Just been told following the Pig to Twig plan has made me ill

[ImFab]

I have been doing it for nearly 3 months and have lost 16lbs. Saw the nurse today after coming over all out of it and faint/dizzy in at an appointment. Blood pressure, urine an finger prick tests all okay.

I still have 2 stone to lose and wonder where I go from here.

did shw say why specifically? are you not getting enough of a certain vitamin? i'm a somewhat stricter LCer and i would always advise to take vitamins.

of course everyone else will come n and tell you how easy it is to control your portions, eat onyl 3 meals, don't snack and go for long walks

so how come the diet is to blame for being a bit faint and dizzy???
especially as blood pressure is ok

start the couch to 5k for added exercise?? its really good!

What is Pig to Twig?

16lb in 3 months is about 1.3 lb per week, which is below the reccomended maximum of healthy weight loss per week (2lb).

Are you sure there is nothing else going on? Or could it be a case of not eating enough variety i.e. are you cutting out lots of food groups?

What exactly did the nurse say? Why diet?

I was told I could have a vitamin deficiency but I take vitamins every morning.

I am drinking only water. No fruit, chocolate, pasta, potatoes or alcohol. Eating meat, fish, salad leaves, cheeses. Not feeling hungry. Drinking lots of water. Had a few squares of chocolate yesterday just because I felt nauseous .

The nurse said I should have blood tests and then ask to see a dietician. And, who wants to be thin anyway?

I lost 6lbs the first week then 2-3 lbs for a few weeks and 1 lb last week.

Your diet sounds very low in sugars to me.

Can you not add some berries to it to up the sugar levels a bit? Berries are fine on the atkins plan so I presume they are low carb.

When you list what you eat is that all you eat? Don't you eat any veg? Sweet potato, parnips, sprouts, carrots, broccoli are all low carb iirc.

Fruit isn't allowed due to natural sugars.

It isn't a low carb diet, it is a bit different from that as some things are allowed on the atkins that aren't on the pig to twig.

In one day I could have scrambled eggs made with cream and cheese for breakfast. Cold meats and salad for lunch with cheese and olives for lunch and dinner could be homemade butternut squash soup with bacon and parmesan. Dessert would be sugar free jelly and cream.

It sounds very extreme. It's no wonder you were ill. Your body needs some sugars.

Can you not just eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly? It's much better in the long run for you.

Since my food issues have been sorted I am going to go back to eating a more normal diet and exercise. While on the diet I was never starving though.

If you move on to phase 2 of pig to twig you can have berries and other things, you might find that suits you better now?

I tried phase 2 then went back on phase one and while it has been a mix of the two it has been the majority of phase one. I haven't been starving myself as I know that isn't the way. After being ill this morning I did go to M&S and buy some grapes and was really looking forward to having them later. Get me, who would have thought that grapes would have been looked forward to like I did chocolate!

Were you eating lots and lots of veggies not just salad leaves, and also eggs? IMO pig to twig is healthy if you follow it properly.

You say no fruit, chocolate, pasta, potatoes or alcohol - none of these (apart from fruit) are essential. And fruit not essential if eating enough vegetables. Anyway on phase 2 some fruit an other things are allowed.

FWIW I have just started it, but have been doing low calories since October - lost 2 stone doing that, and another half stone on pig to twig so far. I am also doing 3 strenous gym work outs a week and don't feel faint.

I was eating eggs but not so many veg as there wasn't many allowed. I followed to the letter with the different meal ideas to start and then just settled on leaves with meat or fish and cheese.

I am almost certain my feeling faint has nothing to do with my food intake. Some days I don't get breakfast until nearer 9.30 and don't feel faint.

"and then just settled on leaves with meat or fish and cheese."

So you were ill as you were not following the diet properly, missing out the most important bit of the diet - vegetables - and just eating leaves instead.

Loads of vegetables (that are not leaves) are allowed, eg courgette, aubergine, tomatoes, peppers, brocoli, cauliflower, marrow, squash, onion, mushrooms, beansprouts, sprouts, cabbage, okra, leeks, celery, pak choy, green beans, fennel, aparagus, bamboo shoots, avocado etc.

Vegetables were not allowed in the plan I was following other than mushrooms, green beans and cauliflower. I have been doing it for 3 months with no problems.

It suited me fine and your weight loss sounds fab, move on to phase 2 to see if there is any improvement.

Htf can it be diet related if your blood sugar is normal. What rot.

Ah, ok not sure what plan that is, I have the book, and assumed you were refering to phase 1 where all vegetables apart from root ones are allowed.

IMO - any diet which cuts back on vegetables so drastically for more than a few days is extreme and unhealthy.

I want to reread the book but afair vegetables weren't allowed, things like parsnips, carrots and sweetcorns that I love, weren't allowed.

DooinMeCleanin - Your body doesn't need sugar. Your body needs protein, fat and (some) carbs - but carbs from veg and pulses.

ImFab - I wonder what on earth the basis was for your nurse making those statements? Doesn't sound like it's based on fact, just her own opinion.

But I would also concur that it's probably time for you to move on to phase 2 and to include more veg in your diet.

You could try adding some salt to your diet - what's your blood pressure like? If low, you can add salt to your diet.

Obv. you should comsult a good GP before yoiu do this - maybe they will be able to explain the symptoms too

I have low blood pressure (though always told it is fine) or rather I assume it is low as I get dizzy quite a lot when I stand up. She took it while I was sat down and again when I stood up and she said it did what it was meant to, as I held on to the table as felt dizzy .

is this the south beach diet?