Keeping the ratio.....

laura2137
laura2137 Posts: 27 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I seem to stray from the nutrition ratio.....having a bit more fat and a little bit less carbs, will this affect my weight loss effort ?

Replies

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    No. Weight loss is all about the calories.

    Some people prefer, and so are more compliant (they find it easier) on a certain ratio of P/C/F but there is no advantage for weight loss.

    For health we should aim for a reasonable balance but that is a pretty broad target and variations within it will have virtually no effect.
  • laura2137
    laura2137 Posts: 27 Member
    Thank you for replying..
  • missourinurse
    missourinurse Posts: 51 Member
    In Keto diet you have less carbs, high fat and moderate protein and it does affect your loss. You will lose weight. Calories don't matter unless you abuse them.
  • berolcolour
    berolcolour Posts: 140 Member
    I've lost 44lbs and exactly the same. Bit more fat, bit more protein, bit less carbs. I actually just changed the settings because I think this suits me and my goals better.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    missourinurse wrote: »
    In Keto diet you have less carbs, high fat and moderate protein and it does affect your loss. You will lose weight. Calories don't matter unless you abuse them.

    I don't think there is any evidence for that but if you have it I'd love to see it.

    This is a recent (2016) paper comparing high carb and ketogenic diets in isocalorific conditions:
    http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2016/07/05/ajcn.116.133561.abstract

    Study conclusion:

    "The isocaloric KD (Ketogenic Diet) was not accompanied by increased body fat loss but was associated with relatively small increases in EE (Energy Expenditure) that were near the limits of detection with the use of state-of-the-art technology."

    [Stuff in parentheses are my additions]
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    For clarity I wanted to add:

    It's not that I think LCHF (Ketogenic) diets don't work - clearly they do for those that can adhere.

    Nor that when the dieters eat ad lib there are not advantages (for those that enjoy that eating method) over higher carb diets - mainly because of the greater thermic effect of higher protein (often, but not always, part of a keto diet) and greater satiety of high fat diets.

    But that, when compared to higher carb diet of the same calories there is no difference.

    But my key point is - if you're counting calories (where satiety then becomes a matter of dietary compliance) the difference in one eating protocol over another is zero and one should pick whichever they like and/or feel they can live with.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Basically, the ratio does not matter. Eating an adequate amount of protein (based on grams, not percentage -- .8 x goal weight is a good way to get a good goal in grams) helps in maintaining muscle while at a deficit (as does strength training). Other than that, it doesn't matter, and the MFP default is just one of many possible macro ratios that work for people, from extreme keto (5% carbs, 20% protein, 75% fat or some such) to low fat vegan (80-10-10). I liked 40-30-30 when losing and do more like 50-30-20 (these are C-F-P) when at maintenance, but if my natural inclination were to eat more fat I'd be fine with that. Food choice within the macros matters much more than macro ratio, and for weight loss calories are king -- all else is secondary.
  • ClaudiaPT2
    ClaudiaPT2 Posts: 2 Member
    Hello all, I'm new to Keto WOE, Started July 11th with 5C/25P/70F. I'm down 5lbs so far which I think is only water weight? I do feel less blowded. I've read something about a 3rd week stall? Can anyone tell me about it? and If I do experience that stall, should I increase my Carb in take by another 5% and lower by fat in take to throw off my body? Any suggestions or experiences? thank you.
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    @ClaudiaPT2...I suggest you check out the main low carber daily forum group here in MFP. It's where most of us Ketofiles tend to hang out:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/discussions/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

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