Keto Diet: Day 3, What To Expect

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that can cause the body to go into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. On day three of the keto diet, you may be experiencing the worst of the carb flu or keto flu, with symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, brain fog, and irritability. This is because your body is still adjusting to the lack of carbohydrates and has not yet started burning fat for fuel. However, some people may find that they enter ketosis within three days, which can lead to rapid weight loss and increased energy.

'Keto flu' symptoms may include headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, brain fog, and irritability

The "keto flu" is a term used to describe the symptoms experienced by some people during the first few days of starting a keto diet. It is important to note that not everyone will go through the keto flu, but for those who do, it can be an uncomfortable experience.

Keto flu symptoms may include headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea, brain fog, and irritability. These symptoms are often the result of your body adjusting to a lack of carbohydrates and can be quite challenging to cope with. The good news is that these symptoms typically peak around day 3 of the keto diet and then start to improve.

During the keto flu, it is essential to be gentle with yourself and listen to your body. You may need to reduce your activity levels and get plenty of rest. Staying hydrated is also crucial, as your body is losing a lot of water weight during this transition.

The keto flu is usually short-lived, and most people start to feel better by the end of the first week. By then, your body is getting used to burning fats for fuel, and you may even notice an increase in your energy levels.

While the keto flu can be challenging, it is a normal part of the transition process, and it will pass. Remember to take it easy and focus on getting through this challenging period, as there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

You may experience decreased physical strength and endurance

On the keto diet, you strictly limit your carb intake, typically to 50 grams or fewer per day of total carbs, or 25 grams or fewer of net carbs (total carbs minus fibre). This means that your body will be relying almost solely on fat for energy.

During the first few days of the keto diet, your brain struggles to energise itself due to the lack of carbohydrates. Your muscles will also be affected by this, and you may experience a loss of strength and endurance. Some people find that they can't follow their usual workouts and feel too drained to make it through their regular routine.

If your training consists of high-intensity activities that last longer than 30 seconds at a time (e.g. sprinting, competitive sports, or lifting weights), you may struggle to keep your performance at the same level. This is because your body cannot burn fat and ketones to fuel these types of activities. Your muscles will always require faster-burning fuel sources like creatine phosphate and carbohydrates for high-intensity exercises.

However, this decrease in physical strength and endurance will usually only last for about a month as your body adapts to burning ketones and fat instead of using sugar for fuel. To prevent any loss in strength and endurance, you can try changing your training regime temporarily to focus on low to moderate-intensity exercises or high-intensity exercises that last for around 15 seconds per effort.

Additionally, you can try implementing a targeted ketogenic diet by consuming a small amount of easily absorbable carbs before your workouts. Alternatively, you can try a cyclical ketogenic diet, which involves upping your carb intake to improve performance while still reaping the benefits of ketosis. It's important to remember that everyone is different, and some people may not experience any issues with their physical strength and endurance while on the keto diet.

You may have digestive issues such as constipation or diarrhoea

Day 3 of the keto diet is often one of the hardest days of the transition period, as your body is still adjusting to burning fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. One of the common issues people experience on Day 3 is digestive problems, such as constipation or diarrhoea.

Constipation and Diarrhoea

Constipation and diarrhoea are common issues when starting the keto diet, and they can be caused by a few different factors. Firstly, when you restrict carbs, your body excretes excess water, and one way it does this is through the digestive tract, which can lead to diarrhoea. This should resolve on its own once your body adjusts to lower insulin levels. However, if you continue to experience runny stools after entering ketosis, it may be due to a lack of fibre in your diet. Fibre adds bulk to your stool, so not having enough can lead to diarrhoea and occasional bouts of constipation.

Tips to Remedy Digestive Issues

To help with constipation and diarrhoea, it is important to ensure you are staying hydrated and consuming enough water. In addition, eating more low-carb vegetables can help add bulk to your stool and provide your body with essential minerals. Stress can also be a factor in digestive issues, so it is important to practice stress-relieving activities such as meditation, yoga, or going for walks.

It is important to remember that everyone's body is different, and the timeline for getting into ketosis can vary. Some people may experience these digestive issues earlier or later than Day 3, and it is normal for the body to take some time to adjust to the new diet.

Other Common Issues on Day 3

In addition to digestive issues, you may also be experiencing other symptoms on Day 3 of the keto diet, such as mental and physical fogginess, decreased energy levels, and flu-like symptoms. These symptoms are all part of the "carb flu," which is caused by your body adjusting to a lack of carbohydrates. It is important to be gentle with yourself during this time and remember that these symptoms are normal and will pass.

You may feel more thirsty and need to urinate more often

When you start a keto diet, you'll be limiting your carb intake, typically to 50 grams or fewer per day. For most people, carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy. When you restrict your carb intake, your body will burn through the carb stores in your muscles and liver, which is called glycogen, in a few days.

As your body starts to rely on ketones from the fat you're burning instead of glucose from carbohydrates, you may experience an increase in thirst and the need to urinate more often. This is because when you burn through glycogen, your body releases the water that was bound to it. This is known as the \"keto flu\", and other symptoms can include fatigue, mental fogginess, and irritability.

The keto flu usually lasts a couple of days, and your body will then start burning more and more ketones for fuel, which can take around one to two weeks. This transition period is a natural part of the process, and it's important to be gentle with yourself and listen to your body during this time.

To help manage the increased thirst and urination, it's crucial to prioritise water intake. The high amount of ketones in the body can lead to dehydration, so staying hydrated is essential. Additionally, getting enough sleep and practising stress relief methods can also help alleviate these symptoms.

You may experience dramatic weight loss

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet. When you start a keto diet, you will need to restrict your carb intake to 20 to 50 grams per day, or less than 10% of total daily calories. This is a very low-carb diet, and some people on keto follow a net-carb plan, where you can subtract the grams of fibre from a food's total carbs.

When you restrict carbs on keto, your body rapidly burns through glycogen, the stored carbs in your liver and muscles. After your glycogen stores are depleted, you shift to burning fat. This is when you enter ketosis. Many people notice dramatic weight loss during this transition period, but most of this is due to changes in water weight.

The glycogen stored in your muscles and liver is bound with water, typically at a ratio of 3 grams of water for each gram of glycogen. When you burn through these stored carbs, this water is excreted in your urine or sweat. This is why you may notice that you have to urinate more often and feel much thirstier than normal.

Depending on your size and how much water weight you're carrying, this weight loss can vary. People report losses within the first week of anywhere from 1 pound (0.5 kg) to 10 or more pounds (5 kg). The larger you are, the more water weight you're likely to lose after starting keto. However, it's unlikely that much of this initial weight loss is fat loss.

Once you enter ketosis, it's much easier to utilise your own stored fat for energy, which is one reason why the keto diet may be advantageous for weight loss. When you burn through glycogen, your body releases the water that was bound to it. Much of your early weight loss is probably due to these water losses. However, you'll burn more stored body fat once you're fully in ketosis.

Many people use the keto diet for weight loss, and there are several reports online of dramatic weight loss shortly after starting the diet. This is likely mostly water weight because as you burn through your carb stores, your body releases the water that was bound to those carbs. Once you're fully in ketosis, your weight loss will probably slow down, but it's likely to be more fat than water.

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