Keto questions

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kmsnyg
kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
edited August 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
Quick question for those who do LCHF.

Not sure how accurate it is, but it is said that your brain needs approximately 130 g of carbs per day.

To get into ketosis, most folks says you need to be under 50 g (net?) of carbs.

So if you are on low carb but go over the 50 g, are you still making ketone bodies to make up for the deficit in needed carbohydrates (but it's not enough to show up on the ketostix?)

And lastly, does you need to be in ketosis to get the lack of appetite effect?

Replies

  • char316
    char316 Posts: 72 Member
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    I am new to Keto Diet in the last week. My research shows we need to consume no more than 5% carbs to be in ketosis. I have found that difficult to do, but still loosing weight on more. Ten pounds my first week. Ketostix show I am on my way to Ketosis but not there yet. Brain needs very little glucose. As for lack of appetite, not sure I have that. I still get hungry but concentrate on not getting carbs rather than calories and it works out.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,391 MFP Moderator
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    The body can create it's own glucose through glucenogenesis. To get into ketosis, it's going to vary a little for each person and vary due to exercise. Many will be able to achieve at 20g to 50g. A person's body will create ketones even if they are on a high carb diet through to extended periods of fasting, but in general, you can create more ketones in low carb.

    Appetite suppression is very individualistic. Some don't ever get there with LC/Keto diets. Some only need low carb and others would need keto. So you will have to play with it a bit.
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
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    Thanks
  • jeffkirkwold
    jeffkirkwold Posts: 33 Member
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    Over been at about 25grams of carbs the last 3 weeks. My food diary is open to the public if you want to see my meals and how it's working for me. I also do intermittent fasting so I only eat in the evening so I have one large meal over 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Feel free to snatch a few ideas!
  • lilyanneetc
    lilyanneetc Posts: 8 Member
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    Once I'm past desperate cravings for potato chips (which last just a few days) I stop needing any sort of snack on a keto diet. I generally eat breakfast (eggs and sausage, or an omelet, fried in butter) and then am not hungry again for a long time! I'm on a medication which needs to be taken with a meal every twelve hours, and has a side effect of appetite suppressant. When I was taking it while eating carbs I ate a lot, but on keto I find I get hungry much less often, and have no desire to snack!

    The last time I was doing a keto diet I worked at a summer camp, and had to start eating carbs again because it was what the dining hall served. At the start of the summer when I was living on salad and hard boiled eggs (before the campers and the gluten free food options -I have celiac's- arrived!) I would hardly eat lunch because I was still full from breakfast. After a solid week of living on pasta and toast and stuff I would be ravenous two hours after breakfast! That was before I was on any sort of meds, so keto does keep me satiated longer.

    I suggest having cheese crisps, or pork rinds, or something else crunchy around for the first week you go keto. After that, you really don't need snacks! And for me, anyway, being able to use cream and butter and sausage and stuff is way more important than the foods I'd be eating on a low fat/high carb diet.
  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
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    I don't do keto anymore, but your brain works just fine on it. Your body adapts.

    I found that I could stay in ketosis eating around 50g net carbs per day, but that number changes for everyone.
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
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    Thanks for the information, ya'll.

    The reason I asked is that I've been eating about net 60-70 g of carbs a day for about a week and half now (before I was around 125 g/day), and my appetite has been pretty blunted since the change. I've never not been hungry before, so this has been a unique experience for me. It's working (I've lost 58 lbs since I've joined MFP), but I'm debating on whether to try to get a bit lower with my carb counts to get into "ketosis" and see how I feel, or if it's kind of a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

    I get the gluconeogenesis part, and I've been making sure I eat a decent amount of protein and healthy fat (to try and protect my own muscle). Given my appetite suppression, I was just wondering if it's possible to be in ketosis on higher carb counts (and that is why my appetite is suppressed) or if low carb just has the same effect.

    I realize this is probably individual but figured I'd ask anyway.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,391 MFP Moderator
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    Well what are your goals? Ideally you want a plan to is aligned to that. And i am speaking outside of just weight loss. And if you are doing well on low carb what is pushing you to go keto? It wont increase fat loss or anything.
  • kmsnyg
    kmsnyg Posts: 100 Member
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    I just want to get the weight off. I was diagnosed with hypertension before I started MFP and I want to lose weight to get off the blood pressure medicine so I don't croak at an early age.

    I've had issues with my weight my entire life. I'm just trying to find an eating plan that I like and think I can stick with. Never tried keto (because in the past I was a carb person) but have been surprised that I'm actually enjoying the lack of appetite on low carb.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,391 MFP Moderator
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    kmsnyg wrote: »
    I just want to get the weight off. I was diagnosed with hypertension before I started MFP and I want to lose weight to get off the blood pressure medicine so I don't croak at an early age.

    I've had issues with my weight my entire life. I'm just trying to find an eating plan that I like and think I can stick with. Never tried keto (because in the past I was a carb person) but have been surprised that I'm actually enjoying the lack of appetite on low carb.

    Interesting. Have you loosen the suggestions on sodium with hypertension? Because with a Keto diet, you need 3000-5000mg.

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