Ketogenic Diet - How many carbs do you eat?
Replies
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I just spent 6 months in a medical study limiting my calories to 1550 and my fat to 43 grams per day. After 6 months, I lost 17 pounds. I would still try and eat low carb to keep me from having cravings. The problem was I would only end up with 800 calories and 43 grams of fat. In order to increase the calories without increasing the fat, I'd have to eat carbs and then 1550 didn't seem like enough calories to stave off hunger. Alcohol actually worked better for me to up the calories without fat and cravings.
So, I finished the study and went on a true low carb diet. I slowly lowered from 150 grams of carbs to 40 net grams. I'm losing a pound a day eating 1300 calories and 50% calories from fat. I'll be slowly upping the carbs back to about 75 grams. The reduced calories will lose the weight and only 75 carbs will keep cravings away. Win-Win.0 -
Phyanne, What are your macros?
Thanks, Jody0 -
Atkin's has been vindicated - FINALLY!!! The ADA seems to have finally reversed itself on low-carbohydrate diets.
http://www.examiner.com/article/study-low-carb-diet-beats-low-fat-diet-for-reducing-diabetic-inflammation
http://www.medicaldaily.com/if-you-have-diabetes-stick-low-carb-diet-it-may-help-lower-inflammation-2815060 -
My limit is 50 g/day, but I've gotten to where I'm consistently around 35-40 g/day. I'm not actually trying to lower it more. I just find that's a comfortable level for me.
I don't use the keto strips, I get keto breath that tells me I'm in ketosis. I've been doing this for 52 days and lost 17 lbs. It's the easiest diet I've ever tried. My calorie limit is 1500, but I rarely reach that. I usually eat 1200-1300 calories. I attempted my first fast yesterday (I had breakfast and then ate nothing else until breakfast this morning). I'm amazed that I didn't feel like crap yesterday afternoon. That's something I could never try if I wasn't eating low-carb.
My macro ratios are:
Carbs: 15%
Protein: 25%
Fat: 60%
My first attempt was 20 g/day, and I just couldn't make that work.0 -
Extremely low carb diets may be a temporary help for people who have medical issues but for the vast majority of people no carb, low carb diets will have side effects in the long run and is completely unnecessary to weight loss.
Our bodies need carbs. They increase serotonin levels in our brains and give us energy. There are studies now showing how people who eat extremely low carbs have more depression issues and also memory problems. I would never say eat a giant bowl of pasta every night and eat bags of chips for breakfast but in the long run most people eating this way will fall back on 'everything in moderation and exercise' because that is what is sustainable and what works.
I've never actually seen any studies to indicate that low-carb diets have long-term side effects. I have seen critics use "we don't know what the long-term side effects are" as an argument against them. But I'll find out what the long-term affects are. I intend to continue with 50 g/day until I reach my goal and then I'll increase to 100-150 g/day or at whatever level I find comfortable for maintenance - for the rest of my life. I'll let you know if I experience any side effects.
Our bodies don't need carbs. There are many things that increase serotonin levels - like sunlight - and give us energy - like fat.
Please site your sources for those studies about low-carbers having more depression issues. Because my depression decreased after I started eating low-carb. I did have some memory problems for a few days. This is part of the transition. That's the problem with many of the studies that decry low-carb diets - they focus on the first few weeks when there's a lot of change happening. Since getting over that hump, my memory, energy, and focus have gotten better.
I've tried "everything in moderation and exercise". It wasn't sustainable, and it didn't work. When I first read about low-carb diets I compared the claims to my previous low-calorie diet attempts. What stood out to me is that on days when I followed my calorie limit, I considerably exceeded my fat limit. And days when I ate close to carb limit, I significantly exceeded my calorie limit.0 -
It's just odd to train your body to function in a way it really wasn't intended like most people's brains run on sugar, but it can make use of ketones when there are lack of carbs in a diet.
How do you know that this isn't how our bodies were intended to function? Humans drastically increased their carb intake about 10,000 years ago when agriculture was invented (and then again about 100 years ago when the government started pushing grains as what later became the bottom of the food pyramid). Before that, they only ate carbs if they could find them. They had to search for fruit, nuts, and berries - this could take days. They could spend just as long tracking game. And they had no means to store or preserve food, so they were likely doing some of their hunting and gathering while they were hungry. You don't think we weren't designed to have a defense against hunger? If you eat high carbs (I'm calling more than 250 g/day "high carb"), then you're brain stops working when you get hungry. How can that be the intended design? If our brains stopped working every few hours we would be too stupid to hunt for our next meal.
