If you struggle to keep carbs low

(kimhowerton) #1

I see a lot of newbies struggle to get under 20 g carbs.
I was one of these people. But month by month it gets easier. To the point that it’s not hard at ALL (unless you go on a baking spree… under which you want it to be “hard” to keep it under 20 so you don’t go nuts)
Our lifetime of carb eating teaches us to eat in a way that includes a lot of carbs. This meant at the beginning I was using things like spaghetti squash, lots of onion, etc. that are good “Low carb” choices, but hard to navigate with keto.

Over time you just find yourself being happy with less and less of these. I still use onion etc, I just use so much less! A tablespoon chopped onion in a recipe vs the half I’d have used before… things like that just become second nature.

So to all of you totally baffled how to make this work, I just wanna say, keep working at it and soon it will be easy peasy. (no you can’t have peas.)

#2

ANOTHER thing to love about Keto…NO PEAS (I hate those little green bastards)

(Scott Shillady) #3

My Strategy is when in doubt eat BACON

#4

Well … perhaps you don’t really need to go to 20g. I do 43g and do just fine in keto, I came to that number via this calculator: http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/ . I’m 6’1", 40 yr. old male, 175 lbs. Just food for thought. Note I do use fasting to get into ketosis (I cycle 1 mo keto, 1 mo “slow carb” (google it) and 1 mo low carb (under 100g).

#5

Yes everyone will have different thresholds of carb tolerance. Some people must count all carbs instead of net carbs. Others do even better on Zero Carb. For someone just starting keto, it helps to go low at first to make sure you’re in ketosis as soon as possible, then adjust levels once you get the hang of things and see how your body responds.

(Richard Morris) #6

Oh yeah so does @jules

(Charndra Pile) #7

So, if you plateau out at Keto rates of total carbs, and still get cravings, drift over to try out zero carb for a month or so, in case those LC veggies are just too high a carb for you.
Had not considered that until I read some stories of people that paralleled my experiences. Now, I’m on my “Hunter diet”, only carbs come from animal products (cheese, cream, bacon), and yep, cravings are lowest point EVER. Only after I have dairy actually.
For me, my Insulin resistance (IR) needs to be slammed down with Zero Carb and Intermittent Fasting (IF), which is the combination I need at this point.
Before, LCHF got me down 12kg, but the IR plateaued me and crept me back up.
Only when fasting 3days would I lose weight, then it would creep up again.
Finally, I am moving down again.

#8

A discerning person for sure.

(Kathy Meyer) #9

I actually love vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, etc., which are all relatively low in carbs. But when I need to cut back, and am not ready to do a fast, I do like near-zero carb – I call it real strict Keto. It’s a great tool to have available.

(kimhowerton) #10

Are you actually testing or did you use the calculator to come up with your carb level and calling that good?
FYI men often have FAR more carb tolerance than women.
And yes, I know my limit, it’s about 27 total grams carbs before I’m below .5 on my blood ketones.

#11

I use the calculator (I’ve adjusted a few times due to weight changes) and I have always used the Precision Xtra ketone strips to test, even from the beginning. The strips are not cheap ~$1.50 USD each when purchased in bulk. This protocol gets me personally to 1.5 to 2.5 Mmols. I want to answer your question properly so let me know if the this hasn’t as I want to be helpful.

(kimhowerton) #12

Yep that was my question! :slight_smile:

As a comparison, if I eat over 27 g total carbs, on my Precision Xtra I’ll measure under .5
Thank your testosterone :slight_smile:

#13

There are some doctors like Eric Berg, who recommend 7 to 10 cups of veggies a day for mineral healing. Under 20 grams leaves me without the necessary minerals to properly heal my hormonal imbalance. I would rather lose slower but heal and not be nutritionally deficient. I’ve listened to many keto doctors and they all say most can stay in ketosis under 50, not 20. Some can stay in ketosis under 100 high fiber carbs. 20 is medically necessary for some, like severe metab resistance or seizures…and often used as an induction.

I have not found I lose weight faster under 20 than I do pushing 50 and some days even higher if I’m eating high fiber carbs.

#14

Have you taken a look at the nutrients available in non-vegetable foods and compared them to the huge amount of vegetables you’re eating? Liver, eggs, sardines etc are incredibly nutrient dense.

Liver for example:
https://chriskresser.com/natures-most-potent-superfood/

#15

I have mentioned this before. I really don’t think carb cycling belongs in Newbies. It has reminded me to change the pinned post. I do not want to gag you completely - just here. It really isn’t helpful for Newbies. It may be something people want to investigate down the line but NOT when you are starting out.

#16

This is a good n=1 point. BUT you have to start somewhere. Getting those carbs down to a low level will do that. It will help reduce and hopefully eliminate cravings. You may find down the line that you need to alter the amount but that is down the line NOT at the start.

Regarding necessary minerals and vitamins - there are plenty of articles which prove you can get everything you need with no carbs at all.

(Samuel Ashford) #17

Love the “Hunter Diet” idea. Dovetails with everything I’m learning about Paleo, Primal, Ancestral Roots, etc. Seems to make a lot of sense from these standpoints - that we came from a way of life that was used to regular feast and famine. The new focus on fasting from Jimmy Moore and Jason Fung add credence to that lifestyle as well. The ancient hunter couldn’t walk to the butcher counter and pick the tastiest mammoth steak cut. Availability (or lack of it) was key to what made it to the table.

And as far as the Paleo era carbs go, I remember in a talk from Michael Eades on the subject. He made the point that the gathering portion of “Hunter-Gatherer” most likely meant picking fruit we aren’t familiar with - fruit that was much smaller with far less sugar content. So, I really like where you’re headed with this. Animal products, and IF.

(Samuel Ashford) #18

Totally agree. Definitely my experience with carb tolerance (intolerance) . When I started keto in 2012, I was keeping strict to Phinney and Volek, at less than 50g of total carbs a day. Nowadays, I can’t tolerate that. In order to keep my glucose low and ketones in 1-3 mmol range, I have to be under 30g total.

(Lisa) #19

If I’m not trying to lose weight or address a metabolic condition, does that give me any additional leeway with carbs? Or is it just that I need to stay low enough on carbs to stay in ketosis? (I miss vegetables.)

(Samuel Ashford) #20

Wow. I hear you. If you’re not already, I’d just keep playing around with the Precision Xtra meter. Test yourself and your own tolerance with carbs, and different kinds of carbs.

And remember a couple of things. 1) Keto is by no means an anti-veggie lifestyle. Leafy greens, broccoli, avocado, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, etc. are all very low carb. 2) This is a journey. It takes time to find your way, to “hack” your own unique biology. Don’t give up. You will find your sweet spot. :blush: