Massively struggling to get into keto - but determined


(Colette La Pointe) #1

Hey guys,

Sorry for the super long post, but I’m in massive struggle mode with this diet and it’s getting me super stressed and down— and I could really use some advice and support from people who’ve been through it and gotten to the other side!

To give background— I’ve been trying to get on keto for the last two weeks and I keep slipping. The first five days, I was perfect— then I went out drinking and slipped into the 150gram area for a night… got back on the wagon, but then had a couple days spread out this week where my carbs went into the 60gram (net) range and then had a complete **** up this weekend where I went totally out of control into the like 300+ range… :persevere:

My macros have been varying slightly but my aim is for 5% carbs, 35% protein and 60% fat. I’m aiming for 20-25 net carbs a day. For the last year I’ve been on a super high protein diet that was more like 50% protein, 35% carbs and 15% fat as my goal has been on building muscle. I go to the gym about three times a week and do a mixture of weights/cardio (was more focused on weights this pass year but am training for a half marathon now so focus is transitioning to cardio).

I’ve done a ton of different lifestyle diets— was vegan for five years, and then veggie for another five— and have never had as much of a struggle as with keto! The first week I felt like I was dying— probably not helped by the fact that I was pulling 13-14 hour days at the office and exhausted— but I had every symptom of the keto flu and it was not an uncomfortable “one to two days” like I read online, it was hell— headaches, brain fog, dizzy, irritable, exhausted, couldn’t sleep, nauseous, etc. But the sugar cravings weren’t that bad— I was trying to do an 800 cal fast to get into it, and I was pretty damn hungry. But this last week, the sugar cravings have just been out of control… keto pretty much goes against everything my taste buds want as I’m a massive sugar fiend and and come from a family of ectomorphs so we naturally just shed through the carbs. I would say at my worst I was probably eating like 70% carbs a day. But the more I read on keto and am learning how sensitive the process is, was I just going in and out of ketosis for the last week and that’s why the cravings came on so bad? Because from what I read they’re supposed to go away… and from being vegan and veggie, it was rough for a short bit but then any cravings for dairy and meat just dissipated (however my love of carbs is much stronger than for dairy or meat…)

My reasons for doing Keto are that I would like to shed 10 lbs (I’m at a healthy weight just want to slim down a bit) and just get into a healthier, lifestyle diet where I’m not counting complicated macros (don’t eat carbs— pretty simple to remember) and indulging in sugar. I have really bad ADHD and I’ve read a bunch of studies about how the increased mental concentration/clarity and energy from keto is supposed to help with this (though mental concentration and energy have not come so far— if anything it’s the opposite!).

So as I try to commit fully to this diet this week— does anyone who really struggled in the beginning, with the keto flu and kept slipping, have any advice? Should I try cutting down to 800 cals to get into it faster or just eat until full as long as I’m not passing the carb threshold? Should I try to be lower at like 10gram a day? Any advice for sugar cravings?

Just to add, intermittent fasting is extremely difficult for me so while I see that suggested on some websites, I don’t think I could go 16-24 hours without eating— it would be setting me up for a binge. I’m an eat 3x a day kind of person.

And I’m guessing I’m gonna go into full keto flu mode again after my weekend carb binge so any advice to how to mitigate that as well would be much appreciated :expressionless:


(Carl Keller) #2

Hello Colette.

The problem is in the first statement I quoted. If you want the benefits of keto, you can’t keep relapsing and eating high carbs. At your stage in the game, it’s like pressing the reset button. You have to restrict your carbs and convince your body and hormones to get used to fat for fuel.

I understand how social situations or just being around an atmosphere where carbs are present and calling to you, can be difficult, but if you can dedicate yourself to doing this right for several weeks, you will likely have the willpower and enough health benefits to not yield to this type of temptation. In the meantime, it might be best to not put yourself in places or around people who might derail your plans.

Most of those symptoms can be fixed by gettting ample sodium and water. Up to 8 cups (2 liters) of water per day and 2+ teaspoons of sodium over the course of your day should take care of those things. Restricting carbs means we don’t retain sodium as well as we used to and it’s really important to make sure that mineral is adequate.

