Hi! Brand new here…on my 5th day of Keto…keeping carbs at about 20g per day, tracking macros. I think that part is going well but I’m concerned about the time it will take to become fat adapted. Also concerned with my workouts. I got a ketone blood reading of .4 on day three, 2.1 on day four, and back to .4 this morning (pre meal and pre workout). I’m definitely noticing not feeling well during exercise and decreased performance. I run 3xs weekly and do strength training 3xs weekly as well. Have been doing the running part for over 5 years consistently and the strength training program with it for over 2 years. I don’t want to back off of the exercise…starting to wonder if this is right for me.
Any tips or help/thoughts are GREATLY appreciated!
Brand new, looking for input!
Just want to add, I run/workout in the morning before eating, 12-14 hours usually since my last meal…but I do have coffee with MCT oil and grass fed butter before exercise. (Used to do coconut oil in the coffee but switched to MCT and butter combo since starting Keto)
It will take time to fat adapt and then your performance will return to normal. A lot of people take a couple weeks off from the gym.
There is no formula or absolute answer regarding fat adaption.
Consider:
- if an individual starts a Keto diet from the base of being low carb, then things will be easier and quicker
- if an individual starts a Keto diet from the base of high carb cereals and sodas and sugars, then things will be harder and take longer as the body has a longer duration to clear out the carbs and rebuild towards producing and utilizing ketones
Be patient with the body, keep going and keep an eye on the consumption of electrolytes.
Thanks for the response! I thought I was low carb before, but Keto really makes you realize just how many carbs you were eating!! Lol. I definitely wasn’t eating any refined sugar, all my sugar came from fruits, which I ate a lot of including dried fruits. But no processed foods, no bread, definitely grains like quinoa and oats though. (Also a bit of an airpopped popcorn addict)
I’ve been making 1 homemade electrolyte drink daily…
Thanks again for input!
Thank you for the input! Putting a hold on exercise is not a good option for me—mainly for my mental health! But I don’t want to hurt my ability to get into KetoDiet or become fat adapted either.
Dude I am at 2 weeks. First week I pushed through work outs. 2nd week I was bonking just in normal life. I went for easy slow 20 minute walks just to move everyday still. No push ups or pull ups or weights though I had no power. I’m feeling better now so maybe can start pushing myself agian very soon. But it’s a week or week and a half. You won’t loose endurance or muscle for taking a break. Just realize you gotta re wire your self. First time you lifted a hard weight or really pushed the running your body was soar and needed to recover same thing with the diet change. Just chill you will be back to normal soon. KCKO= keep calm keto on
I haven’t bothered going to the gym since I started keto in October 2017… of course I didn’t go to the gym before that either.
Different strokes, different goals.
It took me about a month to be FULLY adapted (though the benefits started for me almost immediately… I am one of those Unicorns that never got that pesky “keto flu”). I started at a little over 300lb, and while I had all the symptoms of T2D I was never officially diagnosed because I am stubborn and won’t go to a GP (though I do get regular bloodwork at my dermatologist because of a psoriasis medication i’m on).
I used to be a serial tester. First by peeing on sticks (which I still do from time to time, because hey! Now I have a purple stick, and that’s neat!). Then by using a Ketonix because I draw the line at stabbing myself for dietary validation. After a while I got frustrated with the conflicting readings that the equipment gave me. At the end of the day my weight was dropping and I felt fantastic - so I stopped testing altogether and was a LOT less stressed as a result. Not saying you SHOULDN’T test, just that things were better for me when I stopped doing it.
Also, here’s a tip; If it’s high in fat and really low in carbs on the label, don’t be afraid to buy it and HOUSE it. I buy a lot of “garbage” at Aldi’s. Beef snack sticks (<1g carbs per serving), Cooked Ham, Hard Salami, their blocks of cheese are only like $1.80ish per 8oz block, etc. This doesn’t have to be Grass-fed stuff from Whole Foods (“Alexa, why was my avocado $22?”)
I’ve been doing it for 2 years and now struggle to get above 165lb from my high of 305ish. Again, I’m a unicorn I think, and am simply VERY receptive/compatible with this way of eating. The biggest hurdle is really just the first month - at least it was for me.
Agh! You’re a bit more than a week further along than I am, you’ll have to keep me posted—if you start feeling great soon I’ll know it’s coming! Lol. I’m going to attempt my weekly long run tomorrow…made it through my workout today but it was hard, barely able to do what I did last week. Also super hungry all day.
Good luck to you!
Thanks for the info and input! So far the “flu” symptoms for me are very mild, not much worse than my normal brain fog and ‘hangry’ irritability that I normally experience day to day when I’m hungry or out of energy—which is why I’m wanting to try Keto…the worst of it for me is that it’s crushing my workouts.
2 years and great success! Thanks for sharing/inspiring.
Once you get fat adapted you’ll be more than fine. You’ll be able to go and go. I’ve been doing yoga since December 26th and I’m already doing shoulder stands. This is from a zero exercise standpoint. And it’s only twice a week. My yoga instructor (also my sister, but she’s honest with me) is floored by my progress and strength so far. I’m a hefty girl and never even thought I could do a shoulder stand because of weak core muscles and sheer weight… always afraid I’d fall over and break my neck. All this to say, it’ll pass. Do what you feel comfortable with, but don’t force yourself. It’ll come back good/better than normal.