Ketosis and weight loss
karirenae
Posts: 106 Member
Hi! New(ish) at this and I am just curious, as long as I stay at or below 20 net grams of carbs per day, are you almost guaranteed to lose weight? Im at like 1300 calories as well for the day, and MFP gave me a 1200 max.. I just want to be sure I am doing the right thing by being at or under the 20g so that I will lose weight!
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You have to be in calorie deficit (no matter what kind of diet your doing) in order to lose weight. That was a big and first learning for me. No guarantee that if your 20 g or less that you will lose weight. You need to be in a calorie deficit.2
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I ate less than 20 grams of carbs per day, every day, for 52 solid weeks and had my calories set to maintenance because I was/am in maintenance. I maintained both scale weight and body fat as expected.
I have to be in a calorie deficit in order to lose both scale weight and observable/measurable body fat. Some folks' mileage may vary on either point but I doubt it in regards to scale weight. A calorie deficit is necessary for weight loss. See how you do at 1300 even though MFP "told" you 1200. Every calculator is just a guess based on averages.
Keeping carbs very low does curb my cravings and hunger thus making it easier to adhere to my calories. Good luck!2 -
Calorie deficit is necessary but for me, unlike other weight loss diets I have been on, the calories are livable. My calorie aim is 1600-1700 per day and have hit 2000 occasionally and have lost 35 lbs in about 4 1/2 mnths - 255 to 220 @ 5’8”. This what makes this woe doable for me. No starving, real food.3
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I still use calories as a guide, I just started a lifestyle change to Keto. I 100 lbs to drop, and am on a 1830 cal per day. Though I have only been eating 1600 or so with no issues of hunger/cravings. I am also intermittent fasting eating in one hour window.
I am eating 80%fat 15%protien 5%carb
Feeling good right now hoping to carry it on!
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I claim you have to keep an eye on the carbs and the calories too. In my experience the low carb really reduces my appetite, and makes it easy. I would go to https://ketogains.com/ketogains-calculator/ to set your goals.
I have been doing keto for over a year now. I have lost over 100 lbs, although the first 40 were straight CICO. I have been significantly happier on the keto diet.4 -
The low carbs make maintaining a calorie deficit much easier but the calorie deficit is required for body fat loss.4
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I think your calorie level will also be very individual. When I first started out I was at 1200 calories and after the 1st week of huge water weight my weight slowed and eventually stopped after about a month. I was still very strict at that time. Never over 20g (total) carbs. When trying to determine what might be helpful in getting the weight loss to start back up I wondered if I might be eating too little calories so decided as an experiment to up my calories to 1300 just to see what happened. And I started losing weight again.....So every person's journey will be different. It's important to keep that in mind as well. You may have to do some changing and experimenting along the way.2
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I think your calorie level will also be very individual. When I first started out I was at 1200 calories and after the 1st week of huge water weight my weight slowed and eventually stopped after about a month. I was still very strict at that time. Never over 20g (total) carbs. When trying to determine what might be helpful in getting the weight loss to start back up I wondered if I might be eating too little calories so decided as an experiment to up my calories to 1300 just to see what happened. And I started losing weight again.....So every person's journey will be different. It's important to keep that in mind as well. You may have to do some changing and experimenting along the way.
I too, was eating at 1200 calories and was doing great! Then the weight loss slowed down. So I recently upped my calorie to 1300. Although I do occasionally eat above 20 carbs. But compared to what my carb count used to be?! Big HUGE difference. So I'm good with going over at times. I only was kicked out of ketosis once when I got sick...not keto flu sick, but sick sick and took Dayquil and a night-time cold/cough medicine. So we'll see if my weight loss will be restarted when I weigh in this Sunday. I hope so! Fingers crossed!
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Good luck....Hope it works out for you!0
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Don't forget your daily exertion. The 1200 MFP has given you will be the base number if you literally don't move all day. If 1300 is the amount you feel comfortable eating per day and you want to lose weight, just up your exercise to accommodate that. It's really not hard to burn 100 calories on top of your maintenance calorific needs.1
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Read this three part blog on ketosis vs fat adapted, it will explain a lot for you.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2016/01/dont-be-a-ketard1.html
MFP pretty much puts everyone at 1200 calories from the get go,it one of the things I don't like about it. Also most women run around all day, execise a few times a week and set themselves to sedentary, if you have an active job or kids or enjoy going to the gym a few times a week you are not sedentary. I couldn't lose any weight till I upped my calories to 1450 cals. My body needed to heal from the low calories eating I was doing when I joined up and continued to stay at 1100 to 1200 for a while. I got wise and upped the calories. I finally found keto/lchf, and that is when I really lost weight, when I started intermittent fasting and extended fasting, I quickly lost the 15 lbs. that had stalled me out plus a few more, so I ended up under my goal weight. Been able to maintain below my goal weight going on 7 months now. My main exercise is strength training and walking. Nothing heavy duty at all.1 -
retirehappy wrote: »...
MFP pretty much puts everyone at 1200 calories from the get go....
I don't think they do. Heck I was getting on up in age (59) and MFP set me to 1360 for a 60 pounds loss, 5"6", sedentary, female. I have many female Pals of considerably younger age who despite setting mfp to sedentary, were "given" a couple hundred to few hundred calories higher. It really depends on age, height, etc.
ETA: I do agree though that many enter sedentary when they are not. But that is user input not MFP.1 -
I am very sedentary! Other than walking to and from my car, or to and from the printer at work, I really can't do much. I have lower back problems, and it hurts if I even stand too long at the sink doing dishes. Hopefully at my dr's appt tomorrow will guide me in the right direction to get that taken care of.
I had originally set my goal to 1200 when I first started. I think it gave me 1360 as my daily goal. I rarely got to 1200, although occasionally, I did go over. I recently reset my goal to 1300 hoping to overcome a brief stall. I don't get up to 1300, but I now eat over 1200. My carbs are almost always over though. But my weight went down! Not much, but I'm closer to my first goal of getting under 200 lbs! I had originally was hoping to reach that by the end of the year. It might be before that now!1 -
Hi! New(ish) at this and I am just curious, as long as I stay at or below 20 net grams of carbs per day, are you almost guaranteed to lose weight? Im at like 1300 calories as well for the day, and MFP gave me a 1200 max.. I just want to be sure I am doing the right thing by being at or under the 20g so that I will lose weight!
@karirenae I think it varies from person to person. In my case my carbs hover around 50 grams daily and I eat more like 2000+ calories daily but for over the past three years I have not used any sugar or any form of any grain which has totally killed my carb cravings during the first 30 days as well as most of my Ankylosing Spondylitis pain for 40 years. While I eat this way for pain manage I am down nearly 50 pounds weight wise and have added some muscle. Besides daily living moving I do walk 1/4 of a mile come hell or high water. My 40 years of IBS left after six months of the WOE and has not returned once in the past 2.5 years.
Just try to find a WOE that works for you over time. My first six months was a huge learning curve and even three years later I am learning more and more how to do this new WOE.
Best of success.
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