Hi all. I have been on strict keto since the end of March. I haven’t bought any test strips yet as I have been saving for our vacation (in 2 weeks). I restricted calories at first, at 1200 calories. Yes, I know now that was too low. Lately I’ve been around 1400 calories. I have less than 15g carbs/day, some days even less than 5g. Protein is around 50-60g/day. All my fat comes from MCT oil, coconut oil, animal fats, olives, olive oil, and fat bombs from recipes found online. I am 5’3”, weigh 182 pounds. I have done keto with exo-ketone supplements before as fad diets to lose weight quick. I’ve read up lately and finally decided to do it right and for life. I mainly wanted the benefit of the high/sustained energy. Over the last year and a half I have gained 50 pounds and had such low energy, I didn’t even want to play outside with my small children.
So last week, I had a BAD spout of low energy. L.O.W. Very week, very dizzy, muscle cramps, and an uneasy feeling that something isn’t right and almost went to the ER. I googled my symptoms and concluded I was low on sodium. I got up, drank 2 cups of bouillon broth and immediately felt better. Since then, I have researched the best electrolyte balance and am having a hard time. Especially with potassium. The recommended amount of potassium is 4,700mg. I could be wrong, but that’s what a quick google search gave me. My sodium intake is no problem now. I came across the ketoaide recipe from an admin on this forum. She recommended to not add anymore lite salt because it was too much potassium. I need an explanation as to why this is too much potassium. I know each person should have their own “right” levels, as each person is different. I fully trust the admin that made that post (and I did try it and loved it), I just need someone with better knowledge on electrolytes and keto than I to explain this to me. I am still a little lower on energy than I would like. And I am going to Orlando Florida in 2 weeks and spending most of my days there in the parks. I don’t feel at this point I will have the energy to do this, and I’m terribly afraid of cheating while there. Thank you for your time 
What’s the correct balance of electrolytes and how to boost energy
When she said don’t add more, she means don’t add more to the recipe she already provided. Potassium is the one electrolyte that you can overdose on too easily and cause hyperkalemia, which is something you could need an ER for. Having too little causes hypokalemia which sounds more like what happened to you last week as well as magnesium deficiency. Though, where there is low potassium, there is often low sodium as it’s a balancing act. The other problem with potassium is it’s rarely listed on food labels. Like, an egg has 63mg of potassium, an 8g slice of bacon has 45mg. 251g of steak has 700mg. You can see how potassium adds up rather quickly. People often underestimate their potassium intake due to this. I’ve left a link to a good write up below.
Thank you! I have taken all my potassium levels from food labels, so I am sure I am getting more than I thought. A 400mg magnesium supplement is sufficient? Or too much? And I didn’t mean an any way that she was wrong, I just needed to understand why she said that, so thanks!
Yes potassium can be over done, I did it was not good. It is stored in fat as is magnesium. I used to eat bananas a lot right before keto, plus I was eating potassium rich foods while starting keto. Major heart issues mostly, and mostly fixed by salt, so I would really make sure your salt intake is high enough.
I think my resting when I started (198lbs) was like 1600 Calories. Maybe I need to redo that. If you have a suggestion what my calories should be, I’ll definitely give it a try. If you also need more information to determine, I’ll give it. I haven’t exercised since the episode, but have been itching to get back at it. Thanks
I used this to calculate for you with the settings at sedentary and maintain. This calculator uses the idea of CICO (which doesn’t work) which is why I set it to maintain.
1681 kcal Daily Calorie Intake
20g Carbs (5%, 80 kcal)
81g Protein (19%, 324 kcal)
142g Fat (76%, 1277 kcal)
The carbs are a limit, the protein is a goal, the calories are a goal, fat is a goal. You’re trying to eat fat to satiety. Some days, you might not hit these things and that’s fine. Other days, you might blow your calories and fat out of the water and go over protein. Also fine. Never leave the table without killing hunger with fat, limit or eliminate snacking (each meal should carry you to the next meal without needing a snack.)
