Pescatarian keto ...anyone else?
shanstilts
Posts: 29 Member
Hello 
I have recently started a LCHF eating plan. Im.three days in and feel good. I track my food here and have kept carbs below 40 gms/day with lots of leafy greens in the mix. Im getting in plenty of fats by way of butter, avocado, whole fat cottage and hard cheese, etc.
Is this too many carbs to reach ketosis? If not, when do most folks get there? Thank you !
Shannon
I have recently started a LCHF eating plan. Im.three days in and feel good. I track my food here and have kept carbs below 40 gms/day with lots of leafy greens in the mix. Im getting in plenty of fats by way of butter, avocado, whole fat cottage and hard cheese, etc.Is this too many carbs to reach ketosis? If not, when do most folks get there? Thank you !
Shannon
1
Replies
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Different people will reach ketosis at different levels. Most will say below 20g/day. Some will argue net vs. total.
There was a study a while back by some not so keto friendly researchers which stressed having a minimum of 55 or 60 g (trying to remember exactly) to ensure ketosis wasn't reached.
Other potential variables are timing - how much per sitting as well as time of day. Dr Bernstein and others believe your body does not process carbs as well in the morning and therefore the amount eaten at breakfast needs to be lower than for lunch and dinner.
The more active you are, the higher the amount of carbs you can have and still reach ketosis.
If you are insulin resistant (IR), then you are more prone to gluconeogenesis (conversion of protein to glucuse) and need to avoid having protein too high in addition to having carbs low.
If you haven't done so already, I would recommend checking out the info on the launch pad.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10103966/start-here-the-lcd-launch-pad#latest
It has so many resources on so many LCHF topics that you will likely find most of what you need to get started there.
Welcome aboard!4 -
There was a study a while back by some not so keto friendly researchers which stressed having a minimum of 55 or 60 g (trying to remember exactly) to ensure ketosis wasn't reached.
I'd argue that they shouldn't be researching ketosis-related diets until they understand what ketosis actually is.
The brain needs the equivalent of 120g of glucose (which can be obtained through either glucose or ketones) per day. This, plus the needs of a couple other things that require some amount of glucose to operate, means that consumption of anything less than that will result in some amount of ketogenesis. Additionally, the body goes into a mild state of ketosis any time you haven't eaten for 8-12 hours or more. i.e. -- every night. Oh, and ketones are generated as a result of burning fat (both body fat and ingested fat), so...yeah....
OP, your carb amount should be fine, unless you deal with metabolic issues. If you're unsure, invest in a glucose meter that also does ketones and measure your blood ketones for a while (be sure to test a few times a day), or a breath ketone meter if you don't need exact numbers.3 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »There was a study a while back by some not so keto friendly researchers which stressed having a minimum of 55 or 60 g (trying to remember exactly) to ensure ketosis wasn't reached.
I'd argue that they shouldn't be researching ketosis-related diets until they understand what ketosis actually is.
The brain needs the equivalent of 120g of glucose (which can be obtained through either glucose or ketones) per day. This, plus the needs of a couple other things that require some amount of glucose to operate, means that consumption of anything less than that will result in some amount of ketogenesis. Additionally, the body goes into a mild state of ketosis any time you haven't eaten for 8-12 hours or more. i.e. -- every night. Oh, and ketones are generated as a result of burning fat (both body fat and ingested fat), so...yeah....
OP, your carb amount should be fine, unless you deal with metabolic issues. If you're unsure, invest in a glucose meter that also does ketones and measure your blood ketones for a while (be sure to test a few times a day), or a breath ketone meter if you don't need exact numbers.
Just as a clarification to that 55-60 - I was only using that as a reference that these researchers used to ensure their subjects were not in a continuous state of nutritional ketosis.1 -
Thanks!0
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@shanstilts - books by Stephen Phinney, Jeff Volek, Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living (technical) and New Atkins for a New You (popular) are great intros.
Phinney's YouTube vids are also very informative. He explains that can take weeks to compete the transition from carb- to fat-burning.
I'd recommend the JumpstartMD YouTube site, which has not only a long, comprehensive introduction to ketogenic diets by Phinney and Volek, but also segments of the interview separated by topic.1 -
Thanks for info!! @RalfLott0
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I'm a pescatarian keto too (though I'm only on day 6)! I've been able to keep my carbs below 20g (net) per day by choosing low carb veggies, like spinach. Getting fats in seems pretty easy just by way of eating fish, but I'm also eating eggs, some dairy, avocados, and butter/coconut oil. Can't fully say I'm in ketosis yet, though I certainly had some "flu" like symptoms yesterday.2
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I'm a pescatarian keto too (though I'm only on day 6)! I've been able to keep my carbs below 20g (net) per day by choosing low carb veggies, like spinach. Getting fats in seems pretty easy just by way of eating fish, but I'm also eating eggs, some dairy, avocados, and butter/coconut oil. Can't fully say I'm in ketosis yet, though I certainly had some "flu" like symptoms yesterday.
Be sure to keep a salt lick nearby!2 -
I'm primarily vegetarian but will once in a great while have fish. Right now I to keep my carbs under 40, but my aim is to stay adapted to burning fat for fuel instead of carbs, not necessarily to be in ketosis.
You may notice that the numbers you have set for your macros may work great now, but there may come times when you will want to re-visit them. There isn't a magic number that works for everyone or that will work at every stage in your life. Your body changes and adapts so your macros may need to also. I believe there have been a few posts in the past about it. I'm not sure if there are any on the launch pad, but there's enough great information there to get you started either way.
@RalfLott has some great recommendations for more information. I also follow Dr. Jason Fung, although I can honestly say that I've learned more from this site and everyone's real life experiences than from any other source.0 -
I'm primarily vegetarian but will once in a great while have fish. Right now I to keep my carbs under 40, but my aim is to stay adapted to burning fat for fuel instead of carbs, not necessarily to be in ketosis.
You may notice that the numbers you have set for your macros may work great now, but there may come times when you will want to re-visit them. There isn't a magic number that works for everyone or that will work at every stage in your life. Your body changes and adapts so your macros may need to also. I believe there have been a few posts in the past about it. I'm not sure if there are any on the launch pad, but there's enough great information there to get you started either way.
@RalfLott has some great recommendations for more information. I also follow Dr. Jason Fung, although I can honestly say that I've learned more from this site and everyone's real life experiences than from any other source.
Good points!
The need to revisit your target macros is good to keep in mind. As you lose weight, transition into nutritional ketosis, and start nearing your maintenance weight, your body's needs will naturally change, as @Riche120 observes.
@kirkor recently posted a Phinney's chart of the 4 phases of the ketogenic diet. I'll post a link when a find it (unless @kirkor beats me to it).
Also, www.veganhealth.org has a ton of great info.1 -
Fish is my go to meat and I try to stay just under 50 grams of carbs a day. I eat a ton of nuts so going much below 50 grams of carbs daily just is not going to happen on my LCHF WOE.
My number one objective is arthritis pain management. Improving health markers is my second objective. Eating until I am stuffed daily is my 3rd objective. I have lost down to 200 from 250 pounds and maintained it for two years now.
Best of success to everyone in finding the WOE that works for your best health.2
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