Dealing with Keto Flu and How to Adapt Quickly - The Keto Cut Day 2
Welcome to The Keto Cut - a series that will follow my daily routines as I cut for the summer on a ketogenic diet. These posts may not be for all of you as they are intensely focused on fitness and nutrition. Health is one of the most important parts of my life and I take it very seriously and I figured I would share my experiences and daily "logs" with all of you who may also be interested in this topic.
The Keto Flu and How to Adapt Faster:
What is Keto Flu? - Keto Flu isn't a real sickness, it is just a term that is used to describe the "symptoms" that people feel when they are adapting to the Ketogenic diet. Lightheadedness, sore muscles, sluggish feelings and irritability are some of the feelings that many people experience in the first few days of a Ketogenic diet.
I've heard a lot of different routes to take when it comes to combating these "symptoms." The 3 things I've found that help me the most are:
- Drink a lot of water - A lack of water is one of the major causes for the "symptoms"
- Add some salt to your food (I use Himalayan pink salt) - A lack of sodium is another significant cause of these "symptoms"
- Sleep Well - It's best to try and get 8 hours if your schedule allows it. Sleeping well will help keep your body rested and allow it to adapt faster
- Try to speed up the adaptation process by depleting your glycogen stores faster - you can deplete your glycogen stores faster by lifting weights or doing cardio. I prefer to do both to try and make the adaptation as quick as possible
- Eat more fat - one of the major points of failure for any keto dieter is a lack of fat. Contrary to what we are taught, eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. When on a ketogenic diet, fat is your friend and your source of energy. I like to supplement my diet with MCT Oil and Coconut Oil in order to get more fats. Avocados are also one of my favorite sources of fat as well.
MCT Oil - This stands for Medium-Chain Triglycerides. The MCT Oil I use is made by a company called Onnit and is 100% sourced from Coconut Oil. Medium-Chain Triglycerides are fats that can be easily and rapidly broken down in our bodies. Research has found the MCT Oil can rapidly increase ketone production and thus, lead to a faster adaptation to a ketogenic state.
While on a ketogenic diet, I've found that drinking MCT Oil in the morning with my Coffee can help push back any feelings of hunger. I typically add 1 TBSP of this oil to my coffee each morning and I won't eat my first meal until noon which allows me to follow a 16hr fast, 8hr eating window Intermittent Fasting routine.
I've also experienced better energy levels when drinking MCT Oil. When I drink MCT Oil either in my coffee in the morning or in my tea throughout the day I've found that I feel significantly more upbeat and energized. Research on MCT oils have found similar results.
Day 2 Log:
Weigh-In:
| Start Weight | Goal Weight | Weight Lost |
|---|---|---|
| 198 | 173 | 2.4 |
| Today's Weight | Fat Mass (%) | Body Mass BMI |
|---|---|---|
| 195.6 | 25.3 | 27.3 |
Workout:
Today was an off-day from lifting weights at the gym. Instead of doing any weight lifting, I did 30 minutes of HIIT Cardio (high-intensity-interval-training).
What I Ate Today:
| Meal | Food |
|---|---|
| 0 | Coffee with 1 TBSP MCT Oil |
| 1 | 4 Eggs, 2 Slices of Cheddar Cheese |
| 2 | 6 Oz Chicken, Stir Fry Vegetables, 2 TBSP Coconut Oil |
| 3 | 6 Oz Beef, Mixed Vegetables, 1 TBSP Coconut Oil |
| 4 | 3 Servings of Mixed Nuts, 2 Slices of Cheddar Cheese, 1 Avocado, 2 TBSP MCT Oil |
Note: When I have really busy days (like today) I usually end up eating a lot of easily transportable foods like mixed nuts and MCT Oil.
Here's the Question of The Day, don't forget to post your answers in the comments!
QOTD: Have you ever tried a ketogenic diet? Did you feel these "keto flu" type of "symptoms" when first adapting to no-carb? What did you do to try and overcome it?
