Ketosis and Primal dieting??

calliope_music

i did the low-carb, high protein/fat diet for a summer. i was totally miserable. i ate something like 20 g of net carbs per day. i had no energy, i was cranky, and shaky quite often. i could go a week without pooping (TMI, sorry) and i also got insanely sick whenever i had anything with more than like, 15 carbs in it. i lost weight, but i was miserable!

Jourdan_Rystrom

I eat a high-protein low-fat diet. Did you know that unless you are eating over 1.5g-per-pound-of-bodyweight in protein (for a 130 pound me, that would be 195g of protein a day which is almost unattainable unless you REALLY REALLY work at it), then your kidneys are not much at risk. There have been multiple new studies that show this is a myth that has been passed around for ages.

If someone is consuming grilled skinless chicken breasts, salmon and ground turkey most of the time it is much safer than those who consume fatty meats like dark meat chicken, fried meats, red meat etc. Obviously you want to eat the right types of protein too

Read more: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/food_myths/High_Protein_is_Harmful.php#ixzz1CYaTHgjh

This is one of the comments that followed the above cited article:
"Funny, I am a Security Consultant in Latin American, and one of my men just got out of surgery due to a kidney stone. It was a large PROTEIN deposit, not calcium. Two doctors stated the main factor was a high protein diet off red meats over the years. In Northern Mexico they eat pestiside-free red meat at every sitting and yet they have the highest kidney stones problem in that country. Hmmmm

This article is a myth! "

Cerainly can't believe everything you read but it pays to read the "fine print" as well.

That's exactly why I said you have to eat the RIGHT types of protein. This person had eaten years of fatty red meats...

HonestOmnivore

When I lose weight it's been on a lower carb diet. Not no carb - just really really careful with what carbs I eat. Fruit - if it's whole and has some nutrients - like apples and strawberries - not grapes and watermelon. I eat veggies! I eat lean meats.

For carbs I love a little brown rice, and some of the newer grains we're seeing in our grocery store! High fiber whole grain bread in moderation (a couple times a week).

But every night I have a glass or two of carbs in the form of red wine.

Not so much a low carb diet as it is a LIQUID carb diet :laugh:

firmbug

I suggest watching fathead (do a search for it on youtube) it's funny and VERY informative and has a real live study done for 30 days eating low carb. If you can't find the movie, message me I will help you locate it. Read Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes, and Protein Power by Dr. Eades (they have a clinic based on low carb they have cited several studies also on the health benifits of low carb. Gary Taubes (he is a scientific writer and has put several studies in his books on the safety and healthy benefits of a low carb diet) latest book Why we get fat and what to do with it. these will solidify your confidence in primal and debunk the dietary myths out there on low carbing.

I'm an advocate of low carb, I feel best and more energetic. I have been doing it now for over 8 years, excellent health, in fact when I up my carbs and delve into more carbs I get ill and suffer from large ovarian cysts. The minute I get back on track the cyst go away (after about a month low carbing) this has been proven by ultra sound too. My sister has been on a low carb diet for 15 years and is excellent health, blood lipids and all blood levels come out perfect and she is lean and very toned and energetic.

Believe it or not in the beginning of a low carb diet, many people feel lethargic because they are not getting enough sodium, as the body transitions to burning fat the kidneys release alot of excess water (urine) causing some of the side effects mentioned by other posters who have tried, these symptoms go away as the body gets adjusted and transitions into burning fat more efficiently.

DaddyMantz

After years of yo-yo dieting, I have come to believe that calories are the one and only factor that one needs to measure to stay at a comfortable weight. In my opinion, the only way to keep calories low is by eating foods that fill you up. If you go through the day under your calorie goal, while eating frequently and not allowing yourself to get too hungry, you will likely look back at the end of the day and see that you are over your protein goal and under your carb goal. Trying to get over your fiber goal is also helpful toward staying sated.

My motto: "stay under your calorie goal, eat frequently, never let yourself get too hungry"

luv2ash

It comes down to this: Do you need to loose the weight so fast your health is secondary to the weight loss? Or is your main goal to be healthy and keep that way? If you are in the first category, say you need to loose weight fast or you can't have life saving surgery or something, I can understand that. But why compromise your health for a quick fix, when you can have the loss and the health. Most of us need to learn how to get and stay healthy and that is not the quickie route. So I don't like all the fad diets and cleansing enemas ideas for a "diet". Starvation is also a great way to drop weight. Why not just go straight to that. It's proven, it works, it's fast. I'm making a point with that statement. I don't believe extremes is a healthy way to go.

Ummm....I dunno, I lost my weight fast and got off my blood pressure meds and my cholesterol is now normal. I do not abuse protein. I do not eat red meat, I eat lean protein, chicken, fish, ground turkey. I eat 80-100 grams of carbs a day. Not sure what health risk you are referring to.

aeevr

The brain does use ketones:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketone_bodies

Grokette

Am taking a nutrition class this term in preparation for starting nursing school soon--the body does NOT perceive ketosis as a good thing. It exists basically as an emergency mechanism so you don't die. Further, your body/muscles can use other types of fuel (fat/protein) but the brain cannot. It needs carbohydrates as fuel. That's why people are cranky/spacy/fuzzy-headed on low-carb diets. I tried it for a week once (about 7 years ago) and felt awful. I did lose weight rapidly, but put it back on as soon as I ate a fruit--what the heck kind of life is that? There aren't any shortcuts. We got here by eating more than our bodies needed and we need to get back by eating less. Bariatric doctors might recommend ketosis-inducing diets because they are in the business of the quick fix. They want you to get to an acceptable weight ASAP so you can write them the check for still another quick fix.

