Ketogenic Diet

CoachTommyB

I've recently stumbled up the Ketogenic Diet, and I kinda understand the science behind it. Anyone Currently doing this diet or have done it in the past that can shed some light? Please add me as a friend, so that I can look at your diaries. Thanks!

Carnivor0us

I've recently stumbled up the Ketogenic Diet, and I kinda understand the science behind it. Anyone Currently doing this diet or have done it in the past that can shed some light? Please add me as a friend, so that I can look at your diaries. Thanks!

You may friend me if you'd like. I strive to go ketogenic, and I usually hit that mark. Feel free to look in my diary. I'll bet albertabeefy will show up and give you loads of information, you should friend him too.

CoachColin

Stumbled upon? Kid I told you about it haha.

laurenbrooke79

what is it??

Laurelthequeen

I did it. It was effective. I wasn't hungry, ate all sorts of insane things and lost weight. Went off it for a month and gained 17 of 22lbs back.

Doing a clean-eating lower animal protein, slightly higher carb version of it this time around. Losing weight much slower.

albertabeefy

A "ketogenic diet" is simply one marked by the presence of ketones in the bloodstream, and usually urine.

It is characterized by low-carbohydrate, and from a medical/weight-loss standpoint is usually a ratio of UNDER 10% calories from carbohydrate, MORE THAN 65% calories from fat, and moderate protein.

To actually enter ketosis many experts recommend a ratio of 5% carbohydrate, 75% fat and 20% protein, and this works extremely well for most people. As a 'general guideline' that's typically around 20-30g of carbohydrate per day depending on the person.

The benefits of a ketogenic diet come for ANYONE with epilepsy (helps control seizures), diabetes (regardless of Type 1 or 2, it dramatically lowers and controls blood glucose) as well as for anyone with any insulin-resistance as a result of PCOS, metabolic-syndrome, pre-diabetes, Hashimoto's thyroiditis or being morbidly obese.

The benefits for fat-loss come once a person becomes keto-adapted. Being keto-adapted means you've undergone a metabolic 'shift' that changes you from primarily utilizing glucose (to fuel cellular respiration) to utilizing fatty-acids and ketones for cellular respiration. IE: the shift changes you from burning carbohydrates to burning body-fat/ketones.

To become fully keto-adaptated can take a little while... I won't go into the full details, you can read more here: http://www.ketotic.org/2012/05/keto-adaptation-what-it-is-and-how-to.html ... scroll down to the section heading "What exactly happens during keto-adaptation?" to read up on it more.

If you've got questions, feel free to message and/or friend me.

BTW many suggest it's "not sustainable", yet I've been ketogenic for about 2 1/2 years now myself, and I personally know people who've been ketogenic since 1999.

sweetiecorn

I started off keto for around 5 months but found it really hard to maintain. Now I just low carb-high fat and weight loss is slow by steady.

albertabeefy

I did it. It was effective. I wasn't hungry, ate all sorts of insane things and lost weight. Went off it for a month and gained 17 of 22lbs back.

This is common if people simultaneously increase calories to "maintenance" while also increasing carbohydrate due to the excessive insulin that enters the system in addition to more calories.

Also of note several pounds of it will be water, as your glycogen stores are refilled.

It's best when finishing a ketogenic diet to re-introduce carbohydrate VERY gradually... perhaps adding about 20g back each week and monitoring how you do from week to week, and adding calories back slowly as well.

To suddenly go from 50g of carbohydrate a day to 200g while also adding in 500kcal extra is a recipe for weight-gain.

FredDoyle

Stumbled upon? Kid I told you about it haha.

Was it a coach meeting?

albertabeefy

I started off keto for around 5 months but found it really hard to maintain. Now I just low carb-high fat and weight loss is slow by steady.

I often don't recommend it unless you've a true medical/metabolic reason to be ketogenic, simply because many people do find it difficult.

And without a medical reason to be on it, and if you're not morbidly obese, you can usually reap many of the benefits of keto-adaptation simply by eliminating your sources of refined carbohydrate (flours/sugars) and reducing starchy carbs. This makes it much more easy to maintain for most people, but still allows the main benefits of lower-carb eating.

