What happens if I eat 50g carbs for few days on Keto?

(Srinivas A) #1

Hi

I am on Keto, for 2.5 months, lost almost 9 kg (20 lbs). I used to be 86 kg and now 77 kg. Male, 43, Height 5’10. I am vegetarian, and don’t eat eggs. I consume dairy though.
My protein intake is generally less, being veg I have limited sources . May be around 20g. However after starting keto, I am taking around 40-50g. I eat lot of soaked almonds, Paneer (Indian variant of dairy), 1.5Kg of cooked green veggies, 60g butter or coconut oil, and consume 2 lemons, and 4-5 liters of water. Mostly 2 meals, no snacking.

For the last 2 weeks, I am not able to be strict on my carbs - slightly exceeding my carbs, may be upto 50g or so. Especially drnking a cup of high fat milk, a piece of fruit. For the last two weeks I have stalled around 76.8 kg, but not increasing though. I have no cravings, but not very energetic last two weeks, even the mood wasnot as good as previous two months. Urine strips are not pink last two weeks - mildly occasionally. Previous two months, they were pink clearly, often dark.

I would like to know what happens if I eat 50g carbs or so. What happens to all the fat I eat? If it is not converted to ketones , what happens to it. How it gets digested? Once I achieve my weight goal, can I continue on liberal LCHF, eg 100g carbs, and maintain my weight? How the metabolism works with higher carbs, without producing ketones? Do I get partial benefits - or is it below 25g or out?

Thanks in advance.

(less is more, more or less) #2

It’s difficult to say how it will affect you. The mistake I made with Atkins a decade ago, was increasing carbs when I was on “maintenance,” and you can guess what happened. You can always experiment to see how your body adjusts.

I intend, barring anything cataclysmic, to remain on my LCHF regimen, 20 grams total carbs a day. Whatever else, it’s the healthiest option and I don’t miss bread, potatoes or rice enough to care that I’ve banished them.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #3

I’ve tried. It doesn’t work for me. I get knocked out of ketosis.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #5

If you’re really out of fat burning, the fat probably gets stored. I can maintain on 50, but I’m larger than you and male. And I eat a lot more complete protein than you.

(Srinivas A) #6

Thanks.

What is the impact of going out of Ketosis? Does it matter to me after reaching my weight goal, 70kg. What measures indicate going out of Keto?

  1. Ketones wont get generated
  2. May regain 2 kg weight (kinda water weight I lost in the first week of Keto). May be stalled and no more weight loss.
  3. Energy will be low? Mood will be average?
  4. Experience Cravings? like when I was in earlier diet with high carbs?

I am guessing that, with LCHF of around 50g carbs, I may not experience 3,4, but may experience 1,2 and that should be fine. Irrespective of results, I will never eat Sugar, processed / refined carbs, MSG, preservative foods, etc.

(Srinivas A) #7

I was thinking so too.
However, in the last 2 weeks I am not gaining weight/fat. Neither I am in ketosis. So, am checking in this forum for understanding of this phenomenon.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #8

How are you measuring “ketosis?” You may actually be in fat burning, just not excreting ketones in urine or have many free floating in breath or blood. Phinney and Volek have said that .5 was an arbitrary number, and others have suggested that .1 or even lower may be sufficient to be “in.”

As a non-keto, LCHF dieter, I don’t really chase ketones. I do what works for me.

(KetoQ) #9

Hi Srinivas –

You can eat 50g of carbs/day and lose weight on keto – I’ve lost 50+ lbs averaging 50g/day over 15 weeks. Some people consider 50-70g of carbs per day low carb. It depends on what you prefer to eat and what your goals are with respect to the low carb lifestyle.

That said, and again, based just on my personal experience, eventually it may become harder to lose weight on 50g carbs. I’ve been eating 50g/day because I eat a piece of seasonal fruit everyday. But now I’m cutting out the fruit and redoing my daily eating plan to bump down carbs to 20-30g/day average.

I think 50g/day is a good maintainer level or a good level to start keto as you work your way into it, but if you’re looking to lose weight, you should be more aggressive and keep the carbs closer to 20g.

Good luck,
Q

(Ashley) #10

50g does not work for everyone. Every person is different so while it could do nothing, it could also kick you out of ketosis. I get kicked out over 20. YMMV

(Ken) #11

Getting kicked out of Ketosis is irrelevant, and part of Nutty Keto Dogma. The real question is: Will I be kicked out of Lipolysis? Unless you’re a brand new Noob with hyperinsulinemia, 50g of carbs probably won’t do it. Yes, it may reduce ketone production, or perhaps gluconeogenesis, but it’s not really important as long as you’re Lipolytic.

(TJ Borden) #12

Preach it pastor @240lbfatloss

(Running from stupidity) #13

Of which there is NO shortage, indeed.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #14

Yes. But if you get kicked out of ketosis often enough, you have to examine your diet.

(TJ Borden) #15

That depends on your metabolic health. The cycling in and out of ketosis is our normal state. The reason people try to stay in it is because they’re trying to loose, although as @240lbfatloss pointed out, even that’s misdirected as the real goal for burning fat is lipolysis. Since you’re in maintenance mode, unless you’re trying to maintain ketosis for some other therapeutic reason, there’s not necessarily a reason to stay in ketosis all the time.

I say that out of complete jealousy. The maintenance light at the end of the tunnel isn’t even visible for me yet.

(Empress of the Unexpected) #16

As you know, I’m conflicted. Yes, I am at maintenance, but I have heard pros and cons re staying in ketosis on a regular basis. I am also not sure I am fat-adapted, and until I am completely sure, staying in ketosis seems the safest bet. You can’t measure lipolysis. So I am not certain anyone can guarantee that state at any point in time. I guess I am just being overly cautious - I have control over my weight for the first time in ten years, and don’t want to blow it. Other than maybe one cheat meal a week, really have no desire to do more than that. Just my musings………

(Srinivas A) #17

Thanks. I read something about Lipolysis, but didn’t fully get it. Pl elaborate if someone can be in lipolysis but out of ketosis? Fat is still burning in other ways/forms, but just ketones are not getting produced? - if yes, that’s totally fine. Also, when I am eating lot of fat, but I am not gaining weight and urine strips are not showing ketones, does it possibly mean I am in lipolysis (but not in ketosis) - at least I am burning my dietary fat if not little bit of body fat also?

(Ken) #18

Ketosis is only a small part of Lipolysis, but is the absurd focus of Nutty Keto Dogma. Carb tolerances differ, as hormonal secretions change and adapt due to differing resistive States. That’s why high fat and under 20 g of carbs is recommended initially, to reduce these anorexigenic hormone resistance issues. Once hyperinsulinemia drops, you can stay fairly lipolytic with a little higher intake of carbs. The key to carb intake is intermittancy, rather than a daily consumption level. That prevents glycogen overcompensation, which triggers the readaptation of the aforementioned resistance states. You can eat quite a few carbs when you choose to, just give your glycogen levels a chance to drop between them.

It literally takes weeks for detrimental adaptations to occur, that’s why people can eat carbs for a couple of weeks when on vacation, eat lipolytically when they get home to drop any glycogen, and be surprised they didn’t’ gain any fat.

(Bill C) #19

As long as you are burning more calories than you are consuming you will be fine.

(less is more, more or less) #20

Calories in / Calories out? Here’s what I say to that nonsense:

(Running from stupidity) #21

Shhh, he’s on a crusade to turn back time :slight_smile: