Hi!
I started this diet on 6/17/19. I was fine in the beginning. Felt great while watching my boyfriend suffer a bad “flu.” I’m down about 13 lbs!
Problem is, this past week, I’m EXHAUSTED!! I’m getting between 7 and 8 hours of sleep each night, but it never seems like enough…
Any suggestions?!
Welcome to the forum. 
You’re boyfriend needs to up his salt intake. That will fix his problem. That is if he’s been staying under 20 carbs daily. Otherwise he’s dragging out carb withdrawal. 2 teaspoons of salt daily or 10 grams taken with food or water. I use those pink Himalayan salt crystals that are like little pebbles and swallow 3grams when I have cramps or headaches. Fix the problem now with any salt.
Congratulations on 13 lost pounds! It’s mostly water but 13 lbs is 13 lbs and I’ll bet you can see and feel that. You should try to up your fat intake for energy. Make sure you’re eating well and aren’t being hungry. KETO at this point is about getting your body used to burning fat and it takes a while before your metabolism gets good at that, we call it being fat adapted.
Make sure you’re both getting 2-3 liters of water and 2-3 teaspoons of salt. Lots of great people here to help, I wish you success. 
A certain amount of lack of energy is normal during the initial adaptation phase, as muscles re-learn how to metabolise fat instead of glucose. (I felt it more as a lack of strength than as fatigue, though.) Another possibility is that you yourself might not be getting enough salt, too. Ideal intake is 2-3 U.S. tsp (10-15 g), but that also includes salt naturally present in food. If you are already eating salt in that range, then wait till you’ve been doing keto 6-8 weeks. If at that point you aren’t feeling more energetic, consider seeing your doctor.
Welcome to the forum, Alix =). If you make this for you and your boyfriend, it should help =).
If you make sure you are not eating any sugar at all, keeping carbs to 20 grams or less, getting adequate proteins and healthy fats, lots of water and keeping your electrolytes up, you should both be feeling well soon enough. It takes time for our bodies to adjust to the carb and sugar withdrawal at the beginning. Once it does, you will have a lot of energy and feel great =). Congrats on your 13 pound loss so far.
Are you eating enough? Did anything change this past week? Define exhausted, do you feel like you’re not getting the sleep that you know you are, or do you feel like you just ran a marathon and need a place to pass out?
Thank you so much! This might be difficult for me because im not a salt person at all! I salt my corn and my eggs, and thats it. Seeing as corn is out, all im left with is eggs! I guess im gonna have to put more thought into salting my foods, as it seems like this is a major component to this new journey!
Its more like a feeling of no matter how much sleep i get, its never enough and i want to nap at my desk by noon! I think the electrolytes thing might be my issue!
I felt that way about 2 weeks in. I thought my new sneakers were “too heavy” so I returned then!!! felt like bricks! lol but it was ME.
Welcome to the forum, Karen @Keto2019
Please feel free to post a new thread yourself as well if you have any questions too! It is great to have you here =).
When I joined the forum early June and was having similar issues as you (and I have been doing Keto since February) people told me about the Electrolytes and taking in salt and it really helps. I actually EAT a few teaspoons directly of Pink Himalyan Salt daily (and just drink lots of water with it) because I don’t like the taste of salted water personally. It is easy to do now, as I have been doing it for 2 months. It doesn’t taste great; of course, but I can do it and it really helps. It has got rid of all the horrid leg cramps I was having in the middle of the night.
