Question pertaining to Keto

I just re- started Keto June 9th of this year ..... Went to the Dr. last week .... He tells me I would recommend you doing 3 weeks keto 1 week off every month...but really didn't explain himself... I have tried calling his office but he is not in the office .... Has anyone heard of that before? Any body have any reasons he might recommend that?
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Replies

  • camtosh
    camtosh Posts: 898 Member
    I don't know why he would say that, but most books/sources on keto say don't slack off one week a month, or do carb nights, or that sort of thing because it takes you so long to get back into keto after slipping out. Just keep calm and keto on! Congrats on getting back into it.
  • baconslave
    baconslave Posts: 6,948 Member
    I just re- started Keto June 9th of this year ..... Went to the Dr. last week .... He tells me I would recommend you doing 3 weeks keto 1 week off every month...but really didn't explain himself... I have tried calling his office but he is not in the office .... Has anyone heard of that before? Any body have any reasons he might recommend that?

    I have never heard of that. If he's misinformed and thinks that for some reason that you'll die long term without carbs then taking a week off might help you there. :grey_question: Otherwise it just takes you out of ketosis, causes you to gain water weight, and jerks your body around.

    Is he thinking you need what they call a "diet break?" Keto for 3 weeks isn't going to adversely affect anything unless you are eating too little. Plus, diet breaks are taken to deal with diet fatigue and plateaus over longer periods like months. And then it's really just doing maintenance-level calories for a couple weeks.

    You don't need a carb up. You don't need to regain water weight. Just stay hydrated and keep an eye on your electrolyte levels, and you should be just fine. That's just my 27.5 cents. :smirk: Though I am curious about his reasoning. You should ask him, but the answer is NOT urgent.
  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 38,512 Member
    Thanks .... I had never heard of it either... I see him next month so I will ask him then ...but for now I will be doing what I have been doing which is Keto :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    baconslave wrote: »
    I just re- started Keto June 9th of this year ..... Went to the Dr. last week .... He tells me I would recommend you doing 3 weeks keto 1 week off every month...but really didn't explain himself... I have tried calling his office but he is not in the office .... Has anyone heard of that before? Any body have any reasons he might recommend that?

    I have never heard of that. If he's misinformed and thinks that for some reason that you'll die long term without carbs then taking a week off might help you there. :grey_question: Otherwise it just takes you out of ketosis, causes you to gain water weight, and jerks your body around.

    Is he thinking you need what they call a "diet break?" Keto for 3 weeks isn't going to adversely affect anything unless you are eating too little. Plus, diet breaks are taken to deal with diet fatigue and plateaus over longer periods like months. And then it's really just doing maintenance-level calories for a couple weeks.

    You don't need a carb up. You don't need to regain water weight. Just stay hydrated and keep an eye on your electrolyte levels, and you should be just fine. That's just my 27.5 cents. :smirk: Though I am curious about his reasoning. You should ask him, but the answer is NOT urgent.

    To add onto this. I run a cyclical ketogenic diet where I do periodic refeeds (for example today and tomorrow). During this period, you consume very low fat and very high carbs (my goal is 400g+). This is to combat hormonal shifts caused by dieting, particularly pertaining to ghrelin (hunger hormone) and leptin (fat burning hormone).

    The people that should run this style are typically those who are looking to get pretty lean and tend to be more lifters. I don't have a set schedule with my days. But rather, I typically go on a refeed when I feel diet fatigue.

  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 38,512 Member
    I have more energy than I know what to do with .... I am not a lifter ...I am just now getting back into working out after fracturing my foot twice and having foot surgery this past March where the Dr. put a screw in ....Thanks for your input @psuLemon greatly appreciated ... I am wondering if my Dr. meant carb cycling which I tried in the past and it wasn't for me .... I believe I am carb intolerence ...I was getting headaches/migranes when having a lot of carbs (it also could of been 2 of my meds for diabetes ...so I had been experimenting ....no more Migraines since I am no longer taking Victoza and I cut my metformin in 1/2 so I take 1 pill everyday instead of 2 and I am keto ...YAY
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    I have more energy than I know what to do with .... I am not a lifter ...I am just now getting back into working out after fracturing my foot twice and having foot surgery this past March where the Dr. put a screw in ....Thanks for your input @psuLemon greatly appreciated ... I am wondering if my Dr. meant carb cycling which I tried in the past and it wasn't for me .... I believe I am carb intolerence ...I was getting headaches/migranes when having a lot of carbs (it also could of been 2 of my meds for diabetes ...so I had been experimenting ....no more Migraines since I am no longer taking Victoza and I cut my metformin in 1/2 so I take 1 pill everyday instead of 2 and I am keto ...YAY

    Yes, diabetes are large amounts of carbs aren't going to work. I have no metabolic issues, so I can handle 400-500g of carbs easily. In fact, it helps with my recovery and lifts. If you want to giggle, you can look at my diary today and you will see a typical refeed day for me.
  • Megan_smartiepants1970
    Megan_smartiepants1970 Posts: 38,512 Member
    Just had a look at your diary @psuLemon .... I would be in a coma if I ate that LOL LOL LOL LOL
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Just had a look at your diary @psuLemon .... I would be in a coma if I ate that LOL LOL LOL LOL

