Keto: The First Seven Days
One of the most common roadblocks you may experience, being new to keto, is the shock of the physiological changes in your body during the first seven days.
The ketogenic diet is not the easiest to follow. It takes a lot of discipline, and if you are not watching what you eat closely, you will end up either kicking yourself out of keto, or not reaching ketosis in the first place.
One of the most common roadblocks you may experience, being new to keto, is the shock of the physiological changes in your body during the first seven days. Rest assured that these changes are normal, and will lead to weight loss and other health benefits. To learn more about getting into ketosis, read our "Reaching Ketosis" article.
At this point, your body is going to be making the switch from burning carbs and glucose to burning fat. It is presumably not going to be used to this, and as a result, you will most likely feel a very noticeable change. We will walk you through what week one of keto will look like.
What to Expect in the First Week?
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Fatigue – This can be caused by your body’s natural response to looking for those carbs for fuel, which are no longer there. To minimize this, make sure you are getting enough fats in your diet. This feeling can last for a few days, but once you replace the carb intake with healthy fats and proteins, you will feel your energy come back in no time. You will also likely notice an increase in your stamina and endurance.
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The Keto Flu – We discuss the keto flu in detail in another article ("Reaching Ketosis"), but this is your body’s process of starting to produce ketones. You may feel slightly nauseous and experience headaches. You may want to carry some breath mints or gum as well to counter the "keto breath" symptoms associated with the keto diet.
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Less Hunger and Feeling Full - The good healthy fats and proteins that your body will now be burning, essentially take longer to burn than the carbs it is used to. This will hopefully leave you feeling full longer and curb those cravings for snacks you likely had throughout the day.
There is a ton of research backing the safety of keto...
Don't Fear the Effects
It sounds scary and very unnatural to mess with your body in such a way that you are going to actually feel the changes and have to consciously deal with some uncomfortable firsts. If you decide that you want the health benefits and results from trying the ketogenic diet, there are countless success stories of those who came before you. There is a ton of research backing the safety of keto, including a recent article siting the US Governments use and implementation of a ketogenic diet. But, as always, consult your physician if you have any more questions or concerns.