What's more, people ate the food that was available. In some places this included fruit. In Northern climates, this only includes fruit during the summer (which is short). I know in Alaska, the only fruit that grows naturally are berries, which are relatively low in carbs (compared to most other fruits). In fact, in northern climates, there's nothing growing for 8-10 months of every year. But people still lived there. That means that for 8-10 months of every year they were eating 100% animal products (0 carbs).
The modern american diet is by human design, that's not natural at all. Low-carb is actually more natural.
I live in Alaska. If I stopped eating all the food that has to be flown in from down south or grown in green houses, I would be left to eat what's here naturally. That would mean 0-5% carbs and everything else from animals. That's how people lived for thousands of years. How can that be "a way it really wasn't intended"?0 -
Extremely low carb diets may be a temporary help for people who have medical issues but for the vast majority of people no carb, low carb diets will have side effects in the long run and is completely unnecessary to weight loss.
Our bodies need carbs. They increase serotonin levels in our brains and give us energy. There are studies now showing how people who eat extremely low carbs have more depression issues and also memory problems. I would never say eat a giant bowl of pasta every night and eat bags of chips for breakfast but in the long run most people eating this way will fall back on 'everything in moderation and exercise' because that is what is sustainable and what works.
I've never actually seen any studies to indicate that low-carb diets have long-term side effects. I have seen critics use "we don't know what the long-term side effects are" as an argument against them. But I'll find out what the long-term affects are. I intend to continue with 50 g/day until I reach my goal and then I'll increase to 100-150 g/day or at whatever level I find comfortable for maintenance - for the rest of my life. I'll let you know if I experience any side effects.
Our bodies don't need carbs. There are many things that increase serotonin levels - like sunlight - and give us energy - like fat.
Please site your sources for those studies about low-carbers having more depression issues. Because my depression decreased after I started eating low-carb. I did have some memory problems for a few days. This is part of the transition. That's the problem with many of the studies that decry low-carb diets - they focus on the first few weeks when there's a lot of change happening. Since getting over that hump, my memory, energy, and focus have gotten better.
I've tried "everything in moderation and exercise". It wasn't sustainable, and it didn't work. When I first read about low-carb diets I compared the claims to my previous low-calorie diet attempts. What stood out to me is that on days when I followed my calorie limit, I considerably exceeded my fat limit. And days when I ate close to carb limit, I significantly exceeded my calorie limit.
Please cite your sources the body doesn't need carbs and that blood glucose levels of 0 would be perfectly fine. Unless glucose suddenly is not a carbohydrate.
There are however plenty of studies showing negative impact on cognition and mood for low carb diets, a quick search will turn up a bunch0 -
http://authoritynutrition.com/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets/
Benefits to low carb diets including 46 citations to back up the claims. Hopefully that's sufficient.
Been doing keto for 8 weeks now (with severe PCOS) and I've lost 21 inches all over since 3/30. I'd say it's working just fine.0 -
Extremely low carb diets may be a temporary help for people who have medical issues but for the vast majority of people no carb, low carb diets will have side effects in the long run and is completely unnecessary to weight loss.
Our bodies need carbs. They increase serotonin levels in our brains and give us energy. There are studies now showing how people who eat extremely low carbs have more depression issues and also memory problems. I would never say eat a giant bowl of pasta every night and eat bags of chips for breakfast but in the long run most people eating this way will fall back on 'everything in moderation and exercise' because that is what is sustainable and what works.
I've never actually seen any studies to indicate that low-carb diets have long-term side effects. I have seen critics use "we don't know what the long-term side effects are" as an argument against them. But I'll find out what the long-term affects are. I intend to continue with 50 g/day until I reach my goal and then I'll increase to 100-150 g/day or at whatever level I find comfortable for maintenance - for the rest of my life. I'll let you know if I experience any side effects.
Our bodies don't need carbs. There are many things that increase serotonin levels - like sunlight - and give us energy - like fat.
