ketosis and induction questions

[firecracker]

I'm almost to the end of my cheat-free induction (!) but plan to stay pretty close to induction for awhile. I have some questions about ketosis and other things.

I finally bought the Ketostix and I'm usually in the Moderate to High range when I test.

Will ANY carb "take me out" of ketosis? Is the point to find a "sweet spot" where I can still eat some carbs but maintain ketosis? Is ketosis the goal? Is long-term ketosis harmful to the body? One of my best friends told me that ketosis is dangerous...where does this come from? Is there somewhere I can read about both sides of this...the Atkins side and the "Atkins will kill you" side?

If I "cheat" after induction, am I undoing everything I just worked for? If I stop being in ketosis, will I immediately return to ketosis after the carbs (like pasta, let's say) go through my body?

Big ?: are sugar alcohols allowed on induction? Carbolite has AWESOME candy bars sweetened w/Splenda. Net carbs of 1-2 per bar. Are they ok?

Sorry so many questions...thanks in advance for the answers.

Carmen

 

[nativetxn]

If sugar alcohols agree with you they are allowed. Some people are knocked out of ketosis by consuming sugar alcohols. Fortunately, I'm not one of those people. I have to limit my consumption of the candy bars though or I slow my losing and it's already slow enough.

The basic principle of Atkins is to eliminate all refined carbohydrates from your diet forever. That's what I plan to do.

If you eat sugar or flour it will knock you out of ketosis. If you eat too many carbohydrates of any kind you can knock yourself out of ketosis. Have you got a copy of the book? It is very interesting to read, you should check it out of the library if you don't own a copy.

It is my understanding that after limiting your carbohydrate consumption to less than 20 grams of unrefined carbohydrates everyday during induction, you should add 5 grams of carbs so that for a week or so you are eating <25 grams, then you go to <30 grams, etc, etc, until you show a gain then you back down 5 or 10 grams a day and lose the last few pounds very, very slowly. The point of this is that the slower you lose, the better chance you have of keeping it off and that by the time you reach goal you have internalized the necessary healthy eating principles and habits to maintain your weight loss for life.

<b>WARNING</b>: If you add refined carbohydrates back into your diet you will gain more weight faster than you have ever gained before.

I love eating the Atkins way, my husband and I have taken it as a lifetime plan. It isn't a fad diet. You will definitely lose quickly but just like any other weight loss plan, if you go back to your old habits you will gain your weight back. In the case of the Atkins plan, adding refined carbohydrates back again will cause you to gain very quickly. Refined carbohydrates turn to sugar immediately and excess sugar gets stored as fat right away. Something to consider.

As far as your "range" of ketosis. The color of the stick does not indicate how much fat you are burning. As long as it changes color you are in ketosis. Dark purple is no better than trace.

I am just preachy today, aren't I?

 

[dizneegirl]

The confusion about ketosis being harmful comes from the similar state/word that IS harmful to diabetics. This is what the Atkins Center has to say:

Isn't ketosis a dangerous state for your body to be in?
The body uses two fuels for energy: fat and glucose (blood sugar). Carbohydrates break down in the body as glucose. So when you cut back on carbs, you effectively take away most of one of the body's fuels and the body is turns to fat burning, the metabolic process called lipolysis and the secondary process of ketosis. So long as you have extra body fat, ketosis is safe and natural—and it’s the secret weapon of weight loss. A person in ketosis is getting energy from burning ketones, which are carbon fragments that are created by the burning of the body’s fat stores.

There is nothing harmful, abnormal or dangerous about ketosis. Some of the confusion comes from the word ketoacidosis, which is completely different from ketosis. Ketoacidosis is a potentially dangerous condition seen in Type I diabetics—people who cannot produce insulin, when their blood sugar levels are out of control—alcoholics and people in a severe state of starvation. Research shows that ketosis does not cause adverse effects to the heart, kidneys, liver or blood cell functions. Nor is bone health compromised.

Sugar alcohols are a case-by-case basis... the only way you'll know if you can handle them, and if they'll affect your weight loss/blood sugar/cravings, is to try them.

Here's a little more information on sugar alcohols, and a handy little guide for figuring which may or may not affect you and how, also a little more guideline on how to figure net carbs from them.

A Quick primer on Sugar Alcohols ...

Sugar alcohol is neither a "sugar" nor an "alcohol." Sugar alcohols affect the blood glucose levels less dramatically than regular table sugar which is why some diet plans allow a certain amount of them. In most people, they quickly add up to too many carbs (they contain a little more than 1/2 the carbs than an equal amount of table sugar.) Because of U.S. labeling laws, products containing sugar alcohols (as well as other simple sugars such as fructose, lactose, maltodextrin, isomalt, etc.) can be labeled "Sugar Free." This is a travesty in my opinion, so please remember to read labels ! You have to play detective yourself and read the ingredient label carefully.

Sugar alcohols available in the U.S. include Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol, Maltitol, Maltitol Syrup, as well as hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, are found naturally in berries, apples, plums and other foods. They also are produced commercially from carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose and starch.

While most of us low-carbers can get away with small amounts of sugar alcohols and keep to the diet, too many will get us into lots of trouble. Then there are the unpleasant "side effects" of sugar alcohols. They can cause abdominal discomfort and bloating and they also have a laxative effect. Consumption of 30 to 50 grams of sorbitol or xylitol, or 20 grams of mannitol, causes diarrhea in most people.

Is there a positive side to them? Yes. The inability of mouth bacteria to use them as a source of energy means they do not contribute to dental caries (cavities).

For your reference, less well-known sugar alcohols include: Galactitol, Erythritol, Inositol, Ribitol, Dithioerythritol, Dithiothreitol, and Glycerol.

Count 25% to 30% of the carbs in maltitol, mannitol, isomalt, and Xylitol.

Count 80% carbs listed for sorbitol; 65% carbs listed for hydrogenated starch hydrosylate (HSH)

Count 50% for lactitol.

Count only a trace for erythritol (clearly the winner here)

Then there's the CYP (ummm... laxative effect) factor.

Again, erythritol is the winner, as the only polyol that does not cause gastric distress or laxative effects.

Lactitol is the worst with mannitol a close second. Having only 20 grams of either in a day, or as little as 4 grams in an hour can (and usually does) cause a noticable laxative effect.