[Cander]

I started the Keto diet 9 days ago. The first 5 days of dieting I was losing .5 to 1lb every day. However, the last 4 days I have gained 1lb every day. The first 5 days I was not drinking much water and had not been for awhile. The last several days I have been drinking 6-8 glasses per day. My hands are swollen and I do not seem to be getting rid of the fluid. I am eating 10 - 15 Carbs each day and following recommended foods to eat. I have been treated for hypothyroid disease for past 15 years. I did lose 55 lbs several years ago on Atkins but have not had much success with Atkins over past several years. This is my first try at Keto and I am very committed. Has anyone else experienced fluid retention with increased water intake? Should I keep drinking so much water? I am wondering if all the salt and water is the problem?

[Zoniegirl]

Hi, I'm not familiar with the Keto diet exactly, but I have heard that you should aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces per day. Especially if you are on a high protein diet. Your kidneys need water to flush and process all of the protein. That is my understanding. Not sure why you would be retaining water like that, except maybe if you are having a lot of sodium in your diet. I take in a lot of sodium per day, but with drinking 100 oz. of water a day I think I typically flush it out. Hope this helps. If it continues, I would recommend going to the doctor to get it checked out. Good luck!

[chouku]

I agree with Zoniegirl. I did keto a few months back and never experienced water retention but I used to drink a lot more water than 6-8 glasses (more like 1 gallon a day). Also, I think that your carbs are very low to start with (are those net carbs?) I tried keeping mine between 20-25 grams (net) per day.

I suggest that you speak with your doctor if this persists.