Super Lethargic

[CaseyB]

I'm a little shy of a month in. I'm bouncing between 18-20 pounds lost, and I'm stalling. I'm not really worried about that, though. I know that there are times that this will happen. I'm drinking 90 oz of water a day, and following the rungs. I'm taking a multivitamin daily.

What's bugging me, though, is that I'm really, really lethargic in the morning. I'm so groggy that I feel almost drunk. I don't have the energy to get up until I've slept almost twelve hours.

During induction, I had a few days when I didn't feel great, but that didn't last. This is nearly unbearable, though. Any ideas?

[msanjelpie]

Are you taking any medications?... do you test your blood sugar?... high blood sugar can cause excessive sleepiness...

Do you feel great in all other aspects? It could be that given the stress of losing 20 lbs in a month (which is a lot) your body needs to catch up with everything that is happening...

Also, is there iron in your multi-vitamin? Some people have anemia and need the iron that Atkins recommends we don't take...

If the lethargy continues for a month I would get a blood test done...

[phil h]

When i feel a little draggy, I add more fat into my diet.A big marbled ribeye usually does the trick or a big slab of fresh salmon fried with the skin on it.Lethargy is a sign i am taking in too many carbs.

[CaseyB]

I'm definitely not eating too many carbs. My vitamin has 100% DV iron. I haven't done a blood test, but will the next time I go to the doctor. I am on birth control, which I realize, according to the book, isn't exactly ideal, but pregnancy would sort of be counter to my weight-loss goals.

I think there's a chance that I'm not eating enough. The thing I like the most about this diet is that I'm really not hungry any more. Also, how do you work in butter without the bread or potatoes?

A sample menu (btw, I don't eat eggs):

Breakfast:
2 slices of bacon, 5 slices of turkey, small slice of cheese

Lunch:
Spinach salad with 2 tbsp parmasean and full-fat, no carb dressing

Dinner: two chicken breasts and spinach salad

Desert: cup of whipped cream mousse

[JulieB]

I work in butter by frying eggs (not helpful to you), veggies, etc. Extra salad dressing, fattier cuts of meat - rather than chicken breasts, go for pieces with the skin on, put bacon on your spinach salad...any fat will do, doesn't have to be butter. Fatigue can definitely be caused by not eating enough - try putting your daily food into something like Fitday.com to see if you are getting enough calories.

[msanjelpie]

Calories too low can definitely cause lethargy. Input your daily food into fitday.com and see how many calories you had... report back here...