Will I experience keto flu after cheating if I have been fat adapted for a long time?

ketoflu
(Coen Bakker) #1

Hi everybody,

I’m new to the forum and relatively new to the keto diet (today 5 weeks).

Yesterday I got back from a holiday. I managed to stick to the diet fairly well, I thought. Today, however, I felt that feeling I got to know so well… keto flu. It’s not great but I’m sure it will fade, like when I started the diet.

It did get me to thinking, though. There are times a head where I will get out of ketosis most likely. For example, I’m going on a trip next month and a lot of the meals are already planned and even if I would make my own plans, it will be very difficult to stick to the diet.

Am I going to always return to keto flu every time that I cheat/pause? Or is my body going to adapt eventually and coop with the occasional cheating/pausing without the keto flu?

Does anyone have experience with this? Or some background knowledge on the subject? I would appreciate the help.

(Allie) #2

No you shouldn’t do. Once you’re adapted properly your body should just burn through the carbs then get back to ketones, but still not advisable to make a habit of it.

(Diane) #3

Not to say that you might not feel as good as you have been. I sometimes feel sluggish, bloated, or achy. But it doesn’t persist like the “Keto flu” symptoms I had when I started eating ketogenically. It passes in a day or two, once I’ve burned through the glycogen stores. At least that’s been my experience.

#4

Keto flu is often just an electrolyte issue. An easy solution can be “ketoade” (Lite Salt + Water + zero carb flavoring). The lite salt gives you some sodium and potassium, helping to replenish those electrolytes.

https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/wiki/faq#wiki_what_is_.201Cketo_flu.201D_and_how_long_will_i_have_it.3F

(Scott) #5

At 5 weeks you are barely fat adapted but its hard to say. Fat adaption is more of a phase in rather than a switch being thrown. Other than some beer or a desert that I was forced to eat because guests brought it to dinner “YOU ARE GOING TO EAT IT AND NOT SAY A WORD”, I haven’t cheated. I do think the longer you are adapted the less a bad meal or meals will affect you. I think it also helps to go out and exercise to burn through carbs faster.

(Coen Bakker) #6

Thanks for the response. I will up my electrolyte intake again for as long as necessary (since I got over the keto flu the first time I didn’t pay special attention to it anymore).

Just to add: in my experience keto flu might just happen even with the best supplements etc. I followed the common advice strictly but still was in keto flu for 9 days or so. But maybe that’s just me.

(Coen Bakker) #7

Yes. That makes a lot of sense to me, the fat adaption phasing in slowly. From what I understood there are great individual differences.

Dr. Phinney I like as a source if knowledge and he hints towards it in this video:

Around 16:55.

(Coen Bakker) #8

I should better start doing some burpies or something then :).

(Diane) #9

Better you than me!

(Full Metal KETO AF) #10

I would suggest that you are not fat adapted, you may have just begun a 2-3 year process of becoming fully fat adapted. You can get away with a day or weekend now with out lasting effects, but you will feel that daily carb cycle again if you eat a carb heavy diet for whole vacation ( you didn’t say how long) without keto. You may be back to square at that stage. If it’s a long vacation you’re going to store glycogen and water and gain back most or all the weight you’ve lost in 5 weeks probably. Personally I would not put myself through that and have to start over again.

:cowboy_hat_face:

(Scott) #11

Other than too much beer I really don’t find it difficult to eat low carb on vacation, going out or dining with others. there is always something keto friendly that I can eat and if not I can fast for a bit until I can get to my macadamia nut stash. I always have some nuts when I stay at someones elses house where I have no control over food.

#12

In the beginning yes, after longer time id guess no, i took around week off after 5 months, had no symptoms and went right back after emptying all glycogen with exercise.