Keto Flu - trying to keep calm and keto on

(Mel ) #1

Keto “flu” is tough. I’ve recently switched from low carb to keto. I had been eating about 100g carbs per day on weekends and 20g during the week. I wanted to speed up weight loss so I switched to 20g everyday. I’m 2 weeks into eating keto macros every day and my energy is pretty low especially during my regular workout (Orange Theory). I have been adding extra salt to my food and I feel like I’m getting enough fat (eggs n bacon for breakfast, salad with meat, eggs, cheese and olive oil for lunch, Coconut oil in the afternoons and evenings. Dinner is meat and grean veggies with added cream, butter, and/or oil.

How long before I get the energy and mental clarity?

I was hoping I could avoid keto flu since I was eating keto macros most days of the week before. Also I’ve tried to incorporate some of the tips I’ve heard from the Keto Dudes, Meagan and Brenda.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #2

It can vary by person, and I think there’s another issue besides Keto Flu going on here.

Keto Flu is due to electrolyte imbalances. It can lead to nausea, headaches, diarrhea, dizziness among others.

But the heaviness is due to the lack of glycogen in your muscles. You aren’t feeding your body carbs which is what it typically used for energy. But at the same time, it hasn’t adapted to using the extra ketones you are producing for energy yet. I liken it to having a hole in your gas tank. You’re producing ketones, but they are spilling out at this phase. And ultimately you don’t have enough fuel to run your body, especially during exercise.
As you get closer to fat adaption, this gets better. Most people take between 6-8 weeks to become fat adapted. But things should improve before that. I was fat adapted by week 9, but my energy levels started to improve around week 4. Of course they were still down from pre-Keto days at that point, but I no longer felt like I was moving through water or had lead in my limbs.