Achey legs and knees since starting low carb

[craftykits]

In anticipation of starting boot camp on Monday, I've been low carbing roughly following the rules. A week in, there are def positives ie, less bloated belly ( I don't have masses to lose, maybe a stone max but I have looked 4 months pregnant the last 9 months....), haven't eaten anything sweet/ bread, pasta, pots for a week and really haven't craved it.....however, my knees and calves ache, I can't imagine doing a workout in the gym and I am constipated so rather than being a twice a day girl, lucky if I'm every other day.

Looked at a couple of sites on this pointing to uric acid in joints and a whole host of other reasons for aches and pains which occur after drastically cutting carbs and then lack of fibre for the constipation. Anyone else started with these symptoms and then they ease off or how do I deal ?

Suggestions seem to be Magnesium/Potaasium supplements and today I actually took my daily berocca and added a teaspoon of salt. I'd been avoiding it as its sweet but was a bit desperate ! I was up in the night to put a hot water bottle on my restless legs......

Just as an aside, I've been drinking plenty of water - 8 glasses a day or more, herbal tea and although not technically allowed started my day with hot water and lemon to help the constipation. Eggs in various forms with mushrooms/ cheese etc for breakfast/ salady lunch, green veg etc, protein and veg for dinner ( kale, asparagus, courgettes, French beans, cauliflower) ....you get the picture.

any tips - tbh just worried I'm about to do some drastic harm to my health whilst in an effort to lose weight !

I had this when I first started low-carbing a year ago. I think the aches are down to lack of electrolytes.
Eat full fat yoghurt, salmon, eggs and consider a magnesium supplement. I also bought some lo-salt which is an easy source of potassium.
A cup of bouillon a day also seemed to sort out the aches and cramps.

I'm the same Crafty, trying to cut down ready for bc but I started couch to 5 k too so blamed that for my knees.
I haven't actually done the running part yet I'm currently repeating the fifth walk through of week one
I am incredibly unfit though and working from home allows me to slouch about.
I'll buy some diarrolite stuff in anticipation of actually doing running.

No you won't be doing any damage to your health! It's your electrolyte balance that's out of kilter.

You need salt, magnesium and potassium.

Cook with salt, and add it to your food. Try drinking a hot drink made from Oxo/Bovril or Marmite.

For magnesium and potassium, eat salmon, spinach, avocado and natural full fat yoghurt.

When you say you're constipated, do you mean you're in pain or suffering in some way, or is it just that you're going less often? If it's the latter, then there's not a problem!

You need salt.

It's very worth reading Volek and Phinney's 'The art and science of low carbohydrate living'. Whole section on salt and why you need more than non-low-carbers, and details of why.