My 3-month experience (ups and downs) - may be helpfull to somebody

#1

Dear all. I am now somewhere around 3 or more months into keto. I would like to share my experiences and tips - maybe this will help to somebody. My main reasons for keto were health and sports. I have one particular form of arthritis, IBS and Raynauds disease. Also, I am very active in running, weightlifting, hiking… so I was hoping that keto will help me in this area, too.
What I have experienced in this three months (Honestly):

  • extreme keto flu, very bad nausea and sickness - which was interesting since I was not so much of a carb eater; I was on paleo for a longer time before keto
  • nothing helped me for keto flu, maybe water with lemon but that was so small help, I was nauseos and ill even with that
  • I had hard time drinking water, it was just making me even more nauseos
  • I retain water big time, and I WAS bloated (even though I read everywhere that keto does the opposite)
  • absolutely NO WEIGHT LOSS, just some water loss during First week and then NOTHING for 3 months (untill now, to be precise)
  • constant ups and downs in the “department” of energy - I would feel great and energetic for a few days and then I would crash like hell (literally no able to walk which was hard because I have demanding full time work in the Office)
  • I was TOTALLY asymptomatic from my Health issues from the begining of keto!!! That was awesome.
  • I sucked completely in the gym for 2 months which was not good, but my strength is now back where it was
  • mental clarity - YES
  • better focus - YES
  • no deppresed feelings - YES

During the whole time I was eating straight keto. I tried to do some fasting but (in my experience) it just make things worse for me. Now, after 3 months I can have some fasting periods but I don’t push it. I just go with the flow :). I am measuring my blood ketone levels regulary and doing some experiments just to see how it goes.
So, after 3 months “in” here are my thoughts:

  • I survived all the downs and keto flu and discover that I am still in ketosis even if I have 30 or 40 grams of carbs
  • 2 weeks ago I started to lose weight but my strength stays the same - that means I didn’t lose muscles, just fat which is great because I like my weight lifting and the gym; and I see progress in muscle definition
  • My blood ketone levels drop after workout but going up if I don’t excercise and if I don’t eat for some time
  • My blood ketone levels are constantly around 0.2 (if I excercise) to highest 1.0, 1.2
  • I can go on very (I could say extremely) long walks (16 km’s and more), I can walk literally the whole day without being hungry or tired
  • My strenght in the gym is great BUT I don’t have the energy (?) to go in the afternoon (which I was doing before keto); just in the mornings.
  • I can run much longer and faster
  • All my Health issues are completely gone (didn’t felt a single symptom for the whole time that I am on keto)
    And for the end - with what I am still “fighting” but I am hoping that this will be better soon:
  • Periods of extreme fatigue that just pops in. It is the most frustrating thing. Usually it happens at the evening and I just crash. Hard. Like somebody take out my batteries. I literally don’t have the energy to speak. It doesn’t happen every evening but few times a week - yes. I think that I am still adapting and that this will pass.

Some random facts and thinking:
I am supplementing my workouts with L-carnitine and seeing some drastic results. I am taking Magnesium powder but don’t find it useful (at least not for me) but I like the taste :). I am taking vitamin C in the morning and find it usefull (better energy);

(MooBoom) #2

I love your post, thank you for sharing such a frank account of your journey so far. You’ve made some awesome observations and seems to me you are in a great headspace!

Rock on :raised_hands:

#3

Thanks. My intention was to be honest and open. And for all who is interested in keto - to see that everything is individual. That energy crashes are my main issue (not to say problem) just because they hit me so hard. For example, yeasterday evening I went for a really slow and leisure walk with my dog. And to pick up one thing from the pharmacy in the mall near my house. It supposed to be easy 15-min walk in both directions. But when I was going home, all of the sudden I was “dead” and had to sit on the bench to rest ?! At home I just crashed to bed and feeling like the truck hit me. And all that before 21:30 pm!
If anybody have any questions, feel free to ask me :slight_smile:

(George Davidson) #4

Hi, great post, I am surprised by your reaction to the so called keto flu, as it is not a virus and,normally means you’re not getting enough salt .
Perhaps you picked up a bug at that time and ,it’s still affecting your energy level.
Thanks for your post it has helped me.

#5

Hi George, I was not a bug, believe me. I was just feeling extremely not good. It was not permanent. I had some good days and bad days. But it took some time to get over it. I am not nauseos or anything anymore, but this problem with energy levels is still here. Salt didn’t help me with keto flu, to be honest - nothing did. I tried water with lemon and salt, water and salt, water with magnesium, plain magnesium… you name it. I am not sick anymore. Just that tiredness kicks me from time to time. And it kicks me hard. But I am not nauseos when it kicks me. Just feeling “dead” :D. But it goes away. My opinion is that I am still adapting… it is work in progress - I don’t expect to be finish over night.

