Keto or Limiting Calories

keengkong

I started a low carb diet 5 weeks ago. I limit my carbs to 50 total per day, 40 net per day. Most of my calories come from fat. After losing 5 pounds the first week, I've lost about 3/4 pound per week. I'm not hungry. I feel good. I had a few days where I didn't feel good, however, that appears to be related to me not having enough salt. I'd like to lose weight more rapidly. How should I accomplish this? I've considered these options: lowering my daily carbs, limiting calories, and adding MCT oil to try to induce ketosis. I've measured my blood ketone level twice. Both times, my ketones measured .4 (just below light ketosis).

Should I simply keep up what I'm doing and not try to lose more rapidly? I'd prefer to lose weight more quickly, but I'd be okay with losing at my current rate if I was sure that it would continue at 3/4 pounds per week.

Thanks for your help.

wabmester

I wouldn't worry about ketone levels except for the appetite effects. A ketone boost with MCT could work by suppressing appetite a bit more, but evidence points to the effect being temporary.

I would stick with a slow and hunger-driven loss rate, but keep in mind that not all eating is hunger-driven, so you do have some voluntary control. Watch out for yummy fat bombs, for example.

Some people have success with intermittent fasting, and it's actually very easy to do while low carb.

daylitemag

I think the "sweet spot" for weight loss is a combination of both LC and eating at a caloric deficit. Your OP asks for advice on how to rapidly lose weight. While this is definitely very different for everyone and every body type, what has worked for me is 20g or less per day AND a significant caloric deficit. Some days I eat as little as 1000-1100 calories, but usually it is between 1400-1600 with carbs around 20g net. I have also done some intermittent fasting here and there as well as only eating two meals per day (so I get a bit of fasting every day). I've only done one 24 hour fast, but regularly go 16 hours without eating (other than broth for the sodium). My weight loss has begun to slow now, but for the first 3-4 months I was losing around 3LBS per week. I've lost 55LBS in 4.5 months am a 47 yo male, 6' tall. Start weight was 305.5LBs. Hope this helps.

Sunny_Bunny_

I think you risk sacrificing muscle if you try to lose weight too fast. I don't imagine you'd want to lose muscle just to get a lower number on the scale each week. Low carb is very muscle sparing. I'd say stick with what's working and you'll be surprised that you will actually see a bigger difference with less actual pounds lost because it will be just about all fat.