my so called journal

[Ioanna]

Being zc or full of carbs doesn't really phase me in terms of energy... I never felt like it was something to adapt to.  I know that is such contrast to anyone here.  I like zc because my digestion is better that way.  Hunger is something that is just there, but with carbs hunger is something so much more intense.  Also eating zc I only want to eat once or twice a day, but with carbs I am full quickly, after an apple say, but hungry soon after and want to eat throughout the day. I think I sleep deeper too, and wake more refreshed... not sure though because I was always a deep sleeper and I woke kinda groggy, but I used to train 4+ hours a day.   

As for tonight.. I think I'd call dinner an entire 'cheat', do the best from the menu, but get back on track tomorrow if zc is what you want to try. for me anyway, zc cooked and zc raw are entirely different!! Besides, there's too much hidden starch in spices and sauces, also cooked oils.. I just think can't be sure what we're eating from a restaurant.

good luck!  look forward to reading what you decide.

[PaleoPhil]

Being zc or full of carbs doesn't really phase me in terms of energy... I never felt like it was something to adapt to.  I know that is such contrast to anyone here.

Same here, actually. The only adaptation I had was a brief period of sweet saliva that passed. Better to be fully informed before starting though, as others were not so lucky as us.

[Raw Kyle]

Dinner didn't feel too good. Well today is going to be the first time in a while I'll be doing raw meat without any kind of condiment or any raw carbs. Like I said, it's an experiment, but my desire in it all would be more constant energy and mood levels.

[actionhero]

I'm starting a zero carb experiment. I'm going to try bolting food down when I don't feel like eating.

I've gone through the symptoms of zero carb transitioning before and can handle them I think, the one thing I don't know if I can take is how unappealing the food becomes. After a few days raw fat and organs become disgusting and muscle becomes barely tolerable.

You could try a tablespoon or two of raw honey so you appetite returns. Don't get too attached to the 'ZC' label. What you want is more health, energy and vitality, not to live up to some idea no matter what. A lot of what makes ZC a huge success is the elimination of fruit/plant fiber, mainly because of improved digestion and absorption of nutrients. Raw honey can help in the transition to full ZC. So if you run into serious trouble give it a try instead of going back to fruit.   

[Raw Kyle]

I finished my lunch today, it wasn't a lot of food but I didn't have the same problem as yesterday. My energy levels were good too, except being very tired when I first work up. Also, after a lunch of beef fat and muscle I felt a surge of energy that I thought would only come with carbs. Haven't had any significant negative stuff yet, except thoughts of non rpd zero carb foods. No head ache or anything, which I'm surprised about.

[klowcarb]

I never got low carb flu or any adaptation problems with ZC, nor any digestion issues. I wonder if it is because I am fit (lifting, etc.)? I have no idea. And I went from vegetarian low carb almost directly to ZC, with no issues with meat or with dropping to zero (biologically) carbs. In fact, my gym performance, both cardio and lifting, IMPROVED. The difference in abdominal leanness and the freedom of mind are noticeable benefits. I only would wish my experience on others who try it. 

[Raw Kyle]

I never got low carb flu or any adaptation problems with ZC, nor any digestion issues. I wonder if it is because I am fit (lifting, etc.)? I have no idea. And I went from vegetarian low carb almost directly to ZC, with no issues with meat or with dropping to zero (biologically) carbs. In fact, my gym performance, both cardio and lifting, IMPROVED. The difference in abdominal leanness and the freedom of mind are noticeable benefits. I only would wish my experience on others who try it. 

I seem to remember at the beginning you weren't eating much fat, right? Maybe you were turning protein into carbs and therefore didn't go through the adaptive pains? Are you eating a lot of fat now? Enough to supply your energy?

Still feeling good btw, about to go to sleep. Able to eat the food without any trouble, although tonight I ate bone marrow and that's my favorite fat source.

[PaleoPhil]

I too thought that a gradual transition to ZC might be the reason I and others didn't experience any substantial problems during the transition, but when I did a poll on it here there was no correlation--cold turkey scored just as well.

[klowcarb]

I seem to remember at the beginning you weren't eating much fat, right? Maybe you were turning protein into carbs and therefore didn't go through the adaptive pains? Are you eating a lot of fat now? Enough to supply your energy?

Still feeling good btw, about to go to sleep. Able to eat the food without any trouble, although tonight I ate bone marrow and that's my favorite fat source.

I am now eating 70-80% fat most days. I feel great on this and better than when I was about 60/40.

[Raw Kyle]

Well I still feel fine. It's been about 4 days with nothing but raw animal foods. I was a little low on energy today but in a relaxed way, not a painful way.

