When raising your carb intake if you do food combining (eat items that slow the metabolism of sugar) you are able to maintain the low blood sugar levels while incorporating a few more carbs. I stay away from any refined carb, or starchy carb. But I do eat fruit on a regular basis and a complex carb like sweet potatoes on a less regular basis. Look up the Glycemic Index tables for fruit and it will give you a nice listing of the items that easily can be incorporated into a low(er) carb diet. As well eat protein with your higher carb items like fruit. So a piece of cheese, or handful of nuts with your fruit is a great way to lower the impact of those sugars

This is a more moderate way to do low carb but it can be successful if you are having issues with a true keto diet.

mrsfancyab wrote: »

Good to know thank you @ A_Dabuer

I did have a slice of cheese and a few slices of turkey with my banana this morning. I will surely look up the Glycemic index, thanks for that!

The keto side-effects were driving me bonkers, the main thing was the chapped lips that was the worse for me. no matter what I put on them!!

I read somewhere that if you do 50 carbs a day your body can be in ketosis as well, do you know if that's true?

I do 50g NET carbs a day, so 50g after i subtract fiber, a day and I am in ketosis. But my lips are so bad if i dont do it right. Drink lots of water, sometimes with a caffine free tea bag but most of the time plain and keep my sodium up. One poster, Dragonwolf i think, said you should view MFP's sodium requirement as a minimum. So you should always go over that number at the start of going for Keto.

If i get my sodium and postassium, which i get from green leafy veggies and not bananas, and drink lots of water I dont have all the problems. It does help.

Alliwan wrote: »

mrsfancyab wrote: »

Good to know thank you @ A_Dabuer

<snipped>

I read somewhere that if you do 50 carbs a day your body can be in ketosis as well, do you know if that's true?

I do 50g NET carbs a day, so 50g after i subtract fiber, a day and I am in ketosis. . <snipped>

If i get my sodium and postassium, which i get from green leafy veggies and not bananas, and drink lots of water I dont have all the problems. It does help.

Alli - MrsF;

The 50 carb/day number is just a guideline - it varies by individual and is NOT a hard and fast line.

One is not "out of keto" because they consumed 51 carbs yesterday, any more than they are "in keto" because they had 49 today.

Alli, I think you meant to say "I do 50g TOTAL carbs..." (if you actually meant 50 net the fiber has already been subtracted, you don't get to do it twice <G>.

The consensus in the various communities (LC, LCHF, VLCHF, "A", etc) seems to be that LC = <~100/day, entering ketosis (adaptation) requires <~20/day for ~2-4 weeks, and after adaptation it is possible to increase carbs per day anywhere from 20 - 50 or so.

Above 50, "most" lose the "extra" benefits gained by remaining in ketosis (vs "just" LCHF).

It's important to understand that keto isn't an "on-off" switch - it's a continuum which occurs generally in the range of 0 to 50 carbs/day. The lower the carbs, the higher the percentage of energy your body is obtaining from fat vs sugars and the less negative impact a "challenged" insulin production/regulation system will impart.

Whether you are "in or out" of keto, and more importantly, exactly where you lie on the continuum is almost impossible (especially for those new to it) to determine without actually "counting" (measuring) the ketone bodies present.

There are basically three tools available to do so:
1) urine strips
2) blood meter
3) breath test

Each measures a different marker. The urine strips are generally considered the least accurate for a number of reasons, they are the least expensive though.

Blood meters are similar to glucose meters (some will do both) fairly inexpensive for the meter but strips run in the $3-4.00/EACH range. Accuracy is very good.

The breath analyzers are relatively new, eliminate the need to get blood, and while the meter itself is more expensive (~$100) there is no "strip" cost. Accuracy is generally on par with the blood meters although it too is measuring a different marker.

Alliwan wrote: »

deansdad101 wrote: »

Alliwan wrote: »

I do 50g NET carbs a day, so 50g after i subtract fiber, a day and I am in ketosis. . <snipped>

Alli, I think you meant to say "I do 50g TOTAL carbs..." (if you actually meant 50 net the fiber has already been subtracted, you don't get to do it twice <G>.

I'm not sure what you mean. <snipped>

Alli;

I'm not (sure) either <g>.

Misread what you had said. I took the "...so after I subtract...") to mean you were subtracting the fiber from the 50.

My bad......sorry.