Keto Diet
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maevans44
Posts: 3 Member
I've been on the Keto diet for 2 weeks I've felt terrible for most of that time. I realize it's the "keto flu", but isn't it supposed to go away? And my weight loss keeps going up and down, even though I've eaten almost no carbs. When is this feeling "great" supposed to kick in?
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Replies
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Keto may not be the diet for you.
Weight loss requires that you create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your body uses. How you get there is up to you.
I had good results from using MFP's default macro distribution of 50% carbs, 20% protein, and 30% fat.2 -
Keto isn't magic, and it doesn't work for everyone. How do you feel? Do you feel hungry a lot of the time, or does the amount of protein/fat in your macros hold off hunger for a long time? Many people find that a higher level of carbs does the trick for them. You'll need to experiment a bit to find the levels that are best for you.
But the bottom line is calories. If your weight is going up and down, it's probably time to check your logging and make sure you're eating within your calorie budget.1 -
I've been on the Keto diet for 2 weeks I've felt terrible for most of that time. I realize it's the "keto flu", but isn't it supposed to go away? And my weight loss keeps going up and down, even though I've eaten almost no carbs. When is this feeling "great" supposed to kick in?
Weight loss is about calorie deficit. How many calories are you eating? How are you measuring those calories? Some people can lose weight using keto because the elimination of carbs naturally reduces calories for them. But others may need to measure & log portions to ensure a deficit.
I eat all things in moderation and lose weight. You might need a different strategy.1 -
Keto flu is entirely preventable. "Keto flu" is actually an electrolyte imbalance. It won't go away until you replace the electrolytes you lost when you dropped carbs and your insulin levels fell. (High insulin = sodium and water retention.)
You need 3000-5000 mg or more of sodium a day. There's 2300mg of sodium is a teaspoon of salt so you need roughly 2 teaspoons of salt each day. Good sources are a salty broth/boullion, salt tablets, a teaspoon of salt with water as well as salting your food liberally. If you don't replace sodium, your body will leech out magnesium (cause constipation) and potassium (cause muscle cramps).
Symptoms of "keto flu" an electrolyte imbalance are fatigue, headaches, nausea, brain fog, BM issues, muscle aches, and eventually muscle spasms/cramps.
You may feel a bit weaker than normal for the first few weeks but it should not be very noticeable unless you are going all out in exercise. Otherwise salt will fix you up.
BTW, at first I could not believe that I needed that much salt. I suffered needlessly for 2-3 weeks before I increased salt. Once I upped salt I felt better within a day.
Good luck.9 -
Thanks for the great advice. It has been confusing in the things I've read online. They say pile on the fat, yet calories are high in fat. so, maybe I'm eating too much fat. I'm going to try keeping track of my calories. I have not been hungry, though, that's a good thing. But I keep thinking that it's because I'm so nauseous.1
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Good call. I was going to point that out......exactly that point.
So, the electrolytes in our body are:
1. Sodium
2. Potasium
3. Magnesium
4. Calcium
5. Chloride2 -
Yep, ditto @nvmomketo. Makes a big difference!1
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Thanks for the great advice. It has been confusing in the things I've read online. They say pile on the fat, yet calories are high in fat. so, maybe I'm eating too much fat. I'm going to try keeping track of my calories. I have not been hungry, though, that's a good thing. But I keep thinking that it's because I'm so nauseous.
I bet that nausea is electrolyte related. I hope some sodium (and maybe potassium and magnesium) helps.
Another thing to consider is not forcing the fat. Carbs is a ceiling you don't want to exceed, and protein is a goal you want to hit or pass, but fat just fills in the rest. If you are hungry then eat more fat but if you are not hungry, eat less fat. Forcing yourself to eat more fat won't help with weight loss, especially if you have your own body fat stores to use.
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Great advice about potassium and magnesium! What do you suggest about those folks who need to lose over 50 pounds? Someone mentioned 50 20 30 macro distribution. Do you find this effective for an above 50 pounds goal of weight loss? I'm finding that I flatline with every diet that I've tried. After 30 pounds of weight loss, no more. Thanks for support!0
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LowCarbOR55 wrote: »Great advice about potassium and magnesium! What do you suggest about those folks who need to lose over 50 pounds? Someone mentioned 50 20 30 macro distribution. Do you find this effective for an above 50 pounds goal of weight loss? I'm finding that I flatline with every diet that I've tried. After 30 pounds of weight loss, no more. Thanks for support!
