Hello from Germany!
I have some low carb experiences to share.
I started low carb inspired paleo with the beginning of 2012 (no starches, no gluten). At the same time I started a low intensity cardio roadbike training (6-8 h/week + some high rep strenth training 4 h/week), before I was biking just for fun. The goal was a better “fat metabolism” because of energy problems on the bike when riding for more than 2 – 2,5 hours. There were no thought on losing weight or anything like that.
At first everything worked well. After 8 maybe 10 weeks of training an 6 weeks on low carb, I became a flu. After 10 days of rest I started working out again and failed hard. Higher puls and no tolerance of 1h low intensity cardio.
Everyone around me critices paleo and low carb, but it sounded logical to me and so I continued. This was in mid february.
I decided to quit excercising until I felt better again. In the next month I tried exercising again, with no success.
In June 2012 I became real hard digestive issues, with the feeling of a rock in my stomach etc. Until this time I was eating a lot of salads, hundred of grams fat as dressing and meat for lunch and dinner and eggs with raw vegetables for breakfast.
After that time I reduced my fatintake and ate only cooked vegetables.
In short … there was no success or healing in 2012.
Problems in 2012: brain fog, general feeling of illness, stomach issues, constipation (sometimes pooping every 5 days), extreme feeling of cold hands and feet, very moody, no motivation and energy to work for University
I read a lot on nutrition the whole year, visit doctors, took supplements but nothing worked.
Some day I read about the Jaminets and bought the 2nd Edition of their book. I started eating starch again with litte success. Their carb intake limitations were maybe my limitation to bigger changes.
In March of this year I felt better, but not very well.
I quit the carb limitation but I only ate “real food”. Last year I read one time on 180D health, but thought Matts was wrong. After a visit in March I gave his guidance a chance an bought DR2 as paperback on Amazon sale. The reason for this was a temperature reading after feeling frosty again, like every evening.
No I am watching my fluid intake, eat choclate, ice cream, gluten sometimes and add more salt to my diet. Including some of these things were big steps for me mentally.
Success so far: warm hands an feet (with enough calories, salt and limited fluids), better digestion (daily pooping), way better mood, higher puls
My biggest problem is my appetite and hunger feeling, there is none. If I don’t have enough food I am cold, but not hungry. I think this is like “Cindy” and makes it hard to have enough calories.
Because of my weight development over the last five years 74 kg to 62 kg, I think that there was not enough food in the past (male, 26, 178 cm). These days I’m trying to reach the YE guidelines as a goal for calorie consumption.
Today I have to say: Thanks Matt for your work!