Actually, I only eat one “meal” per day. I have a coffee with 2 TS kerigold unsalted grassfed butter and 1 TS MCT oil in it for breakfast. My snacks (2 times before dinner) is usually a TS of coconut oil or a fat bomb. Then for dinner I usually have some greens, my whole protein allowed for the day and some fat as in olives, avocado, avocado oil mayo, soft cheeses. I actually stick to about 110-120g fat. I guess I just found the first set of macros I researched for myself and stuck with those. I find that I’m actually not hungry for dinner. A lot of times I have to force myself to eat the protein and greens. Tonight was one of those times. Should I be snacking on some form of protein during the day, or break my larger meal into 2 smaller ones?
Your problem is likely snacking. Protein isn’t for killing hunger, fat is. If you can’t make it all the way to dinner on nothing or on just your BPC (if this is high calorie enough it is technically a meal) then, you need to consider eating more actual meals. One meal also makes it harder to eat as many calories as you want to be eating. By consistently eating low calories, you lower BMR. We don’t want a lower BMR, we want an efficient one. Instead of the 2 before dinner snacks, turn that into another full meal. So, BPC, full meal, full meal. Eat fat to satiety. Eat when hungry, don’t eat when not (once you raise your BMR suitably and start seeing hunger signals correctly again.)
Fat to satiety means eat fat till I’m not hungry right? I don’t necessarily eat the protein for hunger, I eat it because I thought I had to reach my protein limit. And lately, I haven’t been hungry when I ate the fat bomb or oil either, I just thought it would give me a boost of energy. I’m going to go by the macros you listed and try to have 2 small meals if I can, instead of the one. I’ll try this for the next 2 weeks along with 2-3 of the ketoaide and see how I feel. I just hope I can find great keto friendly foods at restaurants while in florida. I bought some coconut oil in single packs and Fbombs in single packs to put in our bag while at the parks. I might have to take the added calories in smaller increments every day because I find it hard some days to reach the macros I already have from just not being hungry. At first I thought it was great to not be hungry, but now I feel I’ve done more to my energy levels and metabolism by cutting so low. Have you ever felt you couldn’t reach your protein or fat goals because you just weren’t hungry? And is it okay to not eat the protein “goal”?
My first week of keto I was eating 3000 calories a day on average. My second week I could barely hit 900 a day. Third and fourth week I evened out more or less to 1800-2200. Yes, fat to satiety is fat until you aren’t hungry. The problem with having a low BMR is also having reduced hunger signalling. Imagine someone with a starvation eating disorder, they don’t feel hungry 24/7 like one might imagine. Eventually the feeling of being hungry kind of gives up as the body learns to function any way it can on less. This doesn’t mean functioning well but, it does mean keeping vital processes running for as long as possible. Luckily, it’s easy to add quick calories with fat. A tablespoon extra of butter in the coffee, extra coconut oil cooked with for the protein at other meals. It all adds up. It is okay to not eat the protein goal if you can’t make it that high some days. As far as keto friendly foods, I haven’t found a place yet that I couldn’t turn keto friendly. Unless it was a sweets shop or something. As for great? Depends on the idea of great. Keto food from just a quick stop in a theme park might not be pretty. Hamburger with cheese and bacon and coleslaw, no bun. Hot dogs, sausages, salad. You could eat a substantial breakfast and skip the park food for the most part to eat somewhere more friendly (and cheaper) after. You could also research the food menus and prechoose options from every restaurant that you might order from. That way you have a plan of action.
Given your time in keto, I would recommend a couple things before you leave home.
Increase your fat 25% for 2 days, that is to say if you are considering yourself active go to very active, or non active go to light activity etc. Since your hungry has dropped your most likely into fat adaption. This will give you a boost so to speak, that protocol has worked very well for me, and in fact when i do it I almost always loose weight by the 2nd day.
Also try a fast, it does not have to be long maybe a day. But do the above protocol before you fast. See what you feel like, ideally you should be warm and have energy.
Also you should reset your macros after some loss, fat intake should go up as you decline in body fat.
