Happy Happy Day in January!
I love my dehydrator, so I’m sharing one of my favorite pictures: onions and basil leaves on the same tray. I made these for the delicious pizza trail mix I shared last week.
Last night, though. Oof.
After waking up like literally 8 times last night in 6 hours with lower leg cramps (I’ve annoyed my front leg muscle), I was grumpy, sleep deprived, cold, frustrated and ate 10 wheat crackers with organic onion dip. Granted, it was only a few gourmet crackers in the scheme of snacky things. I also had about 3/4 cup of pistachio nuts (in their shells. I took the shells off), along with a few cucumber slices and a couple cherry tomatoes.
Forgive me, butt cheeks, for I have secretly snacked.
Honestly, I’m not going to be melodramatic here. It’s no big deal to have a few gourmet, cracked pepper crackers when I think of what I could have eaten (especially over the course of the new year) and what I actually had. I’m just glad I didn’t wake up with hair on my tongue.
The craziest thing of all? While I attempted fitful sleep, my husband was next to me watching Pro Wrestling’s greatest take downs. I repeatedly woke up to guys in costumes getting thrown down, pounced on and jackknifed. It was like my living room during a Cub Scout meeting.
Thankfully, no hecklers were smacked or thrown in either instance.
Now on to how I’ve been doing with my weight loss and continued sussing out of foods to which I’m intolerant or allergic to… Be sure to do your thing. I am thrilled share my progress and thoughts, but I’m not the person you should necessarily look to for dieting advice (I’m not a paid nosh-a-titian). Be sure to subscribe for updates by adding your email right (in the sidebar) or through Feedburner in the title bar up top. You can also click the tab up top that says Mid-Year Resolution for regular updates.
Friday, January 5 (Day 135)
I ate this:
Breakfast: Nothing. I slept in because of lack of sleep.
Lunch: Sausage patties, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese
Dinner: Taco Star Chipless Chicken Nachos (3/4 of the meal)
Notes: My son has been telling me for weeks now to have them give me chicken instead of beef, and wow! Love it! So I’ll stick with beef on Mondays and chicken on Fridays. The chicken is tremendous with the no-chips, and the heavy beef makes the chips a nice addition.
What I learned:
I am learning to schedule my time better. Ever so slightly. We’ll see if I really can pull it together.
Sorry for your aches! Are you salt deficient? Doesn’t Dr. Atkins tell us to eat more salt if our leg muscles hurt at night?
Just wondering!
Regards,
Glad
I chalk this one up to being stupid and not getting enough movement/circulation to my lower legs. even the vitamins weren’t helping, so it was all me and my silliness!
You may have a potassium deficiency if you are repeatedly experiencing leg cramps (disclaimer: I am not a doctor, just have had this problem before!)
Hi, Steph! I am thinking you might be right about the need for more salt. That and not sitting for so many hours at a time. That’s probably the hardest for me.
I have to second Step on the potassium suggestion. I get killer leg cramps all the time, and potassium seems to be the only thing that helps me. However, I’ve also heard quinine can help–and very quickly. To the best of my knowledge the only source of quinine these days is tonic water, and I can’t get diet tonic water here in the Caribbean. (My own disclaimer: In spite of my username, I’m not *that* kind of doctor either.)
Ha ha! I figured by the Tardis you’re a Dr. Who fan. Thanks so much for your advice, Tony!
Yep. Way too many people confuse it for an outhouse!
LOL
Wondering what you do to increase your potassium, for example, I know potatoes and bananas are good sources but I don’t eat either of them now. Suggestions?
I need more spinach (I love spinach). Some other options… https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php
Before bed try taking magnesium – 400 mg, and B-6 which helps you utilize it in your body. It will help you sleep better and help with muscle cramps. Google all the thing magnesium does in our body and you’ll be amazed! We are all very deficient because we don’t eat enough food high in magnesium. It has dramatically helped me!
Thanks so much, Shar! I appreciate it.
