Is being in ketosis nessesary for low carb weight loss

Hovercat

I used to love bagels and cake and all that stuff. So being on a keto diet sucked for about a week, then the cravings go away. Every now and then I'll want a poutine but not enough to want to go track one down. On keto, the cravings aren't as strong as they used to be. I had crap will power. I would tell myself "I'll just eat this little bit" and once I started chowing down, I'd eat 2 or 3 servings, so keto has helped me in that I no longer want to eat everything just for the sake of eating.

So I hate the "just eat less and excercise more" comments. I tried that and failed my whole life. I'm not strong enough for that, if that was so easy I wouldn't have gotten to 250 pounds. For me, the only trick was killing the cravings. When you love to eat, telling yourself to eat less is what will make you feel deprived.

As for ketosis, I actually never know if I'm in it or not. I don't get the stank breath that most people seem to get, I never have. I don't really track my days anymore either, and just go with foods I know are alright. I find that not tracking helps keep me sane, because I'm treating it as an actual lifestyle choice, not a diet. But having cheat meals might throw you out and from what I've read, the cramping and toilet time after cheat meals doesn't seem like something that would be enjoyable. Plus, the foods you used to love might taste very different now. When you cut out sugar, your sense of taste improves. For example, I thought almonds tasted like dirt. Now I love them, I can actually taste them now! And I had a piece of a Terry's dark chocolate orange around Christmas. It just tasted like crap to me. They were my favourite, and now they taste like watered down chocolate. Another thing for cheat meals, I think if you're constantly tempting yourself with carbs, you'll have a harder time resisting them and get cravings again. I notice I start to get cravings again when I sneak a a baby potato. I'll pig out on my sugar free chocolates like I'm trying to fill a void, which never ends well, if anyone else here has experience on too many sugar free chocolates.... But it could all be in my head, who knows. I've read of others having their cravings come back when they give into temptation.

Aaaanyways, if you're losing weight on your chosen diet and it works, right on. I'm just sharing my experience in case anyone thought it was an awful way to go. I'm quite happy I'm about to eat some cheese and bison pepperoni for lunch and fry up some thick cut farmers market bacon for my next week's lunches

Unknown

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tennisdude2004

So you're not doing low carb, fair enough.

Not sure what your point is?

Has this thread turned into a - you must do low carb?

The point - restriction is not necessary.

Pretty funny how you are talking about hitting a certain carb level daily but yet you don't log your intake.

not funny really.

I already said counting calories does not work for me.

I don't need to count calories to know I am under 150g - some days I may be as low as 50g. I love eating salads and veggies but believe me you've got to eat a lot to even get near 150g.

I still don't get your point though - you would find 5% carbs a restriction so have NOT decided to eat that marco ratio - I'm sure we all agree that is the right choice for you.

Oh wait.......... I think I get it know. You think because YOU would find it too much of a restriction, everyone else would as well.

Well that's a broad minded view.

jonnythan

He's low carb because he doesn't like carbs. :laugh:

It just happens.

tennisdude2004

He's low carb because he doesn't like carbs. :laugh:

It just happens.

?

Travelbug1955

I have done the low carb diet with Medi Weight Loss and I am doing Atkins now. Yes, you have to stay where you have ketones to lose the weight. Why don't you check out atkins.com and study their low carb diet. You do it in stages until you have lost the weight you want to lose and start adding carbs back into your diet. I really love this diet and the recipes they have are delicious!

shortchange1

Read about being in ketosis...not good....(lay persons can read about it on WebMD... clinical research trial results are posted at many universities sites.... Used to make me crazy when people would do Atkins and talk about Ketosis as a good thing.. I think of it as your brain full of Urine

Are you sure you're not confusing ketosis with ketoacidosis? My brain isn't full of urine whatsoever. I have more energy and the weight loss has been phenomenal for me.

3 pound weight loss is phenomenal? Eliminating a key macronutrient is never a good idea. Research what actual benefit carbohydrates have for your health. Pub Med can be a good start.

MyChocolateDiet

not even the low carb part is necessary.

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tennisdude2004

not even the low carb part is necessary.

I think the low carb bit is necessary!