RiesigJay

Sent a friend request.

Here's a really good resource for the ketogenic diet. Includes a list of food that fits well into the CKD.

http://josepharcita.blogspot.com/2011/03/guide-to-ketosis.html

IreneAdler221

I lost 45 lbs. on keto. I kept a pretty strict diet, but it worked for me and I never felt deprived or anything. I'm in maintenance now and haven't gained any back, but I keep my carbs under 100 or 20%.

CoachTommyB

Now I'm curious I do intermitnat fasting. " eating in a winodw of 8 hour or less then fasting for the rest of the day" does this or just fasting in general have the same science applied to the ketogenic Diet.

Thank you everyone for your information you have shared as well as your resources..

techrolle

I found a pretty good article in the US National library of Medicine that supports the use of long term ketogenic diets. The article references the fact that mainstream medical thought tends to shy away from the high fat proponent, but the article also gives some pretty convincing empirical evidence that the effect of the ketogenic diet on risk factors for heart disease is actually beneficial.

The link for the article is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716748/

I should add that I don't follow this diet. I just noticed this thread and it intrigued me, so I thought I might share what I found.

DebbieLyn63

I stay around 50%F/30%P/20%C, and my net carbs generally stay between 25-50 g. I don't think I have gone really into Keto, but my weight loss has been fairly steady. I cut out almost all processed sugars and grains, and eat a lot of nuts and other healthy fats. I do eat a lot of fresh non-starch veggies as well.
I have 2 forms of inflammatory arthritis/autoimmune disorders- mild RA and a severe spinal cord disease- and this way of eating has reduced my pain and inflammation levels tremendously. I also have PCOS and a family history of T2 Diabetes, so the lower carbs have been critical for me.

Because my body loves this way of eating so well, I will continue this for the rest of my life. It truly has brought back a quality of life that I never thought was possible.

RiesigJay

I found a pretty good article in the US National library of Medicine that supports the use of long term ketogenic diets. The article references the fact that mainstream medical thought tends to shy away from the high fat proponent, but the article also gives some pretty convincing empirical evidence that the effect of the ketogenic diet on risk factors for heart disease is actually beneficial.

The link for the article is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716748/

I should add that I don't follow this diet. I just noticed this thread and it intrigued me, so I thought I might share what I found.

Awesome, thanks for that link!

medic2038

Now I'm curious I do intermitnat fasting. " eating in a winodw of 8 hour or less then fasting for the rest of the day" does this or just fasting in general have the same science applied to the ketogenic Diet.

Thank you everyone for your information you have shared as well as your resources..

Not really, it has more to do with personal preference. Some people might swear by IF but if you look at the data, meal timing/frequency is pretty much irrelevant. Not sure about the rules regarding posting links, but Alan Aragon has some good stuff on all of that.

OkieTink

You may friend me if you'd like. I strive to go ketogenic, and I usually hit that mark. Feel free to look in my diary. I'll bet albertabeefy will show up and give you loads of information, you should friend him too.

I noticed you eat bread...I didn't think grains were allowed?

Laurelthequeen

I did it. It was effective. I wasn't hungry, ate all sorts of insane things and lost weight. Went off it for a month and gained 17 of 22lbs back.

This is common if people simultaneously increase calories to "maintenance" while also increasing carbohydrate due to the excessive insulin that enters the system in addition to more calories.

Also of note several pounds of it will be water, as your glycogen stores are refilled.

It's best when finishing a ketogenic diet to re-introduce carbohydrate VERY gradually... perhaps adding about 20g back each week and monitoring how you do from week to week, and adding calories back slowly as well.

To suddenly go from 50g of carbohydrate a day to 200g while also adding in 500kcal extra is a recipe for weight-gain.

I agree. It was a terrible idea. I found it fairly easy to stick to for the most part, but sometimes I just REALLY wanted a brownie or something similar. It wasn't something that I could reliably maintain for the long haul. Since my current diet isn't ketogenic, just lower carb, I don't have the weight of screwing up weeks worth of work if I have pizza and a few beers at my buddy's house, thus I'm more likely to just go back to healthy eating the next day versus "Omg, i better get in the donut, brownies, and a slice of pie since I'm already in screw-up camp!!!" that I had when I'd have a planned "cheat" day.

