Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I'm on day 4 of Paleo. The first day I felt great, the next day my blood sugar was in the toilet. Yesterday and today it's like my head is in a fog and super tired. I can't concentrate. I had to check my teaching plan like 4 times before class because I couldn't remember what to bring and what I'd planned and then forgot materials anyway. Getting a few weird hot flashes from time to time. I just feel awful.

I've been drinking plenty of water, getting a solid 8-9 hours of sleep and my meals have been about two parts veggie and one part meat for the most part or half and half. I eat til I'm full, but I just don't have any energy. Coffee didn't help or hinder. And I just feel so greasy all the time.

Is this part of getting off sugar? Or am I shutting down? Either way, I don't think I can keep going into work like a zombie. Any suggestions?

flag	asked Jun 21 at 10:00 Ruby 21●2

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You should feel better shortly. Make sure you are getting plenty of electrolytes to replcae the ones you are pissing down the loo. Salt and potassium will help a lot. Eat a pickle or some bone broth, carrots and/or a banana. A few carbs will help as well (stops the run on your glycogen which is causing the water/electrolyte loss). But I understand if you don't want to do that. Adaptation to a low carb diet (if that's what you want to do) takes 3 days to a week in most cases (up to 2 weeks for outliers). – Dave S. Jun 21 at 13:19

The first week was murder! Seriously, it's like going through serious drug withdrawal. It's taken me 3 weeks to feel good. You can do it! Eat ungodly amounts of fat, it so helps! – Kelleil Jun 21 at 14:04

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Eat healthy carbs, forgo the low-carb silliness. – Matt Jun 21 at 14:12

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Nothing silly about low-carb. It's the most efficient way to lose body fat and it's safe to assume Grok was in a ketogenic state regularly. – Roth Jun 21 at 18:26

Maartje · Answer 1 · 2012-06-21 10:51:19Z UTC

I've been eating Paleo for 8 days now, and I felt exactly like you did the first few days. The first day I was feeling great, not hungry, and everything was fine. The next few days I woke up with killer migraines, I was super tired and just wanted to sleep all day, and I was soooooo hungry. After a few days it got better though, I still don't feel fantastic, but the crazy migraines are gone, I am not hungry anymore and the crazy tiredness is also gone. Just hang in there, it will pass :)

farmfreshandactive · Answer 2 · 2012-06-21 10:32:55Z UTC

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Your body is going through detox! Mine did the same thing, I've been paleo for a while now but I am currently going through Balanced bites 21 day detox and my body did the same thing. I have been adding more meat (chicken, fish) and having salty cravings. Last week my body was in shut down mode and I felt terrible. It lasted 2 days and now I feel terrific. You are doing great by getting all that sleep and drinking tons of water. The best thing you can do is rest, relax and stick to it. Are you working out? Check out troublshooting, meal plans and detox info on my website: www.farmfreshandactive.com Keep going! Day 4 is an accomplishment, you can do it!

answered Jun 21 at 10:32

farmfreshandactive
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I haven't been working out at all. I usually take karate twice a week and ride my bike everyday, but I just haven't had the energy to. The sleep really isn't an option. It's like, do I fall asleep on the couch trying to be awake or do I get into bed? I came home from work and lay down for what I meant to be a 30 min cat nap. Woke up very disoriented 2 hours later, still tired. UGH. I'll check the site. Thanks for your advice. I hope the detox is shorter than longer. – Ruby Jun 21 at 10:41

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Detox is a meaningless word with respect to the paleo diet. Perhaps you mean adaptation to fat burning, which usually takes about 3 days and makes some people feel like crap (google low carb flu). Add salt and potassium or eat a few carbs (fruit is allowed on paleo - have a banana - bonus potassium!). – Dave S. Jun 21 at 13:12

What Dave S. said ^ – Karen Jun 21 at 21:19

anand srivastava · Answer 3 · 2012-06-21 12:04:47Z UTC

It would have been easier if you got fat adapted first. You can get fat adapted while eating around 150gms carbs. After a couple of weeks you can then switch to low carb. Going straight into low carb is problematic. Your body is not used to using fat. Your body/brain craves carbs. Your gut is geared towards grain digestion. You change everything at once and expect it to be easier :-).

Michael · Answer 4 · 2012-06-21 14:16:27Z UTC

When suddenly going low carb, a bit extra salt and potassium (e.g. 2-3 99mg potassium pills) come in useful. See Protein Power and/or The Art and Scient of Low Carb Living. This feeling can last another week or two, although when I did it it only lasted a few days.

GurlzLuvSteak · Answer 5 · 2012-06-21 14:25:08Z UTC

By being prepared I never suffered this and you don't have to either! :) Have 2 cups of broth with salt, take some magnesium, and eat 1/2 an avocado. For many people this removes the problem in an hour. Do this every day for about a week or even two! ;) Feel better!

Joy · Answer 6 · 2012-06-21 13:26:38Z UTC

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For me Day 4 is always the worst, and always like what you describe with brain fog and terrible concentration. It should pass if you just hang in there. This is the hardest part in my experience.

answered Jun 21 at 13:26

Joy
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Holly · Answer 7 · 2012-06-21 16:04:43Z UTC

Coconut oil really helped me transition into the whole fat burning thing. Quick shot of energy for my brain, which I had the most trouble with. Put it in my am coffee or made "Cocoa Crack" Equal parts coconut oil/unsweetened cocoa powder, few drops of stevia to sweeten. Pour in shallow pan. Sprinkle with coconut flakes or nuts. Pop in freezer for a few minutes to harden. Stick with it, you will feel so much better soon!

Chinaeskimo · Answer 8 · 2012-06-21 20:04:57Z UTC

Oh, I know, it is completely terrible and discouraging. But you have made it FOUR WHOLE DAYS!!! Hooray! I used to give in after one or two days! The headaches, the crankiness, the cravings, fogginess, the general terrible-ness of it all!

But...You are almost there. You have almost made it! Hang in there. I am rooting for you! I am waiting for you at the finish line!

Ruby · Answer 9 · 2012-06-21 21:11:14Z UTC

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Update:

Ended up eating a sweet potato for dinner, as I wasn't that hungry, and felt much better. But I think I might have just screwed up the detox. But I did end up waking up at 5:45 naturally for the first time, without an alarm. So maybe not. Not feeling as atrocious this morning, but I'm not sure if I'm out of the woods yet. Gonna try to get my hands on that coconut oil(live in asia so it might take a trip to costco). Thanks for all your suggestions.

answered Jun 21 at 21:11

Ruby
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You aren't in "detox"! You probably felt awful from the "carb flu" It's a natural stage when you shift from burning mostly glucose for fuel to becoming fat adapted and running mostly on ketones. There were enough carbs in the sweet potato to up your blood glucose. Eating low carb or very low carb helps a lot in weight loss or for diabetes. If you don't want to go low carb, just shift in paleo friendly carbs like the sweet potato or beets or ..... – Karen Jun 21 at 21:17

Yeah, I really wish people would stop using the word 'detox' in this context. It's ultimately more valuable to understand what's really going on in your body as you fat adapt, than to have a handy shortcut word that's been used to death by people marketing laxatives. – Canis Minor Jun 21 at 22:58

Sorry, I'm a noob. Forgive my butchering of the terminology. – Ruby Jun 22 at 9:27

Day 4 and I feel terrible. Help

9 Answers