Junk Food Withdrawal?

[FrankLampard]

After being overweight for a while, I decided I really NEEDED to cut out the junk food. (Ben and Jerrys, Salty Popcorn, Cookies, Crisps, Bacon Rolls etc etc).

A week in to my new 'diet' and I'm getting mega headaches and stomach problems. I googled Junk Food Withdrawal and got mixed opinions. Some saying that cutting out junk food all together will result in the above, while some say you should gradually phase it out.


Most of my diet comes from Tier 1 and 2 from Michi's Ladder so I have no doubt whatsoever that I'm eating very healthly. http://www.decidetostayfit.com/michis-ladder.pdf

The positives so far, are clearer skin, better moods and I've lost a few pounds but do you think these ongoing headaches and stomach cramps are due to a lack of junkfood? Is it a shock to the system that I'm finally eating decent food?

Anyone else had experience with this?
Cheers

[RICH8472]

Yes, I had the headaches too in the first week. You are over the worst of it now, so stick with it.

Edit: That ladder looks like a load of old crap to be honest, it lists jerky as unhealthy? It is the healthiest snack you can get without going vegan. It says chicken is bad too, thats bollocks, grilled chicken breast is a bodybuilding staple.

I am convinced that chart was created by a vegetarian that hates carnivores.

[Ebildays]

After being overweight for a while, I decided I really NEEDED to cut out the junk food. (Ben and Jerrys, Salty Popcorn, Cookies, Crisps, Bacon Rolls etc etc).

A week in to my new 'diet' and I'm getting mega headaches and stomach problems. I googled Junk Food Withdrawal and got mixed opinions. Some saying that cutting out junk food all together will result in the above, while some say you should gradually phase it out.


Most of my diet comes from Tier 1 and 2 from Michi's Ladder so I have no doubt whatsoever that I'm eating very healthly. http://www.decidetostayfit.com/michis-ladder.pdf

The positives so far, are clearer skin, better moods and I've lost a few pounds but do you think these ongoing headaches and stomach cramps are due to a lack of junkfood? Is it a shock to the system that I'm finally eating decent food?

Anyone else had experience with this?
Cheers

I don't know about the stomach cramps but the headaches can be a sign of caffeine withdrawal, so I take it you gave caffeinated drinks as well.

[FrankLampard]

I don't know about the stomach cramps but the headaches can be a sign of caffeine withdrawal, so I take it you gave caffeinated drinks as well.

Well I was drinking a feck load of Tea. (6 or 7 mugs a day. Yes I'm English ;])

[MerinPally]

I can't comment on your symptoms but having just looked at that ladder chart, I really think you should ignore it and pretend you never saw it and that it doesn't exist. It's a load of bullshit.

[FrankLampard]

I can't comment on your symptoms but having just looked at that ladder chart, I really think you should ignore it and pretend you never saw it and that it doesn't exist. It's a load of bullshit.

It's very useful for the high carb/protein diet I'm on to use with Insanity.

[RICH8472]

It's very useful for the high carb/protein diet I'm on to use with Insanity.

Its a crock of shit, it lists very healthy foods (jerky) alongside cakes and pies.

[FrankLampard]

Its a crock of shit, it lists very healthy foods (jerky) alongside cakes and pies.

To each their own.

I'm finding it very useful personally.

[MerinPally]

To each their own.

I'm finding it very useful personally.

Your first line makes no sense - if this was a dubious case it would, but this is really rather clear cut. If you choose to go against them then that's just a bit silly. The second part makes sense though if you just want a guideline but I think what we're both trying to say is that if all you want is a bit of a guide or a list, there are bound to be better ones out there.

[RICH8472]

To each their own.

I'm finding it very useful personally.

If it was working so wonderfully you wouldn't have this thread.

Try this diet instead.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet
It is basically a spin off of the Ketogenic diet that pro bodybuilders use.

[reliefsan]

Erh I have an ideafor you. Why dont You seek out MORE information and dont just accept the first thing you find? -

Either way, you alreday know whats good/right for yourbody (cutting off all the junk). You will feel much better soon enough when your body has been detoxified!

Drink loads of water. its the best medecin for everything. period.

