so help me understand

farmers_daughter

is the goal of low carb to be in ketosis?

If you are higher carb and get out of ketosis then you stop losing weight?

I really don't want to have to test myself for ketosis? But is that recommended?

I'm not sure what I'm asking except alot of people do 50g or less a day on here as far as carbs, I'm wondering if I'm fooling myself with the 5lb loss I've had a week or so ago.

Granted the last week I know I've destroyed any progress I made just by making really crappy choices, but before that I was doing well.

Leonidas_meets_Spartacus

is the goal of low carb to be in ketosis?

----> Not necessarily, I like that I am not much hungry when I am in Ketosis. It also helps me to stay sharp and get away with 4 hrs of sleep with out feeling tired or exhausted. My body doesn't have inflammation when I am in ketosis, recover much faster from even strenuous of activities.

If you are higher carb and get out of ketosis then you stop losing weight?

---

> Not necessarily, people lose weight eating less. However if you have metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance, try to stay in ketosis.

I really don't want to have to test myself for ketosis? But is that recommended?
Initially, it will be helpful to get a baseline and see how you react to food and exercise. There is no reason to test later on, unless you are experimenting with food and work outs. I don't test for months but when I am experimenting I might use 10 strips in a day.

I'm not sure what I'm asking except alot of people do 50g or less a day on here as far as carbs, I'm wondering if I'm fooling myself with the 5lb loss I've had a week or so ago.

Granted the last week I know I've destroyed any progress I made just by making really crappy choices, but before that I was doing well.

What are your goals? It all depends on that, you can lose weight on a meth diet. But thats not best way to do it. See the comments after --->

deansdad101

is the goal of low carb to be in ketosis?

If you are higher carb and get out of ketosis then you stop losing weight?

I really don't want to have to test myself for ketosis? But is that recommended?

I'm not sure what I'm asking except alot of people do 50g or less a day on here as far as carbs, I'm wondering if I'm fooling myself with the 5lb loss I've had a week or so ago.

Granted the last week I know I've destroyed any progress I made just by making really crappy choices, but before that I was doing well.

FD;

"My" definition of the low carb/high fat protocol goes something like this: (admittedly it's arbitrary and not "official" - just IMO)

> 100/day (or so) = NOT "LCHF" (yes 150 is lower than and "better" than 350 but one draws the line someplace)
>50 but <100 = "low carb"
<50 but >20 = "very low carb" VLC
<20 = keto induction after which it can be maintained by something >20 but <50 ("usually" and varies greatly by individuals).

To your question regarding keto being the "goal" of LCHF - My response would be that it MIGHT be A "goal" (for some) but need not be THE goal.

Keto "works" for some ("works" in the sense that they are both able and willing to do what is necessary to achieve it.

There is little question regarding the benefits of induction but for some it's simply not an option for whatever reasons.

Deciding not to go there is NOT failure - it's a choice.

Cutting from 150-300 to something under 100 is a MAJOR improvement.
Cutting from 100 to 50 beneficial but probably not on the order of magnitude of 300 to 100,
Keto induction yet another level of benefit but not an absolute requirement.

Entering and subsequently leaving ketosis probably would result in a small decrease in weight loss (just a guess on my part, I don't know of any specific research that would verify) based on the current understanding of how and to what degree the body switches from carb to fat utilization.

In the end, LCHF really ISN'T first and foremost about weight loss (think of that as a positive "side effect") - it's about long term health and wellness.

ali59oc

I've been in ketosis for months. I don't test, I can feel (and smell) it. I generally eat 15-20g of carbs a day. I LIKE being in ketosis for the health benefits it gives me. I lost 55 pounds between January and August when I stalled due to extreme stress. The stress won't stop until November and I've lost a few pounds despite it. I believe that this way of eating is something that is good for my body and my health. I did want to lose weight and have certainly accomplished that. But I will never go back to eating tons of carbs like I did before. It's a personal decision on how many carbs you want to eat as well as whether or not you want to be in ketosis. The lower the carbs (and higher the fat), the easier it is to lose weight. For me, at least.

MelRC117

I just wanted to add that I have low carbed before. When I lost weight before having my son I had no idea what ketosis was or what ketones were...all I knew was eating low carb. I never tested obviously because I didn't even know that was a "thing". I still lost a lot of weight.

I do it now, like PPs said, to see where I'm at, where my limit is, and just out of curiousity.

kkimpel

HI

I wondered about testing and keto vs not keto...

Correct me if I'm wrong.. I have been staying under 100, except sometimes only i I subtract the fiber g ...

So like one day I was 120 g of carbs and 34 g of fiber .. Is that ok?

I want to maintain, and though I am at my goal, I am thinking of losing another 5 or 10 depending on my ratio of fat when I test next week.

PatchEFog

is the goal of low carb to be in ketosis?

