Keto for 11 months and suddenly I'm tired all the time - any help please?
Projectjustme
Posts: 47 Member
Hi all
as the title says, I have been on Keto for almost one year and have loved it - had a couple of slips where I have eaten off program, but generally have not struggled at all.
However, the last few weeks, I have been feeling exhausted all the time. My weight loss has really slowed down since Christmas (to be fair, it has been really slow throughout and I'm fine with that).
I am also feeling really fat and bloated today, with a bit of swelling in fingers etc. For further information, I am 53, peri-menopausal with very infrequent cycle. I take magnesium, drink lots of water and try to make sure my salt intake is good but I have to admit that I am really at a loss as to why everything has changed and would appreciate any suggestions that you lovely people may have for me.
TIA
Carol
as the title says, I have been on Keto for almost one year and have loved it - had a couple of slips where I have eaten off program, but generally have not struggled at all.
However, the last few weeks, I have been feeling exhausted all the time. My weight loss has really slowed down since Christmas (to be fair, it has been really slow throughout and I'm fine with that).
I am also feeling really fat and bloated today, with a bit of swelling in fingers etc. For further information, I am 53, peri-menopausal with very infrequent cycle. I take magnesium, drink lots of water and try to make sure my salt intake is good but I have to admit that I am really at a loss as to why everything has changed and would appreciate any suggestions that you lovely people may have for me.
TIA
Carol
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Replies
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The fatigue and water retention really fit with low sodium.
How much salt do you supplement each day? Are you consistent?2 -
It's hard to know what's diet, and what's impending menopause. Crushing fatigue was TOUGH for me as I was about to slide through menopause. Perhaps it's a combination of the two?1
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More salt is always a good idea with a keto diet.
I only looked over the last couple weeks of diary entries, but your calorie deficit is pretty steep most days, and your protein intake is at a minimal level. It's possible that eating two weeks at maintenance (staying keto, just eating more food) and putting those extra calories to protein might help. Eleven months is a long time to be in a calorie deficit, a break from that deficit might help stabilize the inflammation.4 -
If you've not changed your eating,sodium/water intake I too would be curious as to why you are now feeling fatigued and are swelling.
Might want to get yourself to a physician.2 -
tcunbeliever wrote: »More salt is always a good idea with a keto diet.
I only looked over the last couple weeks of diary entries, but your calorie deficit is pretty steep most days, and your protein intake is at a minimal level. It's possible that eating two weeks at maintenance (staying keto, just eating more food) and putting those extra calories to protein might help. Eleven months is a long time to be in a calorie deficit, a break from that deficit might help stabilize the inflammation.
I second this.
Diet fatigue isn't just because you're tired of doing it. You're body seems to get tired of being at a steep deficit and throws on the brakes. You feel tired. And you don't move around as much. Try the "diet break" as @tcunbeliever suggests. The worst thing that will happen is that you aren't going to lose weight for 2 weeks. But you won't gain, and you'll tell your body things are just fine. It may reward you with shedding the bloat. Weight loss is a stressor.2 -
thank you all so much for your replies- I did try a couple of weeks at maintenance in March but, to be honest, really struggled to get the calories in (still fighting the old mindset) and I have been thinking about the salt and would agree that, while I think I am keeping up on it, I am probably not.
Will up the calories and increase the salt and see where I am in a couple of weeks - thank you again, sometimes I need to see things written down to make me take a good look at myself
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Just tossing this out there...... Could you be pregnant?
The lady down the road is 51, and just found out she is expecting.
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VictoryGarden, absolutely not!
The reason I know this is I had a medical procedure done in February and had to take a pregnancy test beforehand which came back negative - I would remember if there had been any 'activity' which may have changed this...believe you me, I would 
..thanks for the suggestion x 2 -
Projectjustme wrote: »thank you all so much for your replies- I did try a couple of weeks at maintenance in March but, to be honest, really struggled to get the calories in (still fighting the old mindset) and I have been thinking about the salt and would agree that, while I think I am keeping up on it, I am probably not.
Will up the calories and increase the salt and see where I am in a couple of weeks - thank you again, sometimes I need to see things written down to make me take a good look at myself
I recommend you keep up with everything you put in your mouth for at least a week and examine that to see what’s lacking. It’s not hard to let things slip when we get into a routine. We feel like we’re doing everything right, but when we see it on paper (so to speak) we can usually identify where we may have allowed things to slip.
I hope you find the answer and feel better real quick!
