More on Plateaus & Stalls: Reactive Hypoglycemia

Jimmy Moore did a podcast that really hit home with me on his Livin Lavida Low Carb podcast. It was an interview with Doctor Keith Berkowitz and touched on something he has seen in a number of Atkins low carb patients who were very large, lost ALOT of weight, then stalled. Turns out what they were experiencing were symptoms related to Reactive Hypoglycemia. 

As he read down the list of the many symptoms, I had most of them. Feeling good after not eating breakfast, with high energy, then having an energy crash after eating, and feeling tired. Also, being hungry after eating. I have stalled pretty hard after losing ALOT (about 112 lbs) over a years time. I have been floating just above and below 300 lbs for some time now. Apparently, one of the causes that doing the same old things stops working is this metabolic situation that can develop.

Anyhow, it is interesting as the very things that I have been thinking about doing are some of the very things that the doctor recommends to counteract or deal with this. I have been intrigued by the Body for Life program and have purchased the workbook and book. I have wanted to figure out a low carb version of it. The key to Body for Life is small portions, more often, with very high intensity exercise. One of the points of reference is the palm of your hand. You don't eat a cut of meat larger than the center of your palm - which guides you to portion size in an easy to figure and easy to remember way. If you haven't looked into it, you ought to.

Jimmy got on to this subject when he checked his blood sugar after eating and saw that it actually fell from a pretty normal level to an even lower level after he ate. Which is pretty much the opposite of what you would expect. Pretty cool stuff, just on a science level. Trying to figure out what to do now to get past the stall and the insulin dumping associated with this situation is interesting.

Give it a listen here:

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/dr-keith-berkowitz-on-the-forgotten-blood-sugar-disorder-hypoglycemia-episode-144/ 

Comments, insight, and helpful advice much appreciated!!

From Around The Net: Plateaus and Pizza

I have read a couple of interesting articles about low carb and plateaus people hit. The best was at the Protein Power author Dr. Michael Eades blog entitled Low Carb and Calories, and was really interesting for me. I have slowed in my weight loss pretty dramatically. The article provided hints for me. Bottom line = Calories Count, at least they do more and more as you lose on down to lower levels.

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/

I lost weight like crazy when I started this, and it continued to fall off me pretty regularly until I hit around 300 lbs. From then on it's been pathetically slow. I have been looking into exercise programs, walking, modifying things, and even given thought to calorie restriction. When I started I NEVER considered calories at all, only carbs. 

I am still losing weight and inches, about to have to punch another hole in my belt right now, yet still it is so slooooooow, compared to before. I am having to believe it is all about the calories at this point. It makes sense and fits with what I have heard from other low carbers about having to lay aside nuts and cheese to the degree that they'd been able to eat it to this point. In other words, calorie dense low carb foods start to matter more than before. :sigh:

The other article was in CNN, and focussed on a low carber who hit a plateau but went on in a fitness program and diet regimen that got him to the point he now sees himself as "Mr. Low Body Fat".  Same theme, same problem. Interesting approach.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/05/30/weightloss.muata.kamdibe/index.html

 

Anyhow, what say you?

Ever hit a plateau?

What worked for you??

As for me, I am staying the course for now, and considering my next moves. I am thinking about a low carb body for life implementation, or some related type of fitness program, walking, or something at least more calorie burning or calorie restricted.

Also - The Pizza Recipe I was talking about...

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/pizza/r/deepdishpizza.htm

Experiment. We made it cheezy, supreme, and pepperoni. It was AWESOME!! I liked it better than typical high carb pizza!!