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Counting carbs... net carbs etc?! for ketosis

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  • 03-02-2016 12:12pm
    #1
    rustyzip
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭


    I'm on a diet at the mo (to lose a few kilo) and I'm supposed to be on no more than 30 grams of carbs a day..

    Do I count the net carb or the whole carb?! Or the carbs 'that sugar'?!?!
    I'm so confused!

    I did it before but paid for a meal delivery so didn't worry about labels! :confused:


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    #2
    Irishcrx
    Registered Users Posts: 2,861 ✭✭✭Irishcrx


    30 grams of carbs a day is extremely low, I've heard bad thing's about that diet in terms of people feeling really crap, low on energy.

    I wouldn't overthink the carbs too much, set your Macros at about 50/25/25 Protein/Fat/Carbs and eat at a caloric deficet and you will lose weight. But make it realistic and doable , for me eating a low amount of carbs like 30 grams is setting up for failure unless your a competitive body builder.


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    #3
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,560 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Below 30g you're looking at net carbs, which means subtracting fibre.


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    #4
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    I've been on low-carb diets for weight loss and prediabetes, and yeah, that extreme level sucks. I had to add back carbs to maintain my mood (serotonin is produced in the gut, from carbs). Anyway, to answer your question, count net carbs. Net carbs are the total grams of carbs (all carbs) minus grams of fiber and grams of sugar alcohols (xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, etc.). Within reason, of course; you can't stir xylitol and bran into your Frosted Flakes and expect to cancel out the sugar hit. Don't ignore your total intake or your intake of fat, either. Recent studies show that overintake of fats actually damages your body's response to sugars over time and doesn't do you any favors in the short term, either. Remember that your body must eventually convert all food into glucose for it to be used by the cells, and the more you eat, the more it has to convert into glucose or body fat. There is no "eat all you want" diet.

    Bottom line, Irishcrx is correct as far as they go. Losing weight is of course more complicated than "eat less and exercise", but if you are overall healthy and only need to lose a few kilos, then it should be your first line of attack. Concentrate on "healthy, fresh lower carb" rather than "fanatic, prepackaged negligible carb" and you'll do better in general.


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    #5
    rustyzip
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭rustyzip


    Thanks for all that :)
    I only do it every so often as I find it quick and have good mental clarity whilst doing it!
    I never seem to get the keto flu as most people say!
    I have a relatively healthy diet anyway.. just eat too much :) Sweet potatoes and pulses to be honest, could eat 10 sweet potatoes at a time!

    Good to know it's just 'net carbs' I'm looking at though.. as some soups and things could have 40 carbs per serving but only 4 net carbs :)


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    #6
    Alf Veedersane
    Registered Users Posts: 24,560 ✭✭✭✭Alf Veedersane


    Would it not just be easier to have a more sustainable diet year round rather than having to periodically jump to a low-carb diet?


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    #7
    rustyzip
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭rustyzip


    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Would it not just be easier to have a more sustainable diet year round rather than having to periodically jump to a low-carb diet?

    It would I suppose but it's just something I like to do, it changes things up.. it's good for my metabolism etc.
    Diabetes runs prolifically in my family and resetting via ketosis is supposed to be great for prevention :P


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    #8
    ford2600
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭ford2600


    While Ketosis or something like it was necessary for us to evolve (our brain's back up generator if you like) it is a really difficult diet to follow consistently in the modern world even if you do your research and really watch what you eat.

    It's not just about limiting carbs; if you limit carbs to say 30g but don't restrict protein (the only way to do that is having fat make up at least 70% of your diet), your body will just burn the protein for fuel and inhibit the production of ketones. That'll probably leave you feeling pretty crap, with neither system running well.

    Outside of a few fringe areas of human performance-ultra running/cycling/rowing etc, two day poker sessions, memory competitions and the like- I think the limitations outweigh the benefits quite heavily. I do ultra cycling, and even on a multi day event it is too inflexibile a strategy.

    Dr Louise Burke (nutrition adviser on last 5 Australian Olympic teams) recently did a podcast on the scienceofultra.com discussing various nutrition strategies. In course of her research she was comparing various diets and put guys in study on Ketogenic diet, her point was all she had a staff behind her, research assistants etc and even at that it was really difficult to comply with diet and in her view most people who do it aren't really doing it...

    Also if your favourite activity needs high power, your probably gonna suck at it, your body will down regulate it's ability to use glycogen if you run on ketones.

    If you decide to do it remember
    *your body changes how it handles salt and you need to be mindful of intake
    * Due to severe limitations on fruit AND most veg it's easy not to get in enough fibre(if you want to lose weight by eating less, plus a load of other benefits, fibre is your friend) so you really need to eat a lot of low energy veg, greens greens and more greens

    If you just want to lose some weight you'd probably be best following this or similar consistently
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=98301951&postcount=1


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    #9
    rustyzip
    Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭rustyzip


    ford2600 wrote: »
    While Ketosis or something like it was necessary for us to evolve (our brain's back up generator if you like) it is a really difficult diet to follow consistently in the modern world even if you do your research and really watch what you eat.

    It's not just about limiting carbs; if you limit carbs to say 30g but don't restrict protein (the only way to do that is having fat make up at least 70% of your diet), your body will just burn the protein for fuel and inhibit the production of ketones. That'll probably leave you feeling pretty crap, with neither system running well.

    Outside of a few fringe areas of human performance-ultra running/cycling/rowing etc, two day poker sessions, memory competitions and the like- I think the limitations outweigh the benefits quite heavily. I do ultra cycling, and even on a multi day event it is too inflexibile a strategy.

    Dr Louise Burke (nutrition adviser on last 5 Australian Olympic teams) recently did a podcast on the scienceofultra.com discussing various nutrition strategies. In course of her research she was comparing various diets and put guys in study on Ketogenic diet, her point was all she had a staff behind her, research assistants etc and even at that it was really difficult to comply with diet and in her view most people who do it aren't really doing it...

    Also if your favourite activity needs high power, your probably gonna suck at it, your body will down regulate it's ability to use glycogen if you run on ketones.

    If you decide to do it remember
    *your body changes how it handles salt and you need to be mindful of intake
    * Due to severe limitations on fruit AND most veg it's easy not to get in enough fibre(if you want to lose weight by eating less, plus a load of other benefits, fibre is your friend) so you really need to eat a lot of low energy veg, greens greens and more greens

    If you just want to lose some weight you'd probably be best following this or similar consistently
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=98301951&postcount=1


    Wow, that's really interesting (I'm not being sarcastic!)
    Will def try to listen to that podcast when I get a chance :)


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    #10
    ford2600
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,457 ✭✭✭ford2600


    http://www.scienceofultra.com/podcasts/19

    Burke is great, zero bullsh1t.


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    #11
    Mellor
    Registered Users Posts: 39,105 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    rustyzip wrote: »
    I'm on a diet at the mo (to lose a few kilo) and I'm supposed to be on no more than 30 grams of carbs a day..

    Do I count the net carb or the whole carb?! Or the carbs 'that sugar'?!?!
    I'm so confused!

    I did it before but paid for a meal delivery so didn't worry about labels! :confused:
    Net carbs and whole carbs are the same thing on EU labels.
    30gs of carbs means 30g carbs total.
    Alf Veedersane wrote: »
    Below 30g you're looking at net carbs, which means subtracting fibre.

    In america fibre is counted as part of the carb total in america, so it gets subtracted. But everywhere else, it's separated.


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