Jengary1993

I agree. If you find a way of eating that you can live with and is healthy, then by all means, do it! I prefer low carb because it takes away the cravings for unhealthy foods. I don't count carbs, I just stay away from bread, cereal, potatoes and pasta. I focus on leans meats, beans and veggies (which give you plenty of good carbs). It allows me to lose weight, and I can still enjoy a carb laden treat every once in a while as long as I don't go overboard. And I don't monitor my ketones either. Not every diet will be doable or work for everyone, if that were the case, we' d all be thin and this board probably wouldn't exist !

ladymiseryali

Read about being in ketosis...not good....(lay persons can read about it on WebMD... clinical research trial results are posted at many universities sites.... Used to make me crazy when people would do Atkins and talk about Ketosis as a good thing.. I think of it as your brain full of Urine

Are you sure you're not confusing ketosis with ketoacidosis? My brain isn't full of urine whatsoever. I have more energy and the weight loss has been phenomenal for me.

3 pound weight loss is phenomenal? Eliminating a key macronutrient is never a good idea. Research what actual benefit carbohydrates have for your health. Pub Med can be a good start.

Wow.....First off, I've lost IN TOTAL nearly 30 lbs since starting keto in July. My ticker depicts losses every 10 lbs. I don't know why my number is of any relevance to this discussion. Second, I'm not eliminating carbs. I'm LIMITING them. I still eat them, only I keep them under 30. Third, I don't suffer any ill effects from limiting my carbs. I have great energy, can do my workouts and function at work just fine. I'm sure carbs are beneficial to some people, but that doesn't mean that they're beneficial to me or others who follow keto/paleo/atkins/etc.

ladymiseryali

not even the low carb part is necessary.

I think the low carb bit is necessary!

Yea, but didn't you know? We're wrong and we should hang our heads in shame for eating differently.

ALNoog

I never track ketosis.. I don't know if I'm in it or not .

You'll know you're in ketosis if your breath smells like a rotting a cat corpse on a tin roof in the summer in Bangladesh.

Dozens of people I know, including myself, have NEVER experienced the "keto-breath" which some people experience. And those that do usually experience it very short term.

I've never had it either.

jonnythan

not even the low carb part is necessary.

I think the low carb bit is necessary!

Necessary for what? Certainly not weight loss.

tennisdude2004

not even the low carb part is necessary.

I think the low carb bit is necessary!

Necessary for what? Certainly not weight loss.

For general weight loss - no eating in a calorie deficit will achieve that.

Necessary for low carb weight loss then yes it's pretty essential.

albertabeefy

not even the low carb part is necessary.

I think the low carb bit is necessary!

Necessary for what? Certainly not weight loss.

It depends.

If you're an individual that cannot stick to a caloric deficit WITHOUT eating low-carb, but have no problems WHILE low-carb, then - for that individual - it's necessary.

There are people who get a distinct metabolic advantage from low-carb dieting - especially if their metabolism is somehow already deficient for any reason. Is it a HUGE advantage? no. Most research I've seen would suggest between 200 and 500kcal a day advantage for those individuals. But, that can be enough to see a weight-loss where another diet might not manifest it.

Yes, the bottom line is a caloric-deficit results in weight loss. But how some low-carbers REACH that caloric deficit is by the metabolic advantage (however slight it may be) and the reduction in hunger (thus eating less) from eating a more-satiating diet. Thus the diet has a distinct weight-loss advantage for them vs. other diets.

TylEulenspiegel

Hi, MyiahRose!!

You know what?
As is evidenced by all the conflicting opinions being expressed here, the only way of telling if your once-a-week cheat will throw you out of ketosis and hamper your weight loss is to try it and see.
A few weeks worth of data, or maybe a month or two at most, should be enough for you to get a clear and definitive answer to your question.

I low carb and I don't need to be in ketosis in order to lose weight. Others may.

Good luck and happy low carbing!!! I hope you find whatever way is best for you!!

magicalhall

after being on keto for even a week, you begin to lose the sugar and carb cravings, because your body begins to be a fat burning machine. Its actually the easiest and most effective diet Ive ever tried and I love it. More energy and more level than ever

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eric_sg61

after being on keto for even a week, you begin to lose the sugar and carb cravings, because your body begins to be a fat burning machine. Its actually the easiest and most effective diet Ive ever tried and I love it. More energy and more level than ever

You're burning more DIETARY fat, not body fat. Huge difference. An equal deficit will burn the same amount of body fat.