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Do you count net carbs or total carbs on keto: Differences & Why It Matters?

Differences & Why It Matters?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The diet involves taking an extremely low amount of carbohydrates and substituting them with fat to stimulate the body’s fat-burning processes. If you’re starting on the ketogenic diet, you may be hearing terms like “carb count,” “macros,” and “net carbs” quite a bit.

Net carbs are all the carbohydrates in food that can be absorbed and used by the body for energy. In contrast, total carbs include all types of carbohydrates, including fiber and sugar alcohols, which are not fully absorbed by the body.

Here is a quick definition od the difference between Keto Net Carb and Total Carb:

The keto net carb diet is a low-carb with a high-fat diet with an aim to bring the body into a state of ketosis. However, the total carb diet allows for a higher amount of carbohydrates and may include more whole grains and fruits.

This post discusses net carbs vs. total carb. Keep reading to learn more!

Key Takeaways

  • Net carbs are determined by removing fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates count.
  • Total carbs include all carbohydrates present in food.
  • Both keto net carb and total carb diets may help with weight loss and blood sugar management.

Looking for a convenient and delicious way to stay on track with your keto diet? Look no further than Cook Unity’s keto meal delivery service, offering a variety of flavorful dishes made with high-quality ingredients to support your healthy lifestyle goals.

Keto Net Carb Diet

On the ketogenic diet, the “net carb” is the amount of carbs in a food minus the fiber and sugar alcohol. Fiber and sugar alcohol are subtracted because the body does not fully absorb them.

The keto net carb diet limits daily carbohydrate consumption to 20-50 grams to induce ketosis. Ketosis is a state where the body changes from using glucose as its primary energy source to using ketones created from fat metabolism.

One of the most important takeaways about the ketogenic diet is that only net carbs are counted when calculating your daily consumption.

Related: Whole30 Diet vs Keto Diet – The Key Differences

Health Benefits of the Keto Net Carb Diet

The keto net carb diet has several potential health benefits, including:

  • Weight loss
  • Improved blood sugar control
  • Reduced inflammation
  • Reduced risk of heart diseases

Foods to Eat and Avoid

When following the keto net carb diet, it is important to consume foods that are low in carbs and high in healthy fats. Here are some foods to eat and avoid:

Foods to Eat
  • Low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens and broccoli
  • Healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado, etc.
  • Protein sources should include meat, poultry, fish, and eggs
  • Low-carb fruits such as berries, tomatoes, etc.
  • Dairy products like cheese, heavy cream, and sour cream
Foods Not to Eat
  • High-carb vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and peas
  • Grains like bread, pasta, rice, cereal, etc.
  • Sugary foods like candy, soda, baked goods, etc.
  • Fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges, etc.
  • Processed foods like chips, crackers, cookies, etc.
Potential challenges

Here are some challenges you may face when on keto net carb diet:

  • Once the body enters a condition of ketosis, certain individuals may experience flu-like symptoms such as lethargy, headaches, and nausea
  • The keto net carb diet can be challenging to sustain long-term, especially for those who are used to consuming high-carb foods
  • Sometimes, the keto net carb diet’s high protein intake may raise the risk of kidney stones
  • Some studies suggest that the high fat intake of the keto net carb diet has a negative effect on the cholesterol levels of some individuals

Total Carb Diet

The total carb diet focuses on the total carbohydrates consumed rather than just the net carbs. The total carb diet does not restrict carbohydrate intake but emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes – while limiting added sugars and refined carbohydrates.