(Mandy) #6

Thanks for posting. I’m 36 days in and have some of the same experiences. No weight loss, not even water. A feeling of being very bloated that I thought might be my imagination at first but definitely not now. My ketones have settled out about the same… 1.0 - 1.7 or so. I don’t exercise at present so that’s the major difference. I have days where I feel sky high and happy. Others I have trouble leaving the recliner and feel a little down. The more I read here the more I think this is “normal” for females and yet a bit frustrating for those of us needing to drop some weight. Thanks again for posting.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #7

I’ve had very similar experiences, though I believe I’m on a slightly speedier timeline. The “wall” as I call it hits me maybe once a week. I’m just shy of 9 weeks in. I’ll be doing great, running up to 6 miles. And then the next day I hit 2 miles and just crash. I’ve never had this experience before Keto. Sure, some run days sucked compared to others, but it was usually a matter of slower pace. Maybe shave a mile off. But never had to cut short like this.
For me though I wake up knowing I’m off for the day. Doesn’t matter how much I feed my electrolytes. It’s like a heavy feeling in my whole body and moving around takes so much effort.

Thank goodness it doesn’t happen that often.
But I also got the dizziness and nausea a lot. Salt helped. But it just seemed like every time I upped my salt level, my body would just get used to it and the process would start over. Like I thought I was past the nausea phase (which normally was hitting shortly after my runs) as a ran a really good 10k on Saturday and felt no nausea for the first time in weeks. My ketones had dipped and I’ve been going OMAD a couple times a week easily without hunger. I take all these as signs I’m adapting. Then yesterday just sitting at my desk it hit me again. Had to suck on some more rock salt and it went away in a few minutes.

(Ariddle4u) #8

I have read that depending on what exercise you are doing you may need to increase carbs and/or protein a bit on those days to keep from the energy crash. Have you researched that possibility? Kudos on your journey and keeping your focus!

#9

This rock salt thing is interesting. Can you share some link how this rock salt looks? I am not sure what to look, I live in Europe. Maybe this can help me too. Thanks!

#10

Actually, I am doing the exact thing. On the days when I go to the gym - I can tolerate some more carbs. But note that I wasn’t some carb eater before keto because I don’t eat gluten, dairy and legumes. And I found out that higher carbs don’t keep me from that crashes. They just happened. But I am taking all sorts of experiments and I hope that either this will pass or I will find the reason and the “cure” :slight_smile:

(Omar) #11

Nothing in your post is out of the ordinary phase-in phase-out period.

I felt you talking about me specially the loss of energy and in addition I had the worst constipation ever.

However your post is assuring and helpful to others who in the keto starting stage.

thanks for this good post

(LeeAnn Brooks) #12

It’s just pink Himalayan salt unground in Little Rock like crystals.

(karen) #13

I’d just like to play devil’s advocate here for a second and say that not Everything is about keto. It is possible you could have a thyroid issue, adrenal damage, chronic fatigue syndrome or some other medical issue that’s unrelated to diet - or at least not fixable by keto alone. If you don’t start to feel better, would you consider looking for a doctor who’s supportive of keto WOE to see if there’s some other cause for your issues?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #14

Loss of energy and constipation are both symptoms of inadequate salt intake. People need around 5 grams of sodium a day, especially when in ketosis.

#15

Hi Karen. As a matter of fact - you have read my mind. I am considering visiting the doctor tommorow and I have made an appointment. But, here where I live (shitty little country in Europe :slight_smile: - we don’t have such thing like keto friendly doctor or naturopath or anything similar. We are happy to have the doctor. Period. Most of the doctors over here never heard for keto.

#16

I have never been constipated. Not even once. Au contraire :wink:

#17

Great! I have that at home :slight_smile: Will try. Thank you.

#18

Oh, and I need to say that doctors over here don’t consider adrenal damage or chronic fatigue syndrome as something. They mostly never heard about it and if you mentioned such issues to them they will most likely consider you are imagining stuff and send you to psychologist :). We don’t have adrenal damage here or some “fancy” syndromes as the doctors here would say.

(Sarah Slancauskas) #19

I’ve experienced some of these issues too. I’m just turning a corner with energy although I still get a day here or there where I feel extremely tired. I’ve had blood tests, glands checked and a general check up with the GP to make sure it isn’t related to a condition and I am totally free if any medical problem (which is wonderful) but it’s therefore likely to be the change in eating habits. I take apple cider vinegar, a good salt / magnesium/ potassium intake etc. All macros are consistent. As I say it’s getting better but has taken a long time and is not completely resolved but I know it will be. It’s hard when I comes because it’s like you’ve had all your energy drained out. Terrible if you are at work or looking after children. Hopefully you will get relief soon. I’m hoping the same for myself.
Thanks for your story!

(Omar) #20

Apple cider cause me fatigue. I tested over and over.

Try to find scientific proof and research for the claimed benefits.

According to Harvard in the link above there are no such proof.