In this video, I explain the specific numbers, but also the reasons behind it, and I review other important factors to consider. If you want to know about getting into ketosis, this video will get you started!
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54 responses to “How many carbs should you eat to stay in ketosis?”
being “without bread/sugar/carbs”…..just makes one feel a whole lot better. not gonna lie. 377lbs before, 240 after…whole new world
@Alice Cox never heard of it…
@Billy Boy it’s wonderful…..how is your health now, a year later ?
I’m at 350 something, I just started my journey, and seeing this comment made me feel a bit better
@Alchemist it gets easier as it goes for sure…
No joke. Ive been following keto for a week. And I havent been bloated since I started. Sugar cravings gone. Def bread/sugar are a bothersome for the guts
Consulting with a physician first is about the worst advice since most doctors are hostile towards a ketogenic lifestyle.
@Rolanne BouchardYou probably won’t see this but maybe someone else will. Sliced cucumbers with spicy hummus has some crunch and flavor and is, I believe Keto friendly. I’m 63, 5″ 8′, and on low carb (maybe Keto, I haven’t measured my ketos yet) went from 250 to 180 in 10.5 months. I was happily surprised. The low fat calorie restrcted diet didn’t work for me. I couldn’t keep whatever weight I occassionally managed to lose off. I was hungry most of the day, and often cold and tired.
@SK thank you very much! I appreciate you
@Coco T i went to a physical for a job the nurse said she would fail me if i had a high glucose reading, i ate keto for 2 days now day 4, but she tested my glucose 100,, she didnt come back to the room the helper came in to say i passed,, damn doctors gotta catch on sooner or later, she said they tested my urine for sugar,, it came out clean,,, hahaha 2 days an im sugar free,, i hope i see her again but i doubt it,,,
I’m a little late to this conversation lol but I got lucky, my doc recommended Keto and actually referred me to a dietician, after 1 month I’ve dropped 46 lbs have have stopped the blood pressure and blood sugar meds.
TOTALLY AGREE…from a disenchanted, retired RN.
Thanks Doc for the great info, and especially for your perspective on protein level kicking someone out of ketosis.
Certainly timely given that we commenteers were just debating that on your last video. From this new video I understand you’re indicating a couple of interesting points about subpopulations:
1) Diabetics with *hepatic* insulin resistance that are unable to down regulate hepatic gluconeogenesis may exhibit exacerbated protein -> glucose conversion and thus may need to limit protein more than other subpopulations. So, diabetics may exhibit more supply-side gluconeogenesis than non-diabetic people for whom insulin effectively downregulates gluconeogenesis.
2) For some some populations, the ‘first do no harm’ principle is particularly paramount to protein prescriptions. Older people struggle with loss of lean mass/cachexia and so limiting protein in these people may be counterproductive by decreasing precious lean muscle mass (even though it maximizes circulating ketones). Since (to my knowledge) lean muscle mass and (e.g. grip) strength are some of the *best* predictors of life expectancy and healthspan in older folks, we would certainly rather err on the side of more protein (although this may kick someone out of ketosis) than err on the side of too little protein (which could decrease lean muscle mass with deeply negative consequences).
I started it two days ago and everyone keep discouraging me saying it’s not gonna work 🤦♀️ Hopefully I proof them wrong.
@Dennis JJ 🙂
@MaJeC Tech!
Thanks for the detail. I know its been awhile. Im gonna try Keto myself. Im 51, 510 and a muscular 210 lbs. I work out 5 to 6 x a week. The issue I have is Triglycerides are high. Im trying Keto to try lowering the #s without meds and Keto seems it may be an option. Can you advise on your situation? Thanks
You can do it. This is my 11th day and I love it.
Did you prove them wrong then
You are absolutely prove all those people wrong that has been telling you you can’t do it. Don’t listen to them. You can absolutely do it it does work I am living proof I am 62 years old I went one 174 to 159 and I feel better than I did when I was 20 and have tons of energy and my sex life is amazing again
I have Lupus and started keto diet from an article i red that stated that carbs potentiate inflamatory reactions. It’s only been 1 month and a half, but usually this time of the year, my joints ache and even my heart ( due to membrane inflamation ) gets to a higher beat per minute and my blood preassure goes up.
Since i started this diet haven’t had a single joint pain nor have had heart issues.
Wow that’s fantastic, hopefully you’ll feel a lot better now, congrats
That such a beautiful thing to hear. I hope you reach all your goals.
That’s fantastic! Congratulations! 🥳
How are you now
@sonicblast123 Haven’t had joint pain since, except in very rare ocasions. Lupus is still there, but its a lot more barable. Also probably from the increase of omega 3s no longer have high colesterol.
I have done the keto diet a few times for long periods. Most of the time I am straight low carb. My only real soft spots are popcorn, roasted butternut squash and dark chocolate with nuts, yum. I am eating more fruit these days during Covid, mainly berries and clementines. I love my red wine, good tequila and hard seltzer. Now limiting to weekends.
Stay well. Fasting helps.
I’ve been through breast cancer, and was recently, finally diagnosed with ME/ Fibromyalgia and accidently found keto. This keto way of life has greatly improved inflammation and I would recommend for anyone suffering chronic pain. I do much better on very low carbs.
Did you have inflammation in your stomach? I too had breast cancer and went keto as well and stomach ache went away. I find cutting back on veggies saved me!
