Newbie Questions
Comonemo
Posts: 42
I'm so glad to have found this group! I started 9/4 and last night finally hit ketosis.. wow, what an awful taste in my mouth! I'm definitely feeling pretty crappy this morning, but am determined to "plow" through it to get optimal results....any advice/direction to optimize? (fasting, cutting to zero carbs, etc)
Also, anyone taking supplements? At the moment, I am taking a probiotic and fish oil. I do have a multivitamin, haven't taken it since starting Keto, but wondering if it was necessary or would in anyway inhibit the process?
Thanks so much....my diary is open and I'm open to any advice, critiques, help! (although, I'm not too creative or diverse with the food yet)
[I'm going to apologize in advance for "dummy" questions I may follow up with. I was Paleo, but decided to switch Keto, which has come under scrutiny with a lot of my friends and family. I have a family FULL of diabetics, depression and cancer. I spent a few weeks mulling over the idea, but all the reading/research I have done seems to be promising (and made so much sense), my goal is to be an example for them to follow. However, its like being in the hot seat and being so new, I'm not always able to answer each question to their satisfaction. I sent the blog out to all of them, which I found to be a great resource, but I'm hoping I can jump here for any extra help!]
Also, anyone taking supplements? At the moment, I am taking a probiotic and fish oil. I do have a multivitamin, haven't taken it since starting Keto, but wondering if it was necessary or would in anyway inhibit the process?
Thanks so much....my diary is open and I'm open to any advice, critiques, help! (although, I'm not too creative or diverse with the food yet)
[I'm going to apologize in advance for "dummy" questions I may follow up with. I was Paleo, but decided to switch Keto, which has come under scrutiny with a lot of my friends and family. I have a family FULL of diabetics, depression and cancer. I spent a few weeks mulling over the idea, but all the reading/research I have done seems to be promising (and made so much sense), my goal is to be an example for them to follow. However, its like being in the hot seat and being so new, I'm not always able to answer each question to their satisfaction. I sent the blog out to all of them, which I found to be a great resource, but I'm hoping I can jump here for any extra help!]
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Welcome! If you're eating enough calories, you shouldn't feel too bad for very long. Are you tracking calories?
Drink plenty! Eat your veggies. Drink some more.
I take probiotics and fish oil, too, plus vit D, herbs for female hormone balancing, B12, and iron. I'm not into multi-vitamins, but it probably wouldn't hurt you to take one, once a week.
The hardest part for me is feeling bloated and/or constipated and constantly thirsty. I find that if I drink 2-4 cups of water in the morning before my cup of coffee, it really helps my tummy. Avoiding coffee and tea helps, too, but I don't want to give them up.
Are you also exercising? Just curious.
I keep my diet very boring, easy, predictable. I also cheat once a week, but you're not supposed to do that until you've been in ketosis for a month.
I 'fast' sort of, in that I stop eating around 6 pm and don't eat again until 7 or 8 am. I think 13 - 14 hours of not eating is called fasting.
Regarding family, I talk to them about being low carb but keep quiet about ketosis because that usually freaks people out.0 -
Thanks for the response! I am counting calories, carbs (minus fiber), proteins and fats. I am definitely pushing the water....my biggest hurdle... I am not a water person at all, but have managed 10-12 glasses a day for the last couple days.
Oh, I do have B12 in my cabinet and used to take a multi vitamin about 3-4 times a week (Ive heard the bit about just expensive urine, lol)
That's how I am feeling today, chalky mouthed, metal tasting and thirsty.... I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but started as it seemed to be a good way to get some extra fats in the morning (and actually it was a real help this morning feeling sluggish)
I have a fairly sedentary life... my walking usually consists of getting to the grocery store, cleaning or taking the dog for a walk. I have a YMCA membership that hasn't been used in over a year (a full year of 'Monday starts it again') but I AM going to go back.... I was just wondering if it would be to much shock for my system at this point. I plan on doing light cardio class tomorrow.
Thanks for all the help!0 -
I'm Primal (essentially Paleo + dairy) and Keto except for my refeed days when I add in some rice. I think it should be easily possible to stay Paleo and also be keto, it just might take a little more meal planning since a lot of recipes tagged as keto have dairy.
I've noticed if I start feeling really crappy it's usually due to forgetting my supplements or not having enough water. Magnesium and potassium keep the headaches at bay, if I start getting them or getting foggy feeling, it's because I've forgotten these for a few days. I also take 4-6g of fish oil a day, D, calcium and C.0 -
Sorry I forgot to mention that I also take a magnesium and potassium supplement. It helps with muscle cramps. The only time I got headaches from keto was from not getting enough calories, which is how I ended up here, tracking them.