I think it really varies from person to person. Some lose great on high carb and others lose great on low carb. If low carb helps you lose weight by suppressing appetite or just agrees with your body, then go for it. The main advice seems to often be to hit your protein goal. You want at least moderate protein while losing to help preserve muscle mass. As for carbs, below 100-150 g is low carb, and 0-50g is ketogenic. Fat fills in the rest.3 -
LowCarbOR55 wrote: »Great advice about potassium and magnesium! What do you suggest about those folks who need to lose over 50 pounds? Someone mentioned 50 20 30 macro distribution. Do you find this effective for an above 50 pounds goal of weight loss? I'm finding that I flatline with every diet that I've tried. After 30 pounds of weight loss, no more. Thanks for support!
I think it really varies from person to person. Some lose great on high carb and others lose great on low carb. If low carb helps you lose weight by suppressing appetite or just agrees with your body, then go for it. The main advice seems to often be to hit your protein goal. You want at least moderate protein while losing to help preserve muscle mass. As for carbs, below 100-150 g is low carb, and 0-50g is ketogenic. Fat fills in the rest.
You know what doesn't vary from person to person? The fact that in order to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. Period.
Your examples of some people do well on high carb and some people do well on low carb ignores the fact that there is a huge percentage of us who have successfully lost weight and don't give carbs a second thought at all.
OP - focus on setting a reasonable calorie goal according to the amount of weight you have to lose. Eat a variety of foods that provide nutrition, satiety, and enjoyment. Log everything you eat as accurately as possible, ideally using a food scale.
Good luck.10 -
Thanks, everyone. I think I'm getting a better idea of how this diet works. I'm glad I have a place to go to ask questions. Will keep truckin on and see how it goes.
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I've lost ~140 pounds so far with that macro distribution and I'm close to my goal weight. That distribution works well with my preferred way of eating so it's comfortable for me. The important thing, IMO, is to find a distribution that's comfortable for you (and provides adequate nutrition) so that you can eat at a deficit over time without struggling.LowCarbOR55 wrote: »What do you suggest about those folks who need to lose over 50 pounds? Someone mentioned 50 20 30 macro distribution. Do you find this effective for an above 50 pounds goal of weight loss? I'm finding that I flatline with every diet that I've tried. After 30 pounds of weight loss, no more. Thanks for support!
As for flatlining with your diet, that's where patience comes into play. If you know from your historic data that you are in a calorie deficit, just keep on and be patient and the scale will eventually start moving again. Weight loss isn't linear and you can't control what the scale says.
Here's an example of my weight trend where I was at or below my calorie goal every day:
My weight was up and down but there was an overall downward trend. It's that trend over time that matters, not the day-to-day weight.1 -
Keto flu is entirely preventable. "Keto flu" is actually an electrolyte imbalance. It won't go away until you replace the electrolytes you lost when you dropped carbs and your insulin levels fell. (High insulin = sodium and water retention.)
You need 3000-5000 mg or more of sodium a day. There's 2300mg of sodium is a teaspoon of salt so you need roughly 2 teaspoons of salt each day. Good sources are a salty broth/boullion, salt tablets, a teaspoon of salt with water as well as salting your food liberally. If you don't replace sodium, your body will leech out magnesium (cause constipation) and potassium (cause muscle cramps).
Symptoms of "keto flu" an electrolyte imbalance are fatigue, headaches, nausea, brain fog, BM issues, muscle aches, and eventually muscle spasms/cramps.
You may feel a bit weaker than normal for the first few weeks but it should not be very noticeable unless you are going all out in exercise. Otherwise salt will fix you up.
BTW, at first I could not believe that I needed that much salt. I suffered needlessly for 2-3 weeks before I increased salt. Once I upped salt I felt better within a day.
Good luck.
yes ...i take a potassium supplement a mg supplement and i make sure to salt all my food properly.0 -
Here are links to MFP groups that may help:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1143-keto
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-groupWinoGelato wrote: »LowCarbOR55 wrote: »Great advice about potassium and magnesium! What do you suggest about those folks who need to lose over 50 pounds? Someone mentioned 50 20 30 macro distribution. Do you find this effective for an above 50 pounds goal of weight loss? I'm finding that I flatline with every diet that I've tried. After 30 pounds of weight loss, no more. Thanks for support!