I completely reversed my type 1 diabetes with Keto and Intermittent fasting, Took 6 months to notice it, But now I can easily go all day long without eating or worrying about my sugar dropping. I have never felt better.
Well, it might not be reversed yet but at the very least you have it fully under control <3
If you have no interest in ever indulging in a heavy carb load (say a traditional desert forex) then it doesn’t actually matter.
But even if you aren’t there yet, you will eventually get there ^~^
dude you are tipe 1 at moment
I started keto 6 days ago and have lost 6lbs. Staying strict to my macros seems to be the key. I started at 176 and weighed 170.4 this morning. It’s motivating as hell. Makes it easier to do it when you see it’s working.
1 year check-in. Where you at?!
Please be mindful at that stage it is mostly water weight you have lost.
The real challenge will be when all the water weight is flushed out. That is when you will be tested.
Fantastic. Congrats
It’s water.
Great encouragin words!
Thank you for clarifying this important issue. I’m 66 years old and in the healthy weight range with a good exercise routine but I’m following a ketogenic diet to reduce my triglyceride and blood pressure levels. It’s reassuring to know that if my net carb intake occasionally slips above 25 I can still be in ketosis.
I’ll be starting today! Thank you Dr. DIET for explaining everything in a way that I can understand. I can’t wait to see the results. I have no underline conditions that I know of but I am extremely over weight. I 👏 Can do this!
Indeed you can!!!
How is it going!?
Started going towards keto two days ago. Yesterday did well with about 60g digestible carbs (adds up so so fast!), today I’m aiming at 40g and eventually 20-35g/d stable. Already detecting trace ketones (up to 1.5 mmol/L) in urine, which is curious to me. Not even aiming primarily at weight loss, just want a clear head and to stop eating sugar. Cauliflower and ground beef with taco spices, fried eggs, avocados and MCT oil shaken into tea/coffee/cacao with the help of cream (dairy/coconut) are just awesome. I still crave Greek yogurt with a holiday dip mix to top everything.
i am type 2 and i have been using the keto recipes to keep the carbs down, i have gone from about 50 to 60 units of Novolog down to less than 10 for a whole day, i did cut out all bread, potatoes, pasta, flour, and anythiing that i know has added sugar in it, my last A1C was 6.3 and in 1 month i am hoping for a 6.0, i just weighed myself at 320.6 I have changed a lot of what i eat, like zucchini with sauce, it is not pasta and dont let them say it is about the same it is not to me, but it a good new dish i do like it a lot with Parmesan Cheese on it, check out all the Keto recipes on youtube
Started 3 weeks ago , keto + IF doing the 18:6 , with ramadan switched to dry fasting but still on keto. Lost 15 lbs and i feel no hunger, craving sugar from time to time but beside that i feel like a million dollars
@Green Ghost Couldn’t agree more but when breaking my fast , I m eating 100% keto . BTW 45 pounds down since that first comment . Ups and downs for sure , consistency and listening to your body’s signals are the key !
I think you can replace sugar with monk fruit sugar for sugar craving.
You answered the exact question I had about the lowest, safest number of carbs to eat on a keto diet, without making me hypoglycemic. Very much appreciated this information. Thank you Dr. 🙂
I do daily intermittent fasting 16/8 and a sat-sun 24. I do exercise most days for about an hour. I eat low-carb, but I am finding it difficult to keep track of the carbs I eat. I just make sure that the foods I eat contain the lowest carbs possible. Though I was not overweight when I started, I have lost about 10lbs, from 128 to 118lbs (I do not want to lose too much). My goal is to be pre-diabetes-free in my next lab test. I calculate and think that I do not eat more than 30 or 40 carbs daily. Actually, I have never been a heavy eater and have avoided processes and sugar-loaded foods and drinks. However, diabetes runs in my family, and I was eating some of the carb foods like potatoes, bananas, rice/beans, bread almost daily (I grew up eating), but I also skipped meals daily, related to the demands of the work, so no problems with fasting here. I do not know if I am in ketosis or not, and I do not care that much. Focusing too much on a named diet will take too much thinking on my part. One thing I know for sure is that I am more energetic, I sleep better, and have not had too much acid reflux anymore, which for me is good enough. Wishing all good luck with diet and good health!
Your body will eat your muscle.
Thank Dr Scherr. You keep things clear, concise, and brief. That really helps people like me. 👍
I lost ~60lbs in 4 months. It was… insane. [Edit: Oh and I did 16g carbs a day. All used on butter-drenched broccoli, or popping a few almonds. If I needed a cheat, I ate a few bites of cheese cake maybe on the weekend; and right before bed, had a few teaspoons of the fattiest whipped cream so I had those cuddly feels.) Never exceeded 20g carbs. Most days, 8-16g. <3 Dood… nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.
I’m on keto now. Took a 48 hour water fast and back at it now. Fasting definitely helps. I started on a 3 day water fast, ate a ketogenic diet and then the next week a 48 hour water fast. Just broke fast now. Feel great, fasting is key…good luck everyone
Fasting is like a speedboost for weight loss and keto, sounds like you’ve got it all figured out! Good luck.
Thank you doctor, currently doing no carb, diary, sugar and day 5 in moderate ketosis..I did keto before keto was a trend in 2009 LOL and lost 45 lbs and then gained it all back once I went back to eat western foods. But when I was doing it in 2009 I slept better, felt happier, and most importantly energy without the need of coffee! Back at it again!