Please site your sources for those studies about low-carbers having more depression issues. Because my depression decreased after I started eating low-carb. I did have some memory problems for a few days. This is part of the transition. That's the problem with many of the studies that decry low-carb diets - they focus on the first few weeks when there's a lot of change happening. Since getting over that hump, my memory, energy, and focus have gotten better.
I've tried "everything in moderation and exercise". It wasn't sustainable, and it didn't work. When I first read about low-carb diets I compared the claims to my previous low-calorie diet attempts. What stood out to me is that on days when I followed my calorie limit, I considerably exceeded my fat limit. And days when I ate close to carb limit, I significantly exceeded my calorie limit.
Please cite your sources the body doesn't need carbs and that blood glucose levels of 0 would be perfectly fine. Unless glucose suddenly is not a carbohydrate.
There are however plenty of studies showing negative impact on cognition and mood for low carb diets, a quick search will turn up a bunch
I didn't say blood glucose of 0 is fine. I said we don't need carbs to increase serotonin and provide energy, which was in response to the assertion that we do need carbs to increase serotonin and provide energy. Context matters.
I've addressed the "plenty of studies showing negative impact on cognition and mood for low carb diets" comment as well. 1) I said I didn't experience it, which is anecdotal evidence that it doesn't effect everybody; and 2) I said many of those studies were done in the first few weeks during a transition, which would be a severe flaw in the study. Finding flaws in the studies is part of the discussion - a discussion technique I know you are well aware of.
The whole purpose of my response, is to share my experience, which contradicts many of the claims that MFP's armchair nutritionists like to lecture low-carbers about. In fact, there are lots of people who can personally contradict those dire warnings about low-carb diets. You just don't want to listen to them.0 -
Extremely low carb diets may be a temporary help for people who have medical issues but for the vast majority of people no carb, low carb diets will have side effects in the long run and is completely unnecessary to weight loss.
Our bodies need carbs. They increase serotonin levels in our brains and give us energy. There are studies now showing how people who eat extremely low carbs have more depression issues and also memory problems. I would never say eat a giant bowl of pasta every night and eat bags of chips for breakfast but in the long run most people eating this way will fall back on 'everything in moderation and exercise' because that is what is sustainable and what works.
I've never actually seen any studies to indicate that low-carb diets have long-term side effects. I have seen critics use "we don't know what the long-term side effects are" as an argument against them. But I'll find out what the long-term affects are. I intend to continue with 50 g/day until I reach my goal and then I'll increase to 100-150 g/day or at whatever level I find comfortable for maintenance - for the rest of my life. I'll let you know if I experience any side effects.
Our bodies don't need carbs. There are many things that increase serotonin levels - like sunlight - and give us energy - like fat.
Please site your sources for those studies about low-carbers having more depression issues. Because my depression decreased after I started eating low-carb. I did have some memory problems for a few days. This is part of the transition. That's the problem with many of the studies that decry low-carb diets - they focus on the first few weeks when there's a lot of change happening. Since getting over that hump, my memory, energy, and focus have gotten better.
I've tried "everything in moderation and exercise". It wasn't sustainable, and it didn't work. When I first read about low-carb diets I compared the claims to my previous low-calorie diet attempts. What stood out to me is that on days when I followed my calorie limit, I considerably exceeded my fat limit. And days when I ate close to carb limit, I significantly exceeded my calorie limit.
Please cite your sources the body doesn't need carbs and that blood glucose levels of 0 would be perfectly fine. Unless glucose suddenly is not a carbohydrate.
There are however plenty of studies showing negative impact on cognition and mood for low carb diets, a quick search will turn up a bunch
I didn't say blood glucose of 0 is fine. I said we don't need carbs to increase serotonin and provide energy, which was in response to the assertion that we do need carbs to increase serotonin and provide energy. Context matters.
I've addressed the "plenty of studies showing negative impact on cognition and mood for low carb diets" comment as well. 1) I said I didn't experience it, which is anecdotal evidence that it doesn't effect everybody; and 2) I said many of those studies were done in the first few weeks during a transition, which would be a severe flaw in the study. Finding flaws in the studies is part of the discussion - a discussion technique I know you are well aware of.
The whole purpose of my response, is to share my experience, which contradicts many of the claims that MFP's armchair nutritionists like to lecture low-carbers about. In fact, there are lots of people who can personally contradict those dire warnings about low-carb diets. You just don't want to listen to them.
"Our bodies don't need carbs. " Indeed
Too bad the plural of anecdote is not data nor evidence
As for short term, here you go
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=11085580 -
One study, with similar results not repeated. Sorry, but the scientific method requires results to be repeatable. It's not happened yet.
And the big confounder? Before the study ever began, twice as many people assigned to the low-carb group were taking antidepressants. Hmm...0 -
It's actually scientifically factual to say that carbohydrates aren't an essential nutrient.
That fact doesn't have any bearing on whether Keto is dangerous long term or short term though, but it's good to know.
For anyone interested in seriously talking about Keto, is worth reading Peter Attia's site, and watching his videos.
He's an MD and health/nutrition researcher who has been in Keto for years.
He has a lot of interesting things to say, and backs it all up with real science.
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/ketosis-advantaged-or-misunderstood-state-part-i
Most of the negativity towards Keto that I've found on the web is muddled with a lot of bro-science.
All the studies I've seen that indicate Keto is bad for bones have been small, on children, with epilepsy and other factors involved.
It's definitely good to read them, but it's important to look at the big picture, and be aware of the concept of Null Result.
NDT has a great snippet on that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pub07BLlPCc#t=80
For example, here is a study showning no difference in bone turnover
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16718399
Also relevant, for people just hearing about Keto for the first time:
http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/is-ketosis-dangerous0 -
Please cite your sources the body doesn't need carbs and that blood glucose levels of 0 would be perfectly fine. Unless glucose suddenly is not a carbohydrate.
It would be more correct to say that humans don't need dietary carbohydrates, because they can be created from other substances inside the body.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/carbohydrate-and-fat-controversies-part-1.html
note Lyle's reply to comments also.
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/75/5/951.2.long
http://members.irosacea.org/topic/994-carbohydrate-not-essential-for-human-survival/There are however plenty of studies showing negative impact on cognition and mood for low carb diets, a quick search will turn up a bunch
If a "quick search" will turn up "a bunch", would you be kind enough to do that search and paste the results into a reply? Or at least hint at what the query string should be, to find said results. I have a personal interest in knowing if there are problems that persist past your run of the mill 'Keto Flu' period. I've been in and out of Ketosis 3 or 4 times and I haven't experienced anything negative past the adaptation phase.0 -
Fruit (and veg) makes up like 70% of my diet, not going to give them up for some fad.
I went 80/10/10 for a while, now I am 70/15/15 or something like that.
I'm doing fine, and yes believe it or not if I lower my calories still lose weight.
And I imagine this diet to be incredibly unhealthy too.0 -
all i have to say is horses for courses...
i know for sure that i benefit from keto/low carb diets, am diabetic, and have a great big apple shaped tummy...
i have friends who are so ill on low carb its not true...
ultimatley, healthy eating, plus excercise, plus not taking life too seriously = happy person
lets not forget.... life is for living, too...
:drinker: 0 -
Props to ellesab78 and wiljc3 for mentioning Attia. He's the boss.
WOW! The amount of bro-science and conjecture in this thread is overwhelming!
I wonder why so many people come out of the woodwork to bash Keto?
It is OK if people do things differently than you!
If you got fit by carb-loading and running 10 miles a day, that is awesome!
We are all coming at fitness from different starting points, using different methods, with different life circumstances.
This rainbow of 'flavors' is part of what makes life interesting and worth living!
If you claim to be bashing Keto because you are worried about people's health or safety, that is admirable, but please educate yourselves before doing so. There may indeed be reasons to warn people about Keto, but it doesn't help anyone to be repeating tired old fallacies.
-Human's need to eat carbs to live or be healthy - No, they don't. Refer to my previous posts.
-Keto kills muscle mass - No, Keto spares muscle if done correctly. Almost any diet can burn through muscle if your macros are off, and the entire metabolic pathway of Keto is almost 'designed' to be muscle sparing.
"...it appears, from most literature studied, that a VLCARB is, if anything, protective against muscle protein catabolism during energy restriction, provided that it contains adequate amounts of protein."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1373635/
-Keto makes the body acidic - From the studies out there, the increased acidity is negligible and there is no evidence that it causes any health problems. Side note: Please steer away from the idea that health can be procured, or disease can be cured or prevented solely by altering the pH of certain systems in your body, it is not supported by science, at all.
http://chriskresser.com/the-ph-myth-part-1
http://chriskresser.com/the-acid-alkaline-myth-part-2
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/PH_woo
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Alkaline_diet
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/coral2.html
http://www.webmd.com/diet/alkaline-diets
etc..
