Atkins Diet: Induction Flu: Signs of Progress or Problems
July 5, 2010 by Low Carb Website
Filed under Atkins diet
It is very common that I read questions or statements from new Atkineers saying, “How come I feel so tired?” “Why do I have such a headache?” “I have no energy what is this diet doing to me!” One of the problems is no one forewarned them about Induction flu. Induction flu is simply the body burning its last remaining glucose and stored glycogen for energy, and suffering withdrawal effects. It is very similar to what happens when runners “hit the wall” and cyclist “bonk.” In addition to the physical withdrawal symptoms there are the mental symptoms as well. Think of drug addict, are they necessarily pleasant to be around or in high spirits even though they are doing something good. Well the carb addict has the same reaction; I personally was irritable for the first 2 or 3 weeks as I had to figure out how to eat, exert control over what entered my mouth, and regain new comfort foods. It is a dramatic change, and some people resist change. The good news is it is just temporary. It typically only last a few days, but for some the mental effects might last longer. It also shows you are on the right path and making true progress on getting rid of the excess fat. The silver lining is indeed that by the end if you continue the follow the plan you will be burning fat for fuel. You’ll have to watch the video for my suggestions on how to lessen the effects.
@sugarcube67 Lol i got abs and im depressed…
@kydirtyred ..ive been doing it for 2 weeks and feel great now though i did have a bad “flu” it really is worth the effort as you will get through it and come out the other side feeling fab ..any tips you need please ask as this is my second time doing this
@bowulf oh yes i totally agree..no one in work can believe how much energy i have when previously i used to have to pull myself up the stairs..i now run up them..all 4 flights and just feel fantastic all day..and also this is great exercise , i also now walk to work and back and walk round my place of work for 6 ish hours ..and i dont get the tiredness when ive finished work .i used to just flop on the sofa but now i could go to work all over again..it simply is fantastic..thanks for the videos
@sugarcube67 I’d love to say the exact feeling will last forever, but all good things dim and become simply normal. I will say the feelings of energy, of rightness, and being capable do continue. It may not always be roses and a mental high, but it certainly is better than the former norm of sluggishness or rollercoaster of high then lows.
hi ive been doing atkins now for 2 weeks..my second attempt, i did go through the flu and it was worse this time and lasted 4-5 days while first time lasted 2 days.ive lost 15 lbs in 14 days….what i wanted to ask is at the moment im feeling estatic..high almost … will this feeling last? because its fantastic ..thank you
@kydirtyred Just remember to reward yourself with good tasting legal food. For me it was all the sausage or ribeyes on the grill that I could eat. Focus on the great food you can have to attempt to ward off the feelings of deprivation for what you can’t. There are lots of good sites for Atkins Induction recipes (or my videos).
Drink your water – it will help.
@bowulf
<~~~already have the headaches and it’s not even dinner time.
@kydirtyred I hear you about the next 14 days. I can remember the mental impact of wanting something I couldn’t have, but it does get better. Good luck and much perseverance in the next few days.
@Gideon359 I agree you train the body to do more with less, and eventually the body will rebel and say I need to hold on to everything I have. You just hit upon the reason I scoff at the Calorie In Calorie Out proponents. You were burning way more than 1200 Calories per day, but the body changed your metabolism to support that. I am guessing your runs became either tougher and slower too.
But some people will never learn. Eating Atkins “by the book” simply works.
Today is the day I am starting atkins. I have lost a total of 32 pounds with WW and after almost a year in trying, I am finding I have way more weight to loose and was looking for something more. I would like to thank you for your videos and to let you know that the next 14 days will be the hardest thing I’ve done since raising my children. But the end results will be just as gratifying!!
I remember once I was on a low calorie diet and a hard discipline of jogging every other day 5 miles. For the first month I did lose about 5 pounds on the second month I lost about 3 pounds and then I came to a plateau. For the next 6 months I couldn’t lose a pound despite 1200 cals a day and all the jogging I did not only that when I got tired of the diet I started eating a regular diet of 2000cal well my body was know used to 1200cal and whatever I ate past 1200 would get stored as fat.daSUCKS
@TheLorimoody You are very welcome, and mega congrats on your progress so far. That is a very good first week.
