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I review posts most days and follow up on pertinent stuff. As you can see from the title, I went 100% paleo 3 months ago, from partially paleo for many years (i.e. local flesh and plant food sources such as a huge garden that also helps feed friends, and as much as possible we eat organic). Even though I am physically strong and continue to use my strength for building projects which require heavy lifting, climbing. crouching, and repetitive motions, I continue to carry 30-40 pounds of extra fat, so 12 weeks ago I decided I would change my food intake. I had no dairy, as well as no grains, sugar, processed food, legumes and starchy vegetables. I also minimized salt to about 1500 mg per day. I felt immediately, like the next day, better.

As the days went on my energy kept improving; and about the 3rd week I hit a brick wall. I got through the "flu" after a 5-6 days. In about wk 5 I once again had dairy (cheese, cream and full fat yogurt), although I find myself actually having a craving for dairy which I did not have before.

Along with this is a busy professional life and personal building projects (home) that I have felt great energy for, losing 4 inches from my waist in this time as well. I had a huge project to complete and formally deliver at the start of this week, so I worked on it rather than finishing the slate tiling I am doing. I got it done and successfully delivered. This was in another city, hotelling, and trying to eat paleo. I came back home Monday evening, and have been lethargic mentally and physically ever since, 3 days now. I sleep well, but my energy is not good. I keep meaning to get at the tiling again since I have it ready to go, but keep putting it off. Is this food related or am I just cracked:)?

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probably not eating enough for the activity you describe – George Brodie Aug 19 2011 at 0:11

4 Answers

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You are probably having a lot of stress right now. Sleeping in motels and eating on the way are certainly factors of stress and are by far not as clean anymore as you have been before in the last 3 months. It seems to me that the body needs to adjust again to the increased stress :-) You need to take a break and I'm sure you will feel better.

See, this is also probably a downside of being super clean and strict with the diet and stress management in a paleo way for long periods of time. I find that the body is not adapted anymore to tolerate some stress factors and will react badly if taken out of the clean paleo template all of a sudden. It kind of unlearns to cope with these stresses as it is treated perfectly for such a long time.

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Thanks MasterB Makes sense...I have had a lot of stress. I guess sleep and self-care will do it. I did find that going into the garden after I posted for fresh veg for supper and munching on some seemed to help. – Aili Aug 19 2011 at 0:43
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 I disagree with the "not adapted anymore" part. I believe its more an aspect of once you know what feeling "good" is like your more acutely aware of the drop off...it's more like being elite and then stepping down to average. Other than that i agree. Diet is only one aspect of health. There is the physical and emotional to consider also. – JayJay Aug 20 2011 at 1:08
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Aili, see here for a similar question I asked several weeks ago:link text

I have found that I lose weight best on VLC, but I have to adjust my carb intake according to activity level. If I am out surfing for a few hours two days in a row, I notice that I am dragging with no energy. I figure I have depleted too many carbs out of my muscle reserves (not the scientific way of saying it.) My solution is to up my carbs for one or two days and it usually does the trick. Then right back to VLC.

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Sounds like you might be going through lo carb flu again. Restaurants can be pretty sneaky with what they put in food, secret sugar everywhere.

It could have also thrown off your Omega 3/Omega 6 ratios eating grain fed restaurant meat and veg 3 meals per day, that could leave your brain feeling in the dumps. Even the fanciest restaurants have the big bucket o' canola oil that goes on pretty much everything.

If you felt better after grabbing some veggies from your garden, it could still be return of the low carb flu, or it could that you needed some carbs to build up your glycogen stores again. You sound very active, so I'm leaning towards needing to rebuild.

Rest up, and I hope you feel better soon.

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It sounds to me like you had a long, tiring stretch and need to recharge a little. I wouldn't overthink this. Work stress and sleeping in a strange place lead to inadequate quality sleep. Couple this with a diet compromise or two and perhaps a few long workdays, and you get a little burned down. Get some extra rest in the next couple of days.

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