Hello Keto World,
I’ve noticed that I’ve been losing a lot of hair, more than is normal, and I’m hungry every 3 hours or so with a general feeling of weakness. When I eat meals, I literally eat as much as I can, so I’m definitely pretty full when I’m done eating. Am I not eating enough calories (I haven’t tracked them honestly), am I having too much Saturated fat for myself? What reasons could this be happening. It’s been frustrating.
I would start tracking EVERYTHING. That really helps to see where everything is and if you are getting an sneaky carbs or sugar
You need to track as there’s no way to even start figuring out what is wrong when you don’t have any idea what you’re actually doing… but for sure, the way you’re feeling is not right and needs dealing with.
Agree with tracking. I can also commiserate as I have always experienced hair loss during periods of weight loss - both on CICO and Keto. It generally levels out after a few months. I am under the care of a hemotologist for malabsorption issues and have regular vitamin panels and don’t seem to be deficient in anything but it still seems like an unhealthy sign. Sorry not helpful but wanted to let you know you aren’t alone!
I will include more nutrient dense stuff in my meals. Stuff such as liver, etc.
Sounds like you are still in “keto flu” range.
Try broth (or bouillon/soup cubes) and extra salt (try putting a pinch on your tongue, let it dissolve and then drink a big glass of water).
Also, I think it makes sense to keep keto snacks around and go ahead and eat every 3 hours if you’re hungry. This is the adaptation period, where your body doesn’t have carbs to use for energy, but can’t yet easily access your body’s fat stores. So give it more dietary fat, and more salt (electrolytes get unbalanced during the transition).
Starting a new diet often causes hair loss. I suffered hair loss shortly after I started “paleo” a few years ago. It didn’t last long though.
I am in week 2. One of the things I heard on a ketodude podcast yesterday which I wish I had heard when I started is it takes a while for your body to learn to access fat for energy. It helps to use what Richard called medium chain fatty acids- coconut oil or mct oil being options. I believe butter is also. I recommend bullet proof coffee or tea when your feeling weak. Also, up your sodium and take it several times a day, I am currently at 4000 mg of sodium and 1200 of potassium. I am actually planning on increasing sodium today because I still have some brain fog.
Another thing to remember is that it is often said induction lasts 2 weeks but it can actually last several weeks. Every body is different.
Hair loss is normal on any diet and it will subside. Best wishes!
In my reading, I have only found references to hair loss as being low calories for too long. I know no one personally who has lost hair while dieting at least at their BMR, so I don’t consider it “normal”. My hair is so thick, always has been, if I ever lost any, I wouldn’t even notice it. A few strands show up on the tub drain, that is it.
Were you dieting low cal. before starting keto? Good news is all the collagen and protein in this WOE will grow back the hair and in better condition most likely.
But do track what you are eating, make sure you are not driving your metabolism downwards by being too low cal.
I tend to think that I must have been eating too low carb/too few calories for too long, because, yes, I have been on a low carb diet for quite some time. Years maybe. It never bothered me until I started to experiment with high fat/keto and that’s when the hair loss started and the wavering of blood sugar/energy. If it was just the hair loss by itself I would say…ok, maybe my body needs to adjust, but with the energy and blood sugar challenges, I have to really consider that I’m not meeting my calorie or carbohydrate needs. I started tracking today and in comparison to previous days, my breakfast was probably around 400 calories, which isn’t terrible. Then I’m weak and hungry again in two hours…so that leads my to believe that my body wants more carbs than what I’m eating. If I eat slightly more carbs (as I experimented with this morning with some sautéed zucchini with my eggs) I felt SO much better, more bright, clear-minded, and energetic. I still wavered closer to lunch time, but it wasn’t nearly as dramatic.
You don’t need more carbs - you need more fat. Add 1/2 an avacado and see how you feel…
What did you saute the zucchini in? Butter, bacon fat, or olive oil? That would have helped as well.
Some people do better around 50g of carbs, while others can go as high as 100 g.
What were you targeting for carbs while eating low carb the past years? Why did you feel you needed to change up what you were eating?
Also the low energy could be an electrolyte issue, in summer, sodium in particular.
There is a ladder for adding back in carbs from Atkins induction eating plans. You might want to look into doing that if you want more carbs back in your diet. Carbs are a want, not a necessity. There is no essential carbohydrate. 
Good luck on getting it all sorted out.
I felt weak, dizzy, and generally bad for about eight weeks when I started seven years ago. It was really tough, and I wish I had known then how important salt is when you switch to a diet that depletes glycogen stores. I was told to drink plenty of water (which I did) that ultimately made matters a bit worse I think, by washing the electrolytes out with the excessive peeing that followed 
I also experienced hair loss, but this was due to the weight loss, more than what kind of diet that caused the weight loss.
Switching to fat as primary fuel is hard for a body that’s never had to do it before, but the benefits are so worth it! I hope you up your salts and other electrolytes and give it some more time before you dismiss a keto lifestyle
This article is a good explanation of hair loss when loosing weight
https://www.dietdoctor.com/can-low-carb-diets-result-in-hair-loss
I’ve been listening to some podcasts by Shawn Mynar recently. She mentions “low carb hell.” That is when you have cut your carbs, moderated your protein, and NOT added enough fat. Your body is probably not in ketosis because you don’t have enough fat and you since your carbs are low, you can’t use those for energy either. Therefore, unhappy body. Maybe it should be called “low carb limbo.” Anyway, the answer would be to eat more fat.
Edith
I Sauteed them in butter. I can’t say I tracked my carbs in past years honestly. In the past I dealt with so many (seemingly) food sensitivities that I was trying to figure out what was causing it and I knew that a paleo-style diet was making a huge difference for me and I kind of just operated that way, but without tracking macros, so unfortunately, I don’t have anything to compare it to. Thanks!
Thanks for your comments Virginia, I’m going to be honest, I eat a lot of fat daily: Avocado, fat bombs, MCT oil, butter, meats with saturated fats, olives, omega 3 oils, sardines. I can confidently say that fat is not the problem here. I am testing my ketones and I do have ketones popping reflecting ketosis (according to the packaging).
I’ve wondered about my electrolytes and how to make sure I’m getting enough. I drink a glass of bone broth every day with also added mineral salts (Celtic Sea Salt). How do I know how much salt to be taking in? I add the salts to my water as well. Maybe I’m not adding enough?