Actually we don't need carbs for brain function. We do not need Glucose for brain function. Through Gluconeogenesis, the brain gets everything it needs and is actually better off. Long chain fatty acids (aka saturated fats) are actually more important for proper brain function than glucose (aka carbs).

And most people on low carb plans have MORE mental clarity than any fogginess.

Personally I find that I am much better with protein and vegetables. Vegetables are carbs and that is plenty.

I eat at least 60% fat, 30% protein and 10% carbs - protein, fats and vegetables. My cholesterol is actually too low now and my doctor is asking me to raise it.

I use fruit as desserts. I eat very little dairy, no grains, beans or legumes and I feel better than I have felt in a long time.


I am primal and getting more primal every day, even going raw in some areas. Hence my screen name.

Grokette

It comes down to this: Do you need to loose the weight so fast your health is secondary to the weight loss? Or is your main goal to be healthy and keep that way? If you are in the first category, say you need to loose weight fast or you can't have life saving surgery or something, I can understand that. But why compromise your health for a quick fix, when you can have the loss and the health. Most of us need to learn how to get and stay healthy and that is not the quickie route. So I don't like all the fad diets and cleansing enemas ideas for a "diet". Starvation is also a great way to drop weight. Why not just go straight to that. It's proven, it works, it's fast. I'm making a point with that statement. I don't believe extremes is a healthy way to go.

Ummm....I dunno, I lost my weight fast and got off my blood pressure meds and my cholesterol is now normal. I do not abuse protein. I do not eat red meat, I eat lean protein, chicken, fish, ground turkey. I eat 80-100 grams of carbs a day. Not sure what health risk you are referring to.

There aren't any health risks with what your doing or have done. Your body is thanking you and that is all that matters.

lkm111

I just finished rereading "The South Beach Diet" and I have to say, Phases II and III sound the most balanced. Lean protein, good fats, carbs with fiber in them. A bit different than what you asked about, but there are similarities, too.

Still toying with starting South Beach again - your thread is helping me weigh my options. Thanks!

markja

I've tried Atkins, medically monitored, WW, and balanced diets on my own.

The reason that I failed at all of them is that I couldn't do what we're doing now, This plan seems to be working for me because i can connect with some folks who get it.

My vote? MFP balanced program and posting here every day.

For me, that is what works.

valeriebpdx

Am taking a nutrition class this term in preparation for starting nursing school soon--the body does NOT perceive ketosis as a good thing. It exists basically as an emergency mechanism so you don't die. Further, your body/muscles can use other types of fuel (fat/protein) but the brain cannot. It needs carbohydrates as fuel. That's why people are cranky/spacy/fuzzy-headed on low-carb diets.

Actually we don't need carbs for brain function. We do not need Glucose for brain function. Through Gluconeogenesis, the brain gets everything it needs and is actually better off. Long chain fatty acids (aka saturated fats) are actually more important for proper brain function than glucose (aka carbs).

And most people on low carb plans have MORE mental clarity than any fogginess.

Personally I find that I am much better with protein and vegetables. Vegetables are carbs and that is plenty.

I eat at least 60% fat, 30% protein and 10% carbs - protein, fats and vegetables. My cholesterol is actually too low now and my doctor is asking me to raise it.

I use fruit as desserts. I eat very little dairy, no grains, beans or legumes and I feel better than I have felt in a long time.


I am primal and getting more primal every day, even going raw in some areas. Hence my screen name.

Again, gluconeogenesis is an emergency mechanism. It is not absolutely not better for brain function than carbohydrates. You do not need fatty acids, of any chain length, more than carbs. You need a balance of the macronutrients. I don't care about convincing you--super glad you are primal and thin and feeling great. But the girl asked for info on ketosis and she deserves the truth.

tkennedy71

There is a difference between low-carb diets and ketosis diets. The SAD (Standard American Diet) typically results in consumption of 250-350 grams of carbohydrates per day. Mark Sisson, of Mark's Daily Apple recommends between 100-150 grams of carbs per day for "Effortless weight maintenance". Once you get under 50gm/day of carbs, you start to hit the range where Ketosis kicks in. Some people will tell you that ketosis isn't good for you in the long term, other people will tell you it's fine. I know that ketogenic diets are used as a remedy for some types of pediatric epilepsy, and can be beneficial for people with particularly troublesome diabetes.

I would say people who are used to a low fat diet, who then try to add low carb to their low fat diet, definitely put themselves more at risk of the aforementioned health problems than people who eat a very high fat ketosis diet. If you're not eating the carbs, then fat becomes your variable macronutrient, as fiber and protein should stay fairly constant. When people forget that and keep both carbs and fat low, then the protein starts to be a problem, although the larger problem is that this is when people start to feel deprived and depressed about their diet.

You can still eat a very Primal diet without necessarily entering Ketosis. To be Primal, you have to be willing to explore foods, to keep a variety of ingredients in your diet. You want to eat a full range of colorful vegetables, and a full range of natural fats, and good protein.

JaredTheGeek

The worries you have are for people with medical conditions or other issues. I am a huge fan of the Primal Blueprint. You can google it for more info but its low carb but you don't want to try to be in ketosis very long as that will cause problems. I stay away from processed and "white carbs" like bread and pasta and have lost weight and feel great. It took 2 weeks to adjust but the junk is out of my system.

I also eat more natural foods, no processed foods except the one that processes my milk to cheese and whatever they do to make bacon so delicious.

As others have stated, Mark Sisson and the Primal Blueprint is good.