No energy at all

[Dawnanm]

Newbie. For the past two days it has been an effort to even get out of bed. Today, no energy. It is a chore to even let the door open for the dogs…I don’t want to give up, it is working so well but I can’t function in normal life with no energy. Help?

[avocadosrule]

Are you supplementing with sodium? You may have what is called ‘keto flu.’ Can be fixed quickly!

Lots of threads on this:

This must the dreaded "keto flu" everyone talks about

The keto flu is usually caused by dehydration and lack of sodium. Eating carbohydrate causes the body to retain water, which results in its having to retain sodium to balance out osmotic pressure. When you start eating a ketogenic diet, the excess water and sodium are excreted by the kidneys, and we have to start working to keep our sodium intake up and to stay hydrated. Drink a couple of cups of chicken or beef stock a day, and you will likely feel a whole lot better. Having been warned of …

[LindsaySue]

Are you eating enough? Don’t be afraid to eat when you are starting out! You’ve got to give your body plenty of energy intake as it is changing fuel types.

[barefootbob]

What the other two replies have said so far but definitely electrolytes. I don’t think it can be overstressed just how easy it is to get out of whack at first when your body starts dumping salt. Get plenty of salt, some potassium, and supplement magnesium.
Seriously, look up the keto-aide recipe around here.
Don’t be afraid to eat until your body says you are full.

[Dawnanm]

You all are awesome. Like I said, no energy and when I read your replies I dragged myself to pantry, opened chicken stock and just started drinking without heating it…starting to feel better already!!! Not there yet of course but at least I don’t feel like I am going to pass out!!! Thank you!!

[Lovethyself]

I made myself salt sole after reading about it on here and it’s helped heaps. Also I find I have more energy on intermittent fasting days. Ateast for the first half of the day. Even if I don’t have the energy, I find I still do more.

[LindsaySue]

What is this salt soul?

[avocadosrule]

Great news!

[barefootbob]

After years of salt phobia I have really come to love the stuff since going keto last fall. I put salt in my coffee now.

[Dawnanm]

I think I am. I monitor everything on MFP! I am staying within my targeted calorie range of 1233!

[LindsaySue]

That’s pretty low even for a SAD diet… How’s your hunger levels?

[Dawnanm]

Not hungry really at all. I got that number through a “Keto Calculator” but maybe it was off?

[LindsaySue]

I guess from my own experience, while I wasn’t hungry when I was calculating my macros closely, after I got comfortable with amounts and types of foods I stopped counting and tracking and just mentally kept track in a general sort of way. I did find I had more success days I ate more than days I ate less early on. I’m still early on, just a month in, but I’m on day two of my first fast and feeling no hunger at all and running fine on energy so I think I’ve must be fat adapted.

My point I think it’s that early on I would worry less about calories and more just about satiation and carb counts. I think the calories will come down naturally when you start to experience less hunger and eat less. If you are feeling sluggish, like has been said, I would try some keto-aid or salt supplementation and then maybe some fat for energy.

Good luck!!