words Alexa Wang
Youre all in.
You heard about all the celebrities whove usedthe keto diet, from Halle Berry to LeBron James. You figured that if it wasgood enough for them, its good enough for you.
Your friends couldnt stop singing the praisesof their ketogenic diets, and they kept telling you how much weight theyvelost. They certainly do look good.
You were sick of dragging all that extra weight around, and were more than ready for all of the other benefits attributed to keto. After all, who could argue with heart health, better brain function, increased focus and more energy?
But you started the keto diet last week, and youcant stop wondering: why am I soexhausted all of the time? Stop worrying, and have another serving of baconand eggs. (Extra bacon, please!)
When you start feeling tired after beginning theketo diet, thats actually a good thing. It means the diet is working.
Why does that happen and how long will itlast? Read on.
The keto diet causes major changes in the wayyour body processes, uses and stores the food you eat. That, in turn, causesmajor changes in the way youre going to feel at least, at first.
To understand how that happens, its importantto learn a little more about ketosis and the keto diet, explained more fully atDietHive.
The keto diets name actually stems from whathappens in your body when you go low-carb, high fat. Here are the key facts ina nutshell.
So in short, keto is a low-carb diet designed toforce your body into ketosis. In that metabolic state, the body burns fat youhave stored up over time, and doesnt have excess glucose to store as new fat.
And the name keto diet is really just shorthand for ketogenic diet, describing the process by which the body burns fat and the process by which you lose weight.
According to TheHealthy, The keto diet is a huge change for your body.Instead of eating a high-carb diet, youre eating lots of fats and proteinwhile avoiding most carbs, entering a state of ketosis as a result. All of asudden, the body has to adapt to a complete diet, and has to find a differentmethod of obtaining the energy it needs.
Thats a difficult process for the body toadjust to, and it can make you exhausted for a while. But its not abnormal.In fact, its to be expected and theres even an informal name for it: the ketoflu. (The more scientific name for it is keto induction, and its sometimescalled ketogenic fatigue.)
Its not really a flu, and its not caused by avirus. But the symptoms are quite similar. Fatigue and weakness, headache,nausea and vomiting are the most common ones. You might also notice musclecramps, constipation, a rash or even bad breath. (Bad breath? One ketone thebody produces is acetone, which you may recognize as a common and smelly solvent.)
You commonly experience the keto flu, and itstelltale low energy levels, when your body is in the process of enteringketosis. Since your body is using up all of its stored glucose and youre notadding more via carbs, you end up with low levels of insulin in yourbloodstream.
Thats a good thing for fat burning and weightloss, but it also causes you to urinate a lot. And in the process, you lose alot of bodily fluid, sodium and potassium. As you might have guessed, thatmeans you may get dehydrated and weak.
There are three pieces of good news, though.First, the keto flu means that youre entering ketosis, the key to the dietssuccess. Second, it doesnt last all that long. According to Diet Hive,most people only experience the keto flu for a week or two, although it canlast as long as a month for some.
Third, in many people, ketogenic fatigue onlylasts a few days and there are thingsyou can do to feel better even faster.
If you know that a problem is imminent, you canprepare for it. In the case of the keto flu, that means being ready to supplementor alter your diet during the first few weeks.
A good first step is to be sure that youre drinking at least 2-3 quarts of fluids every day. It doesnt have to be just water (or flavored water); you can also drink tea, broth or diet soda, although you should keep your caffeine consumption to reasonable levels. If the symptoms worsen during the day or you get a headache, drink a cup of water with a teaspoon of salt mixed in and you should feel better.
Its also important to get enough electrolytes like salt, magnesium and potassium, but avoid the sugar-based drinks you can buy at the store. Get them from salted broth and keto-friendly foods like avocado and nuts, and dont skimp on salt at mealtime. Many electrolyte-heavy foods will also help you avoid constipation.
Almost everyone has to endure the keto flu whenthey start a ketogenic diet. Dont panic; its worth it. Before you know it,youll be enjoying that extra energy and focus they promised, as you watchthe weight fall off.
Go here to see the original:
Why Am I Exhausted On The Keto Diet? - Flux Magazine
