I have just started a couple of days ago and I’m finding I’m hungry and weak and shaky after a few hours. I’m not actually diabetic but I am about 20kg overweight and I suspect prediabetic. I’ve heard such good things about this change of lifestyle (which I prefer to call it rather than a “diet”). I makes sense to me and I was largely on a Mediterranean diet anyway; this is just an fine tuning and an extension. However I find having breakfast at 7:30, then lunch (at work at 1:30), then dinner at home (I finish work at 6pm) around 7pm, the time frames are just too long and I have a headache and feel weak and shaky by late morning and late afternoon. What can I do to prevent that without blowing out the calories? Thanks

Hi I have just started too, 27 June, about the same amount to lose, not diabetic either. I know it will work because I did a month of very low calorie last year before a catastrophe got in the way and I thought no more of diets. Luckier than you, probably much older and do not have to go out and work long hours.

My suggestions are to eat more, just protein and vegies, and to drink lots of water, or herbal teas, A bit more lunch,and maybe have some nuts/ and or avocado at 4 o’clock. Anything you like that is not carbs. I have been reading lots of great blogs and entries on this site to motivate me and I am amazed at how successful people have been. I am sure some-one will pop up with good ideas for you. I think there are some who do not count calories within reason of course, just carbs.

I did not have any headaches, but others have. They seem to pass. And everyone stresses no low-fat anything. Just small quantities of the good stuff, yeah! I am weighing in tomorrow, and I will have lost about 1.8kg ( I hope!)

You might like to read some of the old entries on this site for more experience and answers than I have
Best wishes
Ruth

Hi. Hubby and I starting tomorrow. I’m not diabetic but 30 kilos overweight. Hubby is diabetic though. We both do exercise so that’s good but both eat very big meals. Worried about keeping on track. Any suggestions to help us in the first week?

I did have headaches at the beginning but they didn’t last. I don’t recall feeling shaky though. You could try to spread your calories out through the day allowing for the type of snacking that Ruth suggested, or indeed just have more calories, maybe the 5:2 would suit you better? definitely keep your fluid up.

I fill two 750ml bottles with water and try to have one empty by 12:00, and the other empty by the time I’me heading home at 17:00, adding in cups of tea (mostly herbal) it means I’m always easily above 2.5 litres.

When I feel hungry I usually have a few nuts or sugar free gum, I doubt the gum would help the shakiness but a few nuts might, maybe just a few would be enough? Experiment to find what works best for you, we are not all the same.

Thanks Ruth; I am 63 so, no, not particularly young 🙂
Today I drank water when I started to feel hungry and shaky and it was enough to hold me off till lunchtime.
Then late afternoon today I had some nuts which actually didn’t do anything to help the dizzy shaky feeling. I suspect I haven’t been having enough fluid so will increase that big time over the next few days.
Thanks everyone

hi – just to say I also got shaky when first on this way of eating
especially before breakfast and any long meal gaps or when I was out on long walks
I bought some glucose tablets and found if I had just one of them, within a few minutes things felt better
I know some people will disagree because they are sugar carbs, but they certainly helped me

also drinking AND perhaps a little more salt intake can help with headaches as this way of eating makes us need the loo quite a bit and so we get rid of salts more too

all the best

Day 1 been pretty good. Kept busy at work and gym after work so was pretty hungry when I got home. Chicken thigh with leafy green vege and carrots. I’m sure it tasted nicer cause we were hungry. I did start to get a slight headache but started drinking lots of water and it seemed to have kept it at bay

Hello jbartnz
You are suffering from carb withdrawal symptoms, christened on here as the carb “flu”
This normally lasts about a week and you will wake up one day soon feeling full of energy.
Stick to what you’re doing, you’re almost there.

Hi
Hang in there , your adjusting , drink plenty believe in yourself eat good quality food .well done

Thanks for the encouragement

2nd day pretty damn good if I say so myself! Must admit though I’m used to having a very full tummy after tea so it will take a bit of getting used to. I’m not hungry after tea – just feel could eat more. I haven’t missed my glass of wine but I guess by the weekend I might

Hi Anneswish – it’s that crucial learning to determine between hunger and “I want”!
I’m still not sure that I know what being hungry actually feels like
well done on your first couple of days