About to give up

newbies
(Christopher Kornelsen) #1

So I’m 5 weeks in as of Monday. Lost close to 25 lbs which is awesome. But my digestion is terrible. I have IBS before this I’d go once or twice a day very regular and healthy. Now its once every 3 days and this is a deal breaker. I’m not making my digestion and IBS worse I have dealt with hell for years with it and its nkt worth it to have it bad again. Any advice? I get about 30-40 g of fiber each day. I drink tons of water. I’m intermittent fasting only 2 meals a day. I eat tons of green leafy veggies. I take my minerals in my water. Got my levels all.tested my minerals are perfect. I’ve done literally everything and it’s still terrible. On top of this when I do go I sometimes need to strain which I never have before.

Is this adaptation? Is it normal? This is making me very very close to giving up and trying regular diet again.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #2

It sounds contrary to what your efforts have been in the past, high fiber diets are only necessary in the context of starchy and processed foods which you’ve probably eliminated or minimized on keto. There are lots of people who find relief and healing of the GI system and disorders like Crohn’s, IBS, Leak Gut, and Colitis with carnivore. The guy that most came to mind doesn’t seem to be here anymore.

Try searching IBS on the forum to find some other members who are suffering from it and read about how many have fixed it by giving up vegetables and fiber for a trial period. I am not carnivore but I have been here 8 months and read this stuff a zillion times. I think you should seriously consider it to heal your condition rather than just trying to keep it under control.

I wish you the best and please don’t give up yet, I think you’ll get more if you did a little deeper into it. I’m sure you’ll get a response from someone more experienced.

:cowboy_hat_face:

(George) #3

Personally I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Pre keto, I’d go once or twice a day too. With keto, I was going once every other day, and since switching to carnivore, I go 2-3x/week. I drink mag citrate once a week to help flush everything out.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #4

Part of the food in waste out equation is less :poop: in, less :poop: out. Keto foods without the carbohydrates burn more completely in your digestive system. There’s less to eliminate. The consistency is more important than the frequency. Staying hydrated as you are is important as well as adequate salt when it comes to constipation. I still go everyday but not tons very often. I used to have to take stool softeners pre keto and was still pretty blocked up often. I quit them shortly into keto and I believe that the extra fiber may not be working in your favor. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Chris) #5

Ya I may try less fibre but usually before hand that didnt work very well for me. I changed for the better when I was doing SAD by eating bacon and eggs and fruit and veggies

(Olga Alexandrovna) #6

I think everyone encounters this issue at the beginning of Keto. It’s the annoying side effect. But, It’ll go away. I had the hardest time, so i totally get your problem. Here is what i did to fix it. I take Magnesium Citrate (Calm brand is the best) twice daily (1tsp in 4-8 oz of water), i take Ox Bile (that one gets things moving), and i take L-Glutamine in powder (for leaky gut… just in case). All that fixed the issue. Start slowly with Magnesium, because your body needs to adjust. Maybe 1/2 tsp twice daily for the fist few days. Don’t give up. There are solutions to that problem!

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #7

  • Is this adaptation? No, assuming you mean ‘fat adaptation’.

  • Is it normal? No. But you have severe complications, which may make it unavoidable for you. As @David_Stilley suggests, search the forum for IBS and other GI system issues and you will likely find helpful info. Keto helps deal successfully with metabolic issues.

  • This is making me very very close to giving up and trying regular diet again. From what little you have described about how you’re eating, especially your 30-40 grams of fiber and ‘tons of green leafy veggies’, it’s a good bet you may be low carb but not in ketosis, or possibly in and out of ketosis which is a double whammy.

I don’t think you need all that fiber and veg; and, I also think it’s probably making matters worse. If you feel the need to open your bowels, my suggestion is to try MCT oil powder: 15-20 grams of it in some beverage. Many have reported this has the desired effect. Don’t do it every day, though. Once you get used to consuming it, the purgative powers diminish.

(Chris) #8

I heard taking magnesium citrate is bad long term is that a muth?

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #9

Sorry to be contrarian, but no, we don’t.

I think most who do so make poor food choices when beginning keto, mostly by not cutting the carbs and increasing fat enough. β-hydroxybutyrate is far more helpful than fiber and nutrient barren leafy vegetables.

(Alec) #10

Have you tried removing all veg to see what happens to your IBS? I would give it a shot.

I have been very surprised by what I have learnt in the last few months about veg. It is not the problem free golden food that it is depicted as by nutritionists and governments.

(MooBoom) #11

Are you under the care of a LCHF medical professional? With IBS at play I think that’s worth investigating.

Here’s an interesting resource regarding fibre:

Low carb down under Fiber presentation

And perhaps look deeper into Feng-Yuan’s story of LCHF- her fiancé has Crohn’s disease and has had phenomenal success treating it with ketogenic eating.

Feng-Yuan Low Carb Down Under presentation

(George) #12

I don’t know what affect it has on you if taken daily, but I’ve been drinking 1/2 bottle of it 1x/week for 6 months.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #13

@MooBoom
:+1: :+1: :+1: Thank you!