Not doing well today

I am very impatiently waiting for my revision approval.  I am neurotic, so I call daily to my insurance company and they keep telling me its in review.  I don't expect things to be different, just wish they were.  I started the post op diet in a fit of ambition (ultra low carb.  meat and cheese and leafy greens only) and cut all drinks out excep****er and coffee and the morning premier protein shake.  I usually get between 800 to 1000 calories a day, with under 30g of carbs a day.  I don'****ch fat, but I am not out of control most days.  I have been losing steadily, YAY!  But I have had a slight "carb flu" for a week now.  Some days are better than others.

Yesterday I woke up to a 3 pound loss.  3 POUNDS!  So excited and happy with myself, but I also realized that was unlikely because 3 pounds in 1 day is impossible even at my large size.  I was sure 1 or 2 of it would be back today, but used it as a motivator and, along with feeling good as well, had a pretty good day yesterday.

This morning I woke up feeling AWFUL!  Felt as though I had a hangover.  Horrid headache, muscle ache, no energy AT ALL.  I realize hangovers are actually dehydration so I have been trying to get in a lot of water, but I drank a gallon and a half yesterday and the day before so I am not sure how it could be that.  And not only are the 3 pounds back, but they brought a friend.  Ok, fluctuations are normal.  I shouldn't weigh everyday, but I can't help it.  I'm neurotic.  I peed on a ketostix and it came up negative, like it does every time.

So I am starting to wonder if I am not fully getting into ketosis, but hovering on the edge, and that is why I am not getting fully into that "good feeling full of energy" stage.  Maybe I need to take my carbs below 20g.  10?  Continuing the diet is SO HARD when its not making me feel better, and it doesn't give me that awesome moment for more than a day.  

Any insight, words of encouragement, snarkiness is welcome.

Have you been taking your multivitamins/supplements also? Have you kept your "fats" up? Every article I read about the ketosis "diet" it always says to keep your fats high. I hope you get to feeling better. Before surgery my surgeon had me on the "ketosis diet" for 2 weeks. I have to say every thing your describing sounds familiar. I remember feeling like poo for almost the whole 2 weeks, then one morning I woke up and felt better. I think the "diet" helped me cause by the time I had surgery my mouth already tasted like what fingernail polish smells like and I had more energy then most of my friends post op. Good Luck. i would just be careful with going under 10 grams of carbs. My plan called for no less than 20 per day. 

Right now I am at 30g of carbs a day.  I think I will drop it to 25, then 20.  I know going too low can be dangerous.  Today just feels way worse than others so i am flailing around wondering if i can change it up.  Most likely this is supposed to happen exactly and I shouldnt change it at all.

I would wait until the body adjust to that level, then drop if needed. 

Based on experiance with this diet ~ i need extra magnesium, sodium, and potasium.  When i go really low carb ~ i need to add those minerals.. Pickles, magnisium pills and potasium.  Really a must for me. Plus ..miralx to make sure i don't get too constipated. 

Drinking water withiut getting enough salt may leave you dehydrated.  Carbs hold a lot of water. When i go low carbs i typically can lose 5-6 lbs inn a couple of days. And i know it is mostly water... 

constipation is not an issue yet, thank god.  i have been eating broccoli almost nightly.  I can up my salt some to see if that helps.

i will try the pickles, and see if i need to up the potassium.  thank you!

I suggest pan frying your meats or sauteing your vegetables in extra virgin olive oil and eating fish if you aren't already. Meats and cheeses do not contain healthy fats, and healthy fats are important for heart health and well being. Olive oil and fish are a good way to get healthy fat without adding any carbs to your diet.

We are doing salmon tonight, and I have it at least 2 times a week.  I also have been using avocado as an alternative to mayo.  Trying to get those fats in.

My headache has gotten so bad today.  I just want to get past this phase.  It definitely makes me not want to fall off the diet because I don't want to have to go through this again.  I will say one good thing happened today...

My ketostix turned light pink!!!  I am no longer beige!  That means there are ketones in me pee!!!  I get sick of people on the atkins board talking about their dark purple stick.  I have pee stick envy.

CONGRATULATIONS on your pink pee stick!!  Hopefully, it will turn purple soon!