Diary of my move to a low-carb diet

As I get older I have noticed that my body is more sensitive to sugar and sweets: my energy fluctuates widely, I get sleepy after eating sugar.

Recently I read an article [1] which says there is increasing evidence of a connection between high blood sugar levels and dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Time to go low carb…

… I have been on a low carb diet for nearly two weeks. Interesting changes are occuring in my body.

The first day of the diet (Sunday) I felt disoriented and low energy. I wee’ed a lot. I lost 3 pounds overnight. The next day I felt better and continued to feel better and better all week. By the end of the week my energy level was rock steady. No more yo-yo in my energy levels.

On Saturday I went for a 30 minute walk followed by a very intense workout. I felt tired all day. The next day (Sunday) I went for a 90 minute walk first thing in the morning. Upon finishing the walk I felt drained. That entire day I was more drained than I have ever felt in my life. I could barely move. All I wanted to do is sleep. “There’s no fuel in the tank”, I thought. Interestingly, a couple days later I reflected on that and realized what had happened: since I was not giving my body carbs to replenish the cells energy, I literally was “out of fuel”. The next day my energy was back to high levels. Apparently it is taking my body longer to replenish the cell’s energy stores. My body hasn’t yet made the switch to using fat as its primary fuel source; it is still relying on carbs for its energy source.

This past week I have felt good: my energy is high and steady. My wee smells kind of strange.

Update (Sept. 7, 2014): I have been on a low-carb diet for 8 weeks now. It has been remarkably easy to maintain the diet. Initially I was tempted by breads and sweets but not any longer. My energy level is constantly high. No more yo-yo energy cycles. I have lost 7-8 pounds in the 8 weeks. I think that I have gained some muscle. My abs are more ripped than they have been in many years. This week I listened to a doctor on the radio talking about recent research showing that low-carb is a heart-healthy diet. That made me feel good as it confirms that I am on the right path.

Update (Sept. 15, 2014) Good article: Low-carb diets may beat low-fat options for weight loss, heart health

[1] High Blood Sugar Linked to Dementia

Fabulous Chocolate Shake

I am staying away from sugar, fat, and cholesterol. At the same time, I have a sweet tooth. This fits the bill. It is high protein, low carbs, no fat, no sugar, and tastes so good.

8 oz of non-fat milk
1/4 tsp of pure vanilla
1/2 tsp of pure chocolate extract
1/2 tsp of unsweetened cocoa
1 scoop of unsweetened protein powder
1/4 tsp of stevia

Put in a blender and mix. Enjoy!

You can live to 150 while retaining the energy and vitality of a 40 year old

Do you have normal blood pressure? If so, do you reckon, “Since my blood pressure is fine, I can pile on the salt.”

Wrong!

Recent research indicates that salt will damage your heart even if it doesn’t raise your blood pressure (BP):

There is also increasing evidence that a high salt intake may have deleterious effects on the cardiovascular system and lead to the development of cardiac and vascular hypertrophy, independently or in addition to its effect on BP [1]

You can live to 150 while retaining the energy and vitality of a 40 year old. Here’s how:

1. Eliminate salt from your diet.

2. Eliminate refined (white) sugar from your diet.

3. Eliminate refined (white) flour from your diet.

4. Eliminate stress from your life.

5. Exercise daily. (very important)

I learned this from Dr. Oz yesterday.

[1] http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/22/9/2426