Hi Jamie! Have you ever tried pulled pork on your chipless nachos? I have had them that way and they are yummy!!
I haven’t, Linda, but I have a feeling I’ll have to now! What a great idea.
I’m so sorry, been there too often! FYI- I’ve found that several minerals could be the problem…. magnesium included. When my daughter & I faithfully take magnesium we are great… forget a day or two & we can be up at night with leg & foot cramps.
Thank you. Yeah, it was really bad! My foot kept snapping to attention and I’d have to walk around on it for it not to hurt. Blurg!
Hi Jamie, I was going to say the same thing as Steph, I am one of the lucky few who needs to not only add in more salt to my diet when I am LCing and exercising, but I also supplement with potassium and magnesium because of, not only leg cramps and poor circulation …..but have you ever had your stomach cramp just by bending over to pick something up or your triceps when you reach to pick up a can of something on a high pantry shelf….YIKES!!!…… I also used to get those annoying dancing heart beats or missed beats but I haven’t had any of the above in a long while because I am taking those supplements I mentioned above 🙂
It sounds like those have been really good supplements to add. I’ll see what my multi-vitamin offers and if I need some supplementation ac-shee-ohn.
Sounds awesome. Hubby has the dehydrator out right now! I’d get some magnesium oil on those legs before going to sleep!
I am drying some fruit and some salami. Thanks for the tip! I’ll check into it.
I know this is going to sound crazy, but it actually works … dill pickle juice. If you drink an ounce or two of dill pickle juice when you get the cramps (take it like a shot), they will go away. My dad is an Athletic Training and Sports Medicine professor, and one of his PhD students did a study on it and it actually works. And I used it while I was pregnant, and they go away immediately.
I wonder if that is the sodium there helping? Thanks for the tip!
when that happen to me all those cramp , they had to give my potassium pills and if
your potassium is too low it is dangerous for your heart i was at 2 and a nurse told me if you get at 4 and at the hospital the nurse urually call the doctor
i am take 4 slow k a doctor prescription you should have you potassium check
I also take magnesium but that was when i had stone, you do not want that it is so painful anyway the specialis put me on magnesium since i had those store and i never had anymore.
Hope this will help you
I was wondering why I get leg cramps in the night when I’m low carbing. When I eat badly (pasta, bread, etc.) no cramps. Trust me, I eat plenty of salt in my LC diet, and I take Magnesium supplements. Is there another reason why leg cramps could be the result of Low Carbing?
I am hearing potassium, too.
Yes Potassium and magnesium prevent cramps. I even have magnesium oil by my bed if I have one in the middle of the night. I have had those stomache cramps too and didn’t know what it was from and just had one this weekend. Back on track as of January 1st. Feel so much better eating low carb don’t know why I ever go off.
Amen to the magnesium oil or lotion. I use it daily on my lower back; best pain reliever EVER. And you actually absorb it much better through skin than taking orally. I keep it by the bed, too, in case I forgot my daytime rubdown and get a leg cramp–rub it on and get back to sleep in minutes.
A doctor told me years ago that it is important to use the Morton’s lite Salt while LC’ing. I lost my chemistry chops years ago so I can’t give details, but it is a potassium salt so you get your missing salt and potassium right out of the shaker. I’ve used it ever since and never thought a thing of it until now.
Such a timely topic. I have been having terrible foot cramps, leg cramps, side cramps, etc. since getting back on track after the new year. I suspected it was electrolyte imbalance… I have magnesium… and potassium. Just wondered how much people take? Also recently read that chia seeds are a great source of potassium.
There are quinine pills at the drug store– creatively called Leg Cramp Pills. Inexpensive. My doctor was so happy to hear of it. Look, magnesium is great, but it is a huge laxative (Milk of magnesia!) These supplements are not to be taken willy nilly– they affect the heart and gut. My palpitations are related to blood pressure and some meds for that make cramps worse. I once started having lip cramps.