Welcome to The Keto Cut - a series that will follow my daily routines as I cut for the summer on a ketogenic diet. These posts may not be for all of you as they are intensely focused on fitness and nutrition. Health is one of the most important parts of my life and I take it very seriously and I figured I would share my experiences and daily "logs" with all of you who may also be interested in this topic.
The Keto Flu and How to Adapt Faster:
What is Keto Flu? - Keto Flu isn't a real sickness, it is just a term that is used to describe the "symptoms" that people feel when they are adapting to the Ketogenic diet. Lightheadedness, sore muscles, sluggish feelings and irritability are some of the feelings that many people experience in the first few days of a Ketogenic diet.
I've heard a lot of different routes to take when it comes to combating these "symptoms." The 3 things I've found that help me the most are:
- Drink a lot of water - A lack of water is one of the major causes for the "symptoms"
- Add some salt to your food (I use Himalayan pink salt) - A lack of sodium is another significant cause of these "symptoms"
- Sleep Well - It's best to try and get 8 hours if your schedule allows it. Sleeping well will help keep your body rested and allow it to adapt faster
- Try to speed up the adaptation process by depleting your glycogen stores faster - you can deplete your glycogen stores faster by lifting weights or doing cardio. I prefer to do both to try and make the adaptation as quick as possible
- Eat more fat - one of the major points of failure for any keto dieter is a lack of fat. Contrary to what we are taught, eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. When on a ketogenic diet, fat is your friend and your source of energy. I like to supplement my diet with MCT Oil and Coconut Oil in order to get more fats. Avocados are also one of my favorite sources of fat as well.
MCT Oil - This stands for Medium-Chain Triglycerides. The MCT Oil I use is made by a company called Onnit and is 100% sourced from Coconut Oil. Medium-Chain Triglycerides are fats that can be easily and rapidly broken down in our bodies. Research has found the MCT Oil can rapidly increase ketone production and thus, lead to a faster adaptation to a ketogenic state.
While on a ketogenic diet, I've found that drinking MCT Oil in the morning with my Coffee can help push back any feelings of hunger. I typically add 1 TBSP of this oil to my coffee each morning and I won't eat my first meal until noon which allows me to follow a 16hr fast, 8hr eating window Intermittent Fasting routine.
I've also experienced better energy levels when drinking MCT Oil. When I drink MCT Oil either in my coffee in the morning or in my tea throughout the day I've found that I feel significantly more upbeat and energized. Research on MCT oils have found similar results.
Day 2 Log:
Weigh-In:
| Start Weight | Goal Weight | Weight Lost |
|---|---|---|
| 198 | 173 | 2.4 |
| Today's Weight | Fat Mass (%) | Body Mass BMI |
|---|---|---|
| 195.6 | 25.3 | 27.3 |
Workout:
Today was an off-day from lifting weights at the gym. Instead of doing any weight lifting, I did 30 minutes of HIIT Cardio (high-intensity-interval-training).
What I Ate Today:
| Meal | Food |
|---|---|
| 0 | Coffee with 1 TBSP MCT Oil |
| 1 | 4 Eggs, 2 Slices of Cheddar Cheese |
| 2 | 6 Oz Chicken, Stir Fry Vegetables, 2 TBSP Coconut Oil |
| 3 | 6 Oz Beef, Mixed Vegetables, 1 TBSP Coconut Oil |
| 4 | 3 Servings of Mixed Nuts, 2 Slices of Cheddar Cheese, 1 Avocado, 2 TBSP MCT Oil |
Note: When I have really busy days (like today) I usually end up eating a lot of easily transportable foods like mixed nuts and MCT Oil.
Here's the Question of The Day, don't forget to post your answers in the comments!
QOTD: Have you ever tried a ketogenic diet? Did you feel these "keto flu" type of "symptoms" when first adapting to no-carb? What did you do to try and overcome it?
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave your thoughts below and I look forward to seeing you in the comments!
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