There are endless amazing benefits of eating low carb. The most obvious benefit is fast weight loss, which is why most people start a low carb diet.
That’s actually why I started eating low carb myself initially, but I quickly discovered so many other benefits!
I’m going to tell you MY low carb story.
Then I would love to hear YOURS!
The first thing I noticed, besides the fact that my body was SHRINKING 🙂 -fast!, was that my pain started subsiding. We’re talking extreme debilitating pain I’ve been suffering with my entire adult life here.
You see, I was in a near fatal car accident more than half my life ago (at the age of 20). Not long after I fell, while still out of alignment, and fractured my tailbone.
It seemed to take a few years, but once the pain set in… it was crazy bad. It only got worse with age. My doctor wanted to diagnose me with Fibromyalgia because of the all over muscle and nerve pain I experienced so frequently.
I refused that diagnosis for two reasons: First, because I don’t know anyone thriving on that treatment. And second, because I’m quite sure what I’m really suffering with is inflammatory arthritis in my lower back – resulting in sciatica. From there, it’s a matter of pinched nerves and various muscle groups trying to compensate for the pain, resulting in charlie horses in my neck and other such misery. 😛
I used to get in such bad shape that I’d be completely bound up. It has been truly debilitating in the past – to the point of not even being able to lift my coffee cup even. I once had to hire a therapeutic masseur (is that the right word?) to come lift me up out of bed and carry me into the shower, then hold me up while I showered… just so I could get to a doctor’s appointment. Mortifying, yes – lol.
For years I was seeing my chiropractor three times a week, at $60 a visit (ouch!), for electronic muscle therapy and ice treatments. Yes, pain is expensive.
Fast forward to when I started eating low carb, and all of a sudden I was out of pain!
I discovered through research that carbs promote inflammation in the body.
Well geez, no wonder. 😛 I’ve heard from SO many others that were suffering with Fibromyalgia, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases… that they are instantly out of pain and finally enjoying life too!
I now live a very active lifestyle that includes hiking, Focus T25 Workouts, and I even got back up on a water ski for the first time in 23 years. 🙂
Eating a low carb / ketogenic diet is great for any kind of inflammatory issues, but it’s also great for many other health issues including: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, back and knee pain, fertility, seizures – the list goes on.
I love all the stories in the low carb group of new babies and people getting to stop their array of meds! But most of all, being out of pain. Because pain SUCKS.
To learn more about the benefits of eating a low carb / ketogenic diet, see: LCHF Diet Explained. You’ll also want to read up on Ketosis, because THAT is where the real health benefits are.
There have been so many other health benefits for me personally…
For starters, I’m much healthier overall. I became more health conscious simply by learning to read labels – and discovering what was REALLY in my food! 😯
The low carb diet has also killed my emotional eating issues, which is awesome. It’s well known to be a natural appetite suppressant, which means my life no longer revolves around food. It also greatly improved my relationship with food, which controlled so much of my life before. We had a serious love/hate thing going on! 😛
Here are some more Low Carb Stories to enjoy:
Low Carb Diet Results: Before and After Weight Loss Stories
Inspiring Low Carb Success Story! Meet Joyce…
Diet and Weight Loss Success Stories
I would love to hear YOUR story! How has Low Carb changed your life? 🙂
Best,
Lynn Terry, aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. Here are a few before & after pictures of me:
Yours was a very interesting story for me. I’ve been doing lchf for three weeks now and I’ve seen some good benifts: weight loss, increased energy, even stronger nails.
I have what sounds like very similar back problems as you describe. I didn’t know that this way of eating could be helpful for muscle and nerve pain. So far I haven’t had any improvement in my pain, but you have given me hope and I really feel this is the right path for me. Thank you
Hi Pia! Nice to meet you. π
I didn’t notice the physical benefits (less pain) for awhile, maybe it was my second month, but that’s because my muscles were so tight and bound up. I used to see my chiropractor three times a week for ultrasound / electronic muscle therapy and realignment. Now I got MAYBE three times a year! HUGE improvement.
How are you tracking? I ask because you’ll get the most out of it by tracking your macros, and more specifically your fat/protein ratios…
I started eating low carb about 2 years ago, after I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes. I am fairly young at 23, but almost 10 years ago now, I was hit by a car which left me with permanent injuries. Low carb is really hard, but its worth it. In the 2 years (not eating as strict as I should) I have lost about 60 lbs. Still no where near my goal, but I have hit a plateau with loosing weight. I have heard people talk about tracking macros and stuff, but am unsure how to do so. Your blog has given me the motivation i needed to continue being stricter with my diet… Thank you
I’m so glad to hear that, Sammantha! π I was also in an accident at a young age. The injuries are tough to live with. Congrats on the 60 pounds lost already!!
I find eating low carb much easier than most “plans” – especially because I love to eat out and travel so much. It’s super easy to eat low carb practically anywhere.
The tracking is really easy once you get the hang of it. See: http://www.travelinglowcarb.com/4448/myfitnesspal-hack/ I use MyFitnessPal and that’s how I have it set up.
Make sure you’re subscribed by email too – I’m going to do a webinar on how to use MyFitnessPal easily. π
I am really interested in the low carb approach’s cure for your back. It sounds like a miracle and I am suffering from sciatica now and this approach I’m going to begin tomorrow! Thanks for your story.
Hi Richard,
It definitely WAS a miracle for me! I didn’t realize the majority of my nerve and muscle pain was a result of inflammation – which would pinch my sciatic nerve. The pain was excruciating at times, hardly bearable other times. I hate to hear you’re going through that.
Eating very low carb means you avoid inflammatory foods. I noticed a HUGE difference right away, but it took me a few weeks to realize it was as simple as changing the way I ate – since I sometimes had good weeks or good spells now and then.
It’s pretty fascinating what you can achieve and change just by switching which foods you eat! I wish I had known sooner, because my life has totally changed over the last 10 years. I’m able to water ski again, dance, go rock climbing, hike for miles – even inclines. It’s like a complete 180. I highly recommend it. There really isn’t an easier fix, and there are SO many more benefits too. π
Keep me posted, and let me know if you ever have any questions! *cheers*