CoachTommyB

I found a pretty good article in the US National library of Medicine that supports the use of long term ketogenic diets. The article references the fact that mainstream medical thought tends to shy away from the high fat proponent, but the article also gives some pretty convincing empirical evidence that the effect of the ketogenic diet on risk factors for heart disease is actually beneficial.

The link for the article is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716748/

I should add that I don't follow this diet. I just noticed this thread and it intrigued me, so I thought I might share what I found.

Thanks man for the article and sharing! I noticed this was your first post! Awesome.

OkieTink

I found a pretty good article in the US National library of Medicine that supports the use of long term ketogenic diets. The article references the fact that mainstream medical thought tends to shy away from the high fat proponent, but the article also gives some pretty convincing empirical evidence that the effect of the ketogenic diet on risk factors for heart disease is actually beneficial.

The link for the article is: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2716748/

I should add that I don't follow this diet. I just noticed this thread and it intrigued me, so I thought I might share what I found.

Thanks man for the article and sharing! I noticed this was your first post! Awesome.

Here's another link for you...

http://www.reddit.com/r/keto Lot's of good information there

OkieTink

Now I'm curious I do intermitnat fasting. " eating in a winodw of 8 hour or less then fasting for the rest of the day" does this or just fasting in general have the same science applied to the ketogenic Diet.

Thank you everyone for your information you have shared as well as your resources..

Ketoer's will do an IF to bust a plateau...

albertabeefy

I noticed you eat bread...I didn't think grains were allowed?

You can fit breads into a ketogenic diet if you still stay under the maximum carbohydrate threshold that keeps you keto-adapted. That varies from person to person...

Many experts recommend 20-30g of carbohydrate a day as a maximum to enter ketosis and to become keto-adapted. For me personally since I was well-over 300lbs I used 30g a day. However, once I was keto-adapted I could easily eat 75g a day and even 100g on higher-exercise days and still maintain ketosis.

Now that my weight is much lower I typically have 40-50g a day, sometimes more (when exercising heavy) sometimes less.

I don't eat much bread simply because as a diabetic, it can spike my blood glucose (unless I eat it pre-exercise) ... but it's the total carbohydrate that you're concerned about for a ketogenic ratio, not the content of the carbohydrate.

albertabeefy

Now I'm curious I do intermitnat fasting. " eating in a winodw of 8 hour or less then fasting for the rest of the day" does this or just fasting in general have the same science applied to the ketogenic Diet.

Thank you everyone for your information you have shared as well as your resources..

Ketoer's will do an IF to bust a plateau...

The only time IF (intermittent fasting) isn't well-recommended is if you're one of the people whose liver tends to release too-much glucose into your system as a result of fasting.

The liver is the organ that releases glucose into the system from glycogen stores when glucose levels are low when fasting, and yes, it even happens when keto-adapted. It happens after meals are digested, while we sleep, or anytime we're just not eating.

It's not uncommon in type II diabetics and others with insulin-resistance for it to release too-much, causing a bit of hyperglycaemia. Many diabetics refer to it as 'dawn phenomenon' when they're morning fasting readings are higher often than post-meal readings. Exercise while fasting often exacerbates this condition in these individuals, quite seriously.

Other than those people thus-affected, it's quite safe and effective to use IF.

OkieTink

I noticed you eat bread...I didn't think grains were allowed?

You can fit breads into a ketogenic diet if you still stay under the maximum carbohydrate threshold that keeps you keto-adapted. That varies from person to person...

Many experts recommend 20-30g of carbohydrate a day as a maximum to enter ketosis and to become keto-adapted. For me personally since I was well-over 300lbs I used 30g a day. However, once I was keto-adapted I could easily eat 75g a day and even 100g on higher-exercise days and still maintain ketosis.

Now that my weight is much lower I typically have 40-50g a day, sometimes more (when exercising heavy) sometimes less.

I don't eat much bread simply because as a diabetic, it can spike my blood glucose (unless I eat it pre-exercise) ... but it's the total carbohydrate that you're concerned about for a ketogenic ratio, not the content of the carbohydrate.

