Keto Means
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What do the first few days on keto feel like?

For the first week of the Keto Diet, you may have symptoms of fatigue, brain fog, headaches, irritability, muscle cramps, lightheadedness, and nausea. These symptoms vary among individuals and will begin to improve as your body adapts to the new diet. It generally takes 1 week to 10 days for these symptoms to resolve.

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The Keto Diet is one of the most popular diet and lifestyle trends to emerge in recent years. And with the growing body of scientific research appearing to support the safety and health benefits, Keto is likely here to stay. However, a subset of individuals experience negative side effects on the Keto Diet, usually when first starting it. Luckily, most of these side effects can be mitigated by addressing a few gaps in your low carb, high-fat lifestyle. In this article from our Keto Beginners Series, we’ll talk about the most common Keto side effects and why they occur.

Most Common Side Effects

#1. The Keto Flu

The Keto Flu is a set of flu-like symptoms that typically occurs in the first week of going Keto. The symptoms can include fatigue, nausea, headache, and irritability. More on this below.

#2. Sugar Cravings

It’s common for those going Keto to have intense cravings for sugary snacks in the beginning. These cravings are normal and are a result of your body getting less sugar than it is used to. You can think of this as a form of withdrawal symptom. But don’t worry! These cravings will diminish and disappear altogether as you become Keto-adapted. To help you make it through this early phase, see our article on Keto-friendly sweeteners and treats!

#3. Decreases in Strength and Athletic Performance

Your muscles need quick access to energy when exercising. That energy comes from stored glycogen and the phosphocreatine system. When you are starting the Keto Diet, you may experience a decrease in athletic performance. However, research has demonstrated that Keto-adapted athletes perform just as well as those on a carbohydrate-based diet.[*, *] If you are very athletic, or interested in building significant muscle mass, check out our article about the targeted or cyclical Keto Diet. These modified Keto Diets may be a better option for those participating in higher-level training programs or bodybuilding.

#4. Trouble Sleeping

Insomnia is a common side effect in the early stages of the Keto Diet. It has been postulated that the extreme dietary change can cause initial spikes in the stress hormone cortisol, which may interfere with sleep. Additionally, tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, which are thought to be important to sleep. The hormone insulin, which is released when you consume carbohydrates, plays a role in ushering tryptophan into the brain. When you’re on the Keto Diet, you have less insulin release, which may decrease the amount of tryptophan entering the brain. On the flip side, you may sleep less because the Keto Diet decreases fatigue. Studies have demonstrated decreased fatigue in overweight individuals, as well as those with narcolepsy.[*] Additionally, the Keto Diet, or at least weight loss in general, may help improve your sleep quality.[*] So even if you are sleeping less, the quality of sleep, and your fatigue level throughout the day, could actually improve. If sleep is a problem as you adjust to Keto, you might consider eating a small amount of carbs before bed. You may also benefit from supplementing with melatonin and following common recommendations to maintain good sleep, such as going to bed at the same time every night, limiting caffeine intake in the afternoon, and avoiding screen time 1-2 hours before trying to sleep.

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Will exercise speed up keto?

Does Exercise Speed Up Ketosis? The short answer is yes; exercise can accelerate your transition to ketosis. Moderate-to-high intensity exercise will help deplete your glycogen stores, so you achieve ketosis more quickly. Glycogen is excess glucose (sugar) your body stores in your liver and muscles.

One study showed untrained people performing moderate-high intensity exercise could deplete liver glycogen stores in just 118 minutes. Study participants who were moderate to well-trained took 153 minutes to deplete liver glycogen stores. [4] You might think it’s mostly sprinting, and higher intensity exercise that gets you into ketosis faster, but even long walks that get your heart rate moving can help you burn through your glycogen stores and reach ketosis! High-intensity interval training (HIIT) depletes glycogen stores faster and can speed up the adaptation phase. Research shows prolonged exercise and slow-paced endurance sports like jogging, swimming, and cycling support a ketotic state and push your body to use fat for fuel. Studies also show exercise and resistance training on keto increases fat burning and boosts muscle strength. All the more reason to exercise on keto!

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