Fat adaption training

fat-adapted
(Allie Talbot) #1

Hi, I’m new so excited to be here! I decided to become keto in March (20200 because I’m PCOS and I combine with OMAD (since Oct 2017). My meals were simple with a lot of caulimash, and I was nervous of trying new recipes for keto. I would allow myself carbs on a sunday but often this would include wine out with my best friend so I bounced around the same weight, losing my in the week. When lockdown came and with it panic buying, I found it extremely hard to get cauliflower let alone all the other keto ingredients, no veg, blueberries, nothing! I spent lockdown going back to carbs and toward the end of it eating the last of them from my freezer as I was busy moving house. Now I have moved I have gone back in to keto, and after using a urinalysis and having carbs on a sunday I realised it was taking me 3 days to get back in to keto disrupting my week. So I decided I want to get fat adapted. I did some research and read it can take 6 to 12 weeks and in another place 6 to 10 weeks. I am currently on week 7 in constant keto and going to go to December as I want to enjoy some foods over christmas. The problem is, my birthday falls 1 day before week 10 is completed! This might be a stupid question but if I have dinner out (non keto) and birthday cake will it mean I have to start all over, or should I wait until the next day for birthday celebrations?

Please dont tell me not to cheat. I am planning on cheating less but a couple of meals a month maybe. I’m 28 and single and this is not doable for me if I cant enjoy wine nights with my best friend, christmas or birthdays! I am 5ft7 and 11stone 10 so I am not obese with lots to lose and am not diabetic. I am easily able to go straight back in to keto without issues after these cheats. The only thing I’m wary of is too many at christmas but I’m hoping keto days in between will keep me fat adapted.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

Fat adaptation occurs when the muscles fully switch from using glucose as their primary fuel to using fatty acids instead. After a while of eating a high-carb diet, the metabolic pathways that handle fatty acids shut down from lack of use. Moreover, the mitochondria become damaged from glycation and oxidation from being overwhelmed with glucose. Fortunately, glucose metabolism (glycolysis) can take place without mitochondria. The period of adaptation involves healing the mitochondria and reactivating the pathways that handle fatty acids. Muscles actually prefer to metabolise fatty acids over glucose and even ketones.

Normally, fat adaptation takes somewhere in the neighbourhood of six to eight weeks, though it can be shorter in some people or longer in others. Continuing to eat an excessive amount of carbohydrate prolongs the period of recovery for the mitochondria and the metabolic pathways involved in fatty-acid metabolism, by continuing the glycation and oxidative damage. If that is what you wish to do, there are no keto police to stop you.

(Allie Talbot) #3

Thank you, what I’ve struggled to find info on is if the fat adaption will resume after a cheat meal. Say between my birthday on the 5th dec and then continuing keto to christmas eve

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

It will, eventually. Just how long after a high-carb meal you will return to full fat-adaptation depends on a number of factors, so it’s hard to say. Dr. Phinney said at Ketofest that it takes a few weeks, but many others claim that it takes a lot less time. I suspect there is a great deal of individual variation in the matter.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #5