Keto Diet Fatigue

[Nebraska_MomS]

Anyone struggle with fatigue after a month on Keto diet? How do I make it better?

I have been on the Keto diet for a month now and I just feel so exhauted, what do I need to do?!

Moderator edit: Merged posts

[Alicat2104]

Step on over to https://www.ketogenicforums.com/ as you'll get better help there 

[Daves_Not_Here]

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@Nebraska_MomS wrote:

Anyone struggle with fatigue after a month on Keto diet? How do I make it better?

I have been on the Keto diet for a month now and I just feel so exhauted, what do I need to do?!

Moderator edit: Merged posts

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I'm seconding @Alicat2104 's recommendation to visit that Ketogenic Forums at the link she provided.

My opinion is that if you feel exhausted eating Keto, 1 of 2 things are happening:

1. Your sodium, potassium, and magnesium are low, and you are experiencing an extended bout of "keto flu".  The recommendation is to increase sodium intake to around 4 to 5 mg per day.
2. You may not be in ketosis.  People in ketosis report higher not lower energy levels.  The recommendation is to go "zero carb" for a couple of days to see if it makes a difference.

Finally, Keto doesn't work for everyone, and I've read women have a tougher time with it than men.  I wouldn't hit your head against the wall too hard -- depending on what you are trying to achieve, you may find other diets are easier.  Good luck!

[prirod]

Well this post certainly helped me, I think.  I have been on Keto for 4 weeks now and my sleep has improved immensely, but today and yesterday, I'm low energy and super sleepy.  I did bake some keto almond flour cookies on Saturday which I ate in addition to my regular low carb meals.  Maybe it was too many carbs.  I will try a couple of days of zero carbs and add some potassium and magnesium.

[Daves_Not_Here]

Hey @prirod -- welcome to the journey!

People report that Keto has two adaptation periods:

1. Initial ketosis - this occurs when you run out of stored glycogen and transition to burning fat for fuel.  This takes less than a week, and has the most severe "flu" symptoms.
2. Fat adaptation -- this occurs as you become acclimated to burning fat versus carbs.  In this phase, you are kind of on the fence and susceptible to "falling out of ketosis" and back to carb-burning mode.  The "flu" is less severe, but an indication that you may be dehydrated or need to lower your protein.  This phase can last months but you become more resilient over time.

Once you get past the adaptation, you can get to a remarkable place - in my case, I enjoy the elimination of a lifetime of arthritis pain the most.  Eating is optional, I have bonk-free athletic endurance, sleep an hour less per night, and am no longer pre-diabetic. 

However, I don't recommend it for everyone -- it takes a willingness to buck conventional wisdom. I think it is best for those who have the specific conditions that Keto addresses.

Final recommendation -- check out time-restricted eating.  It makes Keto easier, and vice-versa.

[DrJonez]

Sodium should be 4-5 grams of sodium a day, not mg.  🙂

[Wnttobefit]

When I first started, i felt tired also, try eating some almonds (but not too many)    I like the smoked almonds.

On my case, it passed after about 2 weeks.  I started Keto in March. And it worked well for me. But I did have my moments.  

[Dominique]

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@weightlossking wrote:

I recently started another diet [link to bogus weight loss site removed] thats helping me lose weight while I still have more energy than ever. 

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Your spammy post will be removed by a moderator, like the other two. Here is why:

Please refrain from posting content that would constitute advertising, spam, or any other form of unauthorized solicitation.

[kathysown1990]

I'm so relieved to see this message!  I'm 5 weeks in and I feel like I'm just dragging my bones around.  I'm so tired!!  I'm really not good at recording my macros, but I haven't cheated at all in the 5 weeks. I'm eating lots of eggs, bacon, meat and leafy greens.  I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.  Also, I've been using the ketosis test strips and the color hasn't changed at all.  I have to be in ketosis by now, but the test strips don't confirm that.

[Wnttobefit]

I have read the Keto strips do not always work, so I do not use them, I go
by how my clothes fit, when I drop a size then of course I am losing
weight.
I too felt exhausted, try to eat the Atkins bar, the protein will help
with energy. Plus they taste great.
I recommend the Atkins Peanut butter cups, ( I can't tell them from the
ressese ones) I also like the Carmel chocolate but roll.
While some say it's not Keto, remember Keto diet does not mean no
carbs. Just low carbs.
I still lost weight eating some Atkins bars. The protein will help
with energy

Mrs. Dahle

[bitsANDbites00]

Hello 

This is my very first comment on here. I am just starting following a low carb / Keto type diet and find it fatiguing as well, can imagine it gets worse. So you are not alone. 

[AnaFitbit]

Hi @bitsANDbites00, welcome to the Community Forums. 

In this board you're going to find that we all are trying to be healthier and it's a great place to share your recipes and experiences with diets or with your eating habits. 

This thread is an old one but you can find useful information here. I personally prefer to consult with a nutritionist when I start a diet, to avoid side effects 😀

[jjessj18]

no need to sit on a diet

[jjessj18]

I try to eat more healthy food (fruits, vegetables, dairy products).

[AnaFitbit]

Hi @jjessj18, it's great to see you here. 

You're right, it's important to eat healthier and add veggies and fruits to our daily food.