I'm also eating pretty much like the Primal Diet, but was interested in how you, OP, got to keto on Paleo. Since I can't get organic cream, only milk, I want to try to cut out some of my dairy, but don't know what else to do that would be yummy.
raikay, how often do you refeed, what do you mean by that exactly, and how do you do it? Is it just a different term for carb cycling?0 -
This is my first attempt at getting to ketosis. Judging by the way I feel now, I'm 100% that I never got to keto before on just Paleo. I ate almost solely lean meats and fish, TONS of veg and fruits, and very little fats, and next to no dairy (I haven't had milk in over two years- unless it got mixed into a recipe). So all this dairy allowance is somewhat new to me, I am still trying to follow I guess what I would now consider Primal since I am including dairy (cheeses, sour cream, cottage cheese) for fat increase (?). I am using coconut and almond milk, but was wondering as well how it would be possible to do. I'm still in the tweaking process and learning as I go! I think what I may end up doing is cycling...0
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Raikay, why so much fish oil? (or maybe I am not just taking enough?- right now I'm taking 1.5-2g)0
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Also make sure you're getting lots of salt! I get a really high quality sea salt from Whole Foods. Put it on everything and if you have headache, you might want to try taking a salt shooter (I just disolve a few teaspoons in an ounce of water). Salt is important because during ketosis your body drops a lot of sodium and when those levels get too low, it starts dropping potassium, too.
Also, if you haven't already, try making a fat bomb. Whenever I'm struggling a little bit -- or even if I just want to put a really big smile on my face! -- I have a peanut butter fat bomb (Google for recipes but my personal favorite is unsweetened peanut butter or almond butter or hazelnut butter + Kerrygold butter microwaved together then mixed along with a few drops of Vanilla Liquid Stevia and then add two TBSP of high % cocoa chocolate chips and stick in the freezer). It's the most delicious thing ever.
I wanted to mention, too, that I've struggled quite a bit with depression and anxiety and this way of eating makes me feel so much better. I am still trying to understand all the research, but high fat (healthy fats, amino acids, etc.) can be really beneficial to those with depression.0 -
I keep seeing that repeated about the salt thing. My salt numbers are always over on my daily logs, but should I be taking in even more salt than that? [Sorry, this is all new and I keep hearing the decades of repetitive "fat is bad. salt is bad. calories are bad" ]
Fat bomb? LOL, that sounds funny to me, but I will definitely check it out....sounds delicious as a little treat
Depression and anxiety (and being a scientific monkey as doctors tried to get medication doses adjusted over months, which ultimately led to even worse problems) were my main reason's for starting Paleo a few years ago. I didn't like being medicated, and after much research I looked at diet transitioning. I am the first one to advocate for diet changes for health issues..... I am really excited that you brought that up and found it effective for you...because along with depression and anxiety running in my family, diabetes and cancer is also very prevalent, and I am very optimistic about the research I have done about keto, and showing DRs that my health is in my hands, not necessarily my genes 0 -
Raikay, why so much fish oil? (or maybe I am not just taking enough?- right now I'm taking 1.5-2g)
I lift weights 3x a week and try to go heavy least one of those days. These are the days I'm at the high end of my fish oil dosage. It seems to help a lot with my muscle recovery time and helps me avoid getting DOMS as badly as I do without it. I also take a bit more because sometimes I eat a lot of almonds which are higher in Omega 6 so I like to counter balance that to keep my ratios better.0 -
It's pretty much just carb cycling. One day I'll keep my protein the same, lower my fat a ton and increase my carbs by adding a ton of extra vegetables, some rice and sweet potato. I've added in rice because I can't do most grains or sugars without triggering my fibro and can only eat so much veggies or sweet potato before I feel like I'm going to explode.raikay, how often do you refeed, what do you mean by that exactly, and how do you do it? Is it just a different term for carb cycling?
I find that if I don't bump up my carbs every now and then I start getting more easily fatigued by my lifts. I'm still trying to figure out the perfect balance where I get the benefit during my workouts with the minimum amount of carbs possible. (I'm still hoping to find a way to manage it on keto without needing to refeed at all...)0 -
Fat bomb? LOL, that sounds funny to me, but I will definitely check it out....sounds delicious as a little treat
Fat bombs are the best! I make mine with coconut oil, kerrygold, unsweetened cocoa, a tiny bit of local honey and some almond butter. Definitely try them! If you search the recipes for "Almond butter fat bomb" I have mine entered in on here so you can see the macro breakdown. The recipe can be modified as needed...0 -
Ok, thanks! I was wondering about balancing out the Omega-6, cuz I LOVE my almonds!
Also, what about water retention? Is there a point where it can be too much water? Its only noon, and I've already drank a gallon of water. I'm crazy thirsty though and it helps with the taste in my mouth... I'm just wondering, because today is day six, and the scale has not budged, I got the ketostix and I am very low (keeping my macros close to 65/30/5.... maybe I nee to bump to 70/25/5?).0 -
Ok, thanks! I was wondering about balancing out the Omega-6, cuz I LOVE my almonds!
