E. Buygum said:Hi folks. New here and just experiencing that a LC diet can work (am
not doubting that). I have a few questions about ketosis and have
looked for answers but am still puzzled. If you can shed any light,
I'd be grateful. Thanks.
1) From my experience, ketosis seems to kick in after about 4 days of
a LC diet. Where is the body getting its energy from during those
early days? I understand that Glycogen reserves in an adult weigh
about 500g and store about 2,000 calories. This is barely enough to
fuel day 1. Where does the energy come from for days 2,3?
Ketosis is *always* happening in your body. Your body uses
carbohyrdate, protein and fat for fuel. Various bits prefer one type of
energy over another, and they can be converted one to another to some
extent also.
What you are calling "ketosis" is when it's happening a lot more than
normal; after your body has produced the enzymes and such to adjust to
the new diet. Then you get ketones in your breath and in your urine.
Quoted message said:2) Most dieters experience fast weight loss initially and this is
usually put down to water loss. I understand that Glycogen bonds with
about 3 times its weight in water. This means when all your Glycogen
burns up, there will be an associated weight loss of around 2kg incl.
water. Is this the limit of the early, quick weight loss or is another
mechanism kicking in? I have read that upto 5kg of initial weight loss
is water but I can't understand how.
Everyone doesn't have the same amount of glycogen or the same amount of
associated water - it's going to partially depend on lean body mass as
your muscles store glycogen as well as your liver. And there's
additional mechanisms that cause water to be retained or lost as well.
I was hospitalized in May for 8 days and gained 20 lbs though I didn't
eat 25% of the food (I have to low-carb cause of diabetes and lots of it
was inappropriate food). In two weeks at home, I lost more than the 20
lbs without ANY exercise (I couldn't even get out of bed by myself, nor
climb stairs). That has to be water - no one loses or gains muscle or
fat that fast.
I "guesstimate" based on how much I lose in one big jump when I start
induction which is pretty much the same amount I gain in one big jump if
I go off my diet. Anything you can lose or gain in a day is pretty much
water and/or intestinal contents. You'll figure out how much is water
weight for yourself.
Quoted message said:3) I have dieted successfully before but not LC. The weight loss is
slower but definitely involves losing fat if sustained. How is this
fat burned if the diet is low calorie but proportionately high carb
i.e. if ketosis isn't induced? I have definitely lost fat weight in
the past without going into ketosis as it is usually described.
If fat is burned, ketosis is happening, just it may not be measurable by
bad breath or be enough to show on a dipstick.
IMO, don't get too excited about ketosis. You can score "high" on
ketosis but be primarily burning dietary fat rather than body fat. Or
you can score "high" because you're a bit dehydrated and the ketones are
more concentrated. You can fail to turn the sticks at all but still be
burning fat. It's just an indicator, not the holy grail of weight loss.
The main advantages of low-carbing for those without metabolic problems
are that it causes appetite supression, keeps your blood glucose steady
so you're less likely to go on binges in reaction to bg rollercoasting,
and protects against lean body loss better than low-fat. There's an
advantage to losing ketones in your breath and urine, cause you lose a
few calories that you don't have to burn, but that effect is minor
overall compared to the other effects.
If you do have metabolic problems, the advantages are much more
significant, but have less to do with weight loss per se, more with
avoiding organ damage and therefore preventing blindness, kidney
disease, amputations, impotence, heart disease, etc.
--
http://www.ornery-geeks.org/consulting/
