Any tips on going from a high sugar lifestyle to a low carb diet without getting blood sugar crashes

[JCFantasy23]

I ate fruit this morning and had some carbs, but my blood sugar crashed. I have gone from a very high sugar diet (for about 30 years) to a healthier diet the past few weeks, but it's a difficult change on my body at times. I had a peach this morning, some pineapple, and a little sugar in my coffee, so I was not completely carb free, but my blood sugar still crashed. Any advice to make the transition easier?

 

[devin553344]

I ate fruit this morning and had some carbs, but my blood sugar crashed. I have gone from a very high sugar diet (for about 30 years) to a healthier diet the past few weeks, but it's a difficult change on my body at times. I had a peach this morning, some pineapple, and a little sugar in my coffee, so I was not completely carb free, but my blood sugar still crashed. Any advice to make the transition easier?

If I even have a little sugar I crash within a few hours. I control my crashes by abstaining from any and all sugar. Fruit has sugar (fructose) in it, but it is healthy for you. Cheers

 

[JCFantasy23]

I've read if you're not used to sugar, that can happen. My issue isn't that, though.

 

[timothyu]

Sounds more like withdrawal than a crash.

 

[Job3315]

I ate fruit this morning and had some carbs, but my blood sugar crashed. I have gone from a very high sugar diet (for about 30 years) to a healthier diet the past few weeks, but it's a difficult change on my body at times. I had a peach this morning, some pineapple, and a little sugar in my coffee, so I was not completely carb free, but my blood sugar still crashed. Any advice to make the transition easier?

What do you mean with "crashed?"

 

[devin553344]

Sounds more like withdrawal than a crash.

I didn't even know that existed. Interesting. I found this useful:
Sugar Detox: Symptoms, Withdrawal Side Effects, and How to Manage Them

 

[JCFantasy23]

Low blood sugar symptoms - lightheadiness/dizziness, confusion, clumsiness, feeling bad, etc. When I went to take more sugar, this helped.

 

[Job3315]

Low blood sugar symptoms - lightheadiness/dizziness, confusion, clumsiness, feeling bad, etc.

Do you have diabetes?

 

[JCFantasy23]

No, I don't have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

This is not an uncommon issue when you switch from a high sugar diet to a healthier one. I've read on it, but the advice on those articles are either generic or not applying to advice on easier adjustments to the changes, at least not what I've run across.

 

[chevyontheriver]

I ate fruit this morning and had some carbs, but my blood sugar crashed. I have gone from a very high sugar diet (for about 30 years) to a healthier diet the past few weeks, but it's a difficult change on my body at times. I had a peach this morning, some pineapple, and a little sugar in my coffee, so I was not completely carb free, but my blood sugar still crashed. Any advice to make the transition easier?

You didn't mention eating anything with substantial protein or fat. Protein and fat are what keeps your blood sugar moderate over long time periods. Carbohydrates, from fruit or otherwise, promote spikes and crashes in blood sugar. So eat the fruit but include more meats, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, beans, milk, or whatever with protein in it. Don't be afraid of fats. They are probably better for you than any empty junk food carbohydrates.

 

[JCFantasy23]

You didn't mention eating anything with substantial protein or fat. Protein and fat are what keeps your blood sugar moderate over long time periods. Carbohydrates, from fruit or otherwise, promote spikes and crashes in blood sugar. So eat the fruit but include more meats, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, beans, milk, or whatever with protein in it. Don't be afraid of fats. They are probably better for you than any empty junk food carbohydrates.

This morning I had my morning coffee, 1/4 cup of cottage cheese with some sliced pineapple, and a hardboiled egg and peach for mid-morning. I have been trying to eat more eggs and proteins in general. I usually keep the mornings lighter in eating since my appetite is generally low at that time.

 

[JCFantasy23]

I usually don't take in a lot of sugar in the morning, so that hasn't changed in the past two weeks with this lifestyle change. A friend told me it may be an add-up of so much less sugar in general the last two weeks. This morning was the first time I had the low blood sugar crash since eating healthier though. I did not go completely carb-free as you can see, and I'm generally a light eater in the morning so it is not a fast for my body to not eat a gigantic breakfast or anything.

From an article I read today while feeling sick that said:

If you're accustomed to eating a very high-carb diet and suddenly switch to a very low-carb diet, you could experience rather dramatic drops in your blood sugar during the first few days or weeks of your transition. This low blood sugar can cause notably uncomfortable side effects and intense cravings.
If you regularly consume a large amount of carbohydrates, especially refined ones like white bread and soda, you may experience a notable drop in blood sugar when you drastically reduce your carb intake. In the first week of carb reduction, your body will seek to maintain your high sugar intake. You'll crave carbohydrates and may even feel weak because your body hasn't yet become efficient at burning fat for fuel.


I think this is what's happening. This is a healthier change I'm making from too much sugar consumption that has been going on about 30 years. I haven't gone into an extreme change since I'm not doing a severe diet that is completely carb free, but was looking on pointers to help this be less "shockful" to my system. I'm still eating 1200 calories a day and nutritiously, have added in more proteins to stay full longer, and am still doing small bits of carbs to help. Every day I am very tired now, though, and today I got sick around 10 in the morning. I have also been taking vitamins the past few months, but they aren't helping with my energy level while trying to transition to healthier eating.

 

[timothyu]

Small portions spread over the day multi times are far better then the traditional meal.

 

[Job3315]

No, I don't have diabetes or pre-diabetes.

