Staying Under 5 Carbs: My Keto Experience

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can be effective for weight loss and certain health conditions. To stay in ketosis, a person can consume up to 50 grams of carbs per day, but the fewer carbs, the better. This typically means eating unprocessed whole foods and getting most of your calories from fat. While keto can be challenging to stick to, some people find that keto cycling, which involves taking a day or two off the diet, makes it easier.

Calculate net carbs

To calculate net carbs, subtract the amount of fibre from the total number of carbs. If the food is processed, also subtract half of the sugar alcohol content. This is because fibre is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest and turn into glucose for energy. Sugar alcohols are also not fully digested by the body and have a minimal effect on blood sugar levels.

> Net Carbs = Total Carbs – Fibre – Sugar Alcohols & Allulose

For example, a food product with 13 grams of total carbohydrates, 9 grams of fibre, 2 grams of erythritol, and 1 gram of allulose would have 1 gram of net carbohydrates.

> 13g – 9g – 2g – 1g = 1g

It's important to note that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recognise the term "net carbs" and instead recommends using total carbohydrates listed on nutrition labels.

Eat more fat

Eating more fat is a crucial component of the keto diet, as it compensates for the lack of carbohydrates and provides your body with the energy it needs. Here are some detailed instructions and tips on how to eat more fat while staying at 5 carbs on keto:

Understanding the Keto Diet

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a popular eating pattern that involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with healthy fats. This shift in macronutrients puts your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbs for energy. To stay in ketosis, you should limit your daily carb intake to around 20-50 grams, depending on your activity level and other factors.

Benefits of Eating More Fat

Eating more fat on the keto diet is essential for several reasons:

• Energy Source: Fat becomes your primary energy source when you reduce carbohydrates. Choosing healthy fats ensures your body has the fuel it needs to function properly.
• Satiety: Adding fat to your meals helps you feel fuller for longer, reducing hunger and cravings. This can be especially helpful when adjusting to the keto diet.
• Nutrition: Healthy fats provide essential fatty acids and contribute to the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K).

Types of Fat to Eat

Not all fats are created equal. Here are some types of fat to include in your keto diet:

• Monounsaturated Fats: Found in olive oil, avocados, nuts (such as almonds, macadamia nuts, and pecans), and seeds (such as pumpkin seeds and chia seeds).
• Polyunsaturated Fats: Include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for brain health and reducing inflammation. Find them in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines, as well as nuts and seeds.
• Saturated Fats: While once demonized, saturated fats from natural sources like coconut oil, grass-fed butter, egg yolks, and fatty meats are now considered an important part of a healthy keto diet.

Tips for Incorporating More Fat

• Choose Fatty Cuts of Meat: Opt for meat with visible fat, such as ribeye steak, chicken thighs, or ground beef with a higher fat percentage.
• Cook with Healthy Oils: Use fats like avocado oil, olive oil, or grass-fed butter for cooking. This automatically increases your fat intake.
• Add Fat to Meals: Liberally add healthy fats to your meals. For example, top your salad with avocado slices or olive oil dressing, or cook your vegetables in butter or ghee.
• Snack on High-Fat Foods: Reach for high-fat snacks like nuts, seeds, cheese, or full-fat yogurt to increase your fat intake between meals.
• Be Mindful of Portion Sizes: While eating more fat is important, it's still crucial to monitor your overall calorie intake. Even healthy fats can lead to weight gain if consumed in excess.

Remember, when increasing your fat intake, it's essential to choose healthy fats and avoid trans fats, which are harmful to your health. By incorporating these tips into your keto diet, you'll be well on your way to staying at 5 carbs while reaping the benefits of a high-fat, low-carb approach.

Replenish sodium

When you start a keto diet, your body will begin to process electrolytes differently. This is because when insulin levels are low, the kidneys excrete more sodium. As there is a delicate balance between sodium and other electrolytes in the body, a loss of sodium may disrupt the levels of other electrolytes. This can lead to symptoms such as lightheadedness, fatigue, headaches, leg cramps, and constipation—commonly known as the "keto flu".

To avoid these side effects, it is important to add more sodium to your diet. You can do this by salting your food. If this doesn't work, try drinking a cup of broth every day. You can also add a teaspoon of salt to a litre of water and drink it throughout the day. If you are physically active, adding sodium before a workout may improve your performance.

It is important to note that consuming too much sodium can be dangerous for your health, especially if you have high blood pressure. Therefore, it is recommended to not exceed the Daily Value of 2,300 mg of sodium per day. However, on a keto diet, your sodium needs may be higher due to increased losses via the kidneys. So, while most people will get at least 2 grams of sodium from their food, those on a keto diet may need to consume 3-7 grams of sodium per day.

In addition to sodium, it is also important to ensure adequate intake of other electrolytes like potassium and magnesium on a keto diet. Potassium-rich foods include avocados, Swiss chard, spinach, mushrooms, and salmon. For magnesium, include foods such as hemp seeds, Swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, mackerel, chia seeds, dark chocolate, and almonds in your diet.

Manage stress

To stay at 5 carbs on keto, you would need to be on the high-protein ketogenic diet, which allows for 5% carbs, 35% protein, and 60% fat. However, this article will focus on managing stress while on the keto diet.

Stress is a significant factor in staying on the keto diet. Cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal glands, boosts energy in stressful times, but having high cortisol levels for too long can lead to increased blood sugar, insulin resistance, stress eating, and weight gain. It could also be the reason you're getting thrown out of ketosis.

• Exercise regularly: Low-intensity steady-state workouts such as walking, swimming, biking, and gardening are better for improving your fat-burning capacity, and they are doable even when your glycogen stores are low.
• Meditate: Consider implementing meditation as a stress reduction strategy that complements the keto diet.
• Monitor your blood sugar: This will allow you to check how your stress levels are affecting you.
• Avoid added sugar: If you're leading a stressful life, avoiding added sugar can help your body respond better to stress.
• Implement stress reduction strategies: Besides exercise and meditation, other strategies such as deep breathing, yoga, or therapy can help manage stress levels.
• Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can impact your stress levels and overall health. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
• Reach out for support: Managing stress and making dietary changes can be challenging. Consider reaching out to a mental health professional or a support group for guidance and additional stress management techniques.

Remember, controlling and reducing overall stress is crucial for maintaining a healthy keto diet and improving your overall well-being.

Monitor blood sugar

Monitoring your blood sugar is one of the most important aspects of managing diabetes, especially for people with type 1 diabetes or those who take insulin. It is also important for people with diabetes to monitor for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). If you are on a keto diet, monitoring your blood sugar can help you understand how your body is responding to the diet and whether you are achieving ketosis.

There are two main ways to monitor your blood sugar at home: with a glucose meter and test strips, or with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system. A glucose meter involves using a small needle called a lancet to prick your fingertip and produce a blood drop, which is then placed on a test strip in the meter. The meter will then display your blood sugar level. CGMs, on the other hand, involve wearing a device that measures your glucose levels continuously and can alert you if your levels are too high or low.

If you are monitoring your blood sugar, it is important to keep track of your results. Most glucose meters will save your results, or you can use an app or keep a written record. This will allow you to identify patterns and adjust your diet, exercise, or medication as needed. It is also helpful to make notes about anything that might have affected your blood sugar, such as food, medication, exercise, illness, or stress.

If you are considering starting a keto diet, it is important to consult a doctor or healthcare provider to ensure that it is safe for you and to determine your target blood sugar range. They can also advise you on how often and when you should check your blood sugar levels.

Frequently asked questions