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I posted a but earlier, but I had another question about the first few weeks - and I could use a little motivation.

Today is Day 10. So far, so (pretty much) good. No cheats yet. Save for some GI issues, I'm actually feeling somewhat normal. I don't have many cravings and my satiety is back, which is a great change. I guess my question is then... when's the payoff?

Since I honestly don't feel much different than before, I'm just wondering, will it get better? I expected to have killed/maimed at least a half dozen people by now, or at least be in the process of a legal separation. I'd hoped for this huge "a-ha" moment of clarity. Too soon? One of the huge reasons I accepted the primal challenge was to increase energy. I still feel as slothy and lethargic as ever.

Can some of you share your early experiences so I can have some hope?

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5 Answers

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I'm new to posting here and no scientist, but here is my thought: A lot of people I talk to experience "carb flu" a few days orso when they turn primal/paleo. They feel overall crappy, jittery, slothy, etc because they drastically reduce their blood glucose from so many bad carb choices over the year(s). Depends on your genetics, background, and how many "toxins" you've stored over time. It's going to vary from individual to individual on turn around. Really, you just need to be patient, stay strong, make sure you get some physical activity, and it'll come.

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Not offering much hope here... I can tell however that it does get better. I had the worst carb flu for the better part of a week.

I noticed a change in energy about 2 months in. I found myself having a constant urge to run ( I'd never run a day in my life). That urge literally crept up over night.

Once you get through the first 6 weeks it's all down hill from there.

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Patience, young Padawan. Results vary, over time (and "time" could be many months, depending on your current state). It's physics: you can't just stop a moving train without some repercussion, some slow-down time/impact upon collision. Change will happen, but I find the idea of doing a "challenge" to get certain "results" to be a bit misguided. A bit cart before the horseish. I mean, I want results, too, but I first embraced this way of eating (as a new paradigm), THEN thought, "What can I expect/do I want that was different from what's transpired or existed previously?"

I think you just have to live in the now a bit, so as to better see the changes that are coming (if seemingly "invisible" at present).

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I definitely see it as a lifestyle change I'm making. It helps tremendously that Husband is in it as well. If my wording made it seem different from that, then I wrote incorrectly. I was really just looking for some other stories about "the early days". – AmyLea May 29 at 20:43
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It might depend on how "bad off" you were before you started. Results seem to be all over the map and are very much an individual thing, but it seems like the people who have the most stunning results are the ones who were very, very ill or overweight to begin with.

I didn't have any gigantic lightning bolt moment, but I wasn't starting out with anxiety, brain fog, IBS, fatigue, acne, GERD, etc. Just had about 25 pounds to lose, which I mostly lost via low-carb (including plenty of low-carb junk and fake foods) before transitioning to primal, in order to maintain and improve overall health and longevity.

Maybe my biggest realization was that I could stop eating when I'd had enough, and I no longer needed to stuff myself until I was about to pop in order to understand that I didn't need any more food. ;)

But yeah, don't let the lack of confetti and streamers and disco balls stop you. This is still the best way to eat, hands-down. Most likely changes will come in a rush, just a little later than you expected, OR, little things will happen over time and one day, you'll say to yourself, "Huh! My _ isn't bothering me anymore!" Or, "Hey, I haven't had a cold in four years, and the bottle of aspirin in my cabinet is full but it expired three years ago!"

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Thank you for this! Very kind and encouraging. – AmyLea May 29 at 23:20
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I'm on it for two weeks and I still feel like hell and my cravings are not getting better. I feel you and hope you get answers!

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