on salads with lemon juice and Mrs. Dash Italian Season.
Also, every morning I have a cup of decaf coffee. Maybe in the evening I will add a cup of decaf tea???
Thank you for all your help. Maybe adding this extra protein (eggs) will help also with my muscles, they feel tired, like walking up stairs and working in the yard..I feel like they are not getting enough nutrients???

You can try it and see how it works. My feeling is you should leave a protein at night and just use veggies in the afternoon if you can Also, for 1 restricted IP you can have an low cal/carb unrestricted and 1/2 of a restricted which would let you split it out a bit more. Think something like 1/2 a soy puffs and a lemon, strawberry or vanilla pudding, a RTD vanilla, or a blueberry pm drink. It would be about 160 calories still and roughly 8 carbs but you can spread it out a bit more. also, the protein would be about 25g which would be a help.

As for the night snack, if you are having low blood sugar, it will keep you more level through the night with a better morning start if you have a pudding just before bedtime.

If you do this and still aren't seeing success after 1 or 2 days, I would suggest you might need some added potassium 1/2 to 1 pill extra per day for 3 days is what IP recommends if you are unsure about potassium being too low.

As for the fatigued feeling that could just be adjusting to using ketosis to create energy and that energy source.

[phall8180]

You can try it and see how it works. My feeling is you should leave a protein at night and just use veggies in the afternoon if you can Also, for 1 restricted IP you can have an low cal/carb unrestricted and 1/2 of a restricted which would let you split it out a bit more. Think something like 1/2 a soy puffs and a lemon, strawberry or vanilla pudding, a RTD vanilla, or a blueberry pm drink. It would be about 160 calories still and roughly 8 carbs but you can spread it out a bit more. also, the protein would be about 25g which would be a help.

As for the night snack, if you are having low blood sugar, it will keep you more level through the night with a better morning start if you have a pudding just before bedtime.

If you do this and still aren't seeing success after 1 or 2 days, I would suggest you might need some added potassium 1/2 to 1 pill extra per day for 3 days is what IP recommends if you are unsure about potassium being too low.

As for the fatigued feeling that could just be adjusting to using ketosis to create energy and that energy source.

Thank you, my coach still has not got back to me, so I appreciate all this info. Question though, how many IP foods will I be using, just the 4?

[showgirlaz]

Originally Posted by phall8180

Thank you, my coach still has not got back to me, so I appreciate all this info. Question though, how many IP foods will I be using, just the 4?

It would just be 3 unrestricted, 1/2 a restricted, your normal dinner and if you need it the other egg (egg whites).

Basically:

breakfast: IP packet avg 100 cal 4carbs
am snack: egg or egg whites (egg whites would give the best protein, lowest calories and least fat) if egg white approx 50 cal
Lunch: IP packet avg 100 cal 4 carb
afternoon snack: 1/2 a restricted avg of 1/2 70 cal 6.5 carb
Dinner: normal IP meal real protein
Snack: IP packet avg 100 cal 4 carb

If you can try to stay with the blueberry pom, orange drink, pina colada, pink lemonade,raspberry jelly, omelet, pudding - banana, butterscotch, lemon, strawberry, or vanilla , RTD- vanilla shake, or Soups-chicken, mushroom, leek. These will have the lower combination of carbs while giving you greater protein and affording you the 1/2 restricted.

For the restricted: choose things lower in carb and easy to split. Think the chocolate soy puffs, peanut butter soy puffs, apple cinnamon soy puffs, sour cream and onion puffs, you could do 1/2 a bar occasionally but, it will give you about 2 extra carbs a day. Given you that your best choice is the lemon poppy bar as it is the only one which will also give you a gram of fiber per 1/2 serving.

Using those combinations you will still be about 18 to 19 carbs before veggies and about 450 calories or so before dinner, veggies, and olive oil.

This is total and not net carbs so, you could easily add more carbs in your veggies without worrying to much but, stick to the ones that are higher in fiber and preferably, few occasional veggies.

You will be eating 6 times a day, if you feel you need it.

This will give you more protein through out the day and a lower balance of carbs. Once you find you are not as light headed, drop the 1/2 restricted or the extra real protein.

If you find you still need it you can add one, the other, both or another unrestricted back. You are still staying near the equivalent of having added a fourth packet a day but making it more manageable, more interesting, spreading it through the day and, hopefully, preventing that light-headed feelings.


This probably seems like a lot of work. It is easier to just say add one packet and that would work if you didn't want the afternoon snack. I would just say add one packet (any kind, fast loss with the unrestricted) and have it at night and add no other real protein.

Or add a real protein at some point in the day when you feel you are spacey, light headed or, hungry. And keep your IP exactly as written on the protocol.

Your choice but, you only really need 3 IP packets a day.

[phall8180]

Thank you so much for all this info! I truly appreciate it.
I am going to follow your plan:

breakfast: IP packet avg 100 cal 4carbs
am snack: egg or egg whites (egg whites would give the best protein, lowest calories and least fat) if egg white approx 50 cal
Lunch: IP packet avg 100 cal 4 carb
afternoon snack: 1/2 a restricted avg of 1/2 70 cal 6.5 carb
Dinner: normal IP meal real protein
Snack: IP packet avg 100 cal 4 carb

Maybe by cutting the restricted in half will help with the weight loss???
I want to enjoy losing weight, not feel ikky because I will just go back to eating what I did before!

[SamanthaF]

I just read all through this as I on day 5 and feeling lightheaded, hungry, and headach-y. It might be a cold and/or not enough water/salt. I ate some more real protein today and feel a bit better tonight. Weird yesterday I was feeling pretty good and not hungry but today felt hungry all day.

[showgirlaz]

There are many possible reasons for light headed feelings on this diet. They vary a bit based on how long you've been on the diet.

Some people feel this as they slip into ketosis somewhere between day 3 and 10 depending on the person.

[phall8180]

I spoke with my coach and she said I did the right thing added in the egg whites as extra. Also she told me to take 2 potassium's instead of the one and up my salt from 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp.
I did this yesterday on top of the protein and I feel better. This morning though I woke up lightheaded, so took my vitamins right away and drank my protein drink!

[showgirlaz]

Potassium can cause lightheaded reactions but, usually has other symptoms with it.

Salt can cause some lightheaded feelings but, often has other feelings as that would be blood pressure related.

Blood sugar fluctuations and issues can cause lightheaded feelings/dizziness, and HUNGER. AND, commonly occur first thing in the morning.

I think it is great she has responded. I do agree with all she is recommending even but, treating all three at once may not tell you what is the real culprit.

FYI, IP only recommended taking the potassium doubled up for 3 days if you suspect low potassium

Also, given that you woke up again today with light headed feelings, I would keep a watch on the potential for needing a few more carbs during the day, not before bed, and more protein closer to bed. Overnight low blood sugar is a common occurance in many people.

As she takes you off the potassium and asks you to return to normal salt intake, watch to see if the symptoms come back or not. If the symptoms exist while using the potassium and salt, it is most likely a blood sugar issue. If the symptoms return when you remove first potassium then reduce the salt back to where it was, you may find out what was the culprit.

Good luck. I truly hope you feel better soon.

[phall8180]

She told me to double up Potassium for 3 days, so today is day 2, tomorrow I will do it again, and then Sunday just 1, and will keep salt. last night I didn't have a protein before bed I had pickles, so I am going to have a protein around 7-7:30 and see how I feel in the morning.
Thank you for all your help!