Friend and I new to the lifestyle page

[symphonyofdreams]

Basically we're both strength athletes but both like to be lean and healthy year round. I've experimented with basically every diet out there from standard body building diets to a wide variety of vegan diets to raw vegan diets and so on. Both of us have noticed that when our carbs drop below 200 grams we get all fuzzy headed/ light headed and just feel really strange like an outta body experience. also we notice feeling tired and lazy. I hear you have to stay on the diet long enough to train the body to run effectively on fats not carbs. But what about Muscle Glycogen? seems that 100 grams of carbs a day would leave ones muscles flat and weak? seems to be the common concern i hear from low carbers. Obviously low carbs is great for getting lean but is it good for building strength/ Muscle?

[grayumm]

You need carbs to help recover when you're training hard and pushing your body. On days that you're working hard, some extra carby tubers or some white rice wouldn't hurt you.

[symphonyofdreams]

You need carbs to help recover when you're training hard and pushing your body. On days that you're working hard, some extra carby tubers or some white rice wouldn't hurt you.

How about fruit? i tend to feel better on fruit. starch especially grains gives me and a couple people i know inflammation in the joints.

[grayumm]

yeah, go for fruit! Sometimes I like to take a frozen banana and blend it with some milk and cacao powder, it's like a mini chocolate shake, but more better

[symphonyofdreams]

yeah, go for fruit! Sometimes I like to take a frozen banana and blend it with some milk and cacao powder, it's like a mini chocolate shake, but more better

HOw many grams of carbs does a guy like Mark Sisson get? he's at ideal body fat levels and active so like what 200? does he ever say?

[grayumm]

From what I've read, and the videos I've seen him talking in, he doesn't seem too concerned about specifics. Why stress out about it? Back in Groks day, he wasn't worrying about carb ratios, or if he was lifting enough weights. In Marks book, he says 150 carbs a day is ideal for easy weight management, so I'm guessing in a week that is what he averages. You seem to be worried about specifics, but my advice to you is to just listen to your body. Everyone is different, so what works for me, might not work for you, or anyone else. I honestly don't even calculate anything when I eat, all I do is just have a pile of veggies, some meat, and fruit, and some fat or oil for fullness and it seems to work for me.

[symphonyofdreams]

So all the whole fruit i care for?

[grayumm]

Definately try it out. If you're still feeling fuzzy/light headed, then maybe look at the types of fruits you are eating and see how much natural sugars they have... where on the glycemic index they are. (or whatever that is called)

[symphonyofdreams]

Definately try it out. If you're still feeling fuzzy/light headed, then maybe look at the types of fruits you are eating and see how much natural sugars they have... where on the glycemic index they are. (or whatever that is called)

Once i consume enough carbs from fruits or any source the issue goes away. any time the carbs are super low it comes back

[sbhikes]

Your current issue is that you have no metabolic flexibility. Your body cannot switch between using fat for energy and carbohydrate. You feel sick and woozy on a low carb diet because your body cannot run off of fat. Most of the body builder guys around here say a low carb diet is horrible and you shouldn't do it. But I truly feel that a period of low carb in order to regain your metabolic flexibility makes all the difference in the world. Once you regain it, you can fuel your body on starches or fats (i.e. fast and use your body fat) as needed and you won't need to constantly shovel sugar into your face to keep from passing out. I think that J. Stanton has a lot of useful information. metabolic flexibility - GNOLLS.ORG