Admin The success of the keto diet all boils down to tuning your metabolism by consuming specific amounts of macronutrients. Getting calories from 75% fat, 20% protein and only 5% carbohydrates forces the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where fat is burned as fuel. This may sound like a weight loss dream, but this macronutrient-bending diet plan is not for everyone. In fact, drastic changes to your macronutrients can lead to some pretty unpleasant side effects. In addition, many health experts warn that keto is not a healthy long-term solution for keeping the weight off. How do you know when it’s time to stop the keto diet? Here are twelve warning signs that keto diet might not be an ideal choice and you should stop it.
1. You’re Nauseous or Throwing up.
The dreaded “keto flu.” Many people report nausea and vomiting (as well as dizziness, weakness, and irritability) shortly after starting keto therapy. If you’re not ready to get through the throes of these symptoms, you may want to steer clear of this diet. Keto flu is very common and can last from a few days to a week or two. Drinking plenty of water and boosting electrolytes to minimize symptoms – which will go away once you’re in ketosis.
2. You Have No Energy
Complete elimination of carbohydrates from the daily diet can lead to fatigue and energy loss. Carbohydrates are known to be the main source of energy for metabolism.
Since carbohydrates have been removed from your diet, the body must convert fat into usable energy, which can be quite a difficult transition for your body. This fatigue will also pass after a few days or weeks.
3. You’re Having Frequent Headaches
During ketosis, the body excretes fluid more quickly (you urinate more often). In addition, your insulin levels drop because you eat fewer carbohydrates. As a result of all this, you feel dehydrated and may have frequent headaches.
4. You’re Having Diarrhea.
Increasing your fat intake can take a toll on your digestive system. If your body isn’t used to metabolizing large amounts of fat, it may simply expel it – sending you running to the bathroom. For some people, the diarrhea associated with ketosis never stops.
5. You can’t Socialize through Food.
If you’re a more outgoing person who likes to split time or hang out with friends at fancy restaurants while trying some of their great dishes, then a keto diet may be an obstacle. You may most likely not find the perfect meal containing up to 75% fat to fit into your weight loss diet.
6. You’re all Stopped up.
Strictly limiting carbohydrates is the key to success on a keto diet, but that means you’re missing out on a very important carbohydrate: fiber. The longer you stay on a low-fiber diet, the slower your digestion will be. Chronic constipation can lead to complications such as hemorrhoids or intestinal obstruction.
7. You’re not Losing Weight
Getting into ketosis can be tricky. If you don’t follow macronutrients strictly, your body won’t produce ketone bodies and stay in nutritional ketosis. If your body doesn’t go into ketosis, you won’t lose weight quickly. This can also happen because you may be overloading yourself with calories due to consuming too much fat.
8. Your Periods have Become Irregular
Diet is a major cause of menstrual disorders. A low-carbohydrate diet causes menstrual disorders. Other causes include the following:
- Significant loss of weight within a short time
- Excess exercise
- Eating a little less.
A keto diet affects hormonal signaling, which can lead to delayed or complete loss of menstruation.Fat cells produce the hormone leptin, which causes interruption of menstruation. Low carbohydrate intake suppresses leptin levels and therefore prevents it from regulating reproductive hormones.
To correct this, going off the diet will do the trick. However, to manage while continuing the diet, consider increasing your daily carbohydrate intake.
9. You Suffer Anxiety and Insomnia
Whether the keto diet helps manage anxiety has not yet been proven. However, it is an uncommon side effect of this diet.
While anxiety is often a sign that you should give up ketosis, the condition is manageable. Limit caffeine by controlling your intake of such beverages such as coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks.
Poor sleep or lack of sleep is also common among people on a keto diet. Some people wake up frequently during the night, while others are unable to sleep at all.
While this condition may improve after a few weeks, it is a sign that you should consider quitting.
10. You Encounter Hunger and Dehydration
Feeling hungry on a keto diet is an indicator that something is wrong. The focus of this diet is animal protein. In one study, participants felt less hungry on a keto diet. However, this was not the result for everyone in the study.
Therefore, if you find yourself hungry, you should change direction and abandon the keto diet. This result doesn’t make it a “bad diet”. Rather, it makes it not a great plan for your needs.
The right keto diet should address your hunger, coupled with taking healthy, recommended snacks. However, other factors, such as lack of sleep and stress, can contribute to hunger. Be sure to address them.
Dehydration is also possible while on a keto diet. Drinking more water to curb this may cause electrolytes to flush out.
When you drink water, work to restore lost electrolytes by including salt and mineral water. To monitor this, make sure your urine stays pale yellow as its natural color. A darker color indicates dehydration.
11. You might See Changes in the Appetite
Changes in appetite are not uncommon in people on a keto diet.
While the cause is unknown, it is speculated that the hunger hormones are likely altered due to the presence of a high amount of vegetables and protein in the diet.
With the help of your doctor, incorporate your preferences into your diet as quickly as possible so that it is difficult to notice the difference. Going against your body’s needs can eventually lead to feelings of restriction and dissatisfaction.
This emotion can lead to stealing unwanted foods from time to time in your diet. According to a 2019 study, this can cause damage to blood vessels.
A good diet plan is one that you can stick to over time. Constantly feeling the need to get off the diet plan is a clear indicator that you shouldn’t be a part of it in the first place.
12. You’re Seeeing a Performance Decrease
Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet can lead to general fatigue and therefore reduced output during physical activity. This happens because muscle glycogen stores are reduced – the main source of fuel for strenuous exercise.
This condition usually lasts for several weeks. In some cases, people who adopt a keto diet notice an improvement in their performance during physical activity and therefore burn more fat.
As a result, one study recommended the keto diet to athletes and noted that those on the diet burned 230% more fat than non-dieters.
Brain fog and lack of energy are also common among keto dieters. Fatigue and feelings of illness are characteristic of this condition.
This persists as your body learns to give up the absence of carbohydrates in your diet and adapt to burning fat.
Most dieters report improved energy focus and brain function in the long run. Increased stability of blood sugar levels and elimination of memory loss is also a possibility.
However, consistently feeling a decrease in energy levels and brain function is a sign that this diet is not for you.
Final Thoughts
Contact with your doctor should be the first step before taking any dietary measures. It is normal for any food to affect your body’s function. Knowing how and what the remedies are will help you decide if you should diet.
Keto has long been proven to be effective, not only in weight loss, but in managing other diseases as well. However, it doesn’t work for everyone. Prolonged symptoms such as those mentioned above may be a sign that you should give up ketosis. Be sure to talk to your doctor about this.
