Not feeling healthy

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I’ve been doing keto since early July. I lost 20 the first month and nothing since then. I know I’m in ketosis, that’s not the problem. I’m suddenly feeling like I can’t cope with so much fat. I’m drowning. Idk what to do. My calories are the same, around 1200 per day. I’m not craving. I’m just icky. I can’t explain it I’m not sick. I’m thinking of doing a 2-3 day clear liquid fast.

Anyone else have any issue like this. Like I said I know I’m in ketosis. All the glorious keto smells. I just don’t feel right, think it’s a mental thing.
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Replies

  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    edited October 2019
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    Are you eating fatty meats? I feel sick like I've had too much fat when I've eaten too much dairy fat or bacon fat. Marbled steaks don't bother me at all. I also eat some pasta sauces by themselves that have no added sugars. Those seem to help me when I'm feeling like I reached my fat quota. Also vitamin C and milk thistle pills can help too.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
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    You don’t really have to eat a ton of fat. Just eat what you like and keep the carbs low.
    I ate fish and shrimp tonight. Was basically low fat. It’s just what I wanted. No need to force feed yourself food you don’t want.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
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    60-80% fat? Forget about it! Just eat some vegetables or consomme. Buy strawberries.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    I would definitely say try less fat and more protein.

    You didn't specify why you are doing keto, but for weight loss you definitely don't need to eat all the fat.

    I have found that for my migraines, I really don't need to eat all the fat either. I started at 2:1, then transitioned to 1:1, then just stopped worrying about the fat at all and just keeping carbs low I'm able to maintain symptom control.

    For inflammatory issues most people seem to be fine with just keeping carbs low too, but everyone is different.
  • JenniferM1234
    JenniferM1234 Posts: 173 Member
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    Unless you're very short, 1200/day is a super low amount of calories to consistently maintain, even if 100% of it is fat and fiber (for fullness). I'm not tall (5'3") and with my low level of exercise (treadmill walking) my maintenance is 1530. MFP's suggested daily for me trying to lose weight by Thanksgiving is 1350/day. Perhaps you're being too restrictive and punishing of yourself?
  • voncovenhoven
    voncovenhoven Posts: 25 Member
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    I’m 5’10”. My daily calorie target has been 1200 calories/day forever. True story, before keto I’d drop to around 600 cal/day, and only lose 1-2 lbs /wk. I’m hypothyroid. I’m doing keto to lose weight. I’m currently 178, started at 194 lbs. I’d like to be 155-160. Sad to say I have a slow/low metabolism. I exercise, between 4-8k steps a day

    One thing I can say is this is the only diet where I don’t feel punished. Keto is a very satisfying diet.
  • voncovenhoven
    voncovenhoven Posts: 25 Member
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    I would definitely say try less fat and more protein.

    You didn't specify why you are doing keto, but for weight loss you definitely don't need to eat all the fat.

    I have found that for my migraines, I really don't need to eat all the fat either. I started at 2:1, then transitioned to 1:1, then just stopped worrying about the fat at all and just keeping carbs low I'm able to maintain symptom control.

    For inflammatory issues most people seem to be fine with just keeping carbs low too, but everyone is different.

    Btw. I have been migraine free since July. That alone makes me a keto believer. I’m going to up
    my carbs with veggies and fruit. I am staying away from other carbs.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
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    Sent PM
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    Ketosis requires the absence or restriction of carbs. Full stop.

    Please do not gorge on fat. It does not enhance or accelerate ketosis. If high amounts of fat are making you feel unwell, reduce your fat intake and increase your protein intake.

    For example, a thick cut of steak may be around 75g protein and 60g fat. That's 840kcal with 36% protein and 64% fat. Guaranteed you can have more protein than fat in any given meal, and still be ketogenic.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,365 Member
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    anubis609 wrote: »
    Ketosis requires the absence or restriction of carbs. Full stop.

    Please do not gorge on fat. It does not enhance or accelerate ketosis. If high amounts of fat are making you feel unwell, reduce your fat intake and increase your protein intake.

    For example, a thick cut of steak may be around 75g protein and 60g fat. That's 840kcal with 36% protein and 64% fat. Guaranteed you can have more protein than fat in any given meal, and still be ketogenic.

    Ketosis is absolutely driven by a lack of glucose to be used for energy (keep carbs low, glucose stays low) - in the absence of glucose, the body has to use fat for it's primary energy source. What a lot of people worry about is that excess protein will be converted to glucose to be used for energy. While this can happen, it is a demand driven process which means that it will only happen when it is absolutely necessary because it is a very expensive process for the body to convert protein to glucose.

    Here is a link that shows how little protein is actually converted to glucose:
    http://journal.diabetes.org/diabetesspectrum/00v13n3/pg132.htm

    On a personal note, I have consumed between 150 and 200 grams of protein in a day and still maintained ketosis (while consuming only small amounts of fat < 60 grams).
  • rmac18
    rmac18 Posts: 185 Member
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    Maybe your calories are too low. I’ve experienced this myself and found I lost weight by increasing calories, especially combined with some exercise.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    baconslave wrote: »
    anubis609 wrote: »
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    anubis609 wrote: »
    Ketosis requires the absence or restriction of carbs. Full stop.

    Please do not gorge on fat. It does not enhance or accelerate ketosis. If high amounts of fat are making you feel unwell, reduce your fat intake and increase your protein intake.