    LOL
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,261 Member
    Hi, I'm new to keto, I have done some reading & gone on you tube for info, but I'm still a little confused about net carbs... can I subtract the fiber from total carbs to get the "true" carbs in my meals? example I bought a pk of wraps that says 7 carbs in front but in the back it says 10g fiber total carbs 17
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    Evamutt wrote: »
    Hi, I'm new to keto, I have done some reading & gone on you tube for info, but I'm still a little confused about net carbs... can I subtract the fiber from total carbs to get the "true" carbs in my meals? example I bought a pk of wraps that says 7 carbs in front but in the back it says 10g fiber total carbs 17

    Yes. Some won't and would rather go by total carbs.
  • nicolejo143
    nicolejo143 Posts: 214 Member
    You will have to ask your doctor to know what he meant. Please give us an update when you hear back. I'm curious why they would say you need a week off every month.
  • nicolejo143
    nicolejo143 Posts: 214 Member
    edited July 2020
    Evamutt wrote: »
    Hi, I'm new to keto, I have done some reading & gone on you tube for info, but I'm still a little confused about net carbs... can I subtract the fiber from total carbs to get the "true" carbs in my meals? example I bought a pk of wraps that says 7 carbs in front but in the back it says 10g fiber total carbs 17

    I go by net carbs. I think that's probably what most people do? If you're new especially I think that would probably be the easier route. But when you log just double check the food listings. I noticed some list "net carbs" for carbs, but they still include the fiber, so in those instances you can't subtract that fiber because they already subtracted it from the carbs. So be careful not to double subtract if you do that.
  • walker1world
    walker1world Posts: 259 Member
    I have more energy than I know what to do with .... I am not a lifter ...I am just now getting back into working out after fracturing my foot twice and having foot surgery this past March where the Dr. put a screw in ....Thanks for your input @psuLemon greatly appreciated ... I am wondering if my Dr. meant carb cycling which I tried in the past and it wasn't for me .... I believe I am carb intolerence ...I was getting headaches/migranes when having a lot of carbs (it also could of been 2 of my meds for diabetes ...so I had been experimenting ....no more Migraines since I am no longer taking Victoza and I cut my metformin in 1/2 so I take 1 pill everyday instead of 2 and I am keto ...YAY


    Metformin works to keep your blood sugar low, i actually wish i had some, it has alot othe benefits, if i was on it it id ond of the few drugs I would continue to use as i was on keto. Thats just me though.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    I have more energy than I know what to do with .... I am not a lifter ...I am just now getting back into working out after fracturing my foot twice and having foot surgery this past March where the Dr. put a screw in ....Thanks for your input @psuLemon greatly appreciated ... I am wondering if my Dr. meant carb cycling which I tried in the past and it wasn't for me .... I believe I am carb intolerence ...I was getting headaches/migranes when having a lot of carbs (it also could of been 2 of my meds for diabetes ...so I had been experimenting ....no more Migraines since I am no longer taking Victoza and I cut my metformin in 1/2 so I take 1 pill everyday instead of 2 and I am keto ...YAY


    Metformin works to keep your blood sugar low, i actually wish i had some, it has alot othe benefits, if i was on it it id ond of the few drugs I would continue to use as i was on keto. Thats just me though.

    You do realize low blood sugar isn't a good thing?. There is a range that you want to maintain.
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    edited July 2020
    @psuLemon, I know some docs are looking at Metformin and mTor inhibition for increased lifespan. Not in relation to lowering blood sugar though. Metformin acts on AMPK and mTOR and
    mTOR pathway inhibitors
    Can't remember if it's Chris Masterjohn or Peter Attia that I'm mainly thinking of. It was a big blog or podcast I subscribe to, can't find it right now, but it's out there.
    Missed another interesting paper: see next comment below
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    edited July 2020
    https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-018-0731-5
    Grrrr, edit button was not working properly for me to add this to my last post.
    ** not suggesting one should take this course, but interesting info to weigh out if you are into biohacking longevity
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    edited July 2020
    canadjineh wrote: »
    https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-018-0731-5
    Grrrr, edit button was not working properly for me to add this to my last post.
    ** not suggesting one should take this course, but interesting info to weigh out if you are into biohacking longevity

    I have heard Dr. Rhonda Patrick talk about it... Maybe with Attia, but at best, its theoretical. Personally, i would put more faith into genetics, diet and exercise than medications. And considering autophagy occurs the most from exercise, its probably a good place to start.

    I'll see if I can find the discussions, but there is questions if reducing mTOR is actually a good thing. I don't think there is a good amount of data to suggest it is.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    Metformin can be hard on the kidneys and damage them for some people like my dad.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
    https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6678592/

    After reading keto research papers like this one for the last 5 years I found this one helpful in understanding how Keto turned things around health wise physically and mentally in my case.

    I had known it was just more than ketones but at that time did not even know about our gut microbiome and it being a factor in having bad health and good health.

    Having dealt with life defining IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for 40 years and for it to resolve in months after I went Keto in Oct 2014 and still has not returned by 2020 even after going low carb I intuitively knew there were one or more factors than just ketone at play.
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
    Dr. David Sinclair (PhD) shares interesting info regarding mTor, longevity, metformin, etc...