The Science of Self-Help

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Day 135 & The Low Carb Flu

Day 135 Record Keeping SRHI = 78
Day 103 Fixed Meditation SRHI = 79
Day 49 Burpee SRHI= 68 (1x7)
Day 149 Eating SRHI = 43  
Great sleep, tired wakeup. 

The Low Carb Flu

I haven’t really described what I do for “eating right” - and a part of that is lack of thoroughness, and another part of that is that it’s a tangent to this project. Whatever consists of you “eating right” it’s the habit that’s the point. 

For me I do primal, the diet advocated by Mark Sisson of Mark’s Daily Apple - basically a high fat, high vegetable, moderate protein diet that omits processed carbs like sugars, pastas, and breads. 

Why? It has worked dramatically for one of my closest friends and, probably more important, I feel fantastic when I’m on the wagon with it. I’m clear headed, I don’t have a afternoon slump, I have control over my eating, and I lose weight without really trying. It’s also quite forgiving - I cheat once or twice a week. In the few months I’ve been on it, I’ve lost 6 belt holes on a belt that barely fit me. All without really exercising.

This is a far cry from the more standard bodybuilder’s diet that consisted of high amounts of complex cards, low fat, and protein - a diet I have found to be a real pain to stick to.

The gist of all this today is that since I cheated quite a bit during my travels, I’m on the process of getting back to it. I didn’t really gain weight on  my trip, but yesterday and today I’ve felt a slump of exhaustion and lack of clarity of thought - what people call the “low carb flu.” 

Even though I feel miserable this is great - it means something is happening. I experienced this when I first started the diet, so it’s not a surprise, and it only lasts about a week. Only this time I’d like to try to combat it - several websites I’ve suggested drinking more water, eating more fat, and drinking things like broths. 

I just made a batch of broth last night, so let the broth-drinking begin!