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

(Srinivas A) #22

Thanks. This helps.

(Brian) #23

Isn’t 50g of carbs about what Phinney suggests a normal keto diet might be?

(TJ Borden) #24

He says 50-100 (at least what I’ve seen in his videos. He may have revised since). But his focus was also on keto with athletes, so his studies weren’t based on people with fucked up metabolisms like many of us have.

(Ashley) #25

How do we know if we are in Lipolysis then? Trying to understand how that works and affects things.

(TJ Borden) #26

From my experience, appetite is my first clue. I don’t check ketones, so I can’t say for sure what does and doesn’t knock me out there. I think it’s a time thing too. Most anyone that’s been at it awhile can take a meal or even a day off, and they might get kicked out of ketosis, but they haven’t stopped being lypolytic. Take a week off? Yeah, you’ll likely switch back to burning carbs as your primary fuel.

If I take a meal or even a day off, no problem. If I take a long weekend off? Hunger and cravings return with a vengeance and I can FEEL inflammation returning.

@240lbfatloss might have a better gauge.

(Ashley) #27

That makes total sense how recently I went a week with carb heavy and then switched right back to keto and didn’t gain anything and now have started to lose again hmm.

(TJ Borden) #28

Yeah, that’s actually the cool part to me too. I know some would consider it heresy, but even the weight that comes back on is water weight that comes right back off. Sure, it delays progress, but this is a lifestyle, and if taking a weekend, or a week, off every once in a while helps make the lifestyle sustainable, then I say go for it.

(Ashley) #29

I agree I’m still mostly keto, but I do have occasionally cheats! It keeps me from going on a binge. If I just ignore it for ages I’ll just go overboard.

(Running from stupidity) #30

I’m pretty sure this username is trying to intimidate me…

Much as I hate to say it, I think I’m with @Baytowvin here, it agrees with what I’ve read and experienced (small as that experience is). Although I do check my ketones every few days with a cheapo BAC meter.

(Ashley) #31

I choose monster juice because I used to be addicted to the Monster Khaos Juice Energy drinks and wanted a reminder of how crap they are for me. Even though I love the taste!

(Richard Hamilton-Gibbs) #32

First rule to never forget: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

Get some Smackfat ketone sticks (Amazon have them for $7.99 per 100) and pee on one first thing in the morning. This will tell you if you’re in ketosis. This is the healthiest state you can be in (unless you’re diabetic, stuffing yourself with carbs, and it’s ketoacidosis).

If you’re going to up your carb intake, try to do it earlier in the day and get some exercise in afterwards.

If you want to find out what your carbohydrate limits are, test your ketone levels three times a day while you’re making transitional dietary decisions, at times when you think your carbohydrate intake might be impacting your ketone levels. This way, you can make better long term decisions that are more comfortable for you. It’s very important to avoid making your ketogenic lifestyle a deprivation environment. The extra stress will make it unsustainable in the longer term.

I stay in ketosis as much as I can because all my blood tests are stellar when I’m in ketosis. Again, that measurement thing. :slight_smile:

I’ve been living a keto lifestyle since 1996 for health reasons. I feel amazing. The only downside is the envy and jealousy of my unhealthy friends, and now that I’m pushing 70, that means all my older friends. LOL

(Consensus is Politics) #33

A few years ago, before being diagnosed with diabetes, I experimented with a keto diet. I kept carbs under 100 grams a day. As far as I could tell it took about three weeks to get the keto flu, which lasted almost a week. Then one day, I felt better than I ever had.

I’m only guessing I was in ketosis based on changes that came about. Never being hungry. Skipping meals for 3 days, and still not hungry. After three months I went back to my normal eating habits. I missed my pizza and pasta too much. Don’t miss them at all now. Currrntly I aim for 0 carbs a day. “More a hobby than a pursuit lately”. Yesterday I probably ate nearly 20 grams of carbs. Why? Because I could. :cowboy_hat_face:

(TJ Borden) #34

That’s why I love gone mostly carnivore. I’m so close to zero most days, I don’t mind treats (beers) a couple times a week. That’s pretty much my only significant source of carbs.

(Roy D Rushing Jr ) #35

50g of carbs may not have much of a noticeable effect at all. If you’re tracking blood ketone levels you’d likely see a decrease. Weight loss would be slower, but would probably continue. It would still be a lot better than SAD. It’s still a decent diet, just a little less optimal for weight loss and T2D maintenance. I wouldn’t put much stock in the ketone strips one way or another. It could be the increase in carbs, your body beginning to be fat adapted, or some combination of the two that is causing the change.

(Richard Hamilton-Gibbs) #36

Keto Flu is most often caused by electrolyte problems. About 97% of Americans have a potassium deficiency and between 40% and 70% of Americans have a magnesium deficiency. When you start on a ketogenic diet, these deficiencies MUST already have been resolved to ensure that your transition to a fat-burning, ketone producing state puts you in a high-energy zone.

(Carl Keller) #37

For me I was able to get into and stay in ketosis bouncing from between 40-45 carbs per day. I am 5’10" and started at 205 lbs if that makes a difference…

But what’s the worse thing that can happen if you get bounced out of ketosis? It’s not like you can’t get back in. Hunter/gatherers 10’s of thousands of years ago went into and out ketosis depending on what and how much food was available. It’s a natural mechanism that can be activated and deactivated when necessary.

(Running from stupidity) #38

+1

#39

I pernally don’t think there is a magic number of carbs that would apply to everyone to get into or stay in ketosis. The 20 g suggestion (and in some schools the 15 g ) is somewhat arbitrary. This is low enough so that most people will get in and stay in if they say see below it. Plus it forces you to eat really cleanly . This I think might be some of the benefit.

I have a truly screwed metabolism. About 35 years of insulin resistance -maybe more. Until recently also highly fluctuating creeping upward body weight and body fat percentage. My carbability ranges from 15 to 70 depending on the number of factors including: how much body fat I’m carrying, what my workout schedule has been like, how much time I spend on the meditation cushion, and how much I have slept (the last one the most important For me.). Over 70 g definitely not OK for me ever. . But, I can do 40- 50 g carbs for several weeks and stay in ketosis and feel great . Much longer than that and I must take them down for a whille.

My best results come if I’m up-and-down on a daily or weekly basis. If I stay under 20 for a long period of time my numbers also are not great. This makes sense to me physiologically. In lay terms , keep that metabolism lightly stressed and guessing . It feels like my body can adapt and seek out staying into ketosis just the way it used to adapt and seek out being a glucose burner.

Full disclosure : I DO count total carbs not net carbs. I think my net carbs would be quite low as my carb intake usually comes from greens and cruciferous veg and the occasionally below ground bits like oonions, rads, and carrots and ginger. All fairly good anti-inflammatories.

Your results may differ . And I always tell myself that like any investments -past performance no guarantee of future earnings. ( or losses really )

#40

Probably nothing, but everybody’s different. 50g of protein is just scary, start tracking your muscle mass.

You wonder why you don’t have energy? You need FUEL, you’re not getting it.

(Amy) #41

50-60 grams net carbs is my sweet spot for maintenance. I can do a week or 2 of <20, but then my hormones get whacky. Today I’ve had about 85 grams (I teach cooking classes, and sometimes partake), which means I’ll need to keep it under 30 tomorrow. I don’t see it as cheating, I see it as strategic metabolic training. Maintaining fat adaption and metabolic flexibility is more important to me than constant ketosis.