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The effects of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets vs. low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets on weight, blood pressure, serum liquids and blood glucose: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Qing Yang 1   na1 ,
• Xinyue Lang 1 , 2   na1 ,
• Wei Li   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7565-762X 1 , 2 &
• Yan Liang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6368-6471 1  

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume  76 ,  pages 16–27 ( 2022 ) Cite this article

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Our aim was to determine the relative effectiveness of two dietary macronutrient patterns (LFHC (low-fat, high-carbohydrate) diets and LCHF (low-carbohydrate, high-fat) diets) on weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors. We searched four databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify the eligible studies on March 13, 2020. Randomized clinical trials (RCT) were included which compared the effect of two diets (LFHC and LCHF) on weight loss, blood pressure, serum liquids, and blood glucose in overweight or obesity adults. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used for the pooled results. This paper included eleven studies involving 739 participants. Compared with LFHC diets, LCHF diets had a greater effect on weight loss (SMD = –1.01 kg; 95% CI –1.99 to –0.04, p  = 0.04) and HDL-cholesterol changes (SMD = 0.82 mmol/l; 95% CI 0.43 to 1.21, p  < 0.0001), but a smaller effect on total cholesterol decrease (SMD = 0.63 mmol/l; 95% CI 0.18–1.08, p  = 0.006) and LDL-cholesterol decrease (SMD = 0.59 mmol/l; 95% CI 0.11–1.18, p  = 0.05). Between the two groups, changes in lean mass, fat mass, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, and glucose were non-significant. To conclude, both diets are effective for weight control and reduction of cardiovascular risk factors. And further studies with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm our results.

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Qing Yang, Xinyue Lang, Wei Li & Yan Liang

Medical Research & Biometrics Center, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 102300, China

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Yang, Q., Lang, X., Li, W. et al. The effects of low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets vs. low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets on weight, blood pressure, serum liquids and blood glucose: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr 76 , 16–27 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00927-0

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Home > Books > Diabetes Food Plan

Low-Carbohydrate High-Fat (LCHF) Diet: Evidence of Its Benefits

Submitted: 06 October 2017 Reviewed: 14 December 2017 Published: 11 July 2018

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Current dietary recommendations state that there is insufficient evidence to prescribe an exact percentage of calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat for people with diabetes from the choice of a variety of popular diets currently available. Over the years, many a research has focused on the relative importance of the right proportion of carbohydrates and fat combination in a balanced diabetic diet. Jury is still out regarding the relative merits and demerits of a diabetic diet – low carbohydrate, high fat or low fat, high carbohydrate diet. Evidence from various studies suggest that low carbohydrate diets improve cardiovascular (CVD) risk through lowering HbA1c levels, improving blood pressure and body weight. There is also a positive effect on lipid profile and reversal of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Whilst there are some significant metabolic benefits of LCHF diet, it is accepted that there needs to be more long-term studies before it can be used in daily clinical practice.This chapter focuses on basic physiology and metabolism of carbohydrate and fat content in normal and diabetic patients and a review of the literature on these two diet combinations with current thoughts and evidence on this core issue affecting insulin utilization and metabolic profile.

• carbohydrate
• metabolic syndrome
• insulin resistance
• weight gain
• cardiovascular disease

Author Information

Parijat de *.

• Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Lipid Metabolism, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, UK
• University of Birmingham, UK

Sagnik Mukhopadhyay

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Diet in diabetes has always been an area of much discussion. This is even more so now as there has been a lot of interest and research focusing on the relative contributions of carbohydrate and fat in diabetic diet affecting the overall metabolic profile. An area of confusion in diabetes diet is carbohydrates—Should one eat carbohydrates and to what extent or avoid them? Another area that has traditionally always been important, although poorly understood, is the amount and type of fat that needs to be consumed; a lot of research is currently focussed on this matter.

It is currently unclear as to the exact percentage of calories that is required from carbohydrate, protein and fat in the diet for the diabetes patient—this should be based on metabolic needs and targets for the preferred individual. There are a variety of popular diets (low carb, intermittent fasting, low fat, ketogenic, mediterranean, vegetarian, DASH, very low calorie, Adkins, 5:2 and commercial food points) for patients to choose from in order to make informed decisions about their diet.