This depends on the WOE and eating plan.
Low carb for the sake of eliminating carbohydrates that you may be sensitive to is a WOE unto itself.
Many of the low carb plans start by going into ketosis to help drop water weight and provide relief from hunger during initial stages.
Ketosis in and of itself has many benefits, but weight loss is not guaranteed, nor is ketosis necessary for weight loss.

If you are higher carb and get out of ketosis then you stop losing weight?

Not necessarily. This is an individual thing. If you are through induction and are keto-adapted and following a plan like Atkins, using the "Ongoing weight loss" ladder or "OWL" a person adds foods/carbs back in until the determine their CCL (critical carb level for loss). Generally this is done with a level at a time adding 5 gm carb at a time.
If you find you are sensitive to carbs, it isn't reasonable to think you will ever go back to eating the same volume of carbs you once ate.
This is why low carb, low carb high fat or nutritional ketosis are considered "ways of eating" or "ways of life" NOT "diets".

I really don't want to have to test myself for ketosis? But is that recommended?

That would depend upon your plan and your goals.
Again, ketosis has many benefits, but weight loss is not one of them.

I'm not sure what I'm asking except alot of people do 50g or less a day on here as far as carbs, I'm wondering if I'm fooling myself with the 5lb loss I've had a week or so ago.

Granted the last week I know I've destroyed any progress I made just by making really crappy choices, but before that I was doing well.

It is difficult to go into ketosis for some unless they are under 50 gm of carb. It is difficult for some if they aren't under 20-30. This is individual and the ranges are a starting point.
It is possible for people to be ketogenic with carbs between 50-100. It is variable.

So why do something like a nutritional ketosis and do testing, etc if it is not guaranteed to assist with weight loss?
I can tell you why I do it:
Ketosis can protect lean muscle mass. This was important to me because I had some issues to work out with hunger sensations early on, and I believe fasting is a valuable tool as well. In an effort to protect lean body mass, I do both fasting and stay in ketosis.
Ketosis can provide energy, mental clarity and there is some proof it helps with diabetes, pre-diabetes, Alzheimer's, epilepsy and a few other brain-type conditions. My dad has diabetes and my mom is starting to develop a little dementia. I'd like to think I'm doing something proactive in order to do what I can to avoid these conditions.

There is more, but you get the idea.

It will depend upon your own personal goals, but you can certainly lose weight and have some improved health benefits by avoiding carbs found in healthywholegrains and sugars.

deansdad101

HI

I wondered about testing and keto vs not keto...

Correct me if I'm wrong.. I have been staying under 100, except sometimes only i I subtract the fiber g ...

So like one day I was 120 g of carbs and 34 g of fiber .. Is that ok?

I want to maintain, and though I am at my goal, I am thinking of losing another 5 or 10 depending on my ratio of fat when I test next week.

KK;

"Net" carbs (Total - Fiber) is what "most" (many?, some?) folks generally use although it's a discussion on which both "sides" have valid arguments. Interestingly, much of the rest of the planet actually lists "net carbs" on their nutritional labels (so they would have to add back fiber to get total).

Personally, I'm in the net camp based on the idea that fiber is far less soluble/convertible and moves through the digestive system at a much slower pace thus contributing almost nothing (or nothing at all) to blood sugar or energy levels. Fiber is the only carb the body can not digest.

The ranges I use (posted above) are NET. It's less important which scale you use than it is that folks are on the same page (net or total) when discussing levels - which is a round about way to answer your "...120 - 34..." question.

66 "net" is "ok" on my scale LC (and hopefully HF) being <100 but >50.
Not VLCHF and for "most" beyond the bounds of "keto" but certainly MUCH better than 150-300.

If you are at maintenance 66 is likely VERY sustainable but only time will tell (which is one reason I am a "believer" in tracking).

Stick to what's working for you and make slight adjustments as necessary as times goes on.

As others have said the "choice" to do keto isn't necessarily about weight loss and being in or out of keto is entirely possible while at maintenance.

Regarding "testing", especially when referring to the ketostix, they are notoriously unreliable (and not cheap).

For many, simply adhering to the <20/day regimine (strictly) for 2 - 3 weeks is pretty much a guarantee and by the time they are inducted they just "know it".

If I were starting over I'd probably do the sub 20 routine for a couple weeks (maybe 3) and if still unsure at that point do a few ketostix tests (but not panic if the reading wasn't as expected).

Choice is yours but as more and more research is completed the benefits (beyond weight loss) continue to mount up.

bradsbaby1996

Monday is my 1 year anniversary of low carb. I have lost 111 pounds (264-153) and I have never bought ketostix.. Like another poster said, I stay in ketosis most all tue time and know by how I feel and my how mouth tastes..

I eat less than 20 g of carbs a day. My fat is about 100 g and my protein is around 110..