Hello all!
I’m pretty new here, i have been watching and reading for a month or so, but this is my first post.
I started Keto not only for the goal of weight loss, but just to feel better in general. So week 1, I had the “Keto Flu” not bad, just didn’t have a lot of energy and generally grouchy. Week 2, I felt AMAZING and had tons of energy, had already started to feel like my old self again, and lost 12lbs (I understand is expected with the shed water weight). Week 3 was ok, I didn’t feel great, but didn’t feel bad either, no weight loss this week. Now I’m completing week 4, and I don’t feel sick, just drained, tired all over. I got a hold of my hydration a few days ago, and noticed that I felt a little bit better by supplementing sodium, magnesium & potassium. According to the urine strips, I have stayed in ketosis the whole time, but have also gained a few pounds this week. The only thing that I have done different, is started light exercise (resistance bands) around the end of week 2, and switched from the sugar free red bulls in the morning to black coffee. Anyone have a similar experience, and what did you do to get through it?
1 Month on Keto, Weight loss has slowed and I just kinda feel yucky
First 8 weeks were choppy for me, similar to what you describe there.
I lost in weeks 1 and 2, flat in week 3, gained in week 4, finally by the end of week 4 for the first time was able to skip a couple of meals in a row without needing to snack on something (it was not intentional, just busy at work), and then started losing again in week 5.
It wasn’t until week 8 or so when I didn’t still have occasional days of morning fatigue, and probably week 12 when I finally just felt like my normal self all of the time.
What I did to get through was just to persevere and keep going. It was generally steady but not straight line improvement in how I felt.
Patience and a consistent approach solves a lot of problems.
And what you are doing with the supplements helped - when I felt like crap in the morning, 1/2 tsp of Morton Lite Salt in a glass of water, and a cup of coffee, usually got me squared away. Also took magnesium supplement pills, though I don’t know if that is necessary or not. They aren’t that expensive.
The “flu” and feeling off may be from not maintaing your electrolytes properly. Remember that when we restrict carbs, we don’t retain sodium as well. A whole slew of bad things can happen when our sodium levels fall too low:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Headache.
- Confusion.
- Loss of energy, drowsiness and fatigue.
- Restlessness and irritability.
- Muscle weakness, spasms or cramps.
Two+ teaspoons per day should get you as right as rain (not all at once).
Correction: have keto flu. When you have all the symptoms you still have the disease. 
Adjusting your electrolytes and staying hydrated will help; eating sub-20 grams of carbs EVERY day will help. You don’t mention your age, but whatever it is you ate SAD all those years and keto for 4 weeks. If you thought it would be an easy transition you were mistaken. This doesn’t happen to everyone and even those who go through it experience it differently and for different periods of time. Rest assured, however, that the symptoms you’re experiencing now will pass.
It is very important in the early going to stay sub-20 grams of carbs daily to insure you remain in ketosis. The more consistently you remain in ketosis and force your cells and organs to burn fat, the sooner you will get through the transition.
Patience. Seriously. Just let time go by. And stick to this. At 4 weeks you are just getting started and your body is likely doing some healing and it’s definitely adjusting which just takes time.
It sounds like you are already doing the right things to take care of the flu by ensuring your salt and electrolytes are kept up. Also getting rid of that Red Bull crap is probably a healthy choice but you may actually be going through withdrawal from it.
And, the scale is never a great indicator of progress but with exercise added in, it really isn’t as you might be gaining lean mass.
Hang out here. Read and learn. Pay attention to people’s experiences and about where they are in their journey and it will give insight into your own. Good luck!
Thanks for the insight! I guess I’m on the right track, just good to know what other people think! Looking forward to a forever lifestyle change!
Salt and magnesium were important for me. I hadn’t been consuming enough and felt my energy lacking. And I was also experience some mild weight gain. But eventually the body sorted itself out. After 2 or 3 days of proper salt and magnesium supplements along with plenty of water and fats, I felt fantastic. And it turned out that the weight gain was actually related to constipation…
Have you had your iron and vitamin d levels checked. Also your thyroid function and testosterone.
Good to know, thank you! Muhammad, no i have not although I know I should have. I’m honestly scared of the doctor, and always have been. I figured I could lose some weight, and get into a little better shape, then go see the doc so the results aren’t as bad! 
Another factor might be the kinds of fat you are consuming. Dr. Phinney says that the people who tell him they’re having trouble “eating all that fat” are consuming far too much vegetable oil, which nauseates a lot of people (all those ω-6 fatty acids). Stick to healthy fats, such as butter, lard, tallow, bacon grease, and coconut oil for cooking, and avocado and olive oil for your salad dressing and your mayonnaise.
Good morning! Thought I might give an update on this. First, thanks again to everyone for the answers and advice!
I got my electrolytes in check, and gathered my general diet back up, I had been trying too many different things. I tossed in Intermittent fasting, and then slowly transformed that into alternate day fasting, and WOW do I feel amazing now! Again, as long as I stay on top of my hydration this combo seems to work fantastic. I am now down 30 pounds even today! I have another 30 to go to be healthy, but I feel as though I have found my niche, and hopefully my formula to lifelong maintenance!