Our taste buds tend to get brainwashed by processed sugar. Some experts suggest it is the most addictive substance on the planet. But once released from its grip (took me a few weeks), my taste buds starting enjoying things I never did before. I wouldn’t say my taste buds changed… they woke up.

Snacking is not encouraged by most but I believe if a boiled egg, a few almonds, a piece of cheese or a few pork rinds is a small price to pay to save us from relapse. Cravings are glorified tantrums and if you train your brain that fat is the response to those tantrums, it will settle them down. At least it did for me. :slight_smile:

And we will see you back at square one. Stalls are pretty common in Keto but the worst stall of all is the one where you keep putting off giving yourself the best gift you will ever receive from yourself. I do hope you soon find the strength to take keto seriously and stick with it for at least 30 committed days. It truly is life changing for many people with myself being one of those people.


(Running from stupidity) #4

I’ve been doing it for six months, also mod/severe ADHD, and it helps at times and not at others. N=1, big time.

I was trying to do an 800 cal fast to get into it, and I was pretty damn hungry.

Terrible idea, as you discovered. Just eat plenty of protein and fat and under 20g carbs.

Well, they’ve already done that, so good idea.


(Scott) #5

If you are going to play around in the >20g carb area you will need to have some willpower. I aim for <50g and drift in and out of ketosis. My extra carbs come from wine or beer. Because of this I am very ridgid about food carbs. On Friday I was at a jobsite and next to me was a large dish of peppermint lifesavers. I mean like how many carbs can be in just one? Well I knew that I cannot have any period. The same applies for foods the are carb laden. If I end up as a house guest I will fast through breakfast if it is a carb style. I then sneak some macadamia nuts later if needed.:sunglasses:


(Purcilla) #6

I’m just starting keto. I’ve tried ease into it the first few days.( I cracked and binged out) Now I’m day 2 into full on keto mode. I know my body hasn’t adjusted. Im going about keto the same way I went about giving up smoking cigarettes. If I don’t buy them I won’t smoke them. That was 11 years ago cold turkey. If I don’t buy high carb sugary foods I won’t eat them. (Good luck me) I am a sugar fiend as well… I could eat a whole bag of donuts, several mini candy bars, large quantities of ice cream, cookies, cakes… The list goes on.

At this point in my life I’m 30 years old and I have abused my body throughout my 20’s. It’s time for a change. I’m not worried about the effects of keto flu, because I already have frequent headaches/migraines, I’m tired all the time, and I get dizzy/lightheaded from time to time at work. I’m hoping that by doing keto it will help alleviate some of my headaches.

As a fellow sugar addict my advice is to just avoid buying the items. If someone offers them to you, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth losing all of your current progress. Keep in your mind that you are making better life choices. Stay optimistic and if you’re feeling a relapse coming on reach out to the forums. You can do this, and you will. I wish you the best of luck!


(Steven Judd) #7

I have a friend who has had significantly fewer migraines since moving to keto. I hope you see the same results!


(mole person) #8

I do too. Way, way fewer.


(Doug) #9

While it can’t be promised to “get rid of” headaches for a given person, there is a sound basis behind ketogenic eating helping a lot in this area. Migraine headaches share some things with epilepsy - one is that sufferers have higher-than-normal glutamate activity in the brain.

I’ve got a link to a study on this, and it’s some heavy reading. Here’s a couple quotes:

The principal finding of our study is that ketones, produced by the liver under conditions of fasting, calorie restriction or treatment with high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets, prevent glutamate excitotoxicity by reducing ROS levels in both acutely dissociated neocortical neurons and in isolated neocortical mitochondria.

‘ROS’ is reactive oxygen species.

Ketones Reduce Neuronal Swelling and Death – Sounds pretty good to me. :slightly_smiling_face:


(Purcilla) #10

I’ve read a lot about keto the last 2 weeks. My fiancé even questioned my decision to start keto. He said “If you already have headaches everyday why would you start a diet that causes headaches?”

