Keto First Week: Challenges And Solutions

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein diet that can lead to weight loss and improve health. However, it can be challenging to adjust to this diet and stick to it, especially when combined with an exercise routine. During the first week of keto, some people experience the keto flu, which involves feeling foggy, nauseous, fatigued, and achy. This can make it difficult to work out, and the diet itself may not be providing enough energy for intense workouts. Additionally, it can take time for the body to adapt to using fat as its main energy source during exercise, which can result in reduced performance.

Not achieving ketosis

The most important factor in entering ketosis is eating a very low-carb diet. Ketosis is a metabolic state that the body enters when it doesn't have enough carbohydrates from food for energy. Instead, the body burns fat. Typically, the body breaks down carbohydrates into the sugar glucose, which it uses for energy. When there are not enough carbs in the body, it goes into a stage called ketosis.

Not cutting back enough on carbs

To enter ketosis, it is recommended to eat a maximum of 20 grams of digestible carbs per day. However, some people may need to limit their net carb intake to 50 grams or fewer per day, while others can enter ketosis while eating more than that. Eating too many acceptable carbs, such as nuts and dairy, can also prevent ketosis.

Not counting calories

To lose weight, a person needs to burn more calories than they consume. People who consume too many calories may gain weight, even if they are in ketosis. Therefore, it is important to keep track of calorie intake.

Eating too much protein

A diet that is low in carbs and high in protein is not a keto diet. This is because the body can break down excess proteins into amino acids and convert them into types of sugar. If protein makes up more than 35% of a person's diet, they may not go into ketosis.

Other factors

Other factors that can affect ketosis include sleep quality, hormone levels, and exercise. It is important to consult a qualified health professional before making major dietary changes, as there are potential risks associated with the ketogenic diet.

Eating too much protein

While it is important to eat adequate amounts of protein on the keto diet, eating too much can have negative consequences. The ideal keto diet consists of around 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. This means that, on average, only about 20% of your daily calories should come from protein. Eating more than this can mess with your body's ability to burn fat and produce ketones.

How Too Much Protein Affects Your Body

When you eat more protein than your body needs, your body can turn the amino acids (the building blocks of protein) into glucose (blood sugar) through a process called gluconeogenesis. Your body will opt to use this glucose for fuel instead of burning fat and producing ketones, as glucose is a more easily accessible energy source. As a result, you may find yourself stuck in sugar-burning mode and unable to enter ketosis.

Signs You're Eating Too Much Protein

There are a few key signs that may indicate you are consuming too much protein on the keto diet:

• Ammonia breath: Ammonia is a natural byproduct of protein metabolism, typically excreted in the urine. However, when you consume excess protein, ammonia levels can build up and be exhaled, leading to breath that smells like ammonia or Windex.
• Flu-like symptoms: When excess protein shifts your body out of ketosis, you may experience symptoms similar to the "keto flu," including low energy, irritability, headaches, muscle cramps, and digestive issues. These symptoms may recur as your body bounces between burning sugar and burning fat.

How to Adjust Your Protein Intake

If you suspect you are eating too much protein, there are a few steps you can take:

• Track your food intake: Use an app to track your food intake for a few days to get a clearer picture of your protein consumption.
• Test your ketone levels: Use at-home urine or blood test strips to measure your ketone levels. If they are below the optimal range for ketosis, adjust your protein intake accordingly.
• Adjust your meals: If you are consuming more than 20% of your daily calories from protein, reduce your protein intake and increase your healthy fat intake.

The Importance of Protein

While it is important to avoid overeating protein on keto, it is also crucial not to restrict your protein intake too much. Protein provides numerous benefits, including:

• Maintaining and building muscle mass
• Reducing cravings and increasing satiety
• Lowering high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels
• Boosting calorie burning
• Increasing energy levels

Recommended Protein Intake on Keto

The ideal amount of protein to consume on the keto diet depends on various factors, including your activity level, current body composition, and body composition goals. Here are some general guidelines:

• Sedentary individuals: Consume 0.6-0.8 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• Regularly active individuals: Aim for 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.
• Weight lifters: Eat 1.0-1.2 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass.

Eating too many acceptable carbs

The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate method of eating. While on the keto diet, your body will be running on fat for fuel instead of energy-boosting carbs. This can make exercising difficult, especially high-intensity workouts like HIIT, sprinting, or weightlifting.

