Low Carb Diets

Yesterday I started a low-carb diet.  I've done this before without much success, but I figured that since I'm still stuck at the same weight I've been at for the last three years, since I don't like how I look or feel, since my annual physical is coming up in mid-August and I know I'll be told "loose weight, cut down on carbs," and since, finally, I don't want more medications (had some problems a few years back and the dosage had to be lowered) I would try again.

Yesterday wasn't too bad.  I don't think I packed enough food for the day, though.  At lunch I worked out with weights and took a brisk 20 minute walk to keep the HR up.  By the time evening came and I was making hamburger patties, sauteed veggies (onions, mushrooms and green peppers in olive oil and a little butter) and steamed cauliflower, I could tell I was low on blood sugar.  My attitude sucked, to put it bluntly.  After dinner Nancy and I went to the rec center and rode the stationary bikes for 30 minutes.  I felt pretty good.  Ate a piece of cheese about 9:30.

This morning was horrible.  I felt light-headed right after breakfast (a two-egg omelette with ham, cheese and mushrooms and 6 oz of vegetable juice).  I was definitely hypoglycemic.  About 11:00 I started to feel better and did another fast walk of about 35 minutes on lunch break.  By the end I had definitely bonked -- run out of glycogen.  But after eating lunch (leftovers from last night plus some cucumbers and onions) I felt better all afternoon.

It isn't until you actually cut out carbs that you realize how much of our diet is made up of them:  Bread, potatoes, pasta, cereal, rice, just to name a few of the main ones.  Then add all the fruits that have too much sugar to qualify as low carb (oranges, tangerines, plums, cherries) and even carrots and suddenly the food universe has shrunk.  On the South Beach diet, the one I'm starting with, for the first two weeks carbs are severely restricted.  None of the usual carbs, no fruit of any kind, no carrots.  Is this fun or what?