One of the worst things about starting on the keto diet is what we call the “keto flu.”
You guessed it. It feels a lot like the regular old flu:
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Headache
- Lethargy
- Nausea
- Aches and pains
When you first start out on the ketogenic diet, usually within the first 24 hours, you may feel like you're coming down with the flu.
Odds are, you don't really have influenza. Instead, you have the keto flu.
Here's what to do if you have Keto Flu
There's really not much you can do about it, except to take some pain reliever like ibuprofen (e.g., Motrin) or acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) and drink water, adjust your macros, and maybe take in some electrolytes.
Drink lots and lots of water. Need I say more?
Eat more fats. Additionally, make sure you are eating enough! Sometimes, what appears to be the keto flu is nothing more than hypoglycemia! Remember, when on a keto diet, ALL your energy comes from fats! If you aren't eating enough fat, then you won't have any energy.
Get your macros right! Make sure you are eating some carbs (20 is the target, don't go any lower). You also need to make sure you're eating enough protein, usually about 1 gram per two pounds of body weight.
Eating less than that, you're in a severe caloric deficit and will lose a lot more muscle than fat.
Consume some electrolytes. Normally, I'd say, “Eat a banana.” But because keto is a very low-carb high-fat diet, where you're aiming for less than 50 grams of carbs a day (20 is better), eating a fruit with 27g of carbs is a really bad idea.
Don't get me wrong: I love bananas! But they're not your friend when you're on keto.
So get one of these instead.
Watch this video to learn more about the keto flu and how to deal with it:
If you do suffer from keto flu, be aware that you won't want to exercise for the first few days. In fact, you may suffer from the above side effects for up to two weeks (hey, just like regular flu).
Once you've been in ketosis for a week or two, symptoms of keto flu will dissipate and eventually disappear.
You must persist!
The first couple of weeks on the keto diet will be hard. You may get the keto flu. It will go away.
One thing you don't want to do: Bounce in and out of ketosis. You'll just keep “getting the flu” each time.
Persevere through the discomfort. You will come out on the other side feeling much better.
And you'll have probably lost 10 pounds or so and be much healthier for it!