Keto diet and fat intake
betsy0426
Posts: 14 Member
Hi, I started the keto diet a little over a week ago. So far I am really liking it, it’s getting easier every day. But I am strugging to eat enough fat. How important is the fat intake? I am using one scoop of MCT oil powder in my coffee. I would use more MCT oil but I was not sure how much is safe to use in a day. Also I am on average eating less than 900 calories a day. I did know if that is a problem or not. I would like to lose 50-60lbs. Thank you.
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Replies
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Fat is important when it comes to keto, I believe it should be set to around 60% of your macro goals. And you should definitely aim to reach your minimum calorie goal every day - generally no lower than 1200 cals a day for women. Regularly eating below that can have negative health effects like muscle loss, exhaustion, fainting, losing hair, brittle nails, sallow skin, etc.
To get more fat you could eat more: peanut butter, almonds, avocados, fatty cuts of meat, chicken wings/thighs with skin... even just use a bit more oil or butter in your cooking.2 -
Hi, I started the keto diet a little over a week ago. So far I am really liking it, it’s getting easier every day. But I am strugging to eat enough fat. How important is the fat intake? I am using one scoop of MCT oil powder in my coffee. I would use more MCT oil but I was not sure how much is safe to use in a day. Also I am on average eating less than 900 calories a day. I did know if that is a problem or not. I would like to lose 50-60lbs. Thank you.
This is why the fat intake is important......not because it's fat, but because it's calories.
A severe calorie deficit leads to faster "weight" loss, but you are going to sacrifice a larger % of lean muscle mass in the process. Your body needs calories for fuel.3 -
From a weight loss perspective, calories are the driven. If you want to maintain muscle mass (which leads to greater fat loss) and metabolic functions, protein is the most important macronutrient (1.5-2.2g/kg of weight should be the goal). And than just add in oils, butters, cheeses and aim for fattier cuts of meats.3
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The way I look at my food intake - I've been doing keto for a couple of years (and have been able to lose 70lbs and maintain) - is like a stoplight.. Carbs are a RED/LIMIT (I do 20 or less a day), Protein is YELLOW/GOAL, I try to stay within +/-5g of my daily goal of 68g and Fat is the GREEN. use it as a lever. I want my body to burn the fat on my body, not the fat on my plate, so I don't find it necessary to "get in my fats"6
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Thank you I will work harder at getting my calories up. Do any of you know how much MCT oil I can have in a day? It doesn’t say on the Jar and I have been able to find the info anywhere.0
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Thank you I will work harder at getting my calories up. Do any of you know how much MCT oil I can have in a day? It doesn’t say on the Jar and I have been able to find the info anywhere.
I have no idea if there's an upper limit for MTC oil but the common sense rule of thumb for low nutrient foods - like MCT oil - is when they crowd out nutritious foods you need it's too much.2 -
Thank you I will work harder at getting my calories up. Do any of you know how much MCT oil I can have in a day? It doesn’t say on the Jar and I have been able to find the info anywhere.
At a guess, I'd say no more than a couple Tablespoons, just surmising though. I would try really hard to get your fat from actual nutritious food sources, not copious amounts of oils/powders.1 -
Hi, I started the keto diet a little over a week ago. So far I am really liking it, it’s getting easier every day. But I am strugging to eat enough fat. How important is the fat intake? I am using one scoop of MCT oil powder in my coffee. I would use more MCT oil but I was not sure how much is safe to use in a day. Also I am on average eating less than 900 calories a day. I did know if that is a problem or not. I would like to lose 50-60lbs. Thank you.
Try Bulletproof Coffee. I use 16 oz of coffee (recipe I found was for 8 oz), 1 tsp of Coconut Oil, 1 TBSP of Kerrygold butter, some cinnamon and truvia sweetner (if you like your coffee sweeter). Sometimes I'll add a TBSP of Heavy Cream to make it creamier. I blend this all in my nutrabullet. It's yummy and a good dose of fats to get you going in the morning.4 -
Hi, I started the keto diet a little over a week ago. So far I am really liking it, it’s getting easier every day. But I am strugging to eat enough fat. How important is the fat intake? I am using one scoop of MCT oil powder in my coffee. I would use more MCT oil but I was not sure how much is safe to use in a day. Also I am on average eating less than 900 calories a day. I did know if that is a problem or not. I would like to lose 50-60lbs. Thank you.
This is why the fat intake is important......not because it's fat, but because it's calories.
A severe calorie deficit leads to faster "weight" loss, but you are going to sacrifice a larger % of lean muscle mass in the process. Your body needs calories for fuel.
That's it. Fat is the filler after you've had enough protein.
That drop in appetite often wanes after a few weeks or months low carb. If it lasts more than a week, I would definitely try to add a few hundred more calories. Maybe butter your veggies more or use more salad dressing, ad mayo or cheese liberally to meats, or cook an extra egg or two.
As for MCT oil, it is good but too much can cause the runs - coconut oil can do that too. Be open to other oils. MCT oil is good, but so is butter, or olive oil or avocado oil... or cheese.
KWIM? 2 -
Thank you so much for your help! I tried today to eat more and accidentally went over on my carbs because I ate celery0
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What's your carb goal? Your business, but celery is really low net carbs, I can't see it being an issue even on keto.1
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I think net carbs is just a preference. If you choose total carbs (including fibre) you can just set a slightly higher carb goal if you wish. KWIM?1 -
I think net carbs is just a preference. If you choose total carbs (including fibre) you can just set a slightly higher carb goal if you wish. KWIM?
True!0
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