First signs of ketosis on a ketogenic diet

Signs of ketosis are clear to the people doing the keto diet, especially after understanding the process. It's my second week of combining intermittent fasting and a ketogenic diet. Saying it out loud last week brought more attention than I thought.

I got a positive response from people who have already tried it or are planning to stay on that lifestyle if nothing significantly changes. I also got lots of support from my friends, especially those knowing the real reason for my drastic diet change. Thanks!

I got the other kinds of responses too: you won’t make it, it’s not healthy, you’ll be hungry, etc. You decide which ones are wrong.

Let’s start with a little bit of theory. Skip it and go to the next paragraph if you’re only curious about my symptoms in the second week. Ketosis happens when a person doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to get energy. Instead, it uses the other thing that’s at its disposal, and that is fat. In the process of burning fat, it makes ketones for energy. You can launch it in two ways:

1. Fasting forces the body to use glycogen reserves before it starts using fat. The bigger the glycogen reserve, the longer it takes to get into the state of ketosis.

2. Low carb diet works the same, as it limits the supply of glucose. A body converts high amounts of protein into glucose. That is why it's essential to limit the amount of ingested protein.

Misery loves company so let's dive into my keto flu journey.

Sign #1 - Thirst

In the last couple of days, I consumed approximately 7 liters of water daily. It is summer, but this week was not even hot. Dehydration on a keto diet happens because glycogen is stored in about 3 grams of water. Burning glycogen makes you lose water as well.

Eating carbs and sugar trigger the pancreas to release insulin. High insulin levels result in kidneys holding water and sodium. Limiting the amount of “restricted food” lowers insulin levels. Kidneys get rid of excess water with sodium, which makes us thirsty.

Sign #2 - Weight loss

The dehydration process mentioned before resulted in me losing 5.2 kilograms in 14 days. I have a scale that gives me insight into other essential data. I lost 2.4 % fat and gained 1.1 % muscle and 1.9 % water. I successfully substituted lost water. Not everyone starts losing fat so early, but I have been on intermittent fasting for some time and also ate a lot of fat. That’s why I probably don’t have many problems with keto flu.

I want to stress that weight management is not my reason for changing a diet. I always had a few kilograms too many, but not as many that I’d care about them. I saw them as a reasonable price for my eating habits.

"The larger you are, the more water weight you’re likely to lose after starting keto. Although, it’s unlikely that much of this initial weight loss is fat loss." – Healthline

Sign #3 - Loss of appetite

I am usually hungry two hours after a meal. Everyone who ate with me knows I can eat a lot. To the ones guessing my health diagnosis, take that as a hint.

I think it’s been the first week in my life that I had moments of not being hungry. One day this week, I ate lunch, went for a run, and a few hours later, I only ate because I had too much of a calorie deficit. I was not even hungry!

Sign #4 - Change of taste

I always liked fatty food, but now I love it! I ate minced meat (čevapčiči for my Balkan friends) with eggs and cheese. Even my boyfriend couldn’t imagine eating it without at least a small amount of bread. I licked the plate because the fat was too good to throw away. Oops.

I put butter in my coffee. When I first heard about that a few years ago, it made me sick. Now I do it because it sounds and is delicious. And it’s only been two weeks. I’m afraid of what combination I’ll do in two months.

Sign #5 - Loss of energy

While my body is still adjusting to getting fuel from fat, I have less energy. I take energy gels or candies with me for any exercise and eat them if it is necessary. It results in me being slower. To the ones that don’t want to go on a bike ride with me because “I’m too fast,” now is the perfect moment.

Sign #6 - Nausea

Periodically I get nauseous after a meal with primarily fat. Digestive problems are short-term while the body adjusts to breaking down more fat. Increasing fat requires the liver to produce more bile, but bile is a natural laxative. Some people start the journey with diarrhea, but I luckily only have a stomach ache. To kill nausea, I drink water with electrolytes or a dash of salt, which sometimes helps and occasionally makes me bloated like a balloon, which is also the result of extra bile.

The bottom line

Changing any habit takes time and dedication. If you're struggling, try to remember why you decided on this step the first time. Understanding the process also helps me to stay on track. Keto flu will pass. Write in the comment what kind of symptoms you had and how you keep your motivation going.