I started the ketogenic diet about 5 weeks ago. Never in my life have I been as disciplined as I’ve been in these past 5 weeks. The only carbs I’m taking in are those from green leafy vegetables and perhaps a few here and there from heavy cream, almond butter, and very occasional use of Xylitol.
The first thing I noticed is that my fasting blood glucose after 6 or 7 hours of sleep and perhaps 10 hours of fasting is usually over 100 probably closer to 110. This seems to have started when I started the keto diet. I test for glucose and ketones with a blood monitor. My Ketone levels have been very low these last two weeks or even three, but even before that never went very high aside from the occasional Spike.
Here’s what I ate yesterday: 1 tbsp coconut oil, 1tbsp heavy cream.
A salad with arugula and spinach, 1 oz of extra sharp cheddar cheese, three tablespoons of high-fat ranch dressing, a can of sardines.
2 servings of pork rinds. For dinner I had two eggs with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, arugula and spinach, 2 oz of cheddar cheese, half of an avocado, and breakfast sausage.
This morning I woke up with 0.5 on the Ketone meter and blood glucose of 93. I had two cups of coffee with approximately 1 tablespoon of cream each, decided to drink 4 tablespoons of heavy cream and eat one small handful of pumpkin seeds. That is all I had for breakfast. I tested my blood glucose about 5 hours after this and it was 115 and my Ketone levels had dropped to 0.3.
This is the kind of thing that’s been happening all along I am utterly confused, frustrated, and ready to quit. I started this diet at 212 pounds, lost about 6 in two weeks, seemingly stalled and now I would swear it’s creeping back up.
Please help me. Thank you
Somebody explain to me WTH is going on...?
Ok, so maybe I figured out why I had such a rough start...and found a solution
I forgot to give some background. I have not been diagnosed pre-diabetic or type 2 diabetic. I am a 52 year old male 212 lb at the start 6ft 0 in tall. I was a total sugar junkie before starting this diet. My sugar intake is in binges probably over my entire life span. But I binge so there is times when I stay away from it but as soon as I start eating sugar I can lose complete control pretty much as bad as somebody with a cocaine habit.
I would say your fat intake may be little too high and that is what your burning in % of ketones or dietary fat rather than your own body fat? Need to put your own fat back on the flame?
Try experimenting and bring the fat intake down a little more? Adjust the fat and protein intake (amount) until you hit your ‘sweet spot’ for burning your own fat for weight loss?
Were you testing your blood sugar using the same meter and strips before going keto? There can be quite a bit of variation between meters and sometimes between batches of strips. I always check my meters against each of my lab blood glucose tests. My meters tend to run high by 10 to 15 over lab tests.
I would cut back on the cream. It stalls a lot of people and that right there 5tbl is like almost 5g carbs. It’s easy to creep carbs on you don’t realize.
Also, if you were a carb addict and now burning fat on your body, you’re probably releasing some of the glucose that insulin trapped in the fat on your body. Many people experience a spike in their blood glucose because all that trapped glucose is being released.
I came across a different meter and strips years ago and used to play around with it. The main problem is I don’t really have a Cornerstone before keto about fasting glucose but I doubt my FBG was as high as it now because I knew enough then that over 100 is pre T2d. But my fasting BG and ketones starting from yesterday back…116/0.3, 111/0.3, 91/.04…
Can’t seem to get into anything like optimal ketosis. I’ve been a saint!
BS over 100 after sleep?
Google: Dawn Effect.
Known phenomena. Has to do with circadian rhythm. Body pumps your blood sugar to help you wake up in the AM.
I’ve read all about that. How is it like today for instance, that I wake up with a fasting glucose of 93 and ketones at 0.5 and a few hours later glucose Rises to 115 ketones drop 0.3?
Ok possibly because of 5 carbs from heavy cream?
Depending on the meter and strips one could easily get a 116 when a lab test would show 100. But if you haven’t had recent lab work you wouldn’t know if you were pre-diabetic before going keto. But if you think keto is the problem, eat more carbs and keep testing with the meter you’ve got. My guess is your blood sugar will go up, but you won’t know without testing.