Over the years, many researches have focused on the relative importance of the right proportion of carbohydrates and fat combination in a balanced diabetic diet with some recent research challenging traditional viewpoint of the importance of one over the other. Jury is still out regarding the relative merits and demerits of a diabetic diet—low-carbohydrate high-fat or low-fat high-carbohydrate diet.

Low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) diets are an upcoming although a debatable topic in current nutrition. Since the publication of Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in 1972 [ 1 ], LCHF diets have divided the opinion of medical fraternity significantly. Some believe that these diets effectively treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), obesity and metabolic syndrome [ 2 , 3 ], while others consider them too non-conventional and in conflict with current globally accepted dietary guidelines that advocate low-fat high-carbohydrate (LFHC) diets to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease [ 4 , 5 ]. Given such conflicting opinions, the medical profession may be unsure how to advise on the right diet for the individual patient with diabetes.

This chapter focuses on the basic physiology and metabolism of carbohydrate and fat in patients with diabetes and reviews the literature on these two diet combinations with current thoughts and evidence on this core issue affecting insulin utilisation in the individual with diabetes.

The aim of this chapter is to provide current thinking and evidence behind LCHF diets and in the process and to provide clinicians with additional evidence to inform their clinical decision-making and understanding the potential benefits of these eating plans for at least some patients.

2. Glycaemic index (GI) and diabetes

Carbohydrates have a direct influence on blood sugar levels—diabetes diet therefore tends to focus either on carbohydrate portion size or the speed at which carbohydrates are absorbed by the body. Patients with diabetes are generally advised to follow a low GI diet rather than a low-carb diet.

The glycaemic index [ 6 ] categorises food dependant on the rate at which the body breaks it down to form glucose. High GI foods (white bread, potatoes and biscuits) are those that are quickly broken down into glucose. Low GI foods (whole grain bread, milk, leafy vegetables) are typically those that are broken down more slowly by the body. A low glycaemic index diet is beneficial for people with diabetes in keeping their glycaemic control more stable since they are less likely to cause rapid surges in blood glucose levels compared to high GI foods. Low GI food keeps one more satisfied and makes one feel less hungry before the next meal. Other advantages of lower GI foods include a higher nutritional value, a varied diet and reduced immediate demand for insulin following eating.

3. Carbohydrate controlled diets

A carbohydrate controlled diet is a diet in which carbohydrate intake is either limited or set at a particular value, to help stabilise blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes. Examples of such diets are low-carbohydrate diets, Atkins diet, ketogenic diets, low-carb high-fat diet (LCHF), South beach diet and the Zone diet.

3.1. Fixed carbohydrate diet

This is a diet where intake of carbohydrate is pre-set, thereby offering less flexibility in terms of meals through the day. It is simple to follow and offer consistency and is especially useful for those on fixed-dose insulin regimens. People with type 1 diabetes do need to have competence in carbohydrate counting.

3.2. Restricted carbohydrate diets

Low-carbohydrate diets are a form of restricted carbohydrate diet. Restricted carbohydrate diets set a limit on how much carbohydrate can be consumed over the course of a day or for each meal. This can help reduce hunger and prevent wide swings in blood glucose levels responsible for causing hunger.

If carbohydrate and calorie intake is kept low enough, this form of dieting can not only help maintain good glucose control but also help promote regular ketosis and aid weight loss. It is important to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients including fruit and vegetables.

3.3. Low-carbohydrate diet

Many people with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, are following a low-carb diet because of its benefits in improving diabetes control, weight loss, flexibility and simplicity. Carbohydrates, like proteins and fats, provide energy to help fuel the body. Carbohydrate is the nutrient which has the greatest effect on blood sugar levels and requires insulin to be produced by the body. Lowering sugar levels reduces need for insulin and this can also help reduce insulin resistance and improve metabolic profile.

Insulin is also being the fat storage (anabolic) hormone in the body; thus, reducing insulin in the body with a low-carb diet can help with losing weight. People also generally reduce their calorie intake. This together with the satiating influence of fat helps with further weight loss. However, people on medications, such as insulin, sulphonylurea or glinides, should be careful about hypoglycaemia.

