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Morty90210
Morty90210 Posts: 37 Member
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I'm new to this...I generally follow low carb but didn't have much energy. I'm guessing cause I wasn't eating enough fats. How much do you need...and can I still lose just 5lb if that is all I am needing?

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  • kimberwolf71
    kimberwolf71 Posts: 470 Member
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    How long have you been following low carb? A lack of energy is usually attributed to low electrolytes... not having enough sodium or magnesium from your body dumping water. Not enough fat usually causes hunger! Carb limit is a rule, protein a goal, fat to satiety. Use this if you need help establishing your macro percentages https://keto-calculator.ankerl.com. Many people follow a ketogenic way of eating for health reasons entirely unrelater to weight loss.
  • Morty90210
    Morty90210 Posts: 37 Member
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    I was also having sugar cravings bad from not eating fats
  • kimberwolf71
    kimberwolf71 Posts: 470 Member
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    Sugar cravings usually comes from lowering your carbs. Your body is used to burning glucose for energy. If you are new to restricting your carbs, your body is trying to adjust.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    Sugar cravings can often be blunted by providing the body with something salty and fatty. The body sends out the signal for what it things it wants/needs, but it will often accept a substitute.

    That being said, IF YOU CUT CARBS, YOU MUST REPLACE THEM WITH FATS. Protein is not fuel. It takes a very inefficient conversion process to get it to be usable as fuel. It is the building block for maintaining, repairing, and building new muscle. Only carbs and fats are fuel. So, if you're cutting your carbs...but you're not adding fats, YOU ARE NOT GIVING YOUR BODY ANY FUEL.

    So it will scream for the fuel it's used to, i.e. sugar cravings. It also needs replacement electrolytes, because carbs require extra water to process them. When you drop the carbs, you dump a lot of water. To keep electrolytes balanced, it starts dumping sodium, and eventually magnesium and potassium with it. That is why you need to REPLACE LOST SODIUM of 3000-5000 mg of sodium a day during adaption.

    Both of these things will affect your energy levels.

    Also, if you are only needing to lose 5 pounds, are you using a ketogenic diet for other health reasons? If you're questioning the fats needed, perhaps another type of low carb plan would be better suited?

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