Two more questions today. Need some answers

(Christopher Kornelsen) #1

So been having rough 2 weeks on keto. Decided to do some testing. I couldnt do bg tests cuz the strips werent covered y my insurance so I opted for ketone testing. I am now on hour 36 and my ketones are 1.2. I find this low. (This isnt me worrying I’m not in ketosis). More the question of is there any data or info on why people run low ketones? I cant find anything and everywhere I look whether YouTube or articles everyone on keto is in the 1.5 range all the time. I’ve never hit past 1.2 ever and I tried a long fast nkw and even then I cant break 1.2. (Also I know not to chase numbers but I’m a math numbers guy I cant not do it no matter how many times people tell me).

Second question during IF do your nutrient needs go down for the day?

Thanks in advance!

(Carl Keller) #2

The level of ketones in your blood is comparable to how much gas is in a vehicle’s fuel lines. If that vehicle is going uphill, the amount of fuel needed is greater. If it’s going downhill then it doesn’t need a lot of fuel in the lines. Your metabolism should be regulating your ketone levels and as long as you are not feeling sluggish, then your energy output is sufficient. Try measuring your ketones at different times.

We store a lot of micronutrients in our cells to be used when they are not available in the foods we eat. Periodic fasting isn’t going to be harmful as long as you are getting a wide variety of vitamins and minerals when you do eat. Do make sure you are getting ample sodium when you are fasting though.

(Christopher Kornelsen) #3

I have been feeling very tired and sluggish the last 2 weeks despite having average. 5 ketones. Maybe my metabolism is more f’ed than I thought

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #4

Two weeks in. You’re suffering from carb withdrawal. Most do for varying periods of time when starting keto. It will pass. As for your ketones, don’t worry about it. Keep your carbs sub-20 grams per day and you will be in ketosis. The ultimate goal is fat burn, not ketones.

(PJ) #5

I usually feel lacking energy longer than most keto folks I know. It seems to take people different lengths of time to get sufficiently fat adapted to have enough energy.

Don’t forget full-spectrum mineral supps.

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #6

Are you in the US? If so, you can go to Walmart and get a glucose meter for like $9 and 100 strips for about $18 (at least where I am). They aren’t the best, but if you are just comparing it to your meter its not bad.

(Christopher Kornelsen) #7

2.5 months in. I carbed up one day two weeks ago and ever since then have been having s rough go

(Christopher Kornelsen) #8

I’m in Canada meter is $80 100 strips are $100

(PJ) #9

It was mostly those experiences that gradually entrained me to not leave keto unless I thought very hard about it first – mainly about my misery getting back to a good state. A meal sometimes two if not crazy doesn’t throw me, but a whole day wildly offplan will.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #10

Whatever you did, it appears to have reset your metabolism, although not completely since you are still synthesizing measurable ketones. A restart is on order. :slightly_smiling_face: My recommendation at this point is just to carry on as if you are newly starting keto. The quickest way to get ketosis restarted is a 3-4 day water fast. If you’ve never done it before, day two will be the toughest. But day 3 and 4 will be easy. Or you can just keep eating sub-20 grams of carbs per day and tough it out until it passes. It will if you do.

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #11

Walmart.ca has
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/Bayer-Contour-Next-ONE-Bluetooth-Meter-Kit-For-GLucose-Care/PRD726OW649Z1O4 (listed as $26) I wasn’t seeing strips for it.

(Christopher Kornelsen) #12

Not abad price but I already have ketone tester which also tests glucose. But strips see very expensive

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #13

Ah. Yeah, that does seem to be an issue. Was just trying to come up with ideas for you :slight_smile:

(Trish) #14

You can usually get the meters for free with the purchase of 100 strips, but ya, the strips are all around 100 bucks for a hundred of them.

(Trish) #15

As someone else also noted, when you’re fasting your nutrient needs are being met by your own body. Just be sure to remain well hydrated and if doing an EF then perhaps some keto-aide for electrolytes. Happy fasting. :smile:

(Christopher Kornelsen) #16

What I mean is some doctors started if your waying 1 or 2 meals a day you need less macros less vitamins. Huge difference between maintaining my weight eating g 2500 calories and eating 1600 calories.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #17

@LogocentricKorn Sorry, I must have missed something. This does not make sense to me:

What I mean is some doctors started if your waying 1 or 2 meals a day you need less macros less vitamins. Huge difference between maintaining my weight eating g 2500 calories and eating 1600 calories.

My first attempt to translate: "What I mean is some doctor(s) stated if you’re eating 1 or 2 meals a day you need less macros and less vitamins. Huge difference between maintaining my weight eating 2500 calories and eating 1600 calories.

If not, please advise. If so:

‘Macros’ are the ratios of fat/protein/carbs you eat, independent of how much you eat. For example, if you eat 200 grams of fat and 100 grams of protein, the macro ratio is 2:1. If you eat 100 grams of fat and 50 grams of protein, the macro ration is still 2:1. You’d eat half as much, but the macro remains the same.

Vitamins and minerals are not dependent upon how many calories you eat per day. They are based on how much of them you deplete/excrete and need to replenish each day. When you’re eating keto, these amounts may differ from what you needed before keto. Since keto does not retain water, many water soluble vitamins and minerals are depleted via urine and require replenishment more frequently.

Yes, there’s a huge difference between 2500 and 1600 calories. So the point is what? Do you know your RMR? Your typical DREE? You need to know those numbers, at least roughly, to determine whether or not you’re eating sufficient calories to maintain weight overall. Whether to eat more or fewer calories is also related to hormonal factors as well, since they affect how calories from specific sources are dealt with. Example: a calorie of fat gets metabolized very differently from a calorie of protein or a calorie of carbohydrate. Elevated insulin, for instance, will prevent fat from being used as energy.

(Christopher Kornelsen) #18

Ok so how is it humanely possible to get say…4500mg of potassium in your diet if your IF eating far less calories which means far less food which means far less potassium. I guess just eat the lite salt? Seems not to nstural

(Susan) #19

KetoAide homemade Electrolytes are very important to keep up on the Keto lifestyle.
You can also eat Pink Himalyan salt or other types (Redman’s real salt, by example). or put some in a glass of water and drink it.

(PJ) #20

Yes I understand your point. The RDA for potassium is mind boggling. How anybody can get this much in their diet, short of eating a few cans of orange juice concentrate every day, is a mystery.

Edited to add: on the other hand nobody’s getting it from whatever diet they were eating before keto either, I bet…