[Josh]

good luck.

[Raw Kyle]

Today was my last day at my job so they almost forced me to go out to eat. I got a chopped steak that had some sauce on it (like gravy) and mushrooms. I also ate a few sweet potato fries, couldn't resist. Didn't feel as good after but didn't feel too bad. For dinner I'll just eat the muscle/fat that I brought for lunch.

[Raw Kyle]

I'm feeling some flu like symptoms now. Friday night I didn't eat dinner, and I went to the gym Saturday morning and got beat up pretty bad. Then I ate a tiny amount as I wasn't hungry, and didn't eat again till much later. So now I'm very sore and do not feel well at all, and have no desire beyond knowing I need to eat to eat raw meat. I hope I feel better tomorrow as I'm starting a new job.

[Ioanna]

Have fun tomorrow Kyle!

And hope you are feeling better after tonight's rest too.

[Raw Kyle]

Thanks. First day at work was terrible, 12 hour day with flu like symptoms. I might even have the flu for all I know. Raw meat is still unappetizing, making me very mildly pre-nauseous. Today I woke up with my headache that I had for a couple days straight at least mostly gone, but it came back during the work day. Now it's still with me. So far this is a terrible experience, but I don't feel like giving up yet.

[Raw Kyle]

I forgot to mention is great increase in my resting pulse.

The past few days went similarly, feeling almost better for the first half, then feeling bad again. Last night I caved and put some sauce from my girlfriends dinner on meat in order to stomach it.

Water began tasting sweet to me, and from what I can tell my breath has no odor, which are two things I read about here.

Today for lunch I put some drops of a tabasco type hot sauce on my meat to eat it. I might have to keep doing that because when I force it mild nausea occurs and bolting all my food is something I'm not at this point interested in trying. I have been bolting in order to supplement what I was able to chew and force down, but I like the pieces to be pretty small so I don't have the feeling they get temporarily stuck in my throat. Thus it's pretty time consuming, and also demoralizing.

Job is mildly better, probably due to feeling almost ok in the mornings. Tomorrow I'm going to a going away party at a bar from my last job and am planning on eating nothing there and drinking only maybe one or two simple drinks like vodka club.

[actionhero]

Try raw eggs, lots of them. The fresh living raw fat might just help get over this temporary discomfort.

I can tell from experience that fat in raw eggs digests 10 times faster than marrow, suet or white solid meat fat.

Best would be to have access to freshly killed animals and eat the brain, marrow or meat fat before it turns solid and goes stale.

I think there is magic in fresh living fat.
   

[Raw Kyle]

I forgot to mention that in addition to being more thirty and drinking more than usual, my pee is more yellow than usual as well. What sickness I got as well is now firmly settled as an upper respiratory infection, which I haven't gotten since I think I started raw diets at least 4 years ago.

[Josh]

It sounds a lot like what happened to me when I tried zero carb. I hope you get through it, but please don't push yourself too close to the line. It's not worth messing yourself up in pursuit of what you figure your diet should be...trust me. You can always back off, regroup and try a different tactic.

[Nation]

I forgot to mention that in addition to being more thirty and drinking more than usual, my pee is more yellow than usual as well.

I've been raw ZC for over a month now and i drink sooo much water, it's insane. I hope that's a good thing, i literally drink 2x more water than i did when i was raw omnivore.

My urine is more yellow only when i eat liver.

[PaleoPhil]

I've been raw ZC for over a month now and i drink sooo much water, it's insane. I hope that's a good thing, i literally drink 2x more water than i did when i was raw omnivore. ....

Yes, I think it's normal. I also drink more water than I used to, and enjoy water more, on raw VLC than I did on cooked omnivore. Wolves and Inuits drink an enormous amount of water. If you're concerned that you might be overhydrated I guess you could buy multistix to test the specific gravity of your urine.

[Raw Kyle]

Another thing that's been going on is my stomach feels very empty but never grumbling and I'm not hungry. I have no hunger at all, and an aversion to eating anything rpd.

[PaleoPhil]

Another thing that's been going on is my stomach feels very empty but never grumbling and I'm not hungry. I have no hunger at all, and an aversion to eating anything rpd.

I also never experience stomach grumbling and have very little hunger when I'm sticking to RPD. I usually eat twice a day, sometimes once or three times, depending on what's convenient. I haven't experienced that aversion, though.

[Josh]

I have experienced this.

[Raw Kyle]

I think I have bronchitis, which is very disappointing since I haven't gotten much in the way of communicable diseases since doing raw diets. I've tried raw honey to soothe my throat. Even cough drops. In short my experiment is over and I feel like I've taken a step back, in health rpd or both.