-Your body wasn't intended to function in ketosis - What does that even mean? There are good reasons to believe that a ketogenic diet was what we survived on for much of our history. Which brings me to....
- "I don't really want to go back to the days where we died when we were 35" as cshouston81 already pointed out, this has nothing to do with Keto. We live longer now because of things like hygiene, medical science, and less risk of violent death associated with hunting, etc.
-Keto cannot be sustained long term because you'll use up all your fat reserves and then *insert bad thing* will happen. - Tell that to Dr. Peter Attia, hes been on it for years. Keto is a HIGH FAT diet remember? Your body doesn't just use stored fat for ketone production. Eating fat is an important part of Keto.
-Keto can cause acidosis - No. You are thinking of DKA, Diabetic Ketoacidosis. This is a life threatening, emergency medical condition that people with Type 1 and sometimes Type 2 Diabetes get, where the body is in a state of runaway ketone production. Dietary Ketosis, as a paring of words, may sound and look like Diabetic Ketoacidosis but I assure you they are very dissimilar. As with any diet or lifestyle change, you should talk to your doctor and do a ****-ton of your own research prior to enacting any changes, but as a rule, people who aren't insulin compromised or have a very specific illness are not at risk for DKA, whether or not they are on Keto.
- "eating keto is forcing your body into a process it would prefer not to do" - Your body prefers to survive. Humans are quite good at it. Having multiple metabolic pathways is what allows us to do that. Where are you getting this 'preference' idea from?
User cwsreddy - Such a high percentage of your posts in this thread are misleading or completely false, I can't tell if you're trolling or not. Your use of the phrase 'backup "in-case-of-emergency" metabolic pathways' makes me think you need some clarification on how evolution works:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Greatest-Show-Earth-Evolution/dp/1416594795
http://www.amazon.com/The-Selfish-Gene-Edition-Introduction/dp/0199291152/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0EQRDE1G53FF06J4H0NN
"[Carbs] increase serotonin levels in our brains and give us energy" - What you are talking about is called the insulin roller-coaster. Keto lets you stop and get off. And 'energy' is a big place. Lots of forms of it, lots of sources of it. If you have a very fuzzy and simplistic view of anatomy and metabolism then you aren't going to get far in any discussion like this. I recommend Attia's blog as a starting point.
Mini_horse_lo, that is awesome that you are able to feel good and reach your goals eating 70% fruit and vegetables!
I have also lost weight eating a similar diet, and felt good amounts of energy. However, please understand that your personal experience is not applicable to the question of whether or not a Ketogenic diet is healthy or useful, or a fad. Neither is your opinion. The only thing that is applicable to these questions is medical science. If you are interested in learning about Keto, and making factual statements about Keto, please read some of the links I provided in my first post. Also there are many great books available like:
http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About-ebook/dp/B003WUYOQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400238722&sr=8-1&keywords=gary+taubes
This is the 21st century. Sources, people, sources!0 -
Welcome to MFP.....strong entrance, cheers.Props to ellesab78 and wiljc3 for mentioning Attia. He's the boss.
WOW! The amount of bro-science and conjecture in this thread is overwhelming!
I wonder why so many people come out of the woodwork to bash Keto?
It is OK if people do things differently than you!
If you got fit by carb-loading and running 10 miles a day, that is awesome!
We are all coming at fitness from different starting points, using different methods, with different life circumstances.
This rainbow of 'flavors' is part of what makes life interesting and worth living!
If you claim to be bashing Keto because you are worried about people's health or safety, that is admirable, but please educate yourselves before doing so. There may indeed be reasons to warn people about Keto, but it doesn't help anyone to be repeating tired old fallacies.
-Human's need to eat carbs to live or be healthy - No, they don't. Refer to my previous posts.
-Keto kills muscle mass - No, Keto spares muscle if done correctly. Almost any diet can burn through muscle if your macros are off, and the entire metabolic pathway of Keto is almost 'designed' to be muscle sparing.
