Keto Weakness: How Long Does It Last?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that promises weight loss, improved blood sugar, and increased energy. However, it is common for people starting out on this diet to experience weakness and fatigue. This is often due to dehydration and a loss of electrolytes as the body adjusts to burning fat for energy, which can be combated by drinking plenty of water and ensuring adequate electrolyte intake. Another cause of weakness on the keto diet is undereating, as the diet suppresses appetite, making it easy to consume too few calories, which can reduce the body's production of energy hormones. This can be addressed by tracking calories and ensuring sufficient intake of healthy fats and protein. For most people, keto fatigue lasts only a few weeks, but if it persists, it is important to consult a medical professional to rule out other contributing factors.

The keto flu

Symptoms

• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Muscle soreness
• Sugar cravings
• Cramping
• Poor focus and concentration
• Brain fog
• Difficulty sleeping

Duration

Management

To manage the keto flu, it is recommended to:

• Drink plenty of water
• Eat more frequently and include plenty of colourful vegetables
• Gradually reduce carbohydrates instead of stopping suddenly
• Take electrolyte supplements
• Increase healthy fat intake
• Get plenty of rest
• Engage in light exercise, such as yoga or leisurely walking

Not eating enough calories

If you're feeling weak and tired on the keto diet, it could be because you're not eating enough calories. Ketosis suppresses appetite, making it easier to stay in a calorie deficit throughout the day. However, if you're cutting too many calories, your body may not be producing enough energy hormones, leaving you feeling weak and lethargic. This is especially common for people new to keto dieting.

To combat this, try counting your calories to ensure you're meeting your body's needs. If you're eating too little, incorporate more healthy fats, like avocado, olive oil, and salmon, and high-quality protein, like chicken and grass-fed beef. Eating more calories can help boost your energy levels and fight fatigue without slowing down your fat loss results.

In addition, it's important to eat in regular intervals to help your body burn fat and use it for energy. Regular meals also help prevent mindless eating. For those new to keto, it's recommended to eat at least 3 meals a day, spread evenly throughout the day, and add in some low-carb, high-fat snacks if needed.

If you're unsure if you're eating enough calories, consider keeping a food journal to track your calorie intake and how you feel when you consume more each day.

Dehydration

Symptoms of Dehydration

• Heart palpitations (the sensation of feeling your own heartbeat)
• Headaches
• Diarrhea
• Muscle soreness
• Stomach or intestinal pain
• Constipation
• Dizziness

Preventing Dehydration on Keto

To combat dehydration while on the keto diet, it is vital to get enough salt in your diet. You can add small amounts of salt or electrolyte supplements to your meals, or dissolve a bouillon cube in water or drink bone broth. You should also ensure you're drinking enough water, with a recommended intake of at least eight cups of water per day.

Keto Flu

The keto flu is a set of symptoms experienced by some people when they first start the keto diet. It is caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates. Symptoms of the keto flu include fatigue, headaches, tiredness, and nausea, and they typically last a few days to several weeks.

Other Causes of Fatigue on Keto

In addition to dehydration, there are several other reasons why you may feel weak or tired on the keto diet:

• Not eating enough calories: The keto diet can suppress your appetite, and it's easy to undereat. If you're not eating enough calories, your body may not be producing enough energy hormones, leaving you feeling weak and lethargic.
• Not eating enough fat: Your body needs fat to produce energy, especially when you're eating low amounts of carbohydrates. Eating too little fat can lead to fatigue.
• Not eating regularly: Eating at regular intervals can help the body burn fat and use it for energy. Skipping meals or combining keto with intermittent fasting can cause energy depletion.
• Not moving enough: Building up to a regular workout schedule can help improve your energy levels on keto. Aim for a combination of weight training and cardio, exercising at least 3-5 times a week.
• Electrolyte imbalance: In addition to dehydration, an electrolyte imbalance can cause muscle cramps, sleep issues, and headaches.

Eatingsection title

Eating

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet that aims to induce a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. While this diet has been linked to several benefits, including weight loss, improved health, and better management of blood sugar levels, it can also lead to a range of side effects, including keto flu.

Keto flu is a collection of symptoms that occur when the body adapts to a new diet with very few carbohydrates. This transition period can be challenging, and some people may experience keto flu more severely than others. Symptoms of keto flu include nausea, fatigue, headaches, muscle cramps, and sugar cravings. These symptoms typically last for a few days to several weeks and can be managed through proper hydration, electrolyte replacement, adequate sleep, and a gradual reduction in carbohydrate intake.

To prevent and alleviate keto flu symptoms, here are some specific strategies related to eating:

• Eat more salt: Increasing your salt intake can help reduce negative side effects as the body adjusts to burning fat. Try salting your food generously or adding a teaspoon of salt to a glass of water in the morning.
• Monitor your carbohydrate intake: The threshold for entering ketosis varies from person to person. While some people can consume up to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day and still be in ketosis, others need to restrict their intake to less than 20 grams. Track your macros using apps to ensure you're staying within your personal threshold.
• Avoid the accidental low-calorie diet: The keto diet can suppress your appetite, making it easy to undereat. Keep a food journal to ensure you're consuming enough calories. A healthy weight loss strategy typically involves decreasing your daily calories by about 500, resulting in a loss of approximately one pound per week.
• Eat regular meals: Eating at regular intervals helps the body burn fat and use it for energy. Aim for at least three meals a day, spread evenly throughout the day, and include a few snacks if needed.
• Consume more healthy fats: Your body relies on fat as its primary source of energy on the keto diet. Include healthy, unsaturated fats in your diet, such as nuts, seeds, oily fish, and healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil.
• Avoid "dirty keto": Opt for whole, unprocessed foods instead of highly processed "keto-friendly" snacks and junk food. Prioritize high-quality proteins, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs.
• Take supplements: Electrolyte supplements (sodium, potassium, magnesium) and B vitamins can help combat dehydration, fatigue, and other keto-related side effects.

Lack of exercise

Exercise is essential for stimulating fat loss and offers countless health benefits. For example, exercise lowers your risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, and obesity. It also helps build muscle, which can give your metabolism a boost by increasing the amount of energy burned at rest.

If you are new to the keto diet, low-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio exercises such as walking, running, cycling, training on an elliptical machine, and swimming are more tolerable than higher-intensity sessions. Continuous aerobic exercise reduces total body fat and improves fat distribution more effectively than high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

If you are looking to build muscle while on keto, strength exercises like weightlifting, squats, and pushups are a great idea. Keep in mind other factors that will influence muscle development, such as your protein intake, training load, calorie intake, and recovery.

If you are unable to have an active lifestyle, there are other ways to maximize weight loss while on keto, such as intermittent fasting, reducing snacking, choosing zero-carb snacks, and improving sleep quality.

Frequently asked questions