I use net carbs and have been successful with it. Of course, I am a very low carber. I consume less than 20 g most days. What is important is that you determine both the level of carbs that has you losing weight and the level that causes you to stall. This appears to vary by the person. As far as being regular, there are other ways to get fiber rather than fruits and veg. You might check those out.

Check out the archives, there was a discussion just recently about this topic that already has both suggestions for fiber and reasons why it may not actually be necessary.

Like above I do net carbs mostly to allow for nutrients from veggies and rarely berries. I don't seem to need the fiber. I don't typically eat anything with sugar alcohols so that never really comes into play with me. I know a lot of people subtract them out with no effect and others seem to have issues. I think it's a trial and error type thing.

I do total. However I have found when I make an oops and accidentally go over 50g, if it's something higher fat and fibrous, I stay in ketosis.

I need no fiber. As long as I keep hydrated, eat enough fat, and have enough magnesium, I'm fine. And this is from someone who suffered from IBS-C pre-LC.

I made a loaf of keto bread and it is pretty fibrous. I've been having 15 or 20g per day a bit this week and I notice no difference in regularity whatsoever.

So the short answer is, it depends entirely on how your system works. And what those carbs are. If they are fiber, I'd say net is fine. If they are sugar alcohols or sugar (fruit or added sugars), I'd watch how you respond with caution first. I have a little bit of sugar alcohols in gum and Truvia (erythritol), and they don't affect me.

Just keep in mind that the newer Atkins versions have ADDED the net carbs. The original did not have them. I think it was to make the diet easier to follow and give it more appeal. And after all, they couldn't make their expensive Atkins bars and shakes and make money without net carbs. The original was only a certain amount of green-leafy, fatty meat, fats, a small amount of HWC, 4oz max of hard cheeses. Hardcore!

I do net carbs. I was up to 50g net/day but that had me playing around with the same 2 lbs of gaining and losing this past month. I have gained and lost the same 2 lbs every week. so I dropped back to 20g net/day or less to try to get back to losing. I don't worry about fiber anymore because I am more regular than I have ever been and my IBS symptoms have virtually disappeared.

I've started Wheat Belly and it focuses on net carbs. It's easy with MFP to track, blood sugars are not spiking when I've checked and it allows for a little more intake on carbs because of fiber but it's still a much lower intake than what I was doing before. I'm enjoying it.

I go with total.

reblazed wrote: »

Dragonwolf wrote: »

Check out the archives, ......

Where do I find the archives? I'm sure the questions I have have been answered before. Thanks

I provided the link above that she was talking about.

nvmomketo wrote: »

I go with total out of laziness. I know my total needs to be around 20g or so of carbs for normal blood glucose so I keep it there. Keeping total carbs low helps me lose weight faster, but when my carbs get up above 30g I find I start eating more - my appetite is affected.

To be honest, I am a bit anti fibre. I had constipation my entire life due to some undiagnosed health issues. I added so much fibre in an effort to normalize things but it didn't help, just made things a bit bulkier. After adding coconut oil to my diet, and a magnesium citrate supplement, I have finally solved all of my problems that I had hoped fibre would.

Just my n=1. . To be honest, I am a bit jealous of those for whom fibre works.

Likewise jealous of those who find magnesium n coconut oil works. Still playing with that now and having, ah hem, mixed results.

SamandaIndia wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

I go with total out of laziness. I know my total needs to be around 20g or so of carbs for normal blood glucose so I keep it there. Keeping total carbs low helps me lose weight faster, but when my carbs get up above 30g I find I start eating more - my appetite is affected.

To be honest, I am a bit anti fibre. I had constipation my entire life due to some undiagnosed health issues. I added so much fibre in an effort to normalize things but it didn't help, just made things a bit bulkier. After adding coconut oil to my diet, and a magnesium citrate supplement, I have finally solved all of my problems that I had hoped fibre would.

Just my n=1. . To be honest, I am a bit jealous of those for whom fibre works.

Likewise jealous of those who find magnesium n coconut oil works. Still playing with that now and having, ah hem, mixed results.

Lol. We're just never satisfied I guess.

Yep. Magnesium, chia seeds, probiotics and to a lesser extent, veggies, all keep me super regular... Like within 10 minutes of getting up each and every morning.

Mfp edit error. Last post needs a smiley and maybe a devil but wont save that nor my thankyou text so trying this: thanks so much to @nvmomketo @sabine_stroehm and @Christine_72 for inspiration to keep trying combinations until my body finds one that works. Lowering carbs from net 50 to net 20 this week.

Christine_72 wrote: »

lol @SamandaIndia , I'm the queen of constipation. It's taken me a loong time to find the right combination. I used to have 6tbs of metamucil everyday, that stuff sucks!

You'll get there, different strokes for different folks :flowerforyou:

You are a braver woman than I. Benefibre yes but metamucil - OMG Yuck. Dr did give me a substance that could help. Safe to say too effective to use! Thxs for flower- will continue the journey knowing it may not get fixed in short term

SamandaIndia wrote: »

Mfp edit error. Last post needs a smiley and maybe a devil but wont save that nor my thankyou text so trying this: thanks so much to @nvmomketo @sabine_stroehm and @Christine_72 for inspiration to keep trying combinations until my body finds one that works. Lowering carbs from net 50 to net 20 this week.

Definitely try different kinds/formulations. I tried a few before I found that Magnesium Complex from Amazon (which has both citrate and oxide). I've tried fancier formulations, but always return to that one.
I wish I had found it 30 years ago! I too am the queen of constipation, and docs could never figure out why. Now I have at least ONE (usually several) BMs a day. I've been taking magnesium now for about 10 years, and haven't had to increase the dose or make any changes. Good luck!

nvmomketo wrote: »

Cheese. Cheese will slow things right down for me. It's my solution to too much magnesium. LOL. Cutting back on cheese (sob) can help some people.

Cheese is definitely what put the breaks on for me a couple months ago. It just started out of nowhere. Then I realized that I had been eating a bit more cheese than normal. I apparently have a delicate balance to maintain to keep things moving. I had gained about 5 pounds in a couple days and felt miserable! The first time it happened I tried more coconut oil and coffee and I finally responded to an Americano at Starbucks! I guess I needed the stronger espresso! But then things started going right back to being slow again. And started gaining weight with each day again. I combed over my food diary and noticed the increase in cheese and cut that back some, and then started taking higher dose of mag oxide. I added one 250mg tablet each night until it made a difference. I found that I had to take 4 of them to solve an already existing issue but if I take 2 every day, I seem to be able to keep it from occurring along with keeping an eye on cheese intake.
I was also told about high dose vitamin c at that time but I didn't have any so I had not tried that. Just yesterday I bought some and started on 4000mg a day just for its many benefits I've been reading about.