"...it appears, from most literature studied, that a VLCARB is, if anything, protective against muscle protein catabolism during energy restriction, provided that it contains adequate amounts of protein."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1373635/
-Keto makes the body acidic - From the studies out there, the increased acidity is negligible and there is no evidence that it causes any health problems. Side note: Please steer away from the idea that health can be procured, or disease can be cured or prevented solely by altering the pH of certain systems in your body, it is not supported by science, at all.
http://chriskresser.com/the-ph-myth-part-1
http://chriskresser.com/the-acid-alkaline-myth-part-2
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/PH_woo
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Alkaline_diet
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/DSH/coral2.html
http://www.webmd.com/diet/alkaline-diets
etc..
-Your body wasn't intended to function in ketosis - What does that even mean? There are good reasons to believe that a ketogenic diet was what we survived on for much of our history. Which brings me to....
- "I don't really want to go back to the days where we died when we were 35" as cshouston81 already pointed out, this has nothing to do with Keto. We live longer now because of things like hygiene, medical science, and less risk of violent death associated with hunting, etc.
-Keto cannot be sustained long term because you'll use up all your fat reserves and then *insert bad thing* will happen. - Tell that to Dr. Peter Attia, hes been on it for years. Keto is a HIGH FAT diet remember? Your body doesn't just use stored fat for ketone production. Eating fat is an important part of Keto.
-Keto can cause acidosis - No. You are thinking of DKA, Diabetic Ketoacidosis. This is a life threatening, emergency medical condition that people with Type 1 and sometimes Type 2 Diabetes get, where the body is in a state of runaway ketone production. Dietary Ketosis, as a paring of words, may sound and look like Diabetic Ketoacidosis but I assure you they are very dissimilar. As with any diet or lifestyle change, you should talk to your doctor and do a ****-ton of your own research prior to enacting any changes, but as a rule, people who aren't insulin compromised or have a very specific illness are not at risk for DKA, whether or not they are on Keto.
- "eating keto is forcing your body into a process it would prefer not to do" - Your body prefers to survive. Humans are quite good at it. Having multiple metabolic pathways is what allows us to do that. Where are you getting this 'preference' idea from?
User cwsreddy - Such a high percentage of your posts in this thread are misleading or completely false, I can't tell if you're trolling or not. Your use of the phrase 'backup "in-case-of-emergency" metabolic pathways' makes me think you need some clarification on how evolution works:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Greatest-Show-Earth-Evolution/dp/1416594795
http://www.amazon.com/The-Selfish-Gene-Edition-Introduction/dp/0199291152/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0EQRDE1G53FF06J4H0NN
"[Carbs] increase serotonin levels in our brains and give us energy" - What you are talking about is called the insulin roller-coaster. Keto lets you stop and get off. And 'energy' is a big place. Lots of forms of it, lots of sources of it. If you have a very fuzzy and simplistic view of anatomy and metabolism then you aren't going to get far in any discussion like this. I recommend Attia's blog as a starting point.
Mini_horse_lo, that is awesome that you are able to feel good and reach your goals eating 70% fruit and vegetables!
I have also lost weight eating a similar diet, and felt good amounts of energy. However, please understand that your personal experience is not applicable to the question of whether or not a Ketogenic diet is healthy or useful, or a fad. Neither is your opinion. The only thing that is applicable to these questions is medical science. If you are interested in learning about Keto, and making factual statements about Keto, please read some of the links I provided in my first post. Also there are many great books available like:
http://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Fat-About-ebook/dp/B003WUYOQ6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400238722&sr=8-1&keywords=gary+taubes
This is the 21st century. Sources, people, sources!0 -
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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
There isn't anything at all in a fruit you can't find in a vegetable and by sticking to vegetables you avoid the added carbs. That's especially important to anyone trying to control insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.0 -
Bump for later reading0
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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
There isn't anything at all in a fruit you can't find in a vegetable and by sticking to vegetables you avoid the added carbs. That's especially important to anyone trying to control insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
I hate when people quote what is healthy for diabetics when others are talking about an average person not a diabetic. These conversation always sway to whatever argument suits the individual point rather than the conversation. I've been seeing a dietitian and she keeps hounding me because my fats are too high and carbs are too low. Since I started following her recommendations (270 carbs a day!) I've been losing weight and i'm not resorting to eating chicken wings and bacon to do it. Low carb leads to bad overall diet (high fat because calories have to come from somewhere) and in the long run when carbs creep back in along side the chicken wings and bacon then you put on weight rapidly. Not for me. If you look at something like iifym.com you will see bodybuilders doing low carb but only allowing around 60 g of fat but that is not what the average person does when low carbing it.0 -
Perfect example of high carb, low fat and moderate protein and working well!300 + grams carbs per day
200-300 sugars
Started my diet low carbing, netted 20 grams, then netted 50 grams, then switched over to a plant based diet.