Thanks. I didn’t know I would have to increase fat intake when my weight drops. Also, I thought I could be fat adapted, but felt I should have more energy by now. I’ve been keeping up with sodium and magnesium, and supplemented potassium, but potassium was harder for me to keep track of. I have lost nearly 20 lbs so far, but have stalled lately. That’s okay with me, because I didn’t start keto for the weight loss, it’s just an added bonus.
Energy for me is directly related to fat, and reality that is the case for everyone just some people who have messed up metabolism don’t get use the energy as readily until that is fixed.
I’m curious how the fasting works then. I’m 100% sure I could fast at this point, because I find it hard to get my macros from lack of hunger. But I felt I should be fully fat adapted before starting something like that. And honestly, I don’t know all the fasting lingo. Tried looking at some fasting posts and I don’t know half of what everyone is saying. Seems like there are 50 ways of doing it…
Also, if I need more fat to give me energy, how would fasting help. Is it only a way to help lose weight or get through a plateau, or are their other benefits to fasting?
Tried to up my calories by eating more fat today. I felt stuffed all day😣
I think fat can also depend on the day as well, for me I eat til I feel full, make sure a lot of my calories are fat. I think that if you have more weight to lose when on keto your body goes into using its stored fat for fuel which I think is what happens in my case. I don’t count calories, I know sometimes I’ve been as high as 1800 and as low as 1200. Let your body tell you it’s full, but make sure your not restricting to some CICO mentality.
Fasting is up to you, I don’t think your quite ready although YMMV. I’m about 7 weeks in and just now trying a fast. There’s no right or wrong way. As long as your getting your electrolytes in. Some people do only water. Some people do just fat, some people limit to under 200 calories a day. Some allow tea, or coffee. It’s up to you what type of fast your wanting. I’d get your calories and eating and a good place for you eating wise and then try fasting. Don’t try to do too much at once.
@Sammieloyd, it’s a balancing act for sure, and the ringleader is SALT. Salt regulates the storage of potassium and magnesium in the fat cells; however, because it’s water-soluble, you flush a lot out, especially when you’re eating keto. The potassium you get from keto food sources will most likely be enough without supplementation, but drinking the keto-aide will help you keep in balance if you are low on it.
Re: magnesium, much of it depends on what KIND of magnesium supplement you are taking. I use a magnesium citrate supplement, because I need it to keep me regular, as well as to provide extra magnesium. Others would probably not like the results of taking 400mg of magnesium citrate! I take 200-300mg of M-Citrate a day. Magnesium oxide is commonly available for purchase, but there are others that are more BIO-available. You can search for magnesium supplements in the forum and find some suggestions. Most people need at least some magnesium supplementation.
As Chris (@In2steam) said, when things get out of whack, it can give you heart issues that will scare the bejeebers out of you - rapid heart rate, palpitations, etc. If you have any symptoms, try salt first, because if you eat too much salt it will just flush out. Try to get 4-5 grams of salt a day, most need that much; some may need less … or more.
You can say that again! LOL I’d maybe stick to IF (intermittent fasting, skipping breakfast maybe, and eating your other meals in a 6-8 hour window, which leaves 16-18 hours that you are not doing anything to precipitate an insulin response.) until you’re back from your trip. It should be easy to do while you’re walking around the parks. Make some little zipper bags of bacon or low-carb beef sticks and macadamias or pecans to carry around in case you need a lift; they won’t cause such a huge insulin response.
Once you get home, hit the fasting forums and read. Start slowly with EF (extended fasting, anything over 24 hours). You have to build up your “fasting muscle” - there is no doubt that a lot of it is mental, but there’s a physical aspect to it as well, and you have to work up to longer fasts.
I really struggled with getting my electrolytes right and had the same symptoms as you. Salt intake and Magnesium supplements didn’t fix it until I started eating half an avocado at least every other day. The first time I ate some avocado, I felt so much better within an hour, amazing. For me potassium supplements haven’t worked as well as eating avocado. We are all different, so you will have to find a solution that works for you. The important thing to know is it can be fixed, it just might take some experimentation. Good luck!
Brad