@Gideon359 Funny the “doc” closed his account and perhaps even decided to go back to studying.
thank you for this post , everytime i feel like thoughing in the towel , i watch this and it really helps me , thank you soo much , tomorrow sees my whole frist week on atkins and i’ve already lost 8Ib.
@JaYnEsAyZ SF Candies are often load with sugar alcohols (stomach problems) and are also limited in number by limit of artificial sweetener servings per day (3).
Being active during Induction helps, but if too much fatigue when you first start, you should focus on getting the eating right. Don’t compensate for the exercise with extra carbs is what I always worry about when ppl first start.
PS – Chromium Piccolinate can help w/ cravings.
@bowulf it did have alot to do with boredom plus the fact i am sugar addicted. are sugar free candies allowed lol?! i just woke up and i still feel tired & run down- i drink lots of water- does it help to stay active during induction? i have been spring cleaning the house
ps..ill watch the vid and thank u for the info!
@JaYnEsAyZ Check out my video “I cheated, What now?” video. It really depends on the cheat or how it happened. If it was a craving or inability withstand it, I would probably suggest redoing Induction for a week or so to put the cravings in their place, and figure out why it happened. Why was the lollipop more important to have than the work put in? Were you not progressing through OWL and got bored?
Check out the video, it’s better than I can be in 500 characters.
what do u do when you have relapses? do u have to start over again? i am two days in the induction phase and already i have this wild craving for sugar! i am so ashamed i have no willpower (i couldnt resist a lollipop!) the kind with chewing gum inside lol is that ok? or have i ruined it and have to start all over again?!
@wazzzupdude13 your probably a medical assistant. General doctors don’t have much knowledge about dieting. Once I told my doc what I hate for breakfast and he told me I was eating about 2,000 calories. The truth is that the doc was stupid because all I ate was 2 eggs with 2 tablespoons of oil, the most this can be is about 400 cals if not less. The atkins the best diet. Medical assistant is not all of that. It is a fact that cutting all sweets, tortillas all high carb will make u lose weight.
wazzzupdude 13 mentioned everything from atkins exposed . org /
@wazzzupdude13 – what if the real truth be… your currently watching the football and are not at medical school. I know you like everything proved, so prove to me your training to be a doctor! At 20 you would have just finished your 3 A levels which you start at 18, and would not of even done a year at medical school, even if you were trainning. In some ways you sound smart, but it is trying the low carb diet that beats all what man proves, coz science is disproved later! Try a paleo diet!
@bowulf One less ignorant doctor prescribed a low carb (40g), high protein diet for a person who could not get rid of gout on his home grown veggie diet. He ended up going back on beef steak and his gout went, so did his gnawing hunger! you probably know, gout is linked to fructose and high insulin levels that raise uric acid or inhibit excretion of uric acid, respectively. Normally, I have found if a doctor/dietican says its bad/dangerous it is the go-ahead its healthy? LOL!
@Catherine8raw You are very welcome. I entertain or endure these attitudes by detractors as they often force to re-examine what we think we know to what we can prove. The fact that he claims to be a med student only makes me hope the courses for evaluating the research and respect of one’s peers / patients are still to come.
Something tells me however given the trite, oft-repeated myths that all was not right in the scenario.
@Catherine8raw Yes, but don’t you know no doctors recommend low carb? Or that all the science PROVES low carb approach is dangerous?
I appreciate STUDENTS who think they know everything based upon their research from a textbook and will rail against reality when it conflicts with their view. Sarcasm off – you are doing excellent job in confronting the myths and misinformation attempted to be perpetuated.
I am grateful to bowulf for helping support the low carb community. Some of us have no nurse/doctor or health system that has worked and when we get called psychologically ill or whatever, or hyperchrondriacs or people with low will powers. Reading wazzzupdude13 attitude towards bowulf pisses me off! They don’t teach compassion at medical school either!! The low carb diet has worked for so many people, its changed their life, its the way we use to eat, before agriculture/industrial revolution.