How do you know you're fully keto adapted?

Astharteea

When the ketostix turns dark? Is there any other way?

I'm asking because almost two weeks ago I started eating one meal a day and everything went fine except the fact that I can't sleep at night.

I was reading a thread here about insomnia on keto and somebody said that you have to be fully adapted before you start IF. Now, I thought I was adapted already so I did IF for a month and now this but I start having doubts about if I was as adapted as I thought.

I'm starting to be furious at my bed every night because I'm dead tired and I just can't fall asleep until 5:30 AM. So, how do you know your keto adapted?

deboxley

I don't really know the definitive answer to this, but I thought I'd pass along my experience. I don't necessarily think the ketostix are a good measuring tool though, because as you keto adapt, you stop spilling ketones into your urine (from what I've read such as Phinney and Volek anyway) and use them more for fueling your muscles and brain.

You can use a keto-meter, which we do from time to time..the meter is very inexpensive but the sticks are insanely high priced. Sometimes you can get a relatively good deal on Ebay. You have to be willing to stick yourself, but the little machine does it for you and it really doesn't hurt.. just one drop of blood is all it takes and that will tell you definitively if you're in ketosis.

Which does not really answer your question. I myself had a very difficult time keto-adapting, with low energy and fatigue, a hard time working out, weakness and so on.. This happened off an on over an almost 3 month period for me in the beginning after many failed attempts and false starts. At this point, I've been eating less than 25 grams of carbs religiously for almost 3 years now, with only a slight divergence of up to 50-75 carbs 1-2x per year at most. I feel pretty normal now with good energy and the ability to fast for 16 hours fairly easily. Workouts feel good and not fatiguing etc.

Maybe you could try moving your one meal window around some? As an aside, do you think you can get enough protein in just the one meal would be my concern? I personally have to really work hard, including at least one protein shake per day with 30 gms in order to get close to my target of 100. (Don't want to lose any hard won muscle!). Given time and patience, I believe your body WILL fully adapt, but it's probably not going to be a straight line progression. I do think that it's ultimately worth it!

Deb
(who's lost over 50 lbs and maintained 15 years/ down another 8 lbs in the past two mos on MFP)
5'8/152/58 yrs old

luvmyleo

I have had problems staying asleep at night also. What has helped the past few nights is that I drink a cup of water with 1/4 tsp of salt right before bed (I also drink one in the am) and take a benadryl capsule. I've had no problems since I started this routine a few days ago. Of course I'm not going to take benadryl forever, just until I am over this beginning hump. Becoming adapted is a challenge- I miss exercising and having my normal energy level- but I still think it will be worth it. I have 60 pounds I would like to loose, and I don't want to have to starve it off (which will not work for me). When I eat 1200 calories on a reg carb diet, I go to bed still ravenous. When I eat 1200 calories on a keto diet, I go to bed not hungry (hangry at all! I am just trying to remind myself that the long term benefit will be so worth the short term sacrifices.