Energy

(Angelia A Cameron) #1

Just starting my keto diet, on day 9, and am very sluggish which I have read is quite normal. I am working increasing my potassium salt and so on and will continue to research. I also understand that if I keep going with the keto diet, my energy will be much greater. My question is, I was very energetic person before I started the ketogenic diet so will I be even more energetic after time or will I just go back to the energy that I had? Kind of a weird question but I’m truly missing my energetic self.

(Michelle) #2

I can’t speak for you because everyone is different. What I noticed in myself was that I have the same amount of energy all day. There isn’t an afternoon slump an hour after lunch. I wake up with the same energy as I have after dinner. And I sleep so well!

#3

I like all the changes I’ve experienced so far but have not cured the insomnia deal. I have some lingering, but improving, PTSD from being wounded twice in Vietnam. I’m not nuts, mind you, just too many ingrained memories that go into default mode when I go to bed. Ambien and melatonin also help.

I also do a lot of Extended Fasting and that seems to be sleep inhibitor as well.

But energy? No problem. Priorities are my problem with getting things done.

(Carl Keller) #4

It does happen especially if we have been a carb-burner for our whole life. You’re essentially depriving your body of the only energy source it’s ever known and once it’s figured how to use fat and ketones properly, this should clear up.

You can try small amounts of coconut oil in your morning coffee and for your cooking needs. This little boost might help get you past the hump. Just be wary that some people’s digestive system don’t take kindly to it and it could cause gas or the runs if you take too much.

I’m in the same boat as @M_Graham_S. My energy is consistent and no more peaks and valleys like when I was eating carbs. My energy levels have always been good in the morning and I would say it’s slightly better now. Most noteworthy is I don’t have the “normal” aches and pains that tended to make grumpy on most days. My attitude and patience are 10x improved.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #5

Yep, it’s thoroughly normal, and apart from being annoying, it’s no big deal. Your muscle cells are adjusting to the new dietary regime, and they need to implement certain biochemical changes that simply take the time they take.

Somewhere between weeks six and eight, you ought to be back to normal. In fact, some people report improved performance after fat-adaptation. Also, it’s not a binary condition so you may feel a gradual improvement instead of a sudden one. In the meantime, give yourself a break, both in terms of expectations and in terms of physical rest. Your body is under quite a bit of stress right now, so just do what you can manage, don’t push things, and don’t worry about it. Patience, grasshopper!

(John) #6

This is 100% accurate for me. Weeks 1 and 2 were rough, 3 was ups and downs, 4 was where I started feeling some “extra” energy, but there were still variations - some days better than others, and what or how much I ate still affected how I felt to some extent.

Weeks 6 - 8 is where everything started to come together and I just felt like my normal self, energy-wise. Well really, by then I had lost some weight and had started exercising regularly, so I guess I had more energy compared to before I started and was basically sedentary and spent most of my time at a desk or in bed.

(Angelia A Cameron) #7

Thanks everyone. My husband is a month ahead of me so he’ll just have to take up the slack while my cells do their thing. On a side note I was actually at day 12 when I did my initial post, my mind’s a little foggy too :roll_eyes:

#8

Hmm, week 3 and 4 were slow going for me … but I just hung in there…

I’m 50+ and started noticing brain fog mid morning and tiredness mid afternoon. I really needed that extra cup of coffee just to maintain some alertness. I also needed dry cookies or something mid-morning (yes I know what was I thinking).

In my case keto provides a constant energy supply, no power outages at any time. So in that sense it certainly feels like more energy. I also feel 10-20 years younger in general.

At first I couldn’t sleep, too much energy. Had to drop the extra coffee.

After work I use to come home and “crash out” on my bed, now I can keep going …

But - if I had gone keto 30 years ago would I have had more energy? Hmm, I’m guessing day to day I probably would not have noticed it? But that’s just a guess. Playing long games of soccer, then I reckon I would’ve noticed it.

Anyway, meantime, do make a bit effort to get enough sea or rock salt. I’ve recently started drinking broth. Nice way to get salt. Initially I was shy about salt. Now I splash it about everywhere.

And of course plenty of water.

Also make sure you eat enough. I was shy with the butter at first. But now I’m ok (mind you it only takes a tablespoon on veggies or something, we dont’ have to drink cartons of it).

Otherwise hang in there, it is amazing how the body knows how to adapt and adapt it does. I reckon you’ll be right

(Alex ) #9

For me it’s more balanced… I think a lot of what you’re likely to experience will greatly depend on how you were feeling within your old lifestyle, for example if you had quite severe carb/sugar crashes.

I get a noticeable high/low with caffeine, and similar using concentrated fat sources such as MCT, Butter and Coconut oil, but otherwise, I just find I’m probably a bit more chilled out throughout the course of the day.

I don’t find that using any mineral/vitamin/electrolyte makes much difference to how I feel.