Health Benefits of Total Carb Diet

Some of the benefits of following a total carb diet include the following:

  • Eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates, along with balanced amounts of protein and fat, can assist in regulating blood sugar levels
  • Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are key components of the total carb diet, which can increase fiber intake and promote digestive health
  • A balanced diet with complex carbs can give continuous energy throughout the day, increasing energy levels

Foods to Eat and Avoid

Here are some examples of foods to eat and avoid on a total carb diet:

Foods to Eat
  • Whole grains, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread
  • Fruits and vegetables of all kinds
  • Lean protein sources, such as chicken, fish, beans, and tofu
  • Healthy fats, such as avocado, nuts, and seeds

#### Foods to Avoid

  • Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, and sugary cereals
  • Processed snacks and sweets, such as chips, cookies, and candy
  • Sugary beverages, including soda, juice, and sports drinks

Potential Challenges

The total carb diet can be good for your health in many ways, but when following it, you may face a few challenges. Some of the possible challenges are:

  • Many refined and processed carbohydrates are highly palatable, making limiting their consumption when on a total carb diet difficult
  • Some individuals may have trouble consuming enough protein on a total-carbohydrate diet, particularly if they restrict high-fat animal products such as cheese and red meat
  • Sugary beverages, processed snacks, and sweets are common sources of added sugars, which might be difficult to control on a diet high in total carbohydrates

Related: What Fruits Are Keto-Friendly? 8 Healthy Options

Comparison of Keto Net Carb Diet vs Total Carb Diet

DietKeto Net CarbTotal Carbs
FormulaDigestible carbs – indigestible carbsDigestible carbs + indigestible carbs
NutritionStarches, sugar, fiber, sugar alcoholsStarches and sugar
BenefitsWeight loss, Improved blood sugar control, Reduces inflammation, Reduced risk of heart diseasesAssists in regulating blood sugar levels, Promotes digestive health, Increases energy levels
ChallengesFlu-like symptoms such as lethargy, headaches, and nausea, Challenging to sustain long-term, Raises the risk of kidney stones, Has a negative effect on the cholesterol levels of some individualsLimiting refined and processed carbs on a total carb diet is challenging, Some people on a total-carbohydrate diet may not get enough protein, On a high-carb diet, sugary drinks, snacks, and sweets can be hard to manage.

Which One Is Better?

Most dietitians advise focusing on total carbohydrate consumption instead of net carbohydrates as the accurate measurement. The best diet involves consuming low-carb whole meals such as non-starchy vegetables, fruits with high fiber content, leafy greens, healthy fats such as olive oil, and high-quality meats and fish. This is the most effective method for losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle.

Related: What Is Keto Flu and How to Reduce Its Symptoms?

Keto Net Carb vs Total Carb: FAQs

Q: Should I Count Net Carbs or Total Carbs for Weight Loss?

A: If you are following a ketogenic diet, which typically restricts carbohydrates to a very low level, you should count net carbs rather than total carbs. This is because the ketogenic diet puts the body into ketosis, in which it uses fat for energy instead of carbs.
Counting net carbs allows for the subtraction of fiber, which is a non-digestible carbohydrate, from the total carb count. That gives you a better idea of how many digestible carbs you are consuming and whether you are staying within your carbohydrate target.

Q: How Many Net Carbs a Day on Keto?

A: The amount of net carbs you should take on a keto diet will depend on your age, weight, gender, and physical activity. However, a general guideline for most keto diets limits daily net carb intake to 20-50 grams.

Q: How to Calculate Net Carbs?

A: To calculate net carbs, follow these steps:

  • Determine the total amount of carbohydrates in a food or meal by checking the nutrition label or using a food tracking app.
  • Determine the amount of fiber in the food or meal.
  • Subtract the amount of fiber from the total amount of carbohydrates. The result is the net carb count.

For example:

If a certain type of food has 20 grams of total carbohydrates and 8 grams of fiber, the net carb count would be 12 grams (20 grams of total carbs – 8 grams of fiber = 12 grams of net carbs).

Q: Do You Count Net Carbs or Total Carbs for Diabetes?