When starting the keto diet, it is common to experience the "keto flu" in the first two to four weeks. This includes feeling foggy, nauseous, fatigued, and having headaches. These symptoms are caused by changes in your metabolism as your body adjusts to burning fat for energy, and by electrolyte dips as the keto diet can initially flush a lot of water out of your body.

One of the challenges of the keto diet is that it is easy to eat too many acceptable carbs, which can prevent your body from reaching ketosis and reaping the full metabolic benefits of the diet. Here are some ways that eating too many acceptable carbs can affect your body:

• Fatigue and low energy levels: Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel for our bodies, so reducing your intake can significantly impact your energy levels. Carbs are converted to energy more efficiently than protein or fat, so you may feel sluggish throughout the day on a low-carb diet.
• Difficulty concentrating: Following a low-carb diet can impair your concentration and make it harder to focus at work or on other tasks.
• Weight gain: While low-carb diets are often associated with weight loss, eating too few carbs can have the opposite effect. Your body may react to the decreased carbohydrate intake by trying to produce its own usable glucose from protein or fat, and may start storing this sugar as fat to "prevent starvation."
• Constipation: Reducing your carbohydrate intake often means reducing your fiber intake as well, as fiber is most concentrated in carbohydrate-rich foods. Not eating enough fiber can lead to constipation and cause bloating, gas, and other gastrointestinal issues.
• Increased hunger: Complex carbohydrates help suppress appetite and regulate hunger and fullness cues. Eating too few carbs can disrupt these cues and leave you feeling hungry, increasing the risk of cravings and binging.
• Nutrient deficiencies: Restrictive low-carb diets can lead to nutrient deficiencies, especially if they eliminate fruits, whole grains, and vegetables that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Bad breath: When your body goes into ketosis and stops using carbohydrates as fuel, it produces acetone, which can build up in the body and cause bad breath.

To avoid these issues, it is important to carefully monitor your carbohydrate intake and ensure that you are still getting enough fiber and essential nutrients. It may be helpful to consult with a dietitian or healthcare professional to ensure that your keto diet is well-balanced and meets your individual needs.

Little to no exercise

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy and can be crucial to losing weight on the keto diet. Exercise stimulates the body's metabolism and burns calories, which can help a person reach their desired weight.

If you are not exercising at all during your first week of keto, you may want to consider incorporating some low-intensity physical activity into your routine. This could include activities such as yoga, jogging, or biking, which can be easier on your body as it uses fat as its main source of energy.

If you are feeling particularly sluggish or experiencing the "keto flu," it may be beneficial to start with a low-to-moderate intensity, short-duration workout for the first week or two. You can also try walking more, taking the stairs, or standing at your desk to increase your physical activity level.

Remember that everyone's experience with keto is different, and it may take time for your body to adjust to this new way of eating. Listen to your body and make adjustments as needed.

Experiencing the keto flu

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and vary from person to person. The symptoms are largely caused by changes in metabolism now that the body has no choice but to burn fat for energy.

Symptoms

• Fatigue and irritability: Lack of sleep can cause levels of the stress hormone cortisol to rise in the body, which can negatively impact mood and make keto-flu symptoms worse.
• Headaches
• Nausea and constipation
• Achy and tired: Your body will feel extra sluggish as glucose and glycogen (a.k.a. sugar and carbs) are no longer stored in the muscles for quick energy.
• Foggy: You may experience brain fog and have difficulty concentrating.
• Muscle soreness and cramps
• Sugar cravings

How to get rid of the keto flu

• Stay hydrated: A keto diet can cause you to rapidly shed water stores, increasing the risk of dehydration.
• Replace electrolytes: When following a ketogenic diet, levels of insulin decrease, causing the kidneys to release excess sodium from the body. Getting adequate amounts of these important nutrients is an excellent way to power through the adaptation period of the diet.
• Get enough sleep: Avoid strenuous activities, especially intense exercise, during the first week while your body adjusts to new fuel sources.
• Eat enough fat: Transitioning to a very low-carb diet can cause you to crave foods that are restricted on the ketogenic diet. Eating enough fat, the primary fuel source on the ketogenic diet, will help reduce cravings and keep you feeling satisfied.
• Cut out carbs slowly: If you find that keto flu makes it difficult to stick with a keto diet, you can ease into it instead of immediately and severely limiting your carbohydrate intake.

Frequently asked questions