This is not an uncommon issue when you switch from a high sugar diet to a healthier one. I've read on it, but the advice on those articles are either generic or not applying to advice on easier adjustments to the changes, at least not what I've run across.

Then I agree with a previous comment that sounds like withdrawal (detox). It usually takes up to 2 weeks. Have you also noticed acne on your chest or back? Is your tongue white?

Now, how do you know is low blood sugar? Are you checking your sugar levels and they are indeed low, or are you assuming they are by the way you feel? I ask because in a person without any health issues, the sugar levels stay at a normal range no matter what they do or don't eat; look at kids and teenagers. But for a person who suffers from a condition like diabetes or hypoglycemia the levels are not normal.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Small portions spread over the day multi times are far better then the traditional meal.

That's my normal mode, I can't eat much at once. I was used to consuming too much sugar through drinks rather than food and fill up pretty quickly. I did not eat the cottage cheese, egg and peach all at the same time, they were separated.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Then I agree with a previous comment that sounds like withdrawal (detox). It usually takes up to 2 weeks. Have you also noticed acne on your chest or back? Is your tongue white?

Now, how do you know is low blood sugar? Are you checking your sugar levels and they are indeed low, or are you assuming they are by the way you feel? I ask because in a person without any health issues, the sugar levels stay at a normal range no matter what they do or don't eat; look at kids and teenagers. But for a person who suffers from a condition like diabetes or hypoglycemia the levels are not normal.

To me it matches the low blood sugar symptoms, although I suppose it could be withdrawal. However, I have not withdrawn completely from sugar so that would be surprising, but I did cut out a substantial amount. I have been doing this new healthier eating regime about 2 weeks now, started the Monday before last, so it is not brand new. I did not have these symptoms last week. I would think this would happen last week instead of this week whichever it ended up being, but leave it to my body to not follow the regime and not make sense.

I have had blood sugar spikes before, although it's been a few years and isn't often, it's a side effect of being too unhealthy with sugar as well, which is one reason I'm trying to get healthier now. I get yearly physicals and my last was only about 3 months ago, and my blood sugar level is perfectly healthy. I do need to consume less sugar and lose weight though, before those health problems start piling on within a few years.

With the low blood sugar symptoms, I got light-headed and dizzy and felt off balance, like I was leaning to the left for over an hour. I did not feel better until I snuck a soda to try and help out, and it cleared it up.

 

[JCFantasy23]

Have you also noticed acne on your chest or back? Is your tongue white?

Nothing new. My tongue has always been gross looking and whitish to me.

 

[Phil W]

I ate fruit this morning and had some carbs, but my blood sugar crashed. I have gone from a very high sugar diet (for about 30 years) to a healthier diet the past few weeks, but it's a difficult change on my body at times. I had a peach this morning, some pineapple, and a little sugar in my coffee, so I was not completely carb free, but my blood sugar still crashed. Any advice to make the transition easier?

This is a symptom of hypoglycemia. (I think)
Your sugar intake caused a huge release of insulin into your system.
I've been diabetic for 33 years and I carefully chart everything I eat.
I keep a notebook with columns for "date, day, blood glucose reading, breakfast or?, amount of insulin I inject, and exercise."
Now I can look back and determine how much insulin to take based on months of data comparisons before going to Burger King.
Get a blood sugar monitor and some test strips...cheapest at Walmart.
Keep a log and know what foods do what to your system.
A peach, some pineapple and sugar in your coffee?
That is about 8-10 units of insulin for me! A lot for not much 'fillingness'
Two eggs...2 units. PBJ...3 units. Whopper Jr and fries...12 units. (All with SOME exercise)
If you start keeping track now, you may avoid turning diabetic.

 

[mama2one]

it seems you're not eating enough for breakfast

"breakfast" is breaking the fast from previous day so it's better to eat a good healthy breakfast including protein

then dinner can be less calories than breakfast

 

[JCFantasy23]

This is a symptom of hypoglycemia. (I think)
Your sugar intake caused a huge release of insulin into your system.
I've been diabetic for 33 years and I carefully chart everything I eat.
I keep a notebook with columns for "date, day, blood glucose reading, breakfast or?, amount of insulin I inject, and exercise."
Now I can look back and determine how much insulin to take based on months of data comparisons before going to Burger King.
Get a blood sugar monitor and some test strips...cheapest at Walmart.
Keep a log and know what foods do what to your system.
A peach, some pineapple and sugar in your coffee?
That is about 8-10 units of insulin for me! A lot for not much 'fillingness'
Two eggs...2 units. PBJ...3 units. Whopper Jr and fries...12 units. (All with SOME exercise)
If you start keeping track now, you may avoid turning diabetic.

It's confusing because I've cut out a lot of sugar intake and having been eating healthier. I used to drink a fountain soda in the morning along with coffee, and didn't have this happen, and I know I was consuming a lot more sugar in the morning then by doing that. I do think you are right with the sugar balance being off causing this, though. One of the reasons I want to work on getting healthier is of course to help avoid diabetes later, because that could around the corner if I didn't start taking care of myself. My sugar level is normal and fine according to doctors, however, so I do not test my sugar/blood. This sugar crash feeling I had this morning is not common for me thankfully.

I didn't consume any carbs last night at all for dinner - had a dinner of three eggs and that's it. I'm wondering if the issue is from a build up of the night before (since it's morning) or all from stuff I'm doing this morning. Should I keep chocolates or something for if I start feeling sick again? I'm trying to avoid that but that's why I'm looking for tips. Obviously I can't sit there for hours feeling that sick either while trying to work and getting pale and miserable.