A: For people with diabetes, that depends on the individual’s treatment plan, goals, and blood sugar management needs. Carbohydrates significantly affect blood sugar levels, so people with diabetes must generally be mindful of their carbohydrate consumption. Both net carbs and total carbs can alter blood sugar levels, but for people counting carbs to control diabetes, net carbs may be a more relevant measure.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between net carbs and total carbs is important to attaining your health and diet objectives. The keto net carb diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that puts the body into ketosis, whereas the total carb diet allows a higher amount of carbohydrates and may include more whole grains and fruits.
It’s important to make informed dietary choices, especially when it comes to carbohydrate intake, as carbohydrates can have a significant impact on health, including blood sugar management, weight loss, and overall wellness.

References:

  • Health.USnews.com
  • Ketodietapp
  • Peopleschoicebeefjerky
  • Medicinenet

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Carbohydrates on a keto diet – how much can you take per day and are they needed?

“Carbon hydrates” or carbohydrates are one of the macronutrients found in food. They are one of the potential sources of energy for the human body. A low-carb or keto diet restricts carbohydrate intake in order to reduce weight and improve health. In this guide, you will find detailed information about what carbohydrates are and what effect it has on the human body to reduce their amount in the diet.

  1. What are carbohydrates?
  2. How are carbohydrates processed in the body?
  3. How are carbohydrates used by the body?
  4. Benefits of restricting carbohydrates in the diet?
  5. Is it really necessary to eat carbohydrates?
  6. Which carbs are good for those on a keto or low carb diet?
  7. What are “net carbohydrates”?
  8. How many carbohydrates does a person need daily?

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates is an abbreviation for the class of compounds “carbon hydrates”. Like other macronutrients such as proteins and fats, carbohydrates provide the body with energy (calories).

There are two main types of carbohydrates in food: starches and sugars.

Keto Starch

Starches are made up of long chains of individual units of glucose (sugar) that are linked together.

The diagram below is a simplified representation of the structure of starch.

Glucose – Glucose – Glucose – Glucose – Glucose

Foods containing starch usually do not taste sweet. Because starch is just a long chain of sugar (glucose) molecules linked together, it is absorbed into the bloodstream as pure glucose, raising blood sugar levels.

High starch examples

  • Figure
  • Pasta
  • Potatoes
  • Cereals
  • Bread

Sugars

Sugars have much shorter chains than starches. In fact, sometimes they are just one molecule of glucose or fructose. In food, sugars are usually two sugar molecules linked together, such as sucrose (glucose and fructose) or lactose (glucose and galactose).

Below are simplified representations of the sucrose and lactose molecules.

Sucrose Lactose 90 003

Glucose and Fructose Glucose and Galactose

Sugar is found in foods of plant and dairy origin. However, these foods usually do not taste sweet, with the exception of fruits and root vegetables such as carrots and beets. Often vegetables, nuts, and seeds contain only small amounts of sugar.

Examples of products containing sugar

  • Fruits and fruit juices
  • Vegetables
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Milk, yogurt and kefir

90 002 Processed and packaged foods often contain added sugars. Manufacturers add refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup to their products, sometimes using honey or other “natural” sugars that are considered healthier. But sugar, even in this form, is sugar, and the body processes it in the same way.

Examples of added sugars

  • Refined white sugar and other sugars: brown, beetroot, coconut, raw sugar, turbinado, etc. More For more information about sugars and sweeteners on a low-carb diet, check out our guide.

    How are carbohydrates processed in the body?

    Starches or two sugar molecules are too large for the human body to digest. Therefore, after we consume carbohydrates, our body produces enzymes that break them down into individual sugar molecules that can be absorbed.

    Individual units of sugar are processed by the body in different ways. To properly understand the effect of carbohydrates on the body, it is important to understand the difference between how glucose and fructose are absorbed.

    Once glucose enters the bloodstream, it immediately causes an increase in blood sugar levels. This prompts the pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that releases glucose from the blood and enters the cells. How much blood sugar rises and how long it stays elevated depends on a number of factors, including how many carbs you eat on keto, how much insulin is produced, and how sensitive your body cells are to insulin.

