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Hi. I've tried eating the way Dr. McDougall suggests, on two separate occassions. I feel great for the first day or two -- very calm and clear-headed. But then I start to have bouts of sleepiness and irritability.

On my current diet, the Paleolithic Diet (lots of lean meat and no grains, dairy, or sugar), I never have this problem. But I'd like to stop eating animal products.

So I was wondering if any long-time McDougallers had any suggestions on how I can avoid the fatigue and moodiness.

When I switch to the McDougall plan, I eat mostly sweet potatoes and brown rice (I avoid gluten), with plenty of fruit (probably too much) and cooked vegetables.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Scott

Hi, Scott. Welcome to the board.

It sounds like you're doing great with staying away from dairy and sugar. Congratulations on already being way ahead of most of the population in that regard.

Have you considered beans? It sounds like your body may be accustomed to a higher level of protein in your diet than you would get from sweet potatos and brown rice.

From your note, it's not clear how much of a transition you've given yourself. Perhaps in the past you've simply dropped your accustomed diet and replaced it in one swell foop with sweet potatos, brown rice, fruit, and veggies? I wonder how it might work to reduce the meat and replace it gradually with your chosen plant foods over time. For example...

week 0: 100% meat
week 1: 75% meat, 25% plants
week 2: 50%/50%
week 3: 25%/75%
week 4: 100% plants

Also, you might want to post this question in Jeff Novick's forum. He's a registered dietician and very knowledgeable about the practical issues connected with eating this way.

Good luck.

Hi Scott! When I first atarted Mcdougalling (even though I was already vegan), I too felt very tired and it lasted for 2-3 weeks if I remember correctly. Even though I was vegan, I was eating way too much sugar, junk, and oil. I put this tiredness down to my body adjusting and detoxing from all of the junk. It passed and now I feel great! I think Tom made very good suggestions. Your body is used to eating a certain way, and now you have introduced a dramatic change. I read a good article in "Natural Health" when it was still a good magazine, several years ago, about how eating crap food exhausts your adrenal glands, and how it takes time for them to recover their normal functioning.

Two possibilities run through my mind.

1. In the process of diet change, are you also giving up caffeine at the same time (tea, coffee, colas, cocoa, energy drinks, etc.)?

2. Is it possible you aren't eating enough calories? This diet has the potential to be so much less energy dense than what you have been eating that you may need to increase your portion sizes significantly to take in the same calories. Make sure you eat whenever you are hungry.

Thank you all for replying to my question so quickly.

TominTN: I've tried beans, but not in large quantities (for the obvious reason). But I'll try increasing them a bit. And you're right, I was replacing my diet with the McDougall diet all at once. There was no time for my body to adjust. I guess that wasn't very smart. I'll try your suggestion and do it very gradually, over several weeks.

Melinda: I'm so glad to here that I'm not the only person who had this problem, and that there are people like you who feel great after sticking to the McDougall plan. I will transition gradually to it, and give my body plenty of time to adjust.

Hope101: I quit caffeine a few years ago, because it was making me anxious. So, fortunately, that's one less thing I have to give up in this transition. But I do think you may be right in questioning how many calories I've eaten on the McDougall plan. I was probably not getting enough, so I'll be sure to eat whenever I'm hungry and not to exercise too much until I'm sure my energy intake is adequate.

Thanks so much for all of your help. I'll be sure to keep you all posted on my progress.

I experienced several weeks of problems which I now view as signs of withdrawal from the foods to which I was accustomed. You might look for videos/books by Douglas Lisle (The Pleasure Trap) or Dr. Barnard (The Food Seduction). It also took me a few weeks to figure out that I did not do well with wheat.

After the adjustment period, I feel much better, calmer, and more energetic than I used to.

Bob:

I, too, have a problem with wheat. I removed all gluten-containing grains from my diet a few years ago.

Glad to hear your withdrawal symptoms went away after several weeks. Melinda said the same thing.

Thanks.

Scott

I'm glad to hear of others who've had (or are having) this problem. I've only been on the diet 5 days but I'm finding that I'm having quite violent mood swings, and getting irritated over the slightest thing. I'll persevere and hopefully my body will adjust.

VeggieGal
If you are only 5 days into the program, you need to understand that your body is currently screaming at you that you are doing the wrong thing, even though you know it is the right thing. It is hard not to listen to that scream.

To understand why, go to the site of the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii and view the Pleasure Trap video given by Doug Lisle, PhD. You can also buy his dvd's from this site, which are more comprehensive. Dr. Lisle explains what is happening and why and what you may expect to happen in the following weeks.

Hang in there.

Yeah, I would bet that these feelings of fatigue, or irritability, or downright anger, are just symptoms of our addiction to the unhealthy diet we have been on most of our lives! Just as illustrated in "The Pleasure Trap". And, now, just like any addict, we have to go through withdrawal! I include myself in this, of course!

I remember feeling weepy when my comfort foods were no longer allowed. Seriously. It takes time to adjust. I had mood swings and the worst digestive problems for about three weeks. 7+ months into the program I can't imagine going back to the SAD way of eating. I also did the Paleo diet during my years of low-carb dieting. Seems kind of silly in retrospect, but I was desperately seeking an answer. My LDL (pre-McDougall) has dropped from 161 to 123. I am still considerably overweight but I know my insides are shaping up.

Hi SactoBob

I just watched Doug Lisle's lecture on the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii website - a great lecture, informative and amusing. I look forward to watching more lectures on this site. Thanks for recommending it.

Grace