I think it really varies from person to person. Some lose great on high carb and others lose great on low carb. If low carb helps you lose weight by suppressing appetite or just agrees with your body, then go for it. The main advice seems to often be to hit your protein goal. You want at least moderate protein while losing to help preserve muscle mass. As for carbs, below 100-150 g is low carb, and 0-50g is ketogenic. Fat fills in the rest.
You know what doesn't vary from person to person? The fact that in order to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. Period.
Your examples of some people do well on high carb and some people do well on low carb ignores the fact that there is a huge percentage of us who have successfully lost weight and don't give carbs a second thought at all.
OP - focus on setting a reasonable calorie goal according to the amount of weight you have to lose. Eat a variety of foods that provide nutrition, satiety, and enjoyment. Log everything you eat as accurately as possible, ideally using a food scale.
Good luck.
A huge percentage of people? Don't most people trying to lose weight fail? I would think finding the diet that works best for you, whether high, low or moderate carb, or only whole foods, or vegan, or whatever, could be very helpful.
No one has said a calorie deficit is not needed for weight loss. I was pointing out that different diets work better for weight loss for different people.
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Coconut water is high is potassium0
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Here are links to MFP groups that may help:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1143-keto
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-groupWinoGelato wrote: »LowCarbOR55 wrote: »Great advice about potassium and magnesium! What do you suggest about those folks who need to lose over 50 pounds? Someone mentioned 50 20 30 macro distribution. Do you find this effective for an above 50 pounds goal of weight loss? I'm finding that I flatline with every diet that I've tried. After 30 pounds of weight loss, no more. Thanks for support!
I think it really varies from person to person. Some lose great on high carb and others lose great on low carb. If low carb helps you lose weight by suppressing appetite or just agrees with your body, then go for it. The main advice seems to often be to hit your protein goal. You want at least moderate protein while losing to help preserve muscle mass. As for carbs, below 100-150 g is low carb, and 0-50g is ketogenic. Fat fills in the rest.
You know what doesn't vary from person to person? The fact that in order to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit. Period.
Your examples of some people do well on high carb and some people do well on low carb ignores the fact that there is a huge percentage of us who have successfully lost weight and don't give carbs a second thought at all.
OP - focus on setting a reasonable calorie goal according to the amount of weight you have to lose. Eat a variety of foods that provide nutrition, satiety, and enjoyment. Log everything you eat as accurately as possible, ideally using a food scale.
Good luck.
A huge percentage of people? Don't most people trying to lose weight fail? I would think finding the diet that works best for you, whether high, low or moderate carb, or only whole foods, or vegan, or whatever, could be very helpful.
No one has said a calorie deficit is not needed for weight loss. I was pointing out that different diets work better for weight loss for different people.
I have always advocated that finding a way of eating that works for an individual is supremely important and I'm glad to see that your most recent post acknowledges a moderate carb diet as an option for success. So many times in these threads people assume that there are only two options - low carb or high carb and give no consideration to a sensible middle ground or even on an approach where there isn't a particular focus on a certain macro - just eating a variety of foods within a calorie deficit in order to achieve results - which absolutely can be a viable and sustainable approach for weight loss since it doesn't require a significant change in dietary choices in order to lose weight, that's what I feel ultimately results in failure, when people (perhaps like this OP) feel they have to make sweeping changes or follow some extreme diet in order to be successful.
And yes, I believe a large number of people take this approach and don't focus on high or low carbs....4 -
you can also buy (I bought on amazon) electrolyte mixes (drops or powder) that you just add to water-
I bought this one- this bottle will last forever as you don't need much
https://www.amazon.com/LyteShow-Electrolyte-Concentrate-Rehydration-Additives/dp/B00EISFBYA/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1508154917&sr=8-3&keywords=electrolytes&th=10 -
You can also buy electrolyte drops or powder to add to water- I bought this one- this bottle will last a LONG time
https://www.amazon.com/LyteShow-Electrolyte-Concentrate-Rehydration-Additives/dp/B00EISFBYA/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1508154917&sr=8-3&keywords=electrolytes&th=10
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