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Not sure if you have figured this out, but definitely get your thyroid tested (all tests not just the typical one- stop the thyroid madness is a great website)1
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thanks for all your replies, it is much appreciated! Just to update on this; I have (tried) to up my calories over the last couple of weeks, sometimes more successfully than others. I have now left my settings here as maintenance and try for a smaller number left over each day as my deficit...there are days that I simply don't eat enough so I am trying to balance that out as much as I can.
I have started drinking electrolyte water through the day and this has had a more positive effect and I have significantly cut down on my caffeine too.
I am still feeling tired most days, but nowhere near as bad when I initially posted and I have booked an appointment with my GP to discuss getting the full set of thyroid tests done - the more I read about this, the more I am convinced that I have completely tanked it through the years of ridiculous reduction.
The bloat has gone down, so I think that might have been my wavering hormone levels and the added water flushing the retention out.
Finally, I am looking at ways to try and combat my stress levels, which are having an impact on my sleep.
Again, thank you so much for all your help, t'is why I like the group so much
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Projectjustme wrote: »thanks for all your replies, it is much appreciated! Just to update on this; I have (tried) to up my calories over the last couple of weeks, sometimes more successfully than others. I have now left my settings here as maintenance and try for a smaller number left over each day as my deficit...there are days that I simply don't eat enough so I am trying to balance that out as much as I can.
I have started drinking electrolyte water through the day and this has had a more positive effect and I have significantly cut down on my caffeine too.
I am still feeling tired most days, but nowhere near as bad when I initially posted and I have booked an appointment with my GP to discuss getting the full set of thyroid tests done - the more I read about this, the more I am convinced that I have completely tanked it through the years of ridiculous reduction.
The bloat has gone down, so I think that might have been my wavering hormone levels and the added water flushing the retention out.
Finally, I am looking at ways to try and combat my stress levels, which are having an impact on my sleep.
Again, thank you so much for all your help, t'is why I like the group so much
How much sodium are you getting from that electrolyte water? They usually don’t really have much.
You need what conventional wisdom would consider to be a lot of sodium. I really doubt you’re getting enough.1 -
Hi Sunny_Bunny, yup I totally agree with you - I've started crunching on some Himalayan crystals that I keep in my drawer at work
Just to update, I have significantly increased my calories, taken off my deficit on my diary and set it to maintenance and am feeling so much better.
Energy still dipping a bit, but nowhere near as bad as it was and definitely improving.
The stress is still an issue, but I have just started swimming after a break of 30+ years and I am really enjoying the activity and the time on my own.
Thank you once again for you input0 -
Projectjustme wrote: »Hi Sunny_Bunny, yup I totally agree with you - I've started crunching on some Himalayan crystals that I keep in my drawer at work
Just to update, I have significantly increased my calories, taken off my deficit on my diary and set it to maintenance and am feeling so much better.
Energy still dipping a bit, but nowhere near as bad as it was and definitely improving.
The stress is still an issue, but I have just started swimming after a break of 30+ years and I am really enjoying the activity and the time on my own.
Thank you once again for you input
This right here jumps out to me. Cortisol can wreak havoc when elevated. I think your plan to increase calories to maintenance and adding an activity you really like is great. Best of luck and glad to hear that you are feeling an improvement.
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Low on vitamin B1 possibly.1
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Projectjustme wrote: »Hi Sunny_Bunny, yup I totally agree with you - I've started crunching on some Himalayan crystals that I keep in my drawer at work
Just to update, I have significantly increased my calories, taken off my deficit on my diary and set it to maintenance and am feeling so much better.
Energy still dipping a bit, but nowhere near as bad as it was and definitely improving.
The stress is still an issue, but I have just started swimming after a break of 30+ years and I am really enjoying the activity and the time on my own.
Thank you once again for you input
Glad you're feeling a bit better.1 -
Bit more of an update - still getting improved energy and mood, working really hard on managing stress (but not so hard that it's adding to it!!) and this morning I jumped on the scale to find a 3lb loss- the answer seems clear to keep calm and keto on!!4
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Not sure if others mentioned this... have you tried increasing your salt and water intake? A keto diet allows the liver to release fats in the form of water. You lose lots of salt along with it.1
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At a certain age, women stop absorbing B vitamins through digestion, which is crucial for muscles and energy.
I take a sublingual B supplement--under the tongue.
Which helps energy levels.
I also supplement iodine with liquid kelp if I'm not in the mood to eat fish for an extended time, because my sea salts are not iodized. Iodine supports thyroid health.
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