6 weeks keto eating and cannot become fat adopted

#1

I’ve been wondering if it has took anyone else over 6 weeks to adapt and if I am doing anything wrong…

I eat
180-200g fat
100g protein
20-25g carb

Consists of

Eggs, bacon, ribeye steak, avacado almonds, grass fed butter, coconut oil, mct oil, broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, heavy cream, cheese the odd time just.

I am not doing it for Weight loss i weigh 150 lbs. I want all the health benifits being fat adopted brings and I want more energy and focus… the last 6 weeks or so have been hard I have no energy. I have been intermittent fasting 16/8hrs for the last 10 days aswell to see if it helps… any info or tips would be helpful thanks…

(Todd Allen) #2

Just a guess, but maybe you are fat adapted but not feeling great/energetic due to something else such as a deficiency in one or more electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium or calcium. Cutting carbs causes the kidneys to excrete more salts and many people when switching to keto eat less processed foods and thus less salt. If you haven’t added extra salts to your diet it is a likely problem. Stephen Phinney recommends something like an additional 3-5 g daily of sodium. A deficiency in B vitamins could also affect energy metabolism.

(Karen Fricke) #3

Too much protein. It’s 1 gram per kilogram of lean body mass. If you were even 10% body fat, that would be 135 lbs, or 61kg, so 60-70 might be a better protein target. Also, are you weighing and measuring your food or guestimating? If you’re not, you might be getting more carbs that you think. Watch artificial sweeteners, the cause an insulin response that can meet things up.

(David) #4

There seems to be increasing interest in keto for reasons other than weight loss and perhaps there is still a lot to learn about this way of eating for people who do not have overt metabolic derangement.

I don’t think you are the only one who feels a lack of energy at times. It might be dehydration, or electrolyte imbalance. It might be inadequate fat in your diet or that it is taking longer to become fat adapted.

There might also be an explanation which we don’t yet know about related to the fact that your weight is not an issue. The 2kd do seem interested in a podcast of the subject of keto purely for health rather than weight loss. I would listen with great interest.

(Ashley Haddock) #5

This is what I was going to say as well.

You also mentioned you’re intermittent fasting. Are you hungry during your fasting hours? If you’re hungry, don’t force fasting. If you’re not hungry you likely are becoming fat adapted because that’s one of the best signals.

(matt ) #6

You need to keep your fat up and your protein a bit lower. If you are thin fasting can be tough and you might need to fat fast. Do you ever feel cold? If so that’s when you eat some fat.

And as others are saying watch your electrolytes and salts and such.

#7

Hi thanks for reply, I take lots of pink salt and electrolyte supplements tablets I got keto flu after 1 week I felt exaugsted but once I took pink salt and electrolyte supps i felt bit better. I don’t feel fat adapted.

#8

Thanks for reply, yes I weigh my food, I stopped using tescos stevia powder last week as it is 2% maltodextrin I don’t take any sweetner now. I have lowered my heavy cream intake now too. I have a few whiskey n zero sugar 7up the odd weekend but that’s me off alcohol now.

#9

Thanks for replies I will drop protein down for two weeks. Il cut back on egg whites. And I will break fast with coconut oil mct oil or even avacdo if I’m hungry. Thanks

(James storie) #10

I personally think you need to eat more fat. You’re thin, eating keto forces your body to burn fat for energy, but only so many calories are available per pound of body fat. If I were you, I’d double the amount of fat you are eating for a week or two and see how you feel. It can’t hurt!

#11

I’ll take fat to 250g as I don’t want protein to be going up. Il add more egg yokes have more mct oil with decaf coffee. Switch to macadamia nuts instead of almonds see how I get on. I will buy a ketone blood meter next week see what I’m at. I average around 5mmol blood sugar readings.

(James storie) #12

Other good sources of fat with minimal protien: butter, homemade mayo. Good luck!

(David) #13

How did things go for you? I am now where you were then?

(Edith) #14

I took almost two moths to get fat adapted. Some people take longer and some less.

(David) #15

Thanks for that. I will stick with it. I am in my second attempt to ingrain keto and can’t really remember how I felt the first time around. I’m just tired at the moment.

(Leslie Gardner) #16

Today is week 6 for me. I was really frustrated as i lost 6 lbs initially and then plateaued (is that a word–looks weird) for 5 weeks. The scale was such a bummer that I resolved to not use it for progress and just focus on my body signals. Today was the first time I felt fat adapted. I didn’t have that “OMG I’m going to die if I don’t eat something NOW” rage at 11am. I had a big fatty lunch, worked out and just wasn’t hungry enough to bother with dinner.

After so many earnest attempts at CICO, portion control, exercise, fad diets over the years, I was so scared that I would fail again and be overweight for the rest of my life. I thought, “Maybe I’m just one of those people that is immune to keto.” The creeping doubt that has been haunting me for 5 weeks is done. Be patient, follow the rules, and enjoy the NSVs. I hope it works out for you.

(Ken) #17

If you’re not concerned with weight loss I’d adopt the Evolutionaly Macro of 60/35/5%. That’s two thirds meat to one third fat. You’ll still be lipoyltic (keto) but have more protein available for cellular functions. Some may even be converted to glucose to aid energy balance issues. I then would not count calories, just follow that macro and eat to Satiety.

Excessive fat and low protein for every situation is merely dogma some guru came up with, and was not how Mankind evolved.

(Edith) #18

I’m sure you’ve seen this tons of times on the forum but you really do need to watch your electrolytes. You need more salt than you think. Five grams of sodium a day - a little over two teaspoons of salt - is what I found works for me and I am a petite female.

Make sure you are getting enough sodium and magnesium, maybe potassium, too.

(linda) #19

What are you testing on the glucometer? And on the urine sticks as a cross reference?
Make sure you drink lots of water - and it took me 5 weeks but when I stopped the dairy I felt a lot better.
Sounds frustrating!
Patience is a virtue :slight_smile: