Ketogenic Diet - How many carbs do you eat?

I don't work out everyday, and when I do, it's just vigorous walking. I aim for as close to zero as possible, with no more than 75g in any one day. It's almost always way less than that. Also, a ketogenic diet isn't just low carb, it's also high-fat. If you can do at least 50% of calories from fat, that would help out any ketosis.

On a personal note, I'd encourage you to not get too caught up focusing on the strips. I was like that for a long time and it frustrated me more than it helped (although it did help a bit).

I have now started the Ketogenic diet and its hard to cut carbs when I love Pasta
I will do this to loose my weight and slowly add the carbs back in. Good luck on your diet!!

Ketogenic Diets are crazy. Why not just eat mostly fruits and vegetables with moderate amounts of fat and protein?

I learned today that fruits have tons of carbs. Avoid them like the plague

Good luck with looking good without them. heh

OP... under 100 keeps you in ketosis... most start really low and do some pump workouts to burn out all the glycogen and get into ketosis dfast.. youll feel like crap til your body adjusts.... many do a TKD (targetted ketogenic diet) when they eat more carbs surrounding workouts.... You can do this and perform better in the gym while staying in keto... also, once youve been in keto for over a month people often jump out of keto (refeed) for a day or so just to let their body even out and improve training capacity... do your research

Keto isnt crazy but you should be doing some supplementation since you cant really eat much fruit.... I wouldnt make it a lifestyle, but, its fine for quite a while.... Some people do really well switching their energy source to fat... others never adjust

its the right answer for plenty of people.. especially overweight people who just dont have the capacity to eat carbs in moderation... (too big of a psychological bond)


im talking about eating the same amount of calories as woudl be suggested by any diet.... not some stupid fad diet that says eat whatever the F you want as long as its not carbs.. thats just stupid..

From what I read and heard, Ketosis makes the body acidic and you may lose bone density since the body uses minerals from bone to alkalize it.

its the right answer for plenty of people.. especially overweight people who just dont have the capacity to eat carbs in moderation... (too big of a psychological bond)

Why not try mostly fruits and vegetables if they normally eat mostly carbs? unless they are diabetic. I suppose fats are cheaper than fruits and vegetables.

From what I read and heard, Ketosis makes the body acidic and you may lose bone density since the body uses minerals from bone to alkalize it.

Ketoacidosis is the acidic state. Not ketosis. As for bone-density: Studies are inconclusive - there are as many that correlate ketogenic diets with loss-of-bone density (correlation is NOT causation) as there are that show no measurable affect whatsoever.

Why not try mostly fruits and vegetables if they normally eat mostly carbs? unless they are diabetic. I suppose fats are cheaper than fruits and vegetables.

It depends on the individual. The clinically obese, especially as they get older, are more-prone to insulin-resistance than others. So even without a Dx of diabetes, the obese are often insulin-resistant and NEED to reduce carbohydrate.

Insulin resistance causes high levels of circulating insulin in the blood, which is clinically shown to both 1) cause cravings for carbohydrate and 2) is the hormone responsible for ingested carbohydrate to be stored as fat.

This is why so many obese people do well on a VLCKD (very low-carb ketogenic diet) where others have failed them.

For those that enjoy carbohydrate, usually as the weight comes off, they can gradually increase the carbohydrate consumption and maintain weight loss. Those that go OFF the VLCKD have a tendency to gain it all back. Talk to anyone that used to be 350+ lbs and maintained weight loss - the almost all exclusively stayed low-carb.

OK so ketones from ketosis are acidic and prolonged excess of ketone bodies can overwhelm normal compensatory mechanisms, leading to acidosis. Why risk your bone density?

It is INCREDIBLY rare for excess ketone bodies to lead to acidosis, as it also requires excess glucose in the bloodstream - which ketogenic diets prevent.

As for bone-density, there's no validity to the idea that ketogenic diets reduce bone-density.

They should eat slow digesting carbs with fruits and vegetables and lean proteins and they would lose weight.

I don't think you understand nutrition and metabolism where it relates to digestion of carbohydrate. Even "slow digesting carbs" raise serum glucose levels. They simply do it for a longer period, but have the same overall impact on glycemic control and insulin levels as rapidly digested carbohydrate in the same amount. To suggest otherwise is like believing it's OK to eat 3 candy bars each if spaced one hour apart, but not 3 candy bars at once. Same net impact, sorry.

... and they have to eat more carbs eventually or risk dying from acidosis. There are far better alternatives to losing weight.

You seriously do NOT understand acidosis. Ketogenic diets pose NO risk of acidosis. NONE. You are confusing ketosis with ketoacidosis which are two very different biochemical states.

From what I read and heard, Ketosis makes the body acidic and you may lose bone density since the body uses minerals from bone to alkalize it.

Ketoacidosis is the acidic state. Not ketosis. As for bone-density: Studies are inconclusive - there are as many that correlate ketogenic diets with loss-of-bone density (correlation is NOT causation) as there are that show no measurable affect whatsoever.

OK so ketones from ketosis are acidic and prolonged excess of ketone bodies can overwhelm normal compensatory mechanisms, leading to acidosis. Why risk your bone density?

Why not try mostly fruits and vegetables if they normally eat mostly carbs? unless they are diabetic. I suppose fats are cheaper than fruits and vegetables.

It depends on the individual. The clinically obese, especially as they get older, are more-prone to insulin-resistance than others. So even without a Dx of diabetes, the obese are often insulin-resistant and NEED to reduce carbohydrate.

Insulin resistance causes high levels of circulating insulin in the blood, which is clinically shown to both 1) cause cravings for carbohydrate and 2) is the hormone responsible for ingested carbohydrate to be stored as fat.

This is why so many obese people do well on a VLCKD (very low-carb ketogenic diet) where others have failed them.

For those that enjoy carbohydrate, usually as the weight comes off, they can gradually increase the carbohydrate consumption and maintain weight loss. Those that go OFF the VLCKD have a tendency to gain it all back. Talk to anyone that used to be 350+ lbs and maintained weight loss - the almost all exclusively stayed low-carb.

They should eat slow digesting carbs with fruits and vegetables and lean proteins and they would lose weight.
I doubt almost all of them are low carb. If they go off the diet they will most likely gain the weight back like you said and they have to eat more carbs eventually or risk dying from acidosis. There are far better alternatives to losing weight.

You do not die from ketosis. I've seen people in *ketoacidosis*, it's not pleasant and NOT the same thing as ketosis. As an obese person I've tried the diet you say obese people should eat and it didn't do jack **** except raise my insulin level and keep me fat. Bad advice for the insulin resistant.

I do a lot of reading about low carb/kenogenic diets, and typically I see people are in ketosis and losing weight between 20-60 net grams of carbs a day. I began my "low carb" (not low enough for some people) with a goal of <100 net grams a day, and I've lost about 2 lbs a week. My current calorie goal is 1200 because that's just what was recommended when I first joined myfitnesspal, and I really eat between 1100-1800 net calories, depending on my exercise and how many low carb snacks I decide to eat. I used ketostrips when I first started my diet, I had small to trace amounts detected and I was losing weight. I haven't used a test strip in a few weeks, but I've been keeping my carbs consistently lower than when I first started, anyway. I am on the cross country team at my college, so exercise is a necessity for me. I used to just eat whatever I wanted around 1200 calories a day, and would lose weight, but I couldn't stick to it and never got results like I have been eating a reduced carb amount.

To anyone else who eats reduced carbs and exercises around 40 min a day 6 days a week, how many carbs do you eat to lose weight? Heck, even if you don't exercise, please let me know.

I am probably going to buy more test strips to make sure I'm doing it right, but sometimes I think I might be eating too many carbs, and I just lose weight because of the amount of calories I eat. I just don't know! I hope to find somebody who can eat as many carbs as I do and still be burning fat!

Hey girl! I too am in college and try to stay under 1200cal and have carb concerns as well. I'll share w you everything I've learned, note that I'm writing this from my phone so i won't be linking my resources but I assure you they're out there!

First off, and simply put, a calorie deficit will lead to weight loss regardless of how you go about getting your calories. That said, for keto specifically I've found much debate about counting calories. On the one hand, when we eat higher fat diets, like keto, folks tend to feel satiated for a longer period of time, so in general there's less eating since people feel full while coincidentally being at it under their target caloric goal. On the other hand, some people have a snack habit, or for one reason or another want to eat and run the risk of exceeding their caloric goal. In my opinion it seems silly to work so hard counting my carbs just to "stall" my progress by eating too many calories. I personally count my calories, but don't stress if they're a touch over or under per day so long as my weekly looks good.

About carbs, there's so much research out there describing different approaches for various results. I've read the classic carb up before heavy work outs or a cyclic keto diet (ckd) that some athletes are in to, and I've read research where (in this case) runners were able to improve overall on keto because their muscles weren't running on glucose. The approach that I've read as most successful is reducing the work out initially on keto so the body fully acclimates- the amount of time varies person to person. Then train as usual up to where your goals are. Some folks at this point decide to have a regular carb up before workouts, or a once/twice weekly carb up, or none at all. I've found the best and happiest results seem to be when the person listens to their body. For me, I aim to keep a strict ratio of 5%net carbs, 65% fats, and 30% protein. I haven't had any issues maintaining this ratio, and its server as a great goal for me to plan my meals by.

As far as how many carbs knock you out of ketosis, it varies by person. I've seen some people certain its one number or another, but person to person is different! On average the large majority of people will be in ketosis having 30g-50g carbs per day. There are however people who exist and their limit is higher or lower. As mentioned, I aim for 5% of my intake, which is 15g net carbs. ( I do hope you're subtracting your fiber from the carb count listed on the nutrition facts to get the net carbs as your body doesn't process fiber). The most net carbs I've eaten is 24 while on keto, so I'm unsure what my upper limit is. Initially when I was uncertain I could do 5% net carbs per day I decided to stay below 30 net at all costs lol. Thus far i haven't had any carb ups and feel like my running is doing great, I've got lots of energy, and I understand my muscles needed to adjust to running a little differently on keto.

With your keto test strips, depending how protein heavy, dairy heavy, water heavy you most recent meal was you may not be reading an accurate amount of ketones. The most accurate time to do the test is with you first pee in the morning. Low ketone levels imply your body still has carbs/sugars to run on for the most part and only needed to oxidize and burn some fat. Keep in mind that though dietary fat is not equivalent to body fat directly, if it doesn't get burned it'll get stored [read as: it important to count your calories]. High ketone readings mean you're running on mostly ketones, yay!

I don't know what your goals are with keto; weight loss, lifestyle change, bulking on muscle, etc. but your goal will help determine what kind of keto diet you should do. Above all, listen to your body and ask lots of questions if you have them.

From what I read and heard, Ketosis makes the body acidic and you may lose bone density since the body uses minerals from bone to alkalize it.

Ketoacidosis is the acidic state. Not ketosis. As for bone-density: Studies are inconclusive - there are as many that correlate ketogenic diets with loss-of-bone density (correlation is NOT causation) as there are that show no measurable affect whatsoever.

OK so ketones from ketosis are acidic and prolonged excess of ketone bodies can overwhelm normal compensatory mechanisms, leading to acidosis. Why risk your bone density?

Why not try mostly fruits and vegetables if they normally eat mostly carbs? unless they are diabetic. I suppose fats are cheaper than fruits and vegetables.

It depends on the individual. The clinically obese, especially as they get older, are more-prone to insulin-resistance than others. So even without a Dx of diabetes, the obese are often insulin-resistant and NEED to reduce carbohydrate.

Insulin resistance causes high levels of circulating insulin in the blood, which is clinically shown to both 1) cause cravings for carbohydrate and 2) is the hormone responsible for ingested carbohydrate to be stored as fat.

This is why so many obese people do well on a VLCKD (very low-carb ketogenic diet) where others have failed them.

For those that enjoy carbohydrate, usually as the weight comes off, they can gradually increase the carbohydrate consumption and maintain weight loss. Those that go OFF the VLCKD have a tendency to gain it all back. Talk to anyone that used to be 350+ lbs and maintained weight loss - the almost all exclusively stayed low-carb.

They should eat slow digesting carbs with fruits and vegetables and lean proteins and they would lose weight.
I doubt almost all of them are low carb. If they go off the diet they will most likely gain the weight back like you said and they have to eat more carbs eventually or risk dying from acidosis. There are far better alternatives to losing weight.

From what I read and heard, Ketosis makes the body acidic and you may lose bone density since the body uses minerals from bone to alkalize it.

Ketoacidosis is the acidic state. Not ketosis. As for bone-density: Studies are inconclusive - there are as many that correlate ketogenic diets with loss-of-bone density (correlation is NOT causation) as there are that show no measurable affect whatsoever.

OK so ketones from ketosis are acidic and prolonged excess of ketone bodies can overwhelm normal compensatory mechanisms, leading to acidosis. Why risk your bone density?

I have been battling obesity for more than 10yrs and have recently been told I am insulin resistant and I am only 34. I have been eating clean and mostly organic up until then for the past year and only lost 2kgs in that whole time. When told about my insulin resistance which is linked to my poly cystic ovarian syndrome, the doctor decided to treat me with diet and exercise instead of medication (shocking I know). So I've done EXTENSIVE research on the best diet which happens to be a ketogenic diet. In 2 months I have lost over 10kgs, gained lots of energy, manage to workout 7 days a week and cut my cravings to ZERO! Unlike glucose which if not used by the body for energy gets stored as fat for later use thanks to good old insulin the fat storing hormone. Ketones on the other hand if not used all up by the body will be exreated through the urine. So therefore it's very rare and hard for the body to enter ketoacidosis. In fact there are people on carb laden diets who are probably more acid than Keto people. There is also evidence that the brain actually prefers ketones since they have production sites which produce their own ketones! Please do your proper research before bagging ketogenic diets. They are also used to treat cancer patients (as the diet helps starve the glucose loving cancer cells) and has been used since the 1920s to treat epileptics. Google a surgeon by the name of Peter Attia. He has a great site that explains extensively the benefits of ketosis is which HEAPS of scientific evidence to back it up.

Why not try mostly fruits and vegetables if they normally eat mostly carbs? unless they are diabetic. I suppose fats are cheaper than fruits and vegetables.

It depends on the individual. The clinically obese, especially as they get older, are more-prone to insulin-resistance than others. So even without a Dx of diabetes, the obese are often insulin-resistant and NEED to reduce carbohydrate.

Insulin resistance causes high levels of circulating insulin in the blood, which is clinically shown to both 1) cause cravings for carbohydrate and 2) is the hormone responsible for ingested carbohydrate to be stored as fat.

This is why so many obese people do well on a VLCKD (very low-carb ketogenic diet) where others have failed them.

For those that enjoy carbohydrate, usually as the weight comes off, they can gradually increase the carbohydrate consumption and maintain weight loss. Those that go OFF the VLCKD have a tendency to gain it all back. Talk to anyone that used to be 350+ lbs and maintained weight loss - the almost all exclusively stayed low-carb.

They should eat slow digesting carbs with fruits and vegetables and lean proteins and they would lose weight.
I doubt almost all of them are low carb. If they go off the diet they will most likely gain the weight back like you said and they have to eat more carbs eventually or risk dying from acidosis. There are far better alternatives to losing weight.

I've spend the last couple months doing a lot of in-depth research about ketosis, here's where I'm at:

- I stay below 20g net carbs/day. Occasionally, I'll eat something that had more carbs than I expected (most recently it was cabbage) and go as high as 30g, but that's pretty rare because I usually put everything in MFP before I actually eat.
- My MFP settings are 5% carbs, 25% protein, 70% fat. I eat ~1800 calories/day and drink 3+ liters of water and I've lost 25 lbs in the last 6 weeks with a completely sedentary lifestyle. (My calorie deficit is not nearly large enough to cause that much loss if keto doesn't work.) Due to old injuries, my knees and ankles hurt far too much for me to exercise until I lose more weight, so I literally sit at my desk 95% of the time.
- The science is contrary to everything I've ever been taught by the American system, but it works. My weight is down. My blood pressure is down. My cholesterol is down. My energy level is up. I'm not hungry all the time like I used to be. Most importantly, I get to eat delicious foods that I love in the quantities I want.
- My gall bladder failed and was removed 7 years ago and I've had near-constant intestinal pain since. Until starting keto. Now I feel great... No pain. No days spent in the fetal position on the brink of tears. (Used to happen at least once every 2 weeks.) No sprinting to the bathroom 15 minutes after every meal. My digestive system works like a normal person's should. (Ironically, the most common cause of gall bladder failure in young people is not eating enough fat. Less than 30 grams/day puts you at risk.)

If you're still skeptical, listen to this guy: http://youtu.be/NqwvcrA7oe8

50

Im planning to start on a ketogenic diet! wish me luck! I will try to keep a journal of my progress to see what happens!!

Good luck! Just started this as well and try to keep under 50, but currently I'm still just under 70 on most days.