I’ve been on keto for 8 weeks and lost 42 pounds. I have a good grasp on counting macros and feel like a good grasp on keto in general.
My issue is unbearable fatigue when falling out of ketosis. I kicked myself out once I believe with keto coffee cake made with almond flower and monk fruit extract sweetener. A couple hours later I couldn’t hold my eyes open I was so exhausted. Fasted 24 hrs and got right back in no problem.
Today I carbed out and same thing happened. Ridiculous fatigue.
I’ve scoured the internet to understand why to no avail. I didn’t struggle with fatigue or keto flu when I started this diet so why now?
I have 8lbs left to my goal and plan on switching to keto cyclical to continue this healthy lifestyle and eating habits so my worry is will I feel this fatigue every time I eat carbs? And why am I feeling it now??
Fatigued when out of ketosis
You likely have physiologic insulin resistance (where your body spares blood sugar by making “you” more “insulin resistant”), which means when you do eat carbs, you get a worse response temporarily. You might consider just going to a higher level of carbs (say, vegetables and the like) for maintenance rather than hitting very low carb for say 5 days then much higher carb for say 2 days.
Of course, I do not know if this is the case but, 42 pounds in 8 weeks to get to within 8 pounds of your goal weight is probably too quick on the weight loss (very unlikely on Keto - remember that eating “Keto” foods in really small quantities is not “Keto” but is instead calorie restriction).
The first 8 weeks of Keto are about fat adaptation (increasing calories and fixing/increasing metabolism by adjusting macros).
It might be that you actually just severely calorie restricted during this time.
42 pounds in 8 weeks might be how a very obese (300 or 400 plus pounds) might lose weight initially but to be so close to goal and lose weight so fast - it seems possible that calorie restriction and resulting slower metabolism and therefore fatigue are what’s happening.
Why now? When you calorie restrict you initially feel better - both mentally and physically.
But, the metabolic slowdown catches up and your body shuts down calorie burning to preserve the little fat you have left because the body sees it as necessary for long term survival. As well, eat a few carbs - turning on fat storage - it seems the body would want to use that opportunity to metabolize and store fat - that could make you tired.
The Keto approach at this point might be to greatly increase calories - sticking with high-fat, medium protein and low carb. Then hoping for not too much of a bounce in weight before getting fat-adapted and then seeing weight drop again.
The non-Keto approach is to put up with the fatigue and further reduce calories to try to keep weight loss going - but, it might end as most calorie restricted diets do - with a big bounce, up to higher than where you started because the metabolism has slowed.
George Burns goes to see his doctor, and complains that whenever he turns his head to call Gracie, he gets a sharp, stabbing pain in his neck. The doctor says, “So don’t turn your head.” :rimshot:
How badly do you need to be able to eat carbohydrate?