Sooo tired!

[Ciraci]

I’ve been in the keto diet for just under one month and have been in ketosis since day 3 or so. I’ve lost 10 lbs, sleep better and am really happy with this lifestyle change. This weekend I got a brick wall! I’m so tired! Is this part of the deal? If so, how long does it last?

[Momof5]

Hi Sarah, welcome to the forum =).

Congrats on your 10 pounds you have lost. Sometimes when people get really tired it is because they are not getting enough salt -or Electrolytes. There is this simple recipe that you can make yourself:

KetoAide homemade

#KetoAide calorie free electrolyte water [20190624_112819] [20190624_115213] 24 oz filtered water(or tap water) 1/8 teaspoon Maldon sea salt flakes (ANY type of salt will work in this recipe because the goal here is to add SODIUM, which ALL salt has) Some salts taste better than others, and some, such as Himalayan pink, Celtic gray or Real Salt, contain trace minerals as well 1/2 Tablespoon magnesium citrate Mix well. Refrigerate for best taste. Magnesium citrate is sold at most drug st…

Personally I eat Pink Himalyan Salt directly and then drink a bunch of water, as I cannot stand the taste of salted water, but many people love adding it to water, and drinking it, as in this recipe =).

[gingersmommy]

Hi Sarah,

Congratulations on your progress! Please don’t throw in the towel.

I suspect, even though you have been on keto for a month and are doing well, that you aren’t yet fat adapted. I don’t think I became truly fat adapted until at least four months in. That is when I didn’t get tired doing something simple, get winded, have a rapid heart beat, have to sit down for a bit and had more stamina for sustained activity. Because I was eating cleaning and well before that and did not cheat, I felt certain that I should/would be fat adapted long before that. Like someone here said, you will know it when you get there. There is a definite difference.

[atomicspacebunny]

A Holistic Neurologist Explains Why You’re So Tired

[PaulL]

Welcome!

You ask an interesting question, and there are several possible answers, depending on your situation. The first is that there is an adaptation period, during which the muscles are switching from glucose-based metabolism to fatty-acid metabolism. They use ketones during this adaptation phase, but aren’t really happy about it. Most people notice a drop in athletic endurance more than a sense of fatigue, so it may not be what you are noticing.

Another possibility is that you aren’t getting enough fluid and/or salt. Phinney and Volek have found that this is sometimes a problem for the athletes they study, and the cure is to drink a cup of salty bone broth about 45 minutes before the beginning of exercise to bring the blood volume up, so that the heart doesn’t have to work as hard.

Another possibility is lack of protein, specifically, or calories in general. While a ketogenic diet is not intended to be high in protein, a reasonable amount of protein is required for proper functioning. We recommend eating in the neighborhood of 1.0-1.5 grams of protein daily for every kilogram of lean body mass. Since most meats are around 25% protein by weight, this is a decent amount of meat. (Dr. Phinney says that most sources of protein contain about 7 grams of protein per ounce.)

Getting enough calories is also important, and on a ketogenic diet, this does not cause weight gain. The low carbohydrate content of the diet keeps insulin low, and low insulin allows the body to metabolise any excess fat it may have stored away. But it needs an adequate energy intake in order to do so, because a caloric “famine” triggers the body to hold on to its reserves. The solution is to be sure to eat only when hungry, and then to eat enough food to satisfy one’s hunger. Once the body is assured of adequate energy, it adjusts appetite to make use of the excess stored fat in addition to the fat in the diet.