7 weeks in. Are ketones and fasting necessary?

#1

Currently 7 weeks into my ketogenic diet and looking to get even more serious. I just currently graduated college and started working for a general contractor for the past 2 months. I started at 232 pounds and I am now wavering between 210-215. Im normally skeptical about most things but about 2 weeks into the diet I definitely noticed a ton of the effects that the keto diet normally reports. I am filled with energy even though I am working longer hours and getting less sleep compared to my college days. The meals keep me satisfied for longer than the carb and sugar filled meals that I would feast on in years past.

I have noticed that strength wise my lifts have gone down but that isnt a problem because my main focus is to cut down and lose fat.

One of the main things that I am looking for is some recipes for dinner or lunch to change things up a little. I am also wondering about whether or not intermittent fasting and ketones are necessary for this diet.

#2

Also I have a meal plan that I go off of but I am looking for a way to calculate the amount of calories that I need and my macros

(Allie) #3

Neither fasting or exogenous ketones are necessary. Just keep carbs below 20g, protein moderate, and use fat as much as is needed to avoid hunger.

#4

From what I’ve read, you may want to increase protein and decrease fat if your goal is rapid fat loss as your existing body fat will be used for energy rather than dietary fat. Someone correct me if I’m wrong here. Combined with sprints and heavy weightlifting in the morning with just coffee and water in your body, it should melt off.

#5

Thank you! Morning workouts will be hard because of my hours but I will keep this in mind

(Allie) #6

Until you are adapted, you need to keep your fat intake as the majority of your diet so your body learns to use fat as it’s primary fuel source. Some say that once you are adapted you need to reduce dietary intake in order to burn body fat, others say that once you are adapted, your body will use fuel from both your body fat and your dietary fat intake as fuel. I have never reduced fat intake.

Really you need to find what works for you as what works for others won’t necessarily work for you. This is why so many of us end up spending half our lives experimenting to find what works for us and what doesn’t.