Welcome! I've been keto since May 2015.
Happy to support a new friend. Feel free to add me.

I'll be starting sometime this coming week. I'm waiting on some supplements and ketone test strips I ordered from Amazon and tomorrow I'm gong shopping to get a decent food processor and a few other kitchen items. I'm also going to wander around Trader Joe's and Whole foods for a little while and get some ideas and maybe pick up a few things. Unfortunately they're about an hour away so i won't be able to shop there often. Then at some point I guess I'll have to clean all the carbs out of my kitchen and go grocery shopping. I keep hearing about this keto flu in the first few weeks. Have you had any issues with that since you've been on it about a week?

jrgriffin82 wrote: »

I'll be starting sometime this coming week. I'm waiting on some supplements and ketone test strips I ordered from Amazon and tomorrow I'm gong shopping to get a decent food processor and a few other kitchen items. I'm also going to wander around Trader Joe's and Whole foods for a little while and get some ideas and maybe pick up a few things. Unfortunately they're about an hour away so i won't be able to shop there often. Then at some point I guess I'll have to clean all the carbs out of my kitchen and go grocery shopping. I keep hearing about this keto flu in the first few weeks. Have you had any issues with that since you've been on it about a week?

@jrgriffin82 - the Keto Flu is a misnomer. It is 100% avoidable. When you ditch the carbs, your body dumps a lot of fluids, and along with that, sodium. When the sodium balance gets too low, your body will dump magnesium and potassium, too. Key to avoiding this is to replace minimum 3500 mg of sodium, generally 5000 mg of sodium, in the first 4-12 weeks. And if you drink extra water, you'll need more sodium.

Basically the body likes to keep a perfect balance of electrolytes, so if it has too much of one, it will generally make you pee to get rid of it. Then, if you add something back in, it will keep dumping to keep balance. It will even go so far as to leech sodium, magnesium, and potassium from your bones and muscles (hence bad muscle cramps, etc.) if you keep things low too much.

Most folks need to drink when thirsty, replace dumped sodium, and add magnesium (no OXIDE - that will cause loose stool!)) (because unless you're eating all grassfed and organic foods, it's nearly impossible to get enough in foods due to lack of crop rotations, soil depletion, pesticides, GMO's, etc.). Most folks get enough potassium from foods, and it's dangerous to have too much or too little, so supplementing here is not recommended without tests to show deficiencies...

Welcome! Those first few days can be tough while our bodies adjust but you'll get the hang of it and be feeling amazing soon enough!!

Fifth week here! I am reluctant to get all born again about it, but it definitely changed my life. Extra fat is coming off, I have a burst of energy, tracking macros is a breeze with MFP. I can see myself eating this way for a long time to come.