Hi all! I’m new here, been doing keto for 3 weeks today. I’ve been reading a lot on this forum which has helped A LOT! Thanks for that! My problem is that I am having a really hard time reaching enough calories to not go into “starvation mode.” A lot say don’t eat if you’re not hungry, don’t worry about calories/macros this early as long as your carbs are where they need to be. Then I see some “oh you’re not eating enough.” So I’m at a loss. I could easily do a 24 hour fast but I’ve also read not to attempt fasting until you’re fat adapt. So much information! I am 5’ 6” 220.8 lbs as of today (started at 234.6) so yay for that. Even if it was water weight. I eat a meat/veggie for every meal that I consume with the exception of breakfast which is usually eggs and bacon. Sometimes I skip breakfast and will eat lunch. Drink plenty of water etc. I will try t eat nuts to up my calories to at least 1200 but even then I feel sick while trying and stop 
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance. Oh forgot to mention, I do add butter and cheese to things.
Having a hard time reaching above 1,000 calories a day
I think you just have to play around with your food some. I found my appetite bottom out when I was eating eggs and bacon every morning for breakfast. I got so bored I stopped even wanting to eat. Once I found something new, it got better. In the beginning it’s easy to get overwhelmed with so much information but just focus on keeping the carbs low and find out what works for you.
If you’re going by what you’re body is telling you, I wouldn’t worry about metabolic slowdown in this situation. Your appetite will be coming and going. Just keep doing what you’re doing: eat when you’re hungry, don’t calorie restrict when you do, and don’t eat when you’re not.
Hi Mollyred.
For me, the key to all this eat more, don’t eat thing is determined by one thing: hunger. If you are eating 1000 calories and you feel great and can’t eat any more without feeling sick, you will not go into starvation mode. That is if your body has access to fat stores. At this point, any caloric deficit is supplemented by your body fat.
If somone says they feel like crap and they are constantly hungry, the risk for metabolic slowdown is much greater. That’s when it should be suggested to eat more. Being hungry is the last thing you want to do when you are doing keto.
From my own experience, I ate 900-1500 calories consistently for nearly 2 months and I had a little fear that I was eating enough, but I trusted my hunger signals and energy levels and everything went smoothly. After I got much closer to my goal weight, the hunger returned. It’s a natural response to losing a lot of weight in a short period of time.
MY advice is to enjoy your slumbering hunger and listen to your body. It will tell you if you need to eat more. 
Thank y’all (yes I’m from the south 
) for replying so quickly! I do have tons of energy especially the last 3-4 days. The other day my body was particularly hungry all day long it seems but I was excited to actually make it to 1400 calories. The other days have been a struggle. I’m just going to KCKO!
Yes, do not worry. I have been keto for nine months and my appetite goes up, and goes down. I eat when I’m hungry, and stop when I am full. In practical terms, this means anywhere from 800 calories to 1,800. I would say I average around 1200. The high end usually involves nuts and dairy.
Judge it by how you feel. If you’re hungry then eat more, if not then be happy in the knowledge that your body is feasting on its own fat stores.
The key is to not deliberately limit, so no intentional calorie restriction. If you’re truly listening to your body and doing as it tells you, I don’t see it being a worry.
Every couple of days I take a load of pork belly strips and spray them with butter (with a biem butter sprayer, best thing ever) and season them heavily with rock salt and black pepper.
Then roast at 200c for 30 mins followed by 100c for 2 hours.
Then I let it cool and bag it up in sandwich bags. The ultimate snack, tastes incredible and its finger food. That helps with calories.
Having avocados on hand too!
Dessert wise - a dollop of mascarpone with a tiny splash of scotch whipped in dusted with instant coffee = almost tiramisu for zero effort
These things definitely help me fill the gaps