I advocate low carbing as a beginners tool for people who have a lot of weight to lose and want to do it quickly (as I did, starting weight 220-210, CW 127). Lost first 70 lbs on LC. I also advocate using low carb as a tool to get a big chunky of weight off so u can exercise easier. I also advocate LC with the plan being over time reintroducing carbs back into your diet to allow for more variety of foods which in turn will make maintenece easier for a life time.
I now calorie count and eat about 80-90% plant based about 100 cals a day reserved for a "treat" (popcorn, chocolate, etc.....)
still losing between .1-.5 lbs per week, 7 lbs to go
open diary.0 -
About 160-200 carbs per day0
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I haven't lost muscle, actually I've gained it (I do swim, quite impressed with my quads and biceps actually) and lost weight. I love eating this way, not a fad.
My macros are: 75% fat 20% protein and 5% carbs.
Oh and my blood pressure has gone from 130/90 to 115/70. Had all bloods done and are all normal (weren't the best before changing my lifestyle, sorry I can't remember the results) 0 -
I honestly don't understand all this talk about carbs, which is one of the three macronutrients along with protein and fat, as if they are all "bad" when the real issue is to choose the right carbs and limit foods that are high in processed, refined simple sugars which provide calories, but very little nutrition. Yes, people have health conditions that mean a certain carbs, such as wheat for celiacs, that need to be avoided but carbs include literally hundreds of choices.
(quote)
WHY DO WE NEED CARBOHYDRATES?
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel.
Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy.
All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy.
Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.
Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.
Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.
Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move waste out of the body. Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer. Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.
(unquote)
Carbs include low calorie, nutrition dense food including vegetables, fruit (berries are cancer prevention superstars), legumes etc. With low-carb (avoiding good carbs) you lose out on micronutrients that are ideal for good health. I have been losing weight about 1.5 lbs per week while focusing on vegetables, some fruit and making sure I also get good sources of protein and fat. I also work out regularly with cardio and strength training. In other words, the same tried and true formula that works for most MFPers. Does it lead to drastic quick weight loss? No. Does it lead to slow but very steady loss and do I feel I have high energy and a plan I can sustain? Yes.
Less pop, twinkies, white bread etc. - no brainer. Less veggies, fruit and legumes? (really people, come on).0 -
Houlihan17---> your link: http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/macronutrients.htm
Sometimes people enjoy reading these threads and responses, and sometimes thy just want the link. Hope this helps. 0 -
I honestly don't understand all this talk about carbs, which is one of the three macronutrients along with protein and fat, as if they are all "bad" when the real issue is to choose the right carbs and foods that are high in processed, refined simple sugars which provide calories, but very little nutrition. Yes, people have health conditions that mean a certain carbs, such as wheat for celiacs, that need to be avoided but carbs include literally hundreds of choices.
(quote)
WHY DO WE NEED CARBOHYDRATES?
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel.
Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy.
All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy.
Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.
Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.
Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.
Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move waste out of the body. Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer. Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.
(unquote)
Carbs include low calorie, nutrition dense food including vegetables, fruit (berries are cancer prevention superstars), legumes etc. With low-carb (avoiding good carbs) you lose out on micronutrients that are ideal for good health. I have been losing weight about 1.5 lbs per week while focusing on vegetables, some fruit and making sure I also get good sources of protein and fat. I also work out regularly with cardio and strength training. In other words, the same tried and true formula that works for most MFPers. Does it lead to drastic quick weight loss? No. Does it lead to slow but very steady loss and do I feel I have high energy and a plan I can sustain? Yes.
Less pop, twinkies, white bread etc. - no brainer. Less veggies, fruit and legumes? (really people, come on).