    On the other hand, fructose does not raise blood sugar levels the way glucose does. It goes straight to the liver, where it is converted to glycogen and stored there. Your liver can easily handle the small amount of fructose found in whole foods. Eating processed foods and drinks that are high in fructose can inhibit the liver’s ability to absorb it. Regular consumption of high fructose can lead to insulin resistance, fatty liver and obesity. Agave nectar and other “healthy” high fructose sweeteners are often touted as “low glycemic index (GI)” foods because they do not directly affect blood sugar. But they can be even worse than regular sugar when it comes to weight and health.

    It is important to note that there is one component of carbohydrates that is not digested or absorbed – fiber. Unlike starches and sugars, the body lacks the enzymes needed to break down fiber. Bacteria living in the intestines can digest it. Once fiber enters the colon, intestinal bacteria ferment it into short-chain fatty acids, which do not raise blood sugar levels and may be beneficial to health.

    All non-fiber carbohydrates are digestible (with the exception of fructose) and can raise blood sugar levels, whether they come from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar.

    How are carbohydrates used by the body?

    Once the carbohydrates eaten have been digested and absorbed, the resulting glucose can be used as an energy source by all body cells, including muscles, heart and brain.

    Glucose not currently required by cells can be stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen (which is long chains of glucose, similar to starch in food). There is a limit to the amount of glycogen that can be stored in the body. Once its storage spaces are full, the glucose formed from the processing of excess carbohydrates is converted into fat, which will be stored in your body.

    Benefits of keto carbohydrate restriction

    • Reduced insulin and blood sugar levels
    • Reduced carbohydrate cravings
    • Appetite control
    • Ability to go without food for hours due to satiety and satisfaction 9000 8

    Required Do you actually eat carbs on keto?

    No. When carbohydrate intake is restricted on keto, the body uses fats and ketones as energy sources, the body enters a state of ketosis. In addition to erythrocytes (red blood cells) and certain brain and kidney cells that require glucose, other cells in the body are able to use fatty acids and ketones as an energy source.

    The body is able to produce glucose for any cells that need it, even if you don’t eat any carbs on keto. The liver can convert amino acids (found in protein) and glycerol (found in fatty acids) into glucose. This process is known as gluconeogenesis.

    In fact, the Food and Nutrition Board of the US Institute of Medicine, in its 2005 manual Dietary Guide to Energy Sources, Carbohydrates, Fiber, Fats, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids, states: The minimum amount of carbohydrate intake in food necessary to ensure human life is zero, provided that the body receives a sufficient amount of proteins and fats.

    Nine essential amino acids in protein and two essential fatty acids have been found, but there is no such thing as “essential” carbohydrates.

    However, many low-carbohydrate foods such as vegetables, nuts and seeds contain valuable nutrients. They supply the body with fiber, diversify the taste sensations. Including them in the diet, you do not go beyond the keto diet.

    Keto carbs: what can you eat on a low-carb diet?

    When including carbohydrates on keto in your diet, you need to choose foods that will help maintain normal blood sugar levels, saturating the body with important vitamins and minerals.

    The best carbohydrate sources on a keto or low carb diet are:

    • Broccoli
    • Cauliflower
    • Cabbage
    • Lettuce
    • Asparagus
    • 900 05 Avocado

    • Macadamia nuts
    • Pumpkin seeds
    • Raspberries

    What is « net carbohydrates?

    Net carbs are carbohydrates without fiber. The fiber in whole foods is neither digested nor absorbed, but not all nutritionists agree with this statement. In addition, in people with type 1 diabetes, fiber can cause flatulence and the release of hormones that raise blood sugar levels. Therefore, you can either count “net carbs” or count total carbs.

    Here’s an example of how to calculate net carbs: 100 grams of cauliflower contains 5 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 of which come from fiber.

    5g – 2g = 3g net carbs.

    Many processed, low carb foods are labeled as “net carbs”. They show total carbs minus fiber and sweeteners known as sugar alcohols. Some of these supplements may be partially absorbed and increase blood sugar levels.

    The words “net carbs” on food packages can therefore be misleading.

    When calculating net carbs, subtract fiber from whole foods only.