Low-carbohydrate diets have been said to provide diabetes patients with more energy levels through the day. There is less craving for sugary and snack foods. As a result of lower glucose results and improved HbA1c, there is clearer thinking process and less ‘brain fog’. People have also found that low-carb diets can improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

There are various ways of following a low-carbohydrate diet—one will need to cut down on common foods like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and sweet processed foods. There are a number of other ways to replace starchy foods—such as using swede or celeriac instead of potato and using cauliflower instead of rice. A healthy low-carb diet should also have a strong vegetable intake and moderate protein (unprocessed meat) and fat intake from natural sources (to provide a balance of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fat).

In 2015, Diabetes UK launched the Low Carb Program [ 7 ], which has helped thousands of people with type 2 diabetes to improve their diabetes control and reduce their dependency on diabetes medication.

The counterargument against low-carb diets for people with diabetes is that there is not enough evidence to support the effectiveness and safety of low-carbohydrate diets in the medium to long term. However, more and more research and evidence seems to be favouring low-carb diets in general.

Diabetes UK has put together a position statement [ 8 ] to explain how low-carb diets might be used to help manage diabetes using the best level of evidence from systematic reviews, meta-analyses and randomised controlled trials.

Diabetes UK suggests that low-carb diets can be safe and effective for people with type 2 diabetes. They can help with weight loss and glucose management and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. So, they recommend a low-carb diet for some people with type 2 diabetes. But there is no consistent evidence that a low-carb diet is any more effective than other approaches in the long term, so it shouldn’t be seen as the diet for everyone. Currently, there is no strong evidence to say that a low-carb diet is safe or effective for people with type 1 diabetes. Because of this, Diabetes UK does not recommend low-carb diets to people with type 1 diabetes.

Evidence for low-carb diets in children reports adverse effects such as poor growth, a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and psychological problems. So, low-carb diets are not recommended for children with diabetes.

4. The controversy about high fat intake

Consuming fats have very little direct effect on blood glucose levels, and as a result does not lead to an increase in insulin levels. The principle of LCHF diet is to replace carbohydrate intake with fat, thus reducing insulin levels and increase the body’s ability to utilise its own fat stores for energy.

Metabolic syndrome is a conglomeration of three or more risk factors (elevated waist circumference, elevated triglycerides, low HDL-c, high blood pressure and elevated glucose). Metabolic syndrome is a condition of insulin resistance and can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver and many other conditions [ 9 ]. A LCHF dietary approach can be used to reduce insulin levels and therefore can also be an effective method for treating or preventing the metabolic syndrome [ 10 ].

With LCHF diets, there is an increased intake from fats and proteins, and concerns have been raised about the potential dangers of their increased intake. As has been shown a number of times in the past [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], a reduction in dietary carbohydrate intake does not necessarily cause a concomitant increase in total fat and protein intake. The absolute amounts of energy intake often remain very similar, as total energy intake decreases on LCHF diets (although proportional amounts of energy supplied from fat and protein increase). Nevertheless, it is this absolute or relative increase in fat intake that causes a lot of anxiety within the medical profession.

Current dietary guidelines do not define a specific limit in terms of fat intake [ 16 , 17 ]. Moreover, a few articles in the lay and scientific literature suggest that the intake of total fat (mainly, saturated fats) may not need to be limited [ 2 , 18 , 19 ]. American Diabetes Association position statement for type 2 diabetes recommends that a total fat intake of 20–35% may be desirable for reducing the risk of obesity and suggests minimising carbohydrate intake, but it has refrained from specifying ideal amounts of macronutrients [ 16 ].

The diet heart hypothesis based largely on Ancel Keys’ original Seven Countries Study [ 20 ] suggested that saturated fat intake is the direct cause of coronary atherosclerosis. This theory is now being questioned as it is not supported by current evidence [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], which finds no association between saturated fat intake and all-cause mortality or progression of coronary atherosclerosis [ 32 ]. Instead, higher fat intakes have been associated with lower rates of ischaemic stroke in men [ 33 ] as evidenced by a continued decline in coronary mortality in the Japanese with high blood cholesterol levels [ 34 ] and high fat intake [ 35 ]. To the contrary, it has been shown that LCHF diets sometimes show significant improvements in coronary risk factors [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ] and the fear of adverse effects from the increased (saturated) fat intake on this diet would appear to be groundless.

Benefits of replacing saturated fats with dietary polyunsaturated fats may not be as strong [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ] and even harmful [ 44 , 45 ]. Again, there is no evidence to suggest that the intake of moderate amounts of red meat has detrimental effects on conventional coronary risk factors [ 46 , 47 ].