    For example, a thick cut of steak may be around 75g protein and 60g fat. That's 840kcal with 36% protein and 64% fat. Guaranteed you can have more protein than fat in any given meal, and still be ketogenic.

    Ketosis is absolutely driven by a lack of glucose to be used for energy (keep carbs low, glucose stays low) - in the absence of glucose, the body has to use fat for it's primary energy source. What a lot of people worry about is that excess protein will be converted to glucose to be used for energy. While this can happen, it is a demand driven process which means that it will only happen when it is absolutely necessary because it is a very expensive process for the body to convert protein to glucose.

    Here is a link that shows how little protein is actually converted to glucose:
    http://journal.diabetes.org/diabetesspectrum/00v13n3/pg132.htm

    On a personal note, I have consumed between 150 and 200 grams of protein in a day and still maintained ketosis (while consuming only small amounts of fat < 60 grams).

    Exactly. GNG is not an issue for ketogenesis, and most new keto dieters are unaware.

    For fat loss, ketosis is not a requirement either. It still results in maintaining a caloric deficit, and when fat contains more than twice the amount of calories per gram than either protein or carbs, it doesn’t make sense to eat a high amount, unless one is in maintenance or in a surplus.

    Right. I think the "ALL THE FAT" came about from people's predilection for swinging to and from extremes. It was militantly low-fat for a long time. So when Atkins and Keto began to become a thing, it was all "don't worry about fat. Eat all the fat!!!" Zealotry in the liberation. While LCHF and keto ARE high in fat if you are looking at the macro percentages, there is still a ceiling. You still can't overeat, regardless whichever macro it is. Too much is still too much. And this is where people are tripped up over and over. They hear the MOAR FAT hype (which is irresponsible IMO), think they don't have to pay attention to calories. And while that's true for some due to the satiation some experience on those macros which helps them keep intake low, not everyone does get that nor do they keep it forever. If you're one of those, you WILL have to watch your calories on keto/LCHF.
    Exactly. GNG is not an issue for ketogenesis, and most new keto dieters are unaware.

    Again, this is due to talking heads speaking with "authority" they don't have. :confounded: Too little protein is much worse than getting "too much."

    Correct on all fronts. The zealotry, misinformation, and argument fallacies all led people to hedonism without regard for common sense in health. Even as a practitioner of low carb, I will speak against it in echo chamber forums just to cause question toward an unfounded belief. And to that, I will always state that the hierarchy of body composition: calories > protein > whatever mix of carbs/fat you prefer, leads every well formulated diet.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    All the fat likely came from the original version of keto for treating seizures - a ratio of 4:1 for fat:protein+carbs...this ratio is still the starting point for treating seizures and many other neurological issues.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,954 Member
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    All the fat likely came from the original version of keto for treating seizures - a ratio of 4:1 for fat:protein+carbs...this ratio is still the starting point for treating seizures and many other neurological issues.

    I agree that theraputic keto was its inception. But I feel the continued over-emphasis maybe came from a backlash against lowfat, and then was perpetuated by lots of very...enthusiastic...YouTube videos, blogs, and podcasts, which overfocus on that one thing, when, IMO, keto also has many other important facets to consider in the pursuit of achieving optimal health.

  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
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    I lived this with Atkins diet (around 1989 and 1990,) and there's a definite need for fat. It drove me from it.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    All the fat likely came from the original version of keto for treating seizures - a ratio of 4:1 for fat:protein+carbs...this ratio is still the starting point for treating seizures and many other neurological issues.

    It did. It is the starting point to treat epileptic children in conjunction with anti-seizure meds, not to replace meds. And because the ketogenic ratio is abysmally low in protein, especially where protein needs are increased in young (and older) people, children were tapered off the traditional ketogenic ratio as they grew older and when seizures were manageable to a modified atkins diet with increased protein to keep them from wasting lean body mass, and to, you know... live. Another reason why protein is even more important in the keto diet, because it doesn't spare lean mass waste.

    All this is background information needed for the general population because the average overfat person is not a child, nor do they suffer from seizures. So creatively making food to disguise shoveling gobs of fat in the name of keto is bastardizing the original intent. Which is why Lyle McDonald wrote the 300+ page book in the first place, to apply to the general dieter.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
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    Since October 2014 I work to keep my carbs around 50 daily and never over 75-100.. I really never eat less than 2000 calories daily and never go hungry because I eat a low carb snack or meal when I get hungry. I find in trying to get 100 grams of protein the fat shows up without thinking about my Fat micro. I am getting ready to fix my first cup of coffee. From the half and half cream and coconut oil it runs about 500 calories so by design l start every day high fat.

    We are all different so we need to eat the way that seems to be best for our own health.

    I do watch what I eat but not how much I eat.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,752 Member
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    Do not concentrate on calories, keep carbs low, get enough protein, and fat to satiety.
    If you are doing this for weight loss primarily, give your body a chance to use up all the stored fat in your body. It can only put so many calories a day, but if you have a lot to lose, it will pull them easily from your body. Here is a link to a calculator that will give you an idea of how many added calories of fat you might need daily. It was developed by someone seeing how some can fast easier than others, thus the title, you don't have to be a faster to benefit from this knowledge.
    https://blog.2keto.com/why-fasting-is-easier-for-some-people/

    When I went keto, I stopped counting calories, it is such a freeing experience, give it a go, too.