Atkins verses keto eating

vickimcdonald73

Just curious what the differences are between Atkins and doing Keto - LCHF.
I have been doing keto for just over two months but find keeping my macros balanced a challenge.
Any information would be great

dasher602014

hi @vickimcdonald73 , me again.

I have quoted here from the resource area of the low carbers group.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

"Ketosis Plans: The lowest carb plans are ketosis plans. Here carb intake ranges from zero to 50g daily. The aim of these plans are to decrease carbs so greatly that your body enters ketosis, the process in which the body switches from burning carbs for fuel to burning fat. This process has many health benefits, including aiding those with insulin resistance, epilepsy, and some autoimmune issues. It is also reported to help curb cravings and increase energy in those who follow these plans. Atkins and keto are ketosis plans and begin with cutting carbs to 20g daily for a period. Atkins slowly increases their carb count by re-adding certain foods it had restricted in certain phases, until the person discovers their personal carb threshold. Many keto folks do increase theirs as well, though ketoers don't necessarily restrict their foods selections other than ensuring they stay under the desired level.

Ketosis plans, due to the very low carb count, keep food consumption to proteins, fat, and non-starchy veggies, low-carb dairy and a small amount of nuts. Those closer to 50g occasionally add low-carb fruits. They desire to juggle their low carb-levels, moderate protein, and high fats in order to keep their bodies in ketosis.

Carbs: set your carbs to a realistic goal for you. If you have a medical condition, you should follow the carb gram recommendation given to you. But if you are pursuing a low-carb diet for weightloss (or for the other benefits this diet provides), we generally recommend a 100g ceiling for beginners. Set your sugar to 30-40g. Try not to exceed either of them. You can jump down to 100g immediately, or if you'd rather, set your goal to 150g and decrease it slowly over time. This level generally provides enough challenge for beginners coming off the SAD, but is still easily attainable once you learn to center your meals around something that isn't pasta, bread, or white potatoes.

Protein: set your protein to .5-1g per pound of lean body weight, or about 100g, and try to get close (it's okay if you're a little over or a little under). This is generally a good starting point for most people, as you can easily reach this goal with 3-4oz of a protein source per meal, which is reasonable for most people without trying to artificially inflate or deflate the amount. Beware of eating too much protein if you are a diabetic or on a ketosis plan, as excessive protein can be converted in to glucose by the body (glucogenesis) affecting blood sugar levels, insulin production, and for the ketosis-folk, possibly kick you out of ketosis.

Fat: After setting your protein level and carb level, fill the rest of your intake with fat. This can look like a scary number at first, but it isn't bad. Fat is not bad. We can't say this enough. Fat fills you up, makes food tasty, and when paired with the appropriate amount of protein, can keep you satisfied for a long time and give you energy."

I hope it helps. Obviously for you at keto level for so long, your carb count would be lower and the fat levels would be a lot higher.

catzandme

Thank you for your info.
I have read that carbs can be as low as 20 grams for the first 2 weeks. You stated 100 for beginners. I like your numbers!!! This is my first day and I guess I will experiment but try and keep it 20-40? I unfortunately have a bad head cold that bothers me but am not using it as an excuse. I am focussed and want this to work.

Crash7676

Thanks dasher for quoting the great info