First time Keto-er. Under 20 g Carbs per day, Hitting Fat Macros everyday, not always hitting protein macro, but close, never over. I felt pretty good the first 5 days…slowly went down hill from there and Day 9 was BAAAAAD. I was tracking macros and calories (getting enough) the first week - now I’m in survival mode and just eating whatever is on hand that has fat and adding salt - cause I don’t feel good and I’m very tired. Woke up with a POUNDING headache on Day 9- when you guys said SALT, you really meant a lot of Salt. I got the electrolytes under control in the last 24 but whoa…the last two nights I have slept for 12 hours and even after 12 I have to drag myself out of bed. (Was late for work even). Weak legs, difficulty focusing, memory recall is the pits and I have no desire to do anything. Dishes stacked up, house a mess. I’m not really that hungry cause I don’t feel well but eating enough, drinking enough, salt under the tongue, drank some pickle juice even. OK - here it is. I want to give up because I do not like how I feel, on the other hand, I’m 10 days in and don’t want to go backwards if I’m almost out of this. I have lost weight - I don’t care if its water weight at this point, my pants are not as tight. Encouragement, please! Did everybody have to go through this??? Is it really going to go away? Waaaaaaah.
I feel like crap - Day 10 Encouragement please!
While your body is adjusting you might want to eat high fat med protein trace carb but not worry about how often you are eating or counting every macro. Eat till your full. There are very easy things you can eat that require limited prep.: sardines, macadamia nuts. You can buy sauce less shredded pork already cooked at Costco.
Keep learning and reading. There is so much encouraging scientific forms that will help you tweak this lifestyle for you.
Podcast that I love
2 Keto dudes
Obesity Code
Boundless Health
Keto Answers
Amazon Movies that are great:
The Magic Pill-rent
That sugar film-free
I’m only 3 weeks in, don’t have a huge amount of energy still, not feeling as bad as you do right now, & am similar with the macros to you, but keep going, some symptoms have passed… don’t give up give it a go & hopefully you’ll feel better soon! To start with I felt I was giving up too much & feeling not great, but I did lots of recipe searching & found things I liked & am looking forward to trying, so that’s given me a reason to continue. I’m wanting to give this a fair go at least 2-3 months to see if I get the benefits- more energy, less hunger & mental clarity as well as losing some weight, the carb cravings have definitely subsided already, so that’s fantastic!
If there’s something positive that’s come out of this, like the weight loss, then focus on that, & see if you can find food you really enjoy, I’m sure you’ll feel better soon!
Has no one told you of the keto flu? It’s a thing. Look it up. I have never experienced it but it’s pretty common. Keep going. Gets better and you’ll feel better than ever on the other side! Great job sticking to it and making adjustments as you go. That will serve you well on your journey!
I encourage you to stop having keto flu. Even now in my keto journey I sometimes struggle with sodium. I use lots of pink salt in everything and even bring a bit into restaurants.
One of my favorite drinks is chicken broth with lots of salt, butter or heavy cream (or both if you’re feeling frisky), and some hot sauce. Sometimes I like to also add nutritional yeast for the taste.
Maybe you are having withdrawal symptoms from something such as sugar or caffeine.
Edith
Tracy, I so feel you sister. I felt really good the first couple of weeks and then completely hit a wall of feeling AWFUL. Terrible headaches, my heart rate is up, not resting as well, can’t go to sleep easily because my heart rate is higher than normal. This started about a week ago and I’ve been trying to really up my salt intake and eating more avocados and leafy greens and started a multi-vitamin.
I’m starting to feel a bit better. Not all the way there yet, but I’m trying to stay the course. I don’t really love to cook at all and so finding foods that I can eat easily that are still good keto foods can be a bit difficult. I work a desk job and have a lot of commitments after work, which don’t leave me a lot of time to even think about cooking. I’ve been out of town every weekend for the last four weekends working on a rental property to get ready to sell it. I’ll also be out of town this weekend visiting my sister and her husband. All of this adds up to about zero time to shop for food and cook.
I’m trying to fight my way through this and figure out easy things that I can eat. (If anyone has suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated!)
These are classic symptoms. Nothing to worry abouy, just “keep calm and keto on.”
@Stabla have you seen Is Sugar the New Fat (on Amazon Prime if I remeber correctly)?