I thought refined carb's could throw you out of keto, even though you're within your gram range? I don't really eat bread because it goes straight to my hips. Evil stuff

Do you use a meter to test for ketone's? I bought the sticks, sometimes they are pink, but usually not. Since I am strict about what I eat/and don't eat should I assume I'm in keto?

albertabeefy

I thought refined carb's could throw you out of keto, even though you're within your gram range? I don't really eat bread because it goes straight to my hips. Evil stuff

No, it's total carbohydrate that counts. Certainly there are reasons to avoid refined carbohydrates - glycemic reasons, possible further cravings and lack of nutrition being the obvious ones - but ingesting them within your ketogenic limits will not cause you to drop out of ketosis.

Do you use a meter to test for ketone's? I bought the sticks, sometimes they are pink, but usually not. Since I am strict about what I eat/and don't eat should I assume I'm in keto?

I own a meter, yes, as well as ketostix, but rarely use either (the ketone test strips are stupid expensive). I've been in ketosis for about 2 and a half years. And based on my own testing at the initial stages, I know where my thresholds are.

For me it takes 3 sedentary days of eating 125 - 150g of carbohydrate a day to LEAVE ketosis. (I can have a 100g carbohydrate on a sedentary day and stay in ketosis ... my glucose levels will be elevated higher, but my ketogenic state remains. But I'm a nearly 230lb big, muscular guy with an active metabolism. Obviously this would be a smaller amount for a woman half my size.)

Generally speaking, once you enter ketosis, you can maintain it with dietary carbohydrate intake UNDER 10% of calories, and fat ABOVE 65% of calories. Some do better for getting keto-adapted with slightly less carbohydrate and slightly more fat. (Remember, keto-adaptation and ketosis aren't the same thing) but the ketogenic ratio itself is usually <10% carb and >65% fat.

FYI, Ketostix aren't a good representation of where your serum ketone levels are as the urine ketone levels are diluted or strengthened based on your own hydration levels. If you're well-hydrated, they might be light pink vs. dark purple if dehydrated even though the serum level is the same.

OkieTink

I've only had the stick turn pink twice..I do drink a lot of water...

The thing I have noticed in the weeks since I started this is that l feel better. Although I have more energy overall, I tire faster in the gym. But...I don't have an upset stomach, no more bloating, nothing. I can't help but to think that carb's are just not my friend.

OkieTink

Generally speaking, once you enter ketosis, you can maintain it with dietary carbohydrate intake UNDER 10% of calories, and fat ABOVE 65% of calories. Some do better for getting keto-adapted with slightly less carbohydrate and slightly more fat. (Remember, keto-adaptation and ketosis aren't the same thing) but the ketogenic ratio itself is usually <10% carb and >65% fat.

I'm 70/25/5. It seems to work for me so far.

CoachTommyB

So I just bought the Ketone strips and I'ts showing pink. I'm guessing that is just from the IF I've been doing?

RiesigJay

I've never used strips. The general consensus is that they're unreliable.

You will know without a doubt when you are in ketosis. You will suddenly feel a huge burst of energy and will actually NEED to get up and do something.

You'll also be peeing every 5 minutes. Your girlfriend may also be able to notice a different smell to your breath, and you might also have a metallic taste in your mouth.

Depending on the exercise you're doing, you'll be in ketosis within 5-7 days as a beginner (if you're doing it right).

EDIT: Have you already started the ketogenic diet? i would suggest dropping some of your shakes - they have too many carbs. Also, strawberries aren't exactly a ketogenic friendly food. For best results, keep your carbs under 20 grams a day.

CoachTommyB

Actually no I havent' been on the diet yet, I plan to have my first Ketogenic meal tonight . I defintaly have the metalic taste in my mouth right now, however I gonna be gone for the weekend on a cabin trip, so I most certainly wont have the benifits for long.

I adjusted my diet goals today, and your right I can't have the shakes. I'm keeping one of them but that's it. Ill be over by a couple grams of carbs tonight but not much, I'm shooting for 5%. Thanks for taking the time to look at my diary! I appreciate it!