5. Low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) diet

Low-carb high-fat diets are gaining popularity in Europe, especially Scandinavia, having originated in Sweden. The LCHF diet has been popularised by Swedish GP Dr Annika Dahlqvist, who has been recommending a low-carb high-fat diet to her patients for some years now. As this was a somewhat revolutionary concept, she had her opposition. The story goes that she was investigated by the Swedish Health authorities for any wrong doing but investigations cleared her based on their findings that her methods were scientifically sound [ 48 ].

As the name suggests, the diet suggests eating high fat and low carbohydrate foods. The LCHF diet is different to the Atkins diet as there are no ‘stages’ to work through, so the diet can be followed indefinitely. People are encouraged to eat full fat versions of dairy food and fatty meats with fat on rather than removing it.

The diet, because of its low requirement for insulin, has been recognised by the Swedish government as being suitable for people with type 2 diabetes and as helpful to individuals looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Lower carbohydrate consumption will invoke lower insulin release and thus lower storage of fat and rise in blood sugar levels [ 49 , 50 ]. However, as the major contributors to hyperglycaemia in type 2 diabetes include a combination of insulin resistance and an inability of pancreatic β-cells to secrete enough insulin [ 51 ], it is important to clarify the impact of LCHFD on these important aspects of metabolic regulation.

Studies have shown that insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into muscle and adipose tissue is significantly improved by weight loss on a LCFD diet [ 52 , 53 ]. LCHFD diet has not necessarily been shown to result in weight reduction in animal studies, regardless of effects on body weight. To the contrary, it has been shown to cause an increased accumulation of lipids in the liver, which negatively affects insulin’s ability to reduce hepatic glucose production [ 54 , 55 , 56 ]. Thus, from animal studies at least, the proposed benefits versus potential negative effects of an LCHFD on blood glucose control are not very clear. Moreover, whether LCHFDs will prove beneficial for improving glucose control in type 2 diabetes in the longer term will also depend on their impact on glucose-induced insulin secretion.

It is still not very clear that very low carbohydrate intake improves metabolic profile in every diabetes patients, and we need further scientific evidence for this [ 2 , 36 ]. Although LCHFDs have been shown to reduce post-meal glucose excursions but without any improvement in β-cell function or mass [ 49 , 50 , 57 ], high-dietary fat has been shown, in multiple animal studies, to cause impairments in the ability of insulin to reduce blood glucose resulting in glucose intolerance [ 58 , 59 ]. Thus, these results from animal studies do not support the recommendation of an LCHFD for use in prediabetes; rather, interventions aimed specifically at reducing obesity and improving insulin sensitivity need to be pursued.

6. What foods are encouraged in LCHF diet plan?

Reduced carbohydrate diets are those that have carbohydrate intakes below the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommendations (of 45–65% of total energy intake). ‘Low’ carbohydrate is defined as less than 130 g per day, whereas ‘very low’ carbohydrate is less than 50 g per day [ 60 ]. Although individual responses vary, ketosis usually occurs in people who restrict their carbohydrate intake to below 20–50 g/day with some degree of protein restriction (nutritional ketosis).

Contrary to what many people think, most LCHF diets are not high in protein. In fact, for every 100 g of protein consumed, 56 g of glucose can be produced [ 61 ]; thus, having too much can affect blood glucose and undermine the principle of LCHF. Protein can also directly stimulate insulin resistance. Moderate protein consumption, 2–3 portions per day, is therefore usually recommended. Protein can also increase satiety, i.e. it can help you to feel fuller.

When carbohydrate is restricted, it is important to increase the levels of fat consumed—a low carbohydrate AND low fat diet inevitably lead to hunger. Fat should be consumed to satiety. Healthy natural sources of fat include olive oil, butter, grass-fed meats, eggs and dairy products. There is no need to be afraid of fats, including saturated fats and cholesterol, though trans-fats and hydrogenated or partly hydrogenated vegetable oils (often found in junk foods) should be avoided!

A LCHF diet should also include a lot of green leafy vegetables, although consumption of starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and other root vegetables) and fruit should be limited due to their higher carbohydrate content.

