Thread: Can't think straight with low carbs..

define low carbs

same deal . . low carbs = 50g or less a day . . by Day 4 I feel like a goddam retard and irritable . . then blessed refeed occurs . . .

I do just fine with low carbs 30- 40grams, I got used to it. Not getting enough sleep though really kills my mental focus...

I've been living off of less than 20 grams of carbs a day for over a month, and I'm not.....a.............Mor.....on.........


Seriously, in most cases, once the glycogen has cleared out of your system, most report thinking more clearly. If I go from "normal" carb levels to a carb restrictive intake, I crash hard then level out. If I were to consume carbs in that 50g range mentioned above, I'd be one irritable s.o.b....

Originally Posted by cheappinz

I get stupid with low carbs..my memory goes and I have trouble with basic thinking..adding, etc.. I know this happens to others. What supps do you guys take to not be a moron? I've heard alcar does the trick. And I've heard alcar can be used either orally or im. Any experience with this?

My saving grace when I do competition prep (and I've done keto, carb cycling, CKD and just plain old carb depletion pre-show) is some nootropics:

Neurogenix . This stuff has gotten me thru my last 3 competitions - I work a desk job in the tech industry so if I can't function at work, I may as well quit & get a job as a test subject in clinical sleep studies. If I have it I'll also stack in ALCAR.

Originally Posted by CaptRichArund

same deal . . low carbs = 50g or less a day . . by Day 4 I feel like a goddam retard and irritable . . then blessed refeed occurs . . .

Are you staying at 50 g for 4 days at a time? Is this supposed to be a CKD diet or carb cycling? If you are tryign to do CKD, then I'd do CKD - i.e. drop yoru carbs lower and get into ketosis quickly so you aren't all flaked out. Otherwise I'd carb cycle or up the carbs a little, or drop the interval between refeeds.

Originally Posted by DaMayor

I've been living off of less than 20 grams of carbs a day for over a month, and I'm not.....a.............Mor.....on.........


Seriously, in most cases, once the glycogen has cleared out of your system, most report thinking more clearly. If I go from "normal" carb levels to a carb restrictive intake, I crash hard then level out. If I were to consume carbs in that 50g range mentioned above, I'd be one irritable s.o.b....

Meaning you're in ketosis? So you have ketones available as the next best choice for your brain as an energy source? I went 11 months on a keto diet last year and had very little problem -- it got a little dicey towards the final weeks of my contest prep, but overall not bad once I'm in ketosis.

I'm on about 50 grams, 4 days a week. You get used to







it.

Originally Posted by FMJ

I'm on about 50 grams, 4 days a week. You get used to







it.

LOL I like the delay in sentence completion....

So my question is why? Is it a CKD style diet?

Originally Posted by sassy69

LOL I like the delay in sentence completion....

So my question is why? Is it a CKD style diet?

Myself and Capt are on UD2.
UD2 utilized low carb days and depletion training to deplete Glycogen. After 4 days, you switch to a carb up and progressively more intense training until you cycle back to low carbs.
So it's like Day 1 and 2, low carbs, depletion training.
Day 3 Low carbs, rest
Day 4 AM, low carbs, Day 4 PM carb up, tension training
Day 5 carb up continues, rest
Day 6 Maintainence calories, power training
Day 7 AM, maintaince calrories, Day 7PM low carb, rest

And so forth...

Now DaMayor, he's on PSMF, which is a mix between, starvation, insanity and suicide.

Originally Posted by DaMayor

I've been living off of less than 20 grams of carbs a day for over a month, and I'm not.....a.............Mor.....on.........


Seriously, in most cases, once the glycogen has cleared out of your system, most report thinking more clearly. If I go from "normal" carb levels to a carb restrictive intake, I crash hard then level out. If I were to consume carbs in that 50g range mentioned above, I'd be one irritable s.o.b....

How do you manage your fiber intake without Carbs? Would you not be very constipated without fiber? Unless you are taking laxatives

Originally Posted by kyle64

How do you manage your fiber intake without Carbs? Would you not be very constipated without fiber? Unless you are taking laxatives

He's probably talking normal starchy carbs. On a PSMF, you consume as much fibrous veggies (spinach, brocolli, etc.) as you want.

Originally Posted by danzik17

He's probably talking normal starchy carbs. On a PSMF, you consume as much fibrous veggies (spinach, brocolli, etc.) as you want.

I am confused now! I thought there were only 3 macronutrients, carbs, fat and protein. Aren't calories from carbs the same no matter what carbs you eat?
Please explain how he can eat as much as he wants spinach, brocolli and other fiboruos veggies all day without going over 20 grams of carbs.

Originally Posted by kyle64

I am confused now! I thought there were only 3 macronutrients, carbs, fat and protein. Aren't calories from carbs the same no matter what carbs you eat?
Please explain how he can eat as much as he wants spinach, brocolli and other fiboruos veggies all day without going over 20 grams of carbs.

Because though fiber is technically a carb, we can't digest it entirely the same way we can with starchy carbs. I think the value assigned per gram to fiber is somewhere around 1-1.5 calories per gram.

Again it's not that he's eating that few carbs, it's just that no one really counts fiber in their diet setups. I know I don't.

So my cup of fiber 1 57% I eat everyday does not count towards my total calories and carb count?

I don't count the fiber. I'm sure there's more than just fiber in your cereal.

Here is the link to the nutri info on this cereal http://www.generalmills.com/stream_image.aspx?rid=28681

carb up, so you're at a non stupid level. then start eating a balanced diet.