[FleckerMan]

Almost certainly due to caffeine withdrawal,

Suggest phasing out caffeine slowly while keeping the rest of your new diet! Well done,

I wouldn't do more than a 1 cup/day reduction per week, this is what I've been advised by medical professional recently.

Important thing is to measure your intake so you can reduce it, rather than not know how much you've drank.

3-4 cups/day is generally fine, and certainly isn't linked with a reduction in lifespan. You may get anxiety/stress symptoms from too much caffeine. (>4 cups, but will vary by person)

If you like the hot drink, go with decaff tea for one or two cups out of your cups a day (later in the evening makes most sense) - I find it tastes pretty much the same.

[MerinPally]

Oh, and because noone's said it yet - well done on actually making an effort to change your life, health and body for the better and I hope it works out in the long run and has the desired effect.

[FleckerMan]

Drink loads of water. its the best medecin for everything. period.

Be aware of Water Toxicity; Drinking too much water can cause death. This is pretty hard to do, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_i...#Notable_cases
"In 2008, Jacqueline Henson, a 40-year-old British woman, died after drinking four liters of water in under two hours as part of her LighterLife diet plan.[22]"

[iNexus]

The headache isn't "Junk food withdrawal", when you go on a way healthier life style for a few weeks after you've been eating junk for a long while, your body starts a detox process which has a lot of different symptoms which you can get and headaches is usually one of them.

A while after I went vegan from eating the "paleo" diet for around 6 months, I got some headaches and stomachaches but after a few days they went away and I started feeling better than ever. After I looked into it, it was caused due to my body detoxing. Don't worry though, it doesn't tend to last long and after you get through it you'll feel way better than before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHwoadhWpd8 (skip to around 16:00 if you want to see the symptoms he was getting, they're very extreme symptoms though most people won't ever get to that sort of stage)


That was the video I saw after I got through my symptoms, it explained quite a lot. He also has a previous video to that one where he explains the whole detox thing better and doesn't talk about his experiences as much (it's mostly from a vegan side but I can assume that going from processed junk to healthier foods will have the same effect).

[RICH8472]

Be aware of Water Toxicity; Drinking too much water can cause death. This is pretty hard to do, though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_i...#Notable_cases
"In 2008, Jacqueline Henson, a 40-year-old British woman, died after drinking four liters of water in under two hours as part of her LighterLife diet plan.[22]"

4 liters in 2 hours? That is fuck all, she must have already had a fucked renal system.

[Reqq]

Personally, if you struggle to cope without junk food don't go Paleo.

Paleo is literally a whole world of suck.

[ashankt]

Edit: That ladder looks like a load of old crap to be honest, it lists jerky as unhealthy? It is the healthiest snack you can get without going vegan.

Probably due to the salt content I'd guess?
There are lots of other snacks available, you don't have to be a vegan to eat salad and fruit btw :P

Maybe, the healthiest meat snack is what you mean?

[Spectral]

Well I was drinking a feck load of Tea. (6 or 7 mugs a day. Yes I'm English ;])

That pretty much covers it then, no need to look farther. Caffeine withdrawl causes massive headaches. Unlike food choices, caffeine's a psychoactive drug with clear and straightforward biological effects when you stop using.

---------- Post added 2013-02-04 at 08:43 AM ----------

Almost certainly due to caffeine withdrawal,

Suggest phasing out caffeine slowly while keeping the rest of your new diet! Well done,

I wouldn't do more than a 1 cup/day reduction per week, this is what I've been advised by medical professional recently.

Important thing is to measure your intake so you can reduce it, rather than not know how much you've drank.

3-4 cups/day is generally fine, and certainly isn't linked with a reduction in lifespan. You may get anxiety/stress symptoms from too much caffeine. (>4 cups, but will vary by person)

If you like the hot drink, go with decaff tea for one or two cups out of your cups a day (later in the evening makes most sense) - I find it tastes pretty much the same.

I see no good reason to stop using caffeine.

[RICH8472]

Probably due to the salt content I'd guess?
There are lots of other snacks available, you don't have to be a vegan to eat salad and fruit btw :P

Maybe, the healthiest meat snack is what you mean?

Check out the full list, it says bagels are better for you than ham, that is not true at all. Carbohydrates are what is causing the obesity epidemic, our bodies are not adapted to eating such vast quantities of it. Lean meat should ALWAYS be above bagels and other bread like products when it comes to choice.