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave your thoughts below and I look forward to seeing you in the comments!
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Now many people are doing Keto diet. This information can be helpful for them.
Whoa ! I am smiling ear to ear seeing a post related to keto on steemit. i started keto 10 days ago And i started with intemittent fasting and i have researched more than a month on keto. keto flu usually go away within a day or two when you are keto adapted fully. i am glad i am going to find some fellow ketoers here.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU
Hey @mariahbill! I'm glad you love keto! It sounds like you're already really passionate about it! I've been doing keto for almost 4 years now, off and on - I usually do keto for about 6 months out of each year. I look forward to talking more about keto with you on here! Thanks for letting me know and being a fellow fan!
@khaleelkazi i would love to read more about your insights on keto.Keep em coming !
Way to go! I've been on Keto for 6 months, It started as a way to get my blood glucose under control.. But I feel so much better burning ketones now I don't think i will ever stop eating keto.
Hey @buzzard! That's amazing! I'm glad that you've found success with Keto! As I said in my reply to @mariahbill, I've been doing it off and on for about 4 years now - usually for 6 months at a time. I always feel amazing and energetic, and I see that you feel the same as well! Thanks for sharing and cheers to keto!
I asked a question in your last Post and you responded by saying that Weight lifting doesn't necessarily mean you would lose Weight...now please is there any difference between losing weight and burning fat?
You said eating fat doesn't make you fat but actually it does if you eat it and don't burn the fat through excercise. Fat should be broken down to glycogen but when it becomes excess it gets stored as body fat.
I saw you say you ate 4 eggs...damn! I have. Always been scolded at for eating 3 eggs . They say it isn't good to take so much eggs. How come you comfortably eat 4 eggs.
Please I also want to know the reason you guys drink a cup of coffee every morning. I have been wanting to ask this question coz I see it in the movies a lot but dunno why it's done.
I also wonder how oil tastes with tea...yuck!!! Lolz
There isn't really a difference between losing weight and "burning fat" - burning fat is more of an invented concept. When you lose weight you are typically losing a mixture of water, fat, muscle, glycogen, etc.
Yes, eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat, it's when you eat too many calories in general that your body will store the excess calories as fat.
There's actually been a lot of recent research that shows that eggs aren't nearly as harmful to our cholesterol as we have been told in the past. This article links to a ton of research, and they conclude that the average person should be able to eat up to 3 eggs per day without any negative results, they also said the following:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-many-eggs-should-you-eat#section2
I eat 4 eggs per day regardless of this advice - you could say I live on the edge, but I get my cholesterol levels checked yearly by my doctor and I check out totally fine (I've been eating 4 eggs per day for years now).
Ahh yes, it is interesting that you aren't used to that - I do believe it's more of an American thing to drink tons of coffee. Nearly everyone I know drinks at least 1 cup of coffee per day, it may not be the healthiest thing in the world but coffee is packed with caffeine and "wakes people up" and keeps them "alert" throughout the work day. I drink it for both the taste and the caffeine.
Oil in tea doesn't taste bad actually, it just adds a thin layer of oil to the top of the tea but it has no real flavor.
Wow great advice here. I'm also a big fan of eggs. I usually eat 2-3 per day
Fat doesn't make you fat. Eating too many calories make you fat. Period. With Keto, your appetite is low so you don't overeat.
Its funny to hear you say "fat doesn't make you fat" I made a post 2 days ago with that title.. LoL
Lol, I'll have to check that post out @buzzard!
Me too!!
Its basically a story of how I ended up on keto. :)
This post was one of your best! Love the format.
I have tried a ketogenic diet. I only had mild flu symptoms. I simply drank a LOT of water and pushed myself through it.
Love your workout you shared yesterday BTW. It is solid.
Thanks @sequentialvibe, I appreciate your feedback, I'll try and keep improving the format as well!
Yeah, drinking more water is definitely the best way to push through the keto flu symptoms!