I told him not everyone has the same side effects, but if a few headaches now will help reduce them once my body adjusts its worth it. Our eating habits suck because (we work together) our hours can range any where between 3 hours to 18 hours a day. We don’t take lunch breaks, and usually only get about 1 day off a week if that.

Honestly, I don’t want to come home after a long day to cook and clean up meals. He’s quite picky and refuses to eat leftovers so meal prep for 2 is out of the question. My idea is to prep my meals for at least 2-3 days and then figure out something quick for him. I’ve bought a keto cook book we’ll see if I can convince him try some of that. Haha


(Colette La Pointe) #11

So I’m in day 4 of being back on the diet— and feel pretty crap. Basically feels like I’m back to square one going through the keto flu all over again. Brain fog, insomnia, etc— but I’m also working 13-14 hour days so it’s not a great combination.

This time around however I am INSANELY bloated— I’ve been taking MCT and electrolyte supplements, and eating a lot more fat, and less carbs (I’m coming in at around 10 right now when I was at 20-25 before). Wondering if perhaps I’m overdoing it on the salt?

And just when the hell the good part of this diet is going to kick in… :expressionless:


(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #12

It’s best to start low and slow with the MCT oil. It can cause GI issues, if not.

I’m also a three meals a day person and was formerly vegetarian. I would advise meal prep on the weekend and literally packing all of your melas, especially if you’re working long hours. This will avoid impulse eating during breaks or stress. Pack snacks too until you’re not feeling so hungry or having cravings. Stay hydrated and breathe. You can do this!


#13

I have a friend with bad adhd as well, so i guess in a way i sympathize with you, i wrote up a quick guide, this gets me into ketosis very fast:

Day 1:

Workout in the morning on empty stomach:

  • cardio 30mins (to empty liver glucose)
  • weight training 60mins (to empty muscle glucose)

Priority is liver glucose emptied, keep pulse up and lift heavy. When u get home load urself with 70/30/0 macros, no carbs at all. Drink water with electrolytes and chill for the rest of the day.

Day 2:

Now in the morning u should already be in ketosis, u can test it with ketostrips. Day 2 is a repeat from the first day to make sure ur completely emptied from glucose:

Workout in the morning on empty stomach:

  • cardio 30mins
  • weight training 60mins
  • 70/30/0 macros
  • water + electrolytes
  • rest

If not already in ketosis after 1st day, 2nd day should defo do u in. This has gotten me to ketosis under 24 hours million times. When ur in ketosis, stop working out, ur work is enough for now. Keep eating 65/30/5 macros and stay off carbs. Give it 2 weeks and see how ur doing then.


(Colette La Pointe) #14

Thanks. On day 7 now and still feeling pretty crappy. Just general brain fog, low energy, and a lot of nausea. I feel like this should be moving along faster? I’ve added some electrolyte supplements and am going to start drinking bouillon to see if I’m still low on sodium…

In terms of the macros— I really struggle to get my protein less than 30% of my daily macros. If I’m not eating carbs, most of the stuff I like does have a decent amount of protein— cheese, meat; even something like chorizo can pump up one of my meals to 30 grams protein— and with no carbs in the meal I just end up eating more of it. There’s so much mixed stuff online about some people saying that 30% or even 40% of protein is fine and then some people saying it needs to be down to 15% and if you’re struggling to get into ketosis (I haven’t tested myself- just bought some strips- but I feel like I would feel better than this if I was?) it can be because you’re eating too much protein?


(Kristen Ann) #15

Hi Colette, these are symptoms I get when I’m too low in sodium. Maybe try bumping it up even more? Sodium usually gets rid of the nausea fast for me.


(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #16

I NEVER looked at my protein macro in the beginning. For me making the switch and managing the carb withdrawal and electrolytes was all I could deal with. I kept my carbs below 20 grams and ate when I was hungry and didn’t eat if I didn’t feel like it.

I went through a phase where I couldn’t eat much at all and then the appetite came back with a vengeance and now it’s normal and has been for many months. By normal I mean I eat when I’m hungry and that seems to be around the same times every day.