Also, what about water retention? Is there a point where it can be too much water? Its only noon, and I've already drank a gallon of water. I'm crazy thirsty though and it helps with the taste in my mouth... I'm just wondering, because today is day six, and the scale has not budged, I got the ketostix and I am very low (keeping my macros close to 65/30/5.... maybe I nee to bump to 70/25/5?).
Water retention will not be an issue when you're in ketosis. Your body dumps it, and stops storing much of that along with sodium. That's why you see so many people telling you to push both so much. The sodium recommendation I've read is 3000-5000mg when you're in ketosis.
Your protein (goal) is a little bit high, and is likely contributing to the bad taste you're talking about (I don't have it). Do you know your lean mass? The recommendation I've read is .7-.9g of protein per pound of lean mass. You'd want to stick to the higher end if you strength train. If you get more than your body needs, the excess gets converted to glucose, and I've read that causes the metallic taste.
You may still get a negative reading for the first day or two that you're actually in ketosis. A positive is dependent on a certain concentration, and you can't get that while your body is getting rid of the excess water. If your weight drops suddenly by a couple of pounds or so, you're in ketosis.0 -
Yea, I definitely need to up my sodium intake then, I'm only averaging 2500-3000mg a day.... I did a rough estimate of my lean body mass, and by those numbers, you are right I need to adjust my protein intake and hopefully get rid of this cruddy taste I just started back in the gym this morning, but I'm not big into strength training.... just moderate cardio and some interval training. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it! 0
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I need about 5g sodium on days I run, about 3g normally. I use Morton's Lite Salt which has a lot of potassium in it too. If I have less sodium than that, I get really dizzy when I stand up, from extremely low blood pressure. I also take magnesium supplements after a workout to prevent charlie horses, and sometimes magnesium/potassium/calcium supplements. I do take 50,000 IUD Vitamin D every Sunday but that's physician's orders.
HIIT is great for a workout, but if you're trying to reduce body fat percentage, you should focus on diet>strength/resistance>cardio. Squats, lunges, and deadlifts will do a little more to recomposition your body than running will. I know you rarely see a fat runner, but if you want to have a toned body, please incorporate resistance training. Maybe you could find a cheap copy of New Rules of Lifting For Women somewhere online.
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Thanks all for the advice!! Got stocked on the supplements, I'm meeting with a trainer at my gym tomorrow to get acquainted with some machines/equipment for strength training.....however, still bummed with no weight loss. One week, sticks are dark purple and nothing. Trying not to get discouraged though, losing weight has always been difficult for me.
On a positive note, I made the Fat Bombs.....and wow, are they delicious!!! Thanks all!0 -
however, still bummed with no weight loss. One week, sticks are dark purple and nothing. Trying not to get discouraged though, losing weight has always been difficult for me.
!
How much water are you drinking? Ketostix measure density of ketones in the urine. Dark could mean you're producing more ketones - or not drinking enough (in fact, usually dark means not drinking enough). Up your water intake to 12-16 (8) oz glasses.
What kind do diet did you follow before keto?0 -
I'm drinking between one and two gallons of water a day, but read somewhere that the dilution in the urine didn't make a difference (?) but I also read that the sticks will go dark purple, but you actually don't start using fat for energy once the strips back down and your body "normalizes" again in a keto state.
That's why I was wondering earlier (or maybe another post) if I was just retaining water...I've been super thirsty the last couple days..... but I would be lucky to get one glass of water/day in the past, so I was thinking maybe my body was just UBER thirsty (although the bathroom breaks are frequent) and holding on to water at this point....since my understanding is that the first week of huge weight loss is usually water anyway.
I was Paleo starting in 2011, however from this last years holiday I gradually was back on the 'booze and super carb junk diet' by spring. I cleaned up my diet again in August (back to Paleo) but then started keto last Thursday. I was reading about the 'fat fast' to jump start weight loss for people who haven't seen the scale move within the first week or two... but wasn't sure if it was a realistic thing to do while going to the gym0 -
Since you came off paleo, you likely wouldn't see a big weight loss drop (vs others coming from high carb, standard american diet).
Dilution in urine does and doesn't matter. It impacts the lightness or darkness of the reading. That's why most people just use them as an indicator whether they are or are not in ketosis, and not how "deep" they are in ketosis.
Something's off here. Ketostix shouldn't be dark purple with 1-2 gallons of water. Are you sure you meant gallons, and not quarts? You are genuinely drinking 128 - 256 oz per day?
I don't mean to be alarmist, and I am certainly not a medical professional. But what you're describing could actually be a problem. Are you exercising a crazy amount?0 -
Ignore me. I'm sure it's all good.0
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Yep, one to two gallons. I fill my pitchers the night before to stick in the fridge..... I did go back to the gym on Tues (then Wed and this morning) but nothing overly strenuous.
Diabetes runs in my family (as in my grandmother, mother, sister and brother all have diabetes) although, I have never been tested for it... so I was wondering the same thing...
Maybe it is just due to coming off paleo, and my body being stubborn!!0
