lack of energy still

1234usmc

I have been low carb, not keto, for about 2 months now. My energy is still terrible. I went for a fasted run this am and felt horrible. Got home, finished my work out, ate some almond flour pancakes and cut grass. Felt like I was literally going to pass out cutting grass. I don't log or strictly count carbs but I know what I am eating. I probably stay between 40-100 a day. Usually closer to the lower end. If I am low carb, but not keto, will my body still use fat for energy? Bcuz I know I don't have carbs for energy and I am just blah. I have my blood work done in the am. Hoping my a1c and fasting BS are both lower. Curious to see what my lipid panel says also. My wife is not supportive of low carb, I have tried to explain to her how thinking has changed. She cooks and eats to help, just not supportive in the sense that she thinks keto is unhealthy. curious if I should check for keto or just assume I am not there. I work out 5 days a week, I figured that would help burn off excess carbs to get me to keto also. All I know is I need some freakin energy.

wabmester

Sodium.

AngInCanada

And potassium. My energy levels got way better when I added a couple "servings" of lo salt (potassium) to my diet.

AngInCanada

I'm curious if you have a reason for fasted running? I drink a shake made with lc protein powder and almond breeze every morning, even before I run.

lodro

So what are you eating if it's sort of low carb? You're probably in and out of ketosis if your other "big" macro is protein, and not fat. What are your ratios? And maybe dial back the intensity of your workouts while you're adapting to ketosis.

1234usmc

I eat mostly meat, cheese, salad and nuts. I have quest bar everyday. Oh yea, eggs 2-3 days a week. I have a protein shake with unsweetened almond breeze most morningsfor breakfast. I have tried to up my fat intake but it is hard. I ate a bag of pork rinds last week over the course of a few days. Bought some coconut oil but have only used it once. I occasionally have some black bean chips. I do still eat beans which I know have carbs also. I take a zma supplant everyday also and I am trying to drink more powerade zero. Macro wise, I know I am probably way over in protein. My carbs are low but so is my fat. I only work out fasted on the weekend. One bcuz I don't want to have to wait for it to settle and two bcuz I hope it burns more fat. Guess I'm curious if I go in and out of ketosis, will my body still burn fat for fuel?

wabmester

If you restrict carbs below around 200g, your body will burn fat for fuel. What else is it going to burn?

Low-carb diets are often low-sodium diets, and this just compounds the problem of the sodium losses due to the metabolic effects of a low-carb diet.

You need sodium. You only need potassium if you've already lost too much sodium, which you probably have.

That powerade drink has 150mg of sodium if you drink the whole bottle. You need maybe 2000mg of extra sodium. Soups, pickles, McDonalds burgers are all good sources.

The lack of sodium causes that "low energy" feeling. It's mostly due to the reduction of blood volume, but there are also brain effects.

You are almost certainly making a TON of ketones if you're running fasted. Get some ketostix if you want a cheap thrill, but get some sodium if you want to feel better.

AngInCanada

If your carbs are low (ketosis levels) and your fat is low, that's a disaster in itself. Your fat levels should be high, moderate protein and low carbs

Foamroller

AngInCanada wrote: »

If your carbs are low (ketosis levels) and your fat is low, that's a disaster in itself. Your fat levels should be high, moderate protein and low carbs

This.
OP, you describe above fear of fat. Low salt and fat = feeling awful.

I eat as much salt as I can.

Healthy fats give you energy and helps, among other things, build vital hormones such as testosterone. (which you want).

Embrace the fats, but keep a deficit. Try different fats. Avocado and bacon?

Try the ketogains calc? it's more geared towards people who train, darthluiggi keeps updating it, which is a plus. And he's recently taking course with Menno Henselmanns.

http://ketogains.com/ketogains-calculator/

Training fasted is also an aquired taste. Are you trying too many things at same time?

The body doesn't like very abrupt changes.

Sunny_Bunny_

It's not too hard to get the extra fat if you add butter and coconut oil to things. Put butter on your meats. Cook with it and coconut oil. You can add coconut oil to your protein shakes. Probably need to blend it more than normal and it could stay solid and have a slight grainy feeling in a cold drink but it's just a texture thing. It's worth getting over to get the healthy fat.
I honestly feel like you're doing a mish mash thrown together low carb, low fat plan that doesn't plan to replace electrolytes because since you're no doubt in and out of ketosis you are in and out of dehydration and never get fully adapted.
I would advise you to pick a carb level in a smaller range at whatever level you are comfortable with and then work that diet plan consistently. And LOG your food. It's too hard to really know what's going on with your body without an accurate record to look back on.
Commit to a specific plan and do less back and forth carb levels.