    How many keto carbohydrates does a person need daily?

    People who are healthy, physically active, and of normal weight do not need to limit their amount at all, provided that they consume high-quality, unprocessed carbohydrates.

    However, people with health problems or who are overweight may benefit from a low carbohydrate intake. The less, the faster the process of losing weight will go and the treatment of diseases associated with metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, will be easier.

    There are three levels of carbohydrate restriction:

    • Ketogenic: less than 20 g per day;
    • Moderately low: use 20-50 g per day;
    • Liberal low: 50-100 g of net carbohydrates per day.

    Ketogenic diet / keto diet – “From euphoria to disappointment. Personal detailed experience of five months of strictly keto. What awaits you if you only want to embark on this path. »

    If you are looking for scientific information about nutrition in this post KETO , excerpts from articles and books that tell in detail about all the processes that occur in our body when we switch to a new type of food, about who needs this diet for medical reasons, and so on, then you are not here for me, here you won’t find it. Google to the rescue, the wonderful book Cell on Diet, etc. and so on. I don’t want to do copy-paste, there will be only a couple of quotes and that’s it. Otherwise, this post will be endless. The topic is extremely extensive and it is difficult to talk about all the nuances in one review.

    I really want to share with you exactly my personal experience . At one time, KETO diet was at the peak of popularity and I got the idea to try it on my own skin. Naturally, there was no talk of any recovery, the reason is banal – the desire to lose weight. I am an accordion woman in life, losing weight by many kg, getting fat by many kg) At that time there was apathy, I could not pull myself together, I was experiencing another peak of obesity.

    The ketogenic diet is based on switching from one source of energy – carbohydrates, to another – fats. To do this, you need to enter the body into a state of ketosis, in which the process of splitting fat occurs in the body and ketone bodies are formed. To enter this state, you need to adhere to the ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates recommended for the keto diet:

    • proteins – 25-35%;
    • fats – 50-70%;
    • carbohydrates – 5-10%.

    Exactly five months I was on STRICT KETO and kept the balance : 5% carbohydrates, 20% proteins, the rest was fats. Initially, of course, it was just an experiment, I thought, I’ll try to hold out for 10 days, only 10 days. Ten days have passed, and I’ll try for a whole month. And so 5 months passed) It was a very interesting experience, and I don’t regret it, although it didn’t backfire on me very well. But, more on that later.

    Almost three years have passed since that time and it is very good that then I wrote down some of my impressions in a journal for F atsecret

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    ♦♦♦ EXTRACTS FROM MY DIARY

    with minor corrections already today.♦♦♦

    ONE MONTH FOR KETO .

    Impressions:

    Adaptation ( a small note – in this context it means getting used to the new nutrition system, about true adaptation of to KETO I will say below ) took place the first 2-3 weeks, then everything settled down. And this does not mean that all this time I felt bad. No, it’s just that at times a terrible fatigue rolled in, I lay and could not do anything, but this happened just a couple of times. It was also difficult to perform any physical actions – a feeling of lack of energy, a strong heartbeat, climbing the stairs was accompanied by pauses for rest and sticking out the tongue.

    It became very difficult to work out in the gym, I even thought with sadness, well, what to do, I like everything on KETO, but my workouts are very important for me, and doing it with the feeling that you just do everything with your last strength and “Bobby is dead” is unbearable. I did strength exercises, it was scary to even think about cardio.

    “Bad” breath and dry throat – also from the minuses of KETO. Very unpleasant sensations of dryness and this not so dryness, when you want to drink and just dry up in your throat. And very specific. I even went all the time with a bottle of water to wash my throat from these sensations. As far as I understood from the study of forums and materials on the topic, it is acetone vapors that create such an effect. The smell is generally a separate issue, everything smells bad – the body, sweat, urine, mouth in public is better not to open at all (looking ahead, I will say that the smell from the mouth did not go away and after months, it became smaller, but did not completely go away). Life hack how to understand if there is a smell, because we ourselves do not always feel it – lick your wrist from the inside and smell it. That’s when I did it on KETO, the stench was rare. Therefore, sugar-free mint chewing gum has always been with me. Some fierce KETO fanatics claim that chewing gum should not be used, since it supposedly contains some gram of carbohydrate, but I am not one of them and I can absolutely say that this will not interfere with your entry into KETO.

