Avoid Keto Flu: Start Your Keto Diet Right

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. It is not an actual flu, but it can be very unpleasant. Symptoms include fatigue, irritability, nausea, dizziness, headaches, and muscle pain. The keto flu is caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates.

- Eliminate carbs gradually instead of all at once.

- Increase your intake of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

- Drink more water.

- Eat more fat.

- Take it easy with physical activity during the first few weeks.

- Don't restrict your food intake too much; make sure you're eating enough calories and fat.

Gradually reduce carbs

Gradually Reducing Carbs to Avoid Keto Flu

The keto flu is a group of symptoms that some people experience when they start a ketogenic diet. This happens when the body is forced to burn ketones for energy instead of glucose, a process called ketosis. The symptoms can include headache, brain fog, fatigue, irritability, nausea, and constipation, and can last from a few days to several weeks.

To avoid keto flu, it is recommended to reduce your carb intake gradually instead of going cold turkey. Here are some tips to help you reduce your carb intake gradually:

Cut Out Processed Carbs First

Start by removing all processed carbs from your diet. This includes sugary drinks, sweets, cakes, biscuits, and other processed foods that contain high amounts of added sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Eliminate Grains

After cutting out processed carbs, the next step is to eliminate grains from your diet. This includes wheat, rice, and other grain products such as bread, pasta, and cereals.

Phase Out Fruits and Starchy Vegetables

Once you have eliminated grains, start to reduce your intake of fruits and starchy vegetables. These contain natural sugars and carbohydrates that can affect ketosis. Examples of starchy vegetables to reduce or avoid are potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and peas.

Increase Healthy Fats and Proteins

As you reduce your carb intake, increase your consumption of healthy fats and proteins. This will help you feel more satisfied and energised. Examples of healthy fats are avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Lean meats, fish, eggs, and dairy products are good sources of protein.

Take It Slow

Reducing your carb intake gradually gives your body time to adjust to the changes. There is no rush to reach ketosis, and it is better to go slow to avoid the unpleasant side effects of keto flu. Listen to your body and adjust your diet as needed.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water is important when reducing your carb intake. A ketogenic diet can cause a rapid loss of water stores, leading to dehydration. Aim to drink enough water throughout the day and listen to your body's thirst cues.

Replenish Electrolytes

When you reduce your carb intake, you also tend to lose electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. To avoid an electrolyte imbalance, increase your intake of salty foods or use Himalayan pink salt, which is rich in minerals. You can also consume bone broth, take magnesium supplements, and eat potassium-rich foods such as avocados, nuts, and leafy green vegetables.

By following these tips and gradually reducing your carb intake, you can help your body adjust to a ketogenic diet and avoid the unpleasant symptoms of keto flu. Remember to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed.

Increase electrolytes

When you start a keto diet, you may experience the keto flu, a set of symptoms that occur when your body is adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates. This is because when you restrict carbohydrates on a keto diet, the hormone insulin stays low, and your body loses more water, sodium, and potassium through urine. This can lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which is the primary cause of the keto flu. Electrolytes are essential minerals that regulate water distribution to your body's cells, control nervous system function, balance blood pressure, and perform other vital functions.

To avoid the keto flu, it is important to increase your intake of electrolytes. Here are some ways to do that:

• Increase salt intake: Add more salt to your food or drink bone broth, which is high in sodium.
• Take magnesium supplements: Magnesium is important for nerve function, energy production, and blood pressure regulation.
• Eat potassium-rich foods: Include salmon, avocados, nuts, mushrooms, and leafy green vegetables in your diet. Potassium is important for flushing out excess sodium and preventing muscle cramps.
• Consume calcium-rich foods: Dairy, bones, and cruciferous vegetables are good sources of calcium, which is crucial for bone health and regulating muscle contraction.
• Drink electrolyte-rich beverages: In addition to water, drink sports drinks or bone broth, which are high in electrolytes.
• Eat more electrolyte-rich foods: Include green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, and dairy in your diet to increase your intake of magnesium and calcium. For sodium and potassium, consume salt, salted nuts, pickles, and bone broth.

Drink more water

Drinking more water is one of the most important things you can do to avoid the keto flu. The keto diet causes a lot of water loss at the beginning, which can lead to dehydration and make you feel dizzy and tired.

It is recommended that you drink 16 cups of water per day (a gallon) to combat this, but it's also important to listen to your body and not overdo it. The goal is to quench your thirst. Keeping a bottle of water with you at all times can help you remember to drink enough water.

It's also important to note that drinking too much water without also replenishing electrolytes can dilute their concentration in your body and possibly make your keto flu worse. So, while drinking water is important, it's also crucial to replenish electrolytes at the same time.

Eat more fat

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they first start a keto diet. It is not an actual flu, but the symptoms can be similar, including fatigue, irritability, brain fog, and muscle soreness. The keto flu is caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates.

One way to avoid the keto flu is to eat more fat. This is because a well-balanced keto diet includes enough fat to ensure you’re not hungry after a meal, can go for several hours without eating, and have ample energy. Be sure to increase your intake of fat at the start of your keto journey until your body adapts to using fat and ketones for most of its energy needs. Once you’re fat-adapted, let your appetite guide you in cutting back on fat a bit and seeing how much you need to feel satisfied.

In short, when in doubt, add butter or other fats to your food. Check out some top tips for boosting fat intake, or follow keto recipes, which have enough fat in relation to carbs and protein.

If you’re feeling lousy, fuel up on some quick keto snacks to get you over the hump of sugar withdrawal. Remember, your body will adjust—this is temporary.

Exercise gently

Exercise is an important part of staying healthy and keeping body weight in check. However, strenuous exercise should be avoided when experiencing keto-flu symptoms.

If you are feeling tired and experiencing keto-flu symptoms, don't skip exercise altogether! Instead, try some less intense activities such as yoga or walking, as these already often use fat as a primary fuel source.

Exercising can help improve your body's ability to switch between the metabolic processes for burning fat and sugar, meaning you avoid keto flu.

• Listen to your body. The first couple of weeks on keto can be tough as your body adapts to using fat as its primary fuel source. Don't feel bad about taking it easy during this adjustment period. If your body is telling you to temporarily reduce the intensity of workouts, it's best to listen.
• Set a daily calorie goal. While there's more to body recomposition than calories in versus calories out, daily calorie intake still matters. If your goal is weight loss, select a caloric deficit. For users aiming to bulk up and minimize body fat, opt for a caloric surplus.
• Connect a fitness device. Consider using a FitBit, Garmin, or Apple Health device for more precise data on calories burned.
• Eat enough protein. Be sure to provide your muscles with the raw material they need to get stronger by maintaining protein at about 25% of total calories, or 0.8-1.0 grams per kilogram of your total body weight.
• Get plenty of rest. Your body needs deep rest to recover effectively between workouts. Be sure to take days off from exercise and get plenty of sleep on those off days so that your body can recover and build optimal amounts of muscle tissue.
• Drink plenty of water. It's important to increase water intake when following a keto diet to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. This becomes doubly important when adding exercise to the mix.
• Maintain electrolyte levels. This is important when combining exercise with keto. You can top up electrolyte levels by consuming adequate amounts of green leafy vegetables, such as kale, spinach, and collard greens, and by adding pink Himalayan sea salt to your food and water. Optionally, you can also take a high-quality commercial electrolyte supplement.

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