Starting keto tomorrow — what should I expect the first week?

Honest day-by-day rundown from my experience and coaching others:

Day 1: Fine, maybe even exciting. Energy normal. You're motivated. No issues.

Day 2: Slightly tired. Brain not quite as sharp. Cravings for bread/pasta start. Still manageable.

Day 3-4: This is the wall. Headache possible, energy low, maybe irritable. This is the glycogen depletion phase. Your body is switching fuel sources and screaming for carbs. This is where most people quit. DON'T. It passes.

Day 5: Slight lift. Headache probably gone if electrolytes are good. Hunger starts decreasing noticeably.

Day 6-7: Turning the corner. Clearer head than usual, hunger much more manageable, maybe down 5-8 lbs on the scale (mostly water).

Week one is the hardest week of keto. It gets significantly easier after this.

Two things that determine whether week one is "hard but fine" vs "miserable": (1) electrolytes — start them day one, not after you feel bad. A pinch of salt in water every few hours is the minimum. (2) Don't under-eat. Some people think starting keto means eating nothing — eat plenty of keto foods whenever you're hungry. Starvation on top of carb withdrawal is brutal.

The cravings on day 3-4 are real but they're in your head more than your body. Your gut bacteria that feed on carbs literally die off and send hunger signals to your brain trying to get fed. This sounds weird but it's biochemically accurate. Once those bacteria populations shift (week 2-3) the cravings largely disappear.

Expect to feel hungrier than normal days 2-4 then LESS hungry than normal starting around day 5. The appetite suppression that comes with ketosis is one of the most dramatic changes people experience — and it's not willpower, it's biochemistry. Ketones are appetite-suppressing molecules.

Thank you all. Starting in the morning. I've got my electrolytes ready, fridge stocked, reading this thread on hard days. I'll report back.