I'm glad you liked it! I've got a great "push day" routine that I'm posting for day 3 in an hour or so!
The format is great and I can't wait to see you improve it further!
oohh yeah I love the format on these, better than anything else I've been seeing out there!
Thank you all for the complements!! I'll make sure to keep the format going in my posts in the present!
Great @khaleelkazi. This was a question addressed when you wrote about the ketogenic diet in the last post. I'm so glad you took the time to share your experience. I think this is perfect for you and I'm glad you are sharing it. Personally, I can not eat many carbs. I am not as strict as you are in diet or exercise. In Korea rice is a really big part of diet and society. Luckily there are a lot of fish with omega 3 and sea salt. Nuts are great to carry around. I also have canned protein drinks between meals. I think this is more than a fad diet but a trend in looking at the way we use energy in our body. I will look more into it.
Thanks @mineopoly! Yes, a few people asked me to add a little more details about keto flu and how to address it, so I figured I'd make it the topic of this post. It is really important as keto flu can be a real turn off to new keto dieters. Rice is one of the main things I miss when on a keto diet - On a normal diet I would eat rice at least once a day if not twice a day. It's sooo good! Fish can be very good for you and a great source of nutrients. Yeah keto is a really interesting way of living, there's a ton of research on it and people have found great results both in terms of health and mental clarity - myself included.
So the main point of a keto diet if I'm understanding is to lose weight while on no carbs but getting your essential vitamins and fats needed by your body? It's interesting you need to keep your salt, glycogen, and fat levels in good shape to maintain a good mental state. Your meals today looked very high in protein! How do you have time to eat six meals?!
Yes and no - the main point of a keto diet is to reach a ketogenic state - that is, a state where your body produces ketones by breaking down both stored fat from your body as well as dietary fat from what you eat. I also supplement by taking MCT Oil which provides the body with medium-chain triglycerides - a type of fat that is easily broken down by the body and converted to ketones.
I'm an avid weight-lifter so I have to keep my protein levels above average in order to keep up with my own body! During the morning I usually don't eat, so all of these meals are eaten between the times of noon (12) - 8 P.M. They are pretty quick and easy and I can usually fit them into my day while on the go. I work in real estate development so I have an extremely flexible schedule that allows me to stop at home throughout the day and whip something up really quick before getting back out there!
Wow great explanation, there's tons of info here. I definitely can see the benefits of the oil!
Agreed, loads of info here. Do you think MCT oil is counterintuitive when you're trying to lose weight? I could see the benefits of increased energy, but the additional calories could prove difficult for weight loss?
Thank you for the explanation. So you're both breaking down fat and taking the oil supplement - smart! Wow real estate development is a great profession, and yes very Handy for eating many meals!
Thanks for the time and effort you put into your post.. I have been on a keto diet for 6 months now.. It's been a real lifesaver for me..
Thanks for reading @buzzard! It has also been a really huge benefit in my life as well! I'm glad to hear that you love it!
Keto has benefited me greatly as well, loving the diet!
Love hearing that, what are your favorite parts about the diet?
Ok you’ve all inspired me. I’m going to go for it
Excellent topic, I like your post
It's really good share of us, thanks for sharing
Thanks for reading, what was your favorite part @maicle?
My favorite part was the bit about depleting stores faster, I definitely think that has a greatly positive effect!
Depleting stores would mean going into keto faster which is absolutely going to help you in your diet!
I'm only a teen, but I'm enjoying learning about these health facts, keep sharing.
this post is very memorable for me, and I want to try the consoltation of some symptoms that are almost similar to your story, which I experienced when I ran jog I often experience pain in my right side of the stomach, about what symptoms do doctors, what I have a dangerous disease in my upper stomach, exactly between the left ribs, what if the doctor can petrify me give a little information about my complaint, I am very grateful to you,
Good post.Good recommendations!But it's better not to get sick at all.I wish everyone good health!