Seems early to me?

klkateri

I started Keto hardcore on Monday (5% carbs, Proteins 25%, and Fats 70% with calories at 1770). I felt good Monday, not even hungry really but was really looking for a sweet after dinner. Tuesday felt good too. Then yesterday around bedtime I noticed my urine really was stinky (had to throw on the exhaust fan) and today I'm feeling like poop (Headache, crampy, and cranky). Here's the thing though... I'm also starting PMS and am not sure if this is Keto Flu, PMS or a little of both. I did some reading and it seems to be early to be in Ketosis and/or to be getting Keto Flu. O, and i haven't dropped a single pound. (Thought by today to have seen the scale move which I why I am here). There seems to be a couple of symptoms that could go either way and am looking for some thoughts or opinions. Thanks!

TaraTall

My amateur guess is that it's a bit of both. I go by this because when I had to cut out gluten, I started feeling like butt day three. It was awful and felt like a hangover.

Lol. I say look at the bright side - if it's doubled up, you only have to suffer once rather than PMS one week, then keto flu the next

Yi5hedr3

Make sure your fats are healthy ones. Be sure to take your vitamins.

GaleHawkins

@klkateri my first 90 days on hardcore (is there any other kind) nutritional ketosis had a lot of weird twists and turns.

I was hard core for six long weeks before I lost my first pound but was losing fat during that time. How one can lose fat and not lose a pound for six weeks is unknown to me.

While I had done my research and felt keto would not kill me I have stayed the hardcore keto course since Oct 2014 with many health improvements.

Best of success with the learning curve. No two people will have exactly the same story.

kirkor

Keep up your electrolytes! Salt, potassium, magnesium.

auntstephie321

That sounds about right, on that low a level of carbs you'll burn through your glycogen stores in a couple days and start producing ketones. If you stay at this level you'll level out after a couple weeks and no longer have the smell in your urine and start feeling better as you adapt. as @kirkor said keep up your sodium, potassium, and magnesium, you will feel a ton better with those balanced.

klkateri

I do take a pre-natal vitamin and I have to take salt so I get about 5,000mg a day but I know my body doesn't hold salt (hence the taking salt). I was thinking of getting those ketone sticks but I've read they ate unreliable and instead to get a blood ketone/glocuae monitor instead. Thoughts?

macchiatto

I'm guessing it's both, too. I was in ketosis pretty quickly. I also had a period about 4 days after I started keto even though I wasn't due for at least another 5 days.

auntstephie321

You actually don't need to monitor at all unless you feel the desire to. If you are eating at that low a level of carbs you will be in ketosis. The urine strips only test one form of ketones being removed from the body so they are fairly inaccurate and when you adapt and are no longer producing excess ketones they will read negative even though you are in ketosis. Some like to know what their levels are at and monitor it closely.

as for the pre natal vitamins, what do they have in them. I know mine don't include much magnesium or potassium, and the form they do contain is not a highly absorbable form so I also supplement with magnesium glycinate.

Sunny_Bunny_

I honestly don't think the urine strips are as unreliable as they are thought to be. I've always heard that once adapted they would read negative. Well, 8 months later I get a reading every single time. Even if I have a bit higher carbs or alcohol. If I fast or exercise I get a darker color. They respond exactly as I would predict every time I use them.
I don't know why they seem to be so inconsistent for so many others. Must just be dependent on each individual and their specific metabolism or something.
Anyway, I tested positive for ketones by urine strip and blood on the first day. You don't have to burn through all of your stored glycogen before you start making ketones. Even non low carbers start making ketones during fasts over 6-8 hours. Like when they are sleeping and they don't burn through their glycogen overnight.
If you're not feeling well, then you've probably hit bottom of the extra water and glycogen and have lost some magnesium and potassium once the salt went low.
Increase the sodium over what's normal for you and consider taking magnesium and using some NuSalt (potassium) on foods too.
No weight loss from that water not showing up yet could be any number of reasons. Maybe drinking a lot more water than normal? Could hide the loss... Or starting new exercise or have muscle soreness. Or just simply TOM is masking it.

KarlaYP

I agree with the electrolyte recommendations! Find a way to increase your intake and you will feel better! Hang in there! Focus on non scale benefits (ie. how you feel, clothing becoming loose fitting....) for motivation! In my experience, the scale will let you down and mess with your head! Plus, you've been doing keto for four days and it's TOM too! Patience with yourself is very important!

Measuring for ketones is a personal choice. Some may have medical reasons to monitor ketosis and they will use a blood ketone meter, usually. I did use the urine strips in the beginning. It was neat to see the results I was looking for. I still have them, but don't use them regularly anymore. I know that if I keep my carbs low, I will be in ketosis.

Hang in there!

deksgrl

Yep I get the stinky pee too whenever I have changed my carb level. It will go away. Agree with everyone who said boost your electrolytes. That should take care of the symptoms of keto flu and then you will just feel normal PMS blahs.

JQuinnLife

klkateri wrote: »

I started Keto hardcore on Monday (5% carbs, Proteins 25%, and Fats 70% with calories at 1770)... i haven't dropped a single pound. (Thought by today to have seen the scale move which I why I am here). There seems to be a couple of symptoms that could go either way and am looking for some thoughts or opinions. Thanks!

The caloric intake seems a bit high for a female. Almost 1,800 calories doesn't create much of a deficit. I'd consider dropping it even further if your mental will power can handle it. 1,500 might be worth a shot.

The Keto-Flu is very real and sucks a lot. I combatted it using Chicken bullion broth, drink a couple cups to re-up on your electrolytes.

Keto-adaptation, where your body adjusts to using fat as a primary energy source, takes anywhere from 3-4 weeks. So don't expect much more than water weight to drop off right away.

Remember, it took years to become fat, it'll take just as long to become not fat. Dig in and prepare for fat war.

JessicaLCHF

klkateri wrote: »

I started Keto hardcore on Monday (5% carbs, Proteins 25%, and Fats 70% with calories at 1770). I felt good Monday, not even hungry really but was really looking for a sweet after dinner. Tuesday felt good too. Then yesterday around bedtime I noticed my urine really was stinky (had to throw on the exhaust fan) and today I'm feeling like poop (Headache, crampy, and cranky). Here's the thing though... I'm also starting PMS and am not sure if this is Keto Flu, PMS or a little of both. I did some reading and it seems to be early to be in Ketosis and/or to be getting Keto Flu. O, and i haven't dropped a single pound. (Thought by today to have seen the scale move which I why I am here). There seems to be a couple of symptoms that could go either way and am looking for some thoughts or opinions. Thanks!

5% carbs since Monday. Nope I'd def say you are in heavy ketosis. Why do you think it's too early? I find it only takes me 2-3 days.

Edit: plus were you eating really bad before you started or just kinda bad? I'd think that matters too. Even off diet I usually stay around 100 carbs vs 20, but far from the "RDA" of 300.

1thankful_momma

in addition to the wonderful tips above, here is the keto calculator to help nail down the total calories and the total protein grams.

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/