    By the end of the third week, the heartbeats disappeared, everything in the gym also improved, energy appeared, well-being improved, only the volume of training had to be reduced a little, the former could no longer “take out”.

    I had to get used to food, in the sense that it is difficult to break my mindset regarding nutrition. I have never eaten so much fat. Over time, I got the hang of getting into the right percentages, keeping a balance, making sure that there was fat in every meal and proteins did not prevail. By the way, this is very important. You can’t do this – in the morning I eat fat, in the evening meat, and in the afternoon a salad of green leaves. Fat should be in every meal and prevail in percentage terms. The amount of protein must be strictly monitored, especially at the initial stage, an excess of protein leads to gluconeogenesis – metabolic process of producing glucose from protein, which can delay the body’s restructuring to an alternative fuel source – fat, for which we actually observe KETO.

    Food set for my KETO: eggs, butter, lard, lard with meat streaks, 35-40% fat cream, homemade chicken liver and butter pate, butter cream, mascarpone, mozzarella, cheese , sour cream, ghee, coconut oil, olives, black olives, pork, salted pink salmon, fatty minced meat sausages, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant, avocado. Note about milk – no milk, cottage cheese, only the fattest cheeses, cream and always with a strict calculation, no “to satiety”, there is a small amount of carbohydrates in the milk, and the norm must be kept strictly. The same goes for the vegetables listed above, no basins, very limited (don’t forget – we count “clean” carbohydrates!). That we can eat a lot and not count at all – greens, green salad leaves, herbs, and it is advisable to eat them in every meal and a lot.

    For keto baking: almond, coconut, flax flour. Keto bread from the microwave, almond-coconut muffins in the microwave or oven, or pancakes. Everything is wildly delicious. Also dabbled in seeds. Not often, since sunflower oil is not keto right, and sunflower seeds are the same. (the first weeks you should not do baking, choose simple food is better)

    Carbohydrates kept up to 20 g “clean”, which means the total amount of carbohydrates consumed minus fiber. Attached F atsecret it is possible to count “net” carbohydrates in addition to the main ones.

    Weight loss: per month minus 6 kg, with an average calorie content of 1980 kcal.

    TWO MONTHS OF KETO. Second month result 3.9 kg, total 9.9 kg.

    The second month was easy, the average calorie content was 1930 kcal, carbohydrates, even taking into account “impure”, averaged 20 g, proteins 90 g, fats 160 g.

    THREE MONTHS ON KETO.

    Minus – 3.7 kg, in just three months – 13.6 kg

    Average calories in the third month 1871 Cal

    Proportions Fat: 157.35g, Protein: 90.10g, Carbs: 19.43g

    Self feeling excellent. Almost disappeared discomfort in the throat, dryness. It has become easy to keep two meals a day, although I do not intentionally do this, but it is convenient when training in the evening. I can easily go without food for a long time

    But during the month I sometimes caught myself thinking that I wanted to indulge in ordinary products, BUT not cakes and sweets, but ordinary food – borscht, for example.

    FOURTH AND FIFTH MONTHS ON KETO passed without a deficit, but within the desired balance (5% carbohydrates, etc.), the weight remained unchanged. Which is quite natural, no diet leads to weight loss if there is no calorie deficit!

