This article assumes you already know about the keto-diet and losing weight by nutritional ketosis.
The best part of the keto diet for me is the high energy levels, high alertness, low fatigue, and clarity of thought.
The worst part?
Getting through the 2 weeks of hell when you transition from a regular carb based diet into a stable, self sustained, natural state of ketosis!!
If only I knew what I’m about to tell you before I started my keto diet, it would have saved me lots of time, energy, effort and productivity.
Now, I don’t know about you, but every time I go off a carb based diet and get into ketosis, I get a few symptoms of the “keto-flu”. Symptoms like headaches, weakness, fatigue, etc. You can read more about it here, but the jist of it is that you lose essential minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium) during the transition period.
I have looked for a way to circumvent the process and have found the answer!
Consuming exogenous ketones and MCT oil along with the normal fat and protein needed to start the keto diet, is a great way to kick start ketosis and avoid most of the effects of the keto flu.
You can read why ketosis gives your body better, long lasting energy and health, but the short version of the answer is that, we get into the nutritional state of ketosis for one simple reason: getting our bodies to produce ketones ,which we can then use for energy, weightloss, appetite control, increased immunity, etc.
Our bodies already know how to use ketones for energy, it just can’t create them when we keep stuffing our face with carbs and sugars through the day.
However when you consume exogenous ketones; and you’re already starting the keto diet, then your body gets the energy it wants directly, without the lag time it takes if you would not consume them.
Remember that when you start the keto diet, the first thing that happens is that the gycogen (brain food) in your body is flushed out and that’s when the most common symptoms of the keto flu get a grip on you: weakness, fatigue, cravings and headaches, etc. are mainly due to lack of energy for the brain , while your body takes the 2 weeks to start making the proper amounts of ketones it needs to function at 100%.
You can buy 4 serving sample pack ($12) or 30 days worth (30 servings) of Exogenous ketones! ($51) here
There is another important point to take note if you go to the gym and are building muscle, or if you plan to keep the existing muscle strength you have (I really wish I knew this before starting ketosis!):
When your body transitions out of using glucose (by burning carbs) for energy and starts using ketones (by burning fats), your body uses up the protein stored as muscle mass. in order to maintain minimum energy levels within the body and keep supplying the brain and other vital organs with the energy during the transition period.
Consuming the exogenous ketones right away makes it very easy for the body to use them instead of using up the protein in your muscles while it’s still ramping up production of it’s own ketones. This doesn’t mean you lower protein consumption required of you during the keto diet. Please consume a good amount of protein every day, at least in the first week of the diet.
2. Another little trick to help you along: MCT oil (Medium Chain Triglycerides) derived from coconut oil
Fair warning, there is lot’s of BS out there about MCT oil and most people gloss over it, so I’ll give you the short version.
Do you remember that rush of alertness you get in your brain when you eat a good meal and you feel ready to tackle the world, yeah, imagine if you had that rush throughout the day, without having to constantly stuff your face with food.
Here’s the short version: True MCT oils give your brain a big energy and mood boost, they can be used and broken down for energy directly without having to wait in line at the liver to be processed. Your body requires 3 steps to create energy (ATP) from MCTs and 26 steps to do the same with sugar.
However due to what’s legally allowed to be called an MCT, there are many inefficient ones out there on the market.
Coconut oil is the best natural source of MCT. However only approximately 15% of coconut oil is an MCT (6% caprylic acid + 9% Capric acid).
Let’s face it, it’s a silly idea to guzzle down coconut oil without risking diarrhea or other stomach issues.
This is where certain health companies have extracted only the MCT compounds from the coconut oil and have started selling it to a growing consumer base. Why don’t you try out some MCT oil derived from organic coconuts ($23.72)
Start out at a single teaspoon a day, and work it up to a Maximum of 1 tablespoon per day over 2 months. Don’t over do it. (poop issues)
The last step left is to measure your ketone levels to confirm if and when you’ve entered ketosis, after a few times, you’ll just have a natural sense of it, but if you’re someone who prefers accuracy in measurements,
I would suggest either of these two:
A blood ketone testing kit for $110
or
Keto (pee test) strips for $9.95
The blood testing kit will give you more accurate results every time, measurements for optimal ketosis should be between 0.5 to 3.0 mM.
However with the pee strips, they measure excess ketones which pass through the urine, it’s a good test to see if your body is producing ketones in the amount required, however when your body becomes efficient in using up the ketones and not wasting them and excreting them through your pee (“keto adapted”) you’ll find less of it being measured in your pee and the keto strips won’t reflect your true blood ketone levels.
My personal advice is not to obsess over measurements, there are many normal ways to judge when you’re in ketosis and have started using fat for fuel. Comment and let us know what you think, we read all comments, even the bad ones.
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