WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU GO LOW CARB

YOU stand to reap enormous health rewards, but the first few days could be tough.

When your carb intake is reduced, your body starts to burn energy from its fat stores — this shift can leave you feeling under the weather temporarily, with headaches, muscle cramps, dizziness or tiredness.

This is because the hormone insulin (produced to help deal with excess sugar) also causes you to retain salt.

Once insulin levels start to drop, you may lose excess salt and water in urine, so you may need the loo more often in the first few days.

Drink plenty of water and add a sprinkle of salt to your food in these early days. Magnesium supplements for the first week or ten days may help.