I have watched most of it. I had to go to my account to see if I had it, I must have gotten distracted in the middle and forgotten to finish it. I’m glad you brought it up so I can do that.
I just started a really fascinating book called Genius Foods by Max Lugavere. Definitely worth the money. I feel like it is really helping me fine tune my lifestyle and upping my game in making better choice.
I am 9 days in, but I went through this last week. Tiredness, sleeping for hours, very tearful. I have been concentrating on 16:8 fasting and cutting out eating between meals. I think I have finally got the hang of adding enough fat to my meals and don’t feel hungry all the time as I was. I am not sure I have the protein side sorted, possibly eating too many grams. My next target is to track the macros and try to get ratios of carbs:fats:protein. BS coming down, but I think I am being somewhat impatient as I would like them to drop faster!
However feeling much better this week. My only problem is that for the last couple of nights it has been difficult to get off to sleep, my body almost feels as though it needs to get up and run around for an hour or so!!!
Keep going on this journey, this forum is helpful and informative. So many people to help and encourage you.
Good luck!
Personal opinion at 9 days in you should not be IF yet, the lack of sleep and extra energy are normal at least they were for me. Be patient sometimes trying to restrict to much too soon only causes more hardship and less results. Eat to your macros, if you need to or feel hungry on a 3 square meal a day pattern then do it. The IF will come on its own feeding windows are almost natural for me now. Don’t cut the fat % back yet, keep it up there for a while a few weeks for certain.
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your input, it’s good to know that some of what I have experienced this past week or so is probably normal. After all I have been abusing my body for quite a while!
I find it easy to miss breakfast, have have not really needed to eat. It’s the afternoons and evenings, visits to coffee shops and all those wonderful, but not so good, cakes and pastries that beckon!
I have dabbled with Keto before, and my main meals were ‘ketoish’. I generally lasted a month before falling off the wagon.But I now have a reason for doing it properly, our first grandchild is due in August and I want to live to see him grow up to his teenage years and beyond.
I have learnt a lot these past few weeks, listening to podcasts, reading some very good books and scanning through the posts on this forum site. I realise that this is not going to be easy but I am least getting my head around Keto and what I need/should be aiming for. Even after a week I don’t feel as hungry as I did before, I am not snacking in between meals or late at night. And I have started exercising again . So a short term result, but I still have a fair way to go!
I live on fast food and American restaurants (like Denny’s.) Look at online menus for your preferred fast food places and pick a few staple orders. No more standing in front of the menu trying to decide.
This is a decent guide to start with
YW,
I am about to podcast #73 keep listening there is a lot of useful info. When I started to IF it was by accident and it was breakfast as well, if you can make it two about 2 months I think you will be fine. One of the things I have had to contend with in my own life is just no going to places that have things I want. After some time those cravings, and then the desire will go away all together, I now find sweets too sugary. You will truly be in a powerful position when that happens, so keep up the good work.
I am on day 10 as well so you aren’t alone! I am experiencing many of the same symptoms and today is probably the worst yet for me. Basically just feel like I’ve been run over by a truck! Keep going, we can get through this!
I texted my Daughter earlier: "It is just WRONG to feel this good at my age.
RIDICULOUS"
Yeah. I’m down 140 pounds. Look better, new clothes…all that’s fine.
BUT!!! I feeeeeeel like a million bucks!!! Get it? This is work and it IS worth it, grasshoppah.
Just don’t quit. OKAY??!!??!!
Tweak your plan, DO NOT CHEAT and keep chipping away at it.
Nobody gets fat overnight, and it takes a while to fix all the damage.
KCKO
Stan…
Thank you all for replying. Yes, I’ve heard of the Keto Flu. There’s some people and articles that say it’s “unnecessary” that if I do this or that, no flu. I’m trying/tweaking. It would be easier to just accept the flu and wait it out. Am I being a Keto Flu Shamed? lol. It really helps to know I’m not alone.
Yes, you should feel ashamed of having the keto flu, lol! 
But seriously, if what you are experiencing is keto flu, it can be avoided, or at least mitigated, by staying hydrated and concentrating on getting enough salt. (Plus a little low-sodium salt, to supplement your potassium.) On the other hand, is there any chance you’re experiencing real flu?