Good for you. I eat a lot of vegetables thanks, and get my all daily fiber from them. We are not anti vegetables and fruit. People can make their own decisions on what to put in their mouth. Just because you read it on the internet doesn't make everything a fact.0 -
I honestly don't understand all this talk about carbs, which is one of the three macronutrients along with protein and fat, as if they are all "bad" when the real issue is to choose the right carbs and foods that are high in processed, refined simple sugars which provide calories, but very little nutrition. Yes, people have health conditions that mean a certain carbs, such as wheat for celiacs, that need to be avoided but carbs include literally hundreds of choices.
(quote)
WHY DO WE NEED CARBOHYDRATES?
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel.
Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy.
All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy.
Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.
Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.
Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.
Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move waste out of the body. Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer. Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.
(unquote)
Carbs include low calorie, nutrition dense food including vegetables, fruit (berries are cancer prevention superstars), legumes etc. With low-carb (avoiding good carbs) you lose out on micronutrients that are ideal for good health. I have been losing weight about 1.5 lbs per week while focusing on vegetables, some fruit and making sure I also get good sources of protein and fat. I also work out regularly with cardio and strength training. In other words, the same tried and true formula that works for most MFPers. Does it lead to drastic quick weight loss? No. Does it lead to slow but very steady loss and do I feel I have high energy and a plan I can sustain? Yes.
Less pop, twinkies, white bread etc. - no brainer. Less veggies, fruit and legumes? (really people, come on).
Good for you. I eat a lot of vegetables thanks, and get my all daily fiber from them. We are not anti vegetables and fruit. People can make their own decisions on what to put in their mouth. Just because you read it on the internet doesn't make everything a fact.
Gina Nz - I am not quite sure why you took this as a personal attack. Of course I think people have the right to make personal choices about what they eat. If you read through the comments there are a lot of blanket statements as if all carbs were bad and I was just pointing out that many choices are good and contain vital nutrients and some not so much.0 -
Bump for later.0
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I honestly don't understand all this talk about carbs, which is one of the three macronutrients along with protein and fat, as if they are all "bad" when the real issue is to choose the right carbs and foods that are high in processed, refined simple sugars which provide calories, but very little nutrition. Yes, people have health conditions that mean a certain carbs, such as wheat for celiacs, that need to be avoided but carbs include literally hundreds of choices.
(quote)
WHY DO WE NEED CARBOHYDRATES?
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel.
Carbohydrates are easily used by the body for energy.
All of the tissues and cells in our body can use glucose for energy.
Carbohydrates are needed for the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, the muscles (including the heart) to function properly.
Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy.
Carbohydrates are important in intestinal health and waste elimination.
Fiber refers to certain types of carbohydrates that our body cannot digest. These carbohydrates pass through the intestinal tract intact and help to move waste out of the body. Diets that are low in fiber have been shown to cause problems such as constipation and hemorrhoids and to increase the risk for certain types of cancers such as colon cancer. Diets high in fiber; however, have been shown to decrease risks for heart disease, obesity, and they help lower cholesterol. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, and whole grain products.
(unquote)
Carbs include low calorie, nutrition dense food including vegetables, fruit (berries are cancer prevention superstars), legumes etc. With low-carb (avoiding good carbs) you lose out on micronutrients that are ideal for good health. I have been losing weight about 1.5 lbs per week while focusing on vegetables, some fruit and making sure I also get good sources of protein and fat. I also work out regularly with cardio and strength training. In other words, the same tried and true formula that works for most MFPers. Does it lead to drastic quick weight loss? No. Does it lead to slow but very steady loss and do I feel I have high energy and a plan I can sustain? Yes.
Less pop, twinkies, white bread etc. - no brainer. Less veggies, fruit and legumes? (really people, come on).
Good for you. I eat a lot of vegetables thanks, and get my all daily fiber from them. We are not anti vegetables and fruit. People can make their own decisions on what to put in their mouth. Just because you read it on the internet doesn't make everything a fact.
Gina Nz - I am not quite sure why you took this as a personal attack. Of course I think people have the right to make personal choices about what they eat. If you read through the comments there are a lot of blanket statements as if all carbs were bad and I was just pointing out that many choices are good and contain vital nutrients and some not so much.
I didn't take it as a personal attack. Read what you wrote and quoted. "Less veggies, fruit and legumes? (really people, come on)".0
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