There is a lot of back and forth concerning how much protein to eat but you’re in a good place if you’re considering carbs at all (most folks in general don’t) so lower the stress and stop looking at that macro until you’re feeling better is my advice.


(Robert C) #17

Hi Newbie,

Keto for health is good but, eating keto will put you at a “healthy weight” (it is not necessarily a weight loss diet). With keto your body will hold on to the amount of fat it thinks it needs for survival. Stress, sleep issues, excessive (meaning causes stress) exercise are some of the reasons your body may want a higher weight as it’s “healthy weight”.

Once you are fully fat-adapted and if you get these things under control - you’ll go down to some weight and you may just sit there as that is where your body wants to be. If you want to be ripped, keto will probably not get you there - you might have to do some form of fasting to do that (which will be a lot easier than you think once you are fat-adapted).


(Colette La Pointe) #18

Thanks- I drank three cups of Bouillion today and it seems to have made a difference… the only downside is that comes to 4.5carbs :expressionless: and considering I only get 20 a day it’s a bit annoying to waste almost 25% on broth…

I can see from my fitness pal that I’m making my calcium but massively low on potassium even with the supplements I’m taking. Any recommendations for a more low carb way to get sodium/more potassium?


(Kristen Ann) #19

To get your electrolytes without adding carbs you can try an electrolyte drink like keto aid or nibbling on salt throughout the day.
You can look up keto aid recipes in the search bar. I make my own keto aid and use pink himalayan salt and flavored magnesium citrate. A lot of people use lite salt because it has potassium in it. I take prescription potassium so I generally stay away from lite salt.
When I fast I just put some salt under my tongue every hour or so.


(Colette La Pointe) #20

Hey guys,

So today marks my official two week streak on keto. There have been some days where I’ve ****** up a bit and gone into the mid-30 gram net range but I’m pretty proud of myself for having managed to get through it mostly! I’ve been testing myself on the urine strips but I’m a little dissapointed that I keep coming up as mild-mid. But I read online that the strips are not accurate and drinking a ton of water (and I drink a lot, like 3 litres) can flush them out. But I just wish they were saying I was a bit farther in.

I’m definitely feeling a 1000x better and from being someone who is as sooooo carb dependent it feels like a big achievement. I had my first night out with my non keto friends on Friday and managed to stay under 30net (it’s a little bit confusing to calculate the net because I think UK food labels do separate fiber from regular carbs— like the protein bars I eat have 2.2 grams carbs but 24 grams fiber which is obviously not possible if it’s combining them).

Keto baking “fat bombs” have been a massive help in terms of not feeling like I’m completely deprived of the things I love- sweets. I’m obsessed with these Lemon Chia Seed Muffins I created. It’s amazing how easy it is to make ones that are are like 2.5 net carbs! That and the MCT oil and butter def help with making the 70% fat macros.

I guess the few thing I’m finding still quite difficult are—

Hidden carbs… it seems like there are carbs in everything that you wouldn’t expect. The diet is definitely making me anxcious to eat anything that I can’t see the food label of which doesn’t feel super sustainable.

Electrolytes— still really struggling to make sure I’ve drank enough sodium and whatnot. Magnesium and calcium I get through my daily multi vitamin, potassium is the one that makes me a bit nervous. I just keep reading about potassium poisoning and how you shouldn’t take supplements, but honestly, who’s getting 3k of potassium on a normal diet I don’t even know!

Stomach issues— still feeling insanely, insanely bloated and just generally quite gross intenstinally. I’ve been living in jumpers and leggings for the past two weeks as my stomach is so distended. I’m hoping this will just get better. I am admittedly over eating right now because I told myself to just focus on the carbs for two weeks and not worry about calories, and I think things like protein bars bulked with so much fiber can increase bloating, but that’s definitely the most frustrating part. When I was out out on Friday my friends were like oh you’re face looks so slim, you look super healthier… I was like just don’t lift the jumper up :joy:


(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #21

I think your tummy would be much happier if you stopped eating the high fiber protein bars. Can you give us a snap shot of what you’re eating in a typical day? I found my stomach issues disappeared when I switched over.