Day 5 of the Keto Cleanse Challenge

Yes, already 5 days in!

That’s 5 days of commitment, healthy delicious keto meals and unfortunately some keto flu for some people.

It’s around this time that most people who have been following the plan should well and truly be in ketosis.

It can be a bit strange, and a bit awful at the start if its been a really big change to your diet.

So what does ‘being in ketosis’ actually mean?

When the body does not have enough glucose for energy, it burns stored fats instead; this results in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body. They are released in the urine and breath and eventually, used by your body for energy.

It means its working.

Happy dance!

Here’s some signs of being in ketosis. You might have all, you might have none. They might be so subtle you don’t notice them.

Signs of being in Ketosis

• Bad, acidic breath and sometimes a metallic taste in your mouth (don’t worry, it goes away.. or you get used to it!)
• Ketones in the breath, blood or urine (you need special tools to test for those. The urine Ketostix aren’t perfect, read about them here)
• Appetite suppression – usually after 5 – 7 days. This is one of the most common ones for beginners. Keep an eye on how you are feeling, and if you feel weak or lethargic it is best to eat some high protein foods. You don’t HAVE to eat all the fat.
• Increased focus and energy – my favourite! It almost feels like a light switch flicks in my brain and I am ON FIRE mentally. It helps me run my website and Challenge groups around working full time!
• No more keto flu if it hit you (yaaayyy)
• Short term drop in physical endurance and performance. Those gym goers will notice a drop in their performance and this is normal – don’t worry, it will return. There’s some great forums out there for marathon runners on Keto, and Prof Tim Noakes is a good resource for this.

Lastly, some interesting things can happen on the toilet while your body adjusts. Without going into too much detail for those eating breakfast, things can get a bit loose.

If this is you, add some more fibre to your diet and reduce the fats a bit. Adding in more broccoli, avocado, cauliflower, flax seeds and chia seeds should do the trick. Swap your bacon and eggs in the morning for a chia seed pudding and add some extra broccoli to your dinner and you’ll be on the right track.

Some of these things sound pretty nasty… but I reassure you.

Now is when the real magic happens – gut healing, energy levelling, blood sugar balancing magic.

You made it through the worst and it’s all amazing from here!

So what other signs of being in ketosis have you noticed?

When do you hit that magical moment when you start eating Keto?

Love

Rachel xxx

The Aussie Keto Queen