Measuremnt of Fat Adaptation

#1

Hi,

Hope you are all doing well. Does anyone use any devices at home to assess fat adaptation? I have heard of respiratory quotient measurements, but that seems to be something which can only be done in laboratory setting. Then there are softer qualitative factors to measure fat adaptation such as feeling stable energy, less cravings, etc. which are harder to track.

I was having ketones in target range immediately when I started the keto diet as measured by a breath analyser, but even after couple of weeks, there is still absolutely no fat loss (and instead some muscle loss). I was about to stop the keto diet, when I figured that it could take many weeks to be fat adapted.

(Allie) #2

There’s no way to measure fat adaptation, best way to judge is how you feel and how you perform if into sports / activity.

(Jane) #3

How are you measuring fat vs muscle loss? Typically the first thing you drop is water, not fat or muscle.

#4

Being in ketosis is no guarantee of weight loss, be it water, fat, or muscle.

But it does take time to lose (or gain) a pound of fat (or muscle). Most short-term weight fluctuation is a simple change in water retention and digestive tract contents.

#5

Hi Janie. It’s based on fitbit which uses bioimpedance. I realized the initial increase in the fat readings is due to the water loss, but it doesn’t seem to reverse after couple of weeks onto the diet - maybe it takes longer for that effect to stabilize.

(Allie) #6

Please don’t put too much faith in Fitbit, or any other similar thing, they’re not accurate at all.

Get a tape measure and use that, if your only concern is fat loss.

#7

I don’t know about measuring it but fat adaptation takes more than a few weeks (many of us experience changes after several weeks but I’ve read in this forum many times that it’s probably not its final form :wink: just some level of fat-adaptation) and even if you are fat adapted, it doesn’t guarantee fat-loss.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #8

If you consistently eat sub-20 grams of carbs per day and remain conscious, you are burning fat and ketones. That’s the definition of ‘fat adapted’. Over time, which varies a lot individually you will become better and more efficiently ‘fat adapted’. It can take weeks to months to get to the point of ‘good enough’. You may or may not experience anything in particular along the way or even after ‘good enough’. Subjective experiences vary individually as the time to get there. Comparing your experience with that of others can be interesting and useless.

(Allie) #9

Yes this is an important thing to be aware of as some people seem to think they’ll suddenly feel amazing and have loads of energy, that “ketogenic high” - I’ve never felt any different, but did realise one day (after many months) that I had the energy to complete my days.