    ________________________________________________________________________________

    I went through full adaptation in about two or three months. What I call complete adaptation is the reconfiguration of the body to another type of fuel – fats. “Ketos” have such fun as test strips to determine the level of ketones in the urine. And I had them, I bought them on Aliexpress) The thing is actually useless and unnecessary. By the way, I still have them somewhere. At first, they show a high content of ketones in the urine, the color of the strip is rich and bright. And after a couple of months, the color is very, very pale, ketones are minuscule. So in the first case, ketones are produced in large quantities, but are not absorbed by the body, but are excreted in the urine. And we rejoice, cheers, I’m in ketosis, because I have such a level of ketones in my urine. Not a fig. And after adaptation, there are almost no ketones in the urine, since the body already uses them as fuel, and does not dump ballast.

    another small quote

    Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body uses fat and ketones as its main source of energy, rather than glucose (sugar).

    After adaptation, there is no difference in well-being at all, compared to normal nutrition. I am fully energetic, I did strength training in full, I enjoyed doing cardio for an hour.

    ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

    KETO food is very tasty and satisfying. I have never eaten so well on any diet. The main products have already been listed above.

    There are desserts on KETO, they cannot be missing):

    chocolate bombs (made from cocoa butter, coconut oil, cocoa powder, sakhzam – drown, mix and put into a mold in the freezer),

    keto pastries (made infrequently, almond flour muffins),

    keto pancakes (simple and delicious, my recipe is 50 g of curd cheese, for example Almette, 1 egg, baking powder, a little sahzam, I use Fitparad No. 7, beat everything with a mixer and bake on a non-stick frying pan greased with coconut oil). It turns out very tender, who likes it denser, you can add almond flour.

    cream desserts from mascarpone and sahzam (you can make keto ice cream from them, very tasty). In fact, you can even make keto cheesecakes, based on almond flour, and cream cheese, eggs are allowed keto products. Sahzam instead of sugar.

    – after adaptation, you can add sugar-free chocolate with a high cocoa content of at least 70% to the diet .

    Keto recipes are plentiful. We tear off Instagram, hash tag ketorecept, ketoed and voila, study and rejoice.

    I also recommend thematic groups “in contact” – a sea of ​​like-minded people, people who have been “in the know” for a long time, will help with the difficulties that have arisen in compiling a diet, since at first the question is very relevant, but what is that?

    I really missed bread, I found two recipes for myself – one with a minimum set of products and a couple of minutes in the microwave, the second is complex, requiring a set of specific products, but tasty). Of course, it’s a stretch to call it bread.

    a simple version of , I often made it for breakfast, for sandwiches with fish:

    -1 egg, 15 grams of linseed flour, a teaspoon of melted butter, salt, baking powder, mix everything well and microwave for a couple of minutes. It turns out a loose gray nondescript bun with a specific taste, but I really wanted something similar to bread, which I ate with pleasure.

    second option, frozen:

    – 3 eggs, 100 g natural yogurt, 100 g cheese (finely grated), 75 g almond flour, 0.5 teaspoon salt, baking powder, tablespoon psyllium, 15 each gr sesame and linseeds, garlic for taste. I also added a little smoked paprika to my taste. Mix all dry ingredients separately, beat eggs separately, then combine together. Bake in a non-stick frying pan under a lid over low heat, on both sides. Grease a frying pan with coconut or ghee, preheat. When we put the mixture in a pan, sprinkle with peeled pumpkin seeds on top, they will stick and will not crumble when turned over.

    There are photos of food experiments from those times. By the way, the first option is the most common breakfast of those times – scrambled eggs in lard and sandwiches with flax bread, butter cream and salted fish.

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    Chair. I said about nutrition, I will also say about what worries many people, supposedly deep constipation will begin on KETO. It is not true. With this amount of fat I didn’t have any constipation at all. At first, there was also a backlash. The chair is daily, without the slightest problem.

    Sleep really became shorter, I began to get enough sleep in less time, but I did not suffer from insomnia. On the contrary, the dream became very deep, relaxed.

    ‘s mood has improved, released the depressive state in which I was previously. In general, I am a very unstable person in this regard, and KETO had a beneficial effect on me.

    Appearance. Before this experiment, I had a problem with my face, tormented by rashes, my entire forehead was inflamed bumps, which I just didn’t smear, nothing helped. On KETO, the skin became exceptionally clean, even, and I was pleased with the result.

    To sum it up, KETO PROS: 5 you can safely endure a long absence of food 9Excellent skin CONS OF KETO:

    • not the most pleasant period adaptations – fatigue, lack of energy, palpitations, bad smell, dry throat, etc.
    • you need to constantly take supplements! I did not say this above, but this point must be clearly understood. Magnesium, calcium drink immediately from the very beginning! With this diet, there is a deficiency of vitamins and trace elements.
    • be sure to count calories and BJU, keep a food diary in the calorie counting application (of your choice), if you have not done this before, in addition to studying the theory of nutrition on KETO, you will have to learn and master new counting skills and nutrition analysis.
    • KETO is a very complex and difficult nutrition system that requires discipline and a great desire to learn a lot of information! And this is really necessary. I read all sorts of reviews – “I’m on keto, I eat meat and vegetables.” Just a hand-face, people generally have no idea about KETO, but they are firmly convinced that they are practicing it. No, this is not about “but give me a diet for a week, I’ll sit, I need to lose a couple of kilos.”
    • at first it is difficult to find a balance and keep the correct percentage of BJU in each meal.
    • If you like fruits, it will be very difficult for you to refuse them. Not ALL fruits!
    • training, but at first it will be very difficult, they even recommend not doing strength training for at least a couple of weeks until the most severe consequences of getting used to a new style of eating have passed.
    • cherry on the cake – most likely your hair will start to actively leave you in 4-5 months. This is where my hair loss started. Neither taking vitamins nor increasing the percentage of protein helped. The picture was depressing. And this also contributed to my refusal from strictly KETO. Those who stick to KETO for a year or more say that everything then grows back. But I didn’t want to check it out.

    WHY DID I STOP FOLLOWING STRICT KETO

    Let me remind you, strict means 5% of carbohydrates in the total balance of BJU. In recent months, it was up to 30 net carbohydrates per day, since the total calories were at the support level, then carbohydrates grew from 20 to 30 grams, the percentage remained the same – 5%.

    First of all, I missed ordinary food, I really wanted my favorite soups – borscht, pea. I wanted to eat more vegetables, but with a minimum of carbohydrates, this did not work. I began to increase the amount of carbohydrates, And slowly began to eat cereals, but rarely, potatoes, even bread. Since I got used to low carbohydrates, I ate less than 100 grams per day for the next five to six months, mostly 50-70 grams.

    Secondly, hair loss somehow upset me and I thought that I should eat more differently.

    Thirdly, in all honesty, as much as I like to eat on KETO, I sincerely do not believe that this is a completely healthy diet. Because food cannot be healthy and complete if you are forced to buy a bunch of jars to make up for the deficiency of trace elements and vitamins.

    THE WORST – CONSEQUENCES

    Five months of KETO followed by five to six months of low carb. And then a terrible thing began to happen to me, I started having terrible attacks of tachycardia – this is when your heart starts beating in one second with a terrible force of more than 200 beats per minute. Sharply, it was 60-70 in a second for 200. I called an ambulance several times, since it did not stop for a long time. You experience a wild fear of death. After the attacks, my whole chest hurt, my heart beat so strongly from the inside.

    I had an examination, general blood tests were normal, a cardiogram, an ultrasound of the heart too, the cardiologist told me that the reason was something else.

    But the tests for thyroid hormones did not please me, TSH was several times higher than the norm. I have a problem with the thyroid gland for life (history of removal of the gland, hypothyroidism), I am on HRT, I take the hormone, and for the last few years my tests have been stable, not perfect, but taking into account my medical history, within the medical norm. This was for several years. And then, during the year of my new diet, the tests deteriorated sharply. And to be honest, apart from KETO, I can’t find any other reasons.

    In addition, my suspicions were confirmed when I read her opinion on the keto diet in one of the blogs of an endocrinologist. She said that such low carbohydrates act depressingly on the activity of the thyroid gland and people with thyroid diseases should use this diet very carefully.