According to the Banting diet eating plan [ 62 ], foods that can be consumed liberally on the LCHF diet include dairy like natural yoghurt, cheese, cream, butter, along with meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and olive oil. Foods that can be consumed in moderate amounts are bean and lentils, nuts, almonds and sunflower seeds, fruits (not dried fruit), chocolate with a high cocoa quantity (65–90%), sausages and moderate amounts of alcohol. Foods to be avoided are potato; rice; bread; flour and corn-based products; cereal-based products, such as pasta, pastry, biscuits and breakfast cereals; sweets and cakes; sugary drinks; margarines and omega-6 based oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower, soybean and peanut oil. More information about the LCHF diet can be found in the book, ‘Diabetes, No thanks’ [ 63 ]—description of one man’s journey from his diagnosis of diabetes to controlling his diabetes with the diet alone.

7. Mechanisms for weight loss on the LCHF eating plan

Increased satiety, allowing a lower energy intake without hunger and a specific metabolic advantage have been proposed to explain how LCHF diets produce weight loss, despite an increased consumption of energy-dense ‘fatty’ foods.

A recent systematic review compared weight loss between participants on ‘LCHF diets’ and ‘low fat balanced diets’ [ 64 ] but excluded all trials that were not isoenergetic. Although the original study did not find any differences in weight loss between the different diets, a reanalysis [ 64 ] of the same data found a small but significantly great weight loss on the lower carbohydrate diet.

Greater satiety on LCHF diets in persons responding to the diet may result from a number of mechanisms, including increased protein intake, which promotes satiety [ 65 ]; ketogenesis, which suppresses appetite [ 66 ] and fewer instances of rebound hypoglycaemia.

Although still controversial, it has been suggested that LCHF diets may provide a metabolic ‘advantage’ favouring greater weight loss, despite the ingestion of an equal number of calories. This metabolic advantage could be related to thermogenic effects of protein intake, greater protein turnover for gluconeogenesis and loss of energy through excretion of ketones in sweat or urine [ 67 , 68 ]. This state of increased lipolysis with reduced lipogenesis contributes to a metabolic milieu theoretically favouring fat loss. This effect is dependent on reduced blood insulin concentrations, uniquely produced by the LCHF diet.

8. LCHF diets in the management of T2DM

Any diet that reduces carbohydrate load and insulin concentrations will have a beneficial effect on diabetes. Therefore, LCHF diets are currently being discussed as a potential first-line treatment for T2DM [ 69 , 70 ].

Three hundred and sixty-three patients, who were overweight and obese, were given either a ketogenic LCHF diet or a ‘low calorie, high nutritional value’ diet in a 6-month trial [ 71 ]. Those with T2DM (102 patients) had significantly lower HbA1c and fasting glucose levels and also lost more weight (−12.0% vs. −7.0%) with the LCHF diet.

Thirty-four prediabetic or T2DM patients were randomised to a calorie-restricted diet according to American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines or a very LCHF diet in another 3-month trial [ 72 ]. HbA1c did not alter in the ADA group, whereas in the very LCHF group, there was a significant reduction (6.6–6.0%) in HbA1c, decrease in the use of anti-diabetic medications and weight loss (−5.5 vs. −2.6 kg).

Westman et al. [ 73 ], in their 24-week trial comparing a very LCHF diet with a low GI diet, similarly showed greater decreases in HbA1c (−1.5% vs. −0.5%, p = 0.03) with the very LCHF diet, despite more patients reducing or stopping their diabetes medications.

In another study, 115 obese adults with T2DM were randomised to either LCHF or LFHC diet for 1 year [ 74 ]. Both diets showed significant weight loss and HbA1c reduction. LCHF diet, however, resulted in better blood glucose stability, greater reductions in diabetes medication requirements and significant improvements in all aspects of lipid concentrations.

Although it could be assumed that all the above positive metabolic changes with an LCHF diet is attributable to its associated weight loss, it is also well established that carbohydrate restriction in diabetes patients per se improves glycaemic control even in the absence of weight loss [ 75 , 76 ].

9. LCHF diets and cardiovascular risk factors

An understandable concern with any increased dietary fat intake on the LCHF diet is the increased risk of future cardiovascular disease. This is largely based on the Ancel Keys’ original seven countries study [ 20 ], which led to the development of traditional LFHC dietary guidance. However, there is good evidence emerging now that LCHF diets significantly alter cardiovascular risk more so than LFHC diets, especially in those with T2DM and metabolic syndrome.

Many RCTs show that LCHF diets lower blood triglyceride [ 77 ] and blood apoprotein B concentrations significantly more than do LFHC diets [ 3 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ]. Furthermore, no other diet increases HDL-C concentrations as effectively as do LCHF diets, which outperform LFHC [ 79 , 82 , 83 ] low glycaemic index [ 84 ] and many other diets.

Tay et al. [ 79 ] compared a very LCHF with an LFHC diet over a 1-year period—despite similar weight loss, there was significantly more lowering of blood TG concentrations (−0.58 vs. −0.22 mmol/L) and greater increase in HDL-C concentrations (+0.30 vs. +0.07 mmol/L) with the LCHF diet. This has huge connotations for reducing coronary artery disease and would be especially beneficial for those with insulin resistance.

A contentious issue regarding the LCHF diet is the variable LDL-C response to the increase in dietary fat intake. Some trials show a decrease or non-significant change in LDL-C concentrations [ 38 , 85 ], whereas others report a more marked increase in LDL-C levels [ 86 ]. Tay et al. [ 79 ], in their study, have demonstrated that both LDL-C (+0.6 vs. +0.1 mmol/L) and total cholesterol (+0.7 vs. +0.1 mmol/L) concentrations increased significantly more in those following the LCHF diet.

Many other systematic reviews [ 87 ] and trials [ 88 ] have confirmed similar positive effects on overall lipid profile. However, one needs to remember that LDL-C concentrations predicted by the Friedewald equation becoming increasingly inaccurate at low blood TG concentrations [ 89 ] as seen with the LCHF diet. It has been shown that LCHF diets consistently reduce the proportion of small, dense LDL particles while increasing the number of large, buoyant LDL particles [ 3 , 81 , 85 , 90 , 91 , 92 ].

Additionally, LCHF diets have been associated with improvements in flow-mediated arteriolar dilation [ 80 ], decreased inflammatory biomarkers [ 14 ], lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures [ 3 ], improved glycaemic control with reduced HbA1c, plasma glucose and insulin concentrations [ 87 ] and preferential reduction in visceral and liver fat—changes in these surrogate markers would be expected to reduce cardiovascular risk significantly [ 3 , 93 ].

10. LCHF and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterised by elevated TG and low HDL-C concentrations with overproduction of VLDL and impaired clearance of TG-rich lipoproteins [ 94 , 95 ]. It is also recognised that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in NAFLD [ 96 ]. It has been shown that NAFLD with insulin resistance is the cause of atherosclerotic disease characterised by many of these features [ 97 ]. Since NAFLD is caused by excessive carbohydrate, especially fructose intake [ 98 , 99 , 100 ], it is postulated that a carbohydrate-restricted LCHF diet can reverse NAFLD.

Thus, LCHF diet is likely to benefit patients with high TG to HDL-C ratios and NAFLD, all of which are common in the insulin-resistant individual. A recent lifestyle intervention trial reduced the prevalence of metabolic syndrome from 58 to 19% among obese and overweight patients treated with LCHF for 3–8 months, showing how quickly carbohydrate restriction can improve health in those with metabolic syndrome [ 37 ].

11. What are the drawbacks of LCHF diet?

As with any dietary approach, there are some caveats to following a LCHF approach. The concept of LCHF is relatively new and not everyone is fully familiar with it. The following are some of the common concerns.

11.1. Hunger

Some people experience increased hunger on a LCHF diet. However, if they eat fat to true fullness, hunger should not be an issue. Lowering insulin levels and reducing insulin resistance can reduce hunger, and also protein and high-fibre green leafy vegetables can reduce this sense of hunger [ 101 ].

11.2. Lack of variety

It is assumed that eating the same thing all the time following a LCHF diet will reduce variety and enjoyment. This can be circumvented as there are a wide variety of meals and foods in the LCHF diet to choose from.

11.3. Nutritional deficiencies

It has also been suggested that following a LCHF approach can lead to deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals. However, there is no evidence of this from trials [ 60 ]. An LCHF diet based on meat, seeds/nuts and dairy should provide a diet rich in all the essential nutrients. An online survey found that most people using LCHF diet substituted carbohydrates like bread, rice and pasta with green leafy vegetables, thus reducing likelihood of nutritional deficiencies [ 102 ].

11.4. ‘Low carb flu’: headache, fatigue and muscle cramping

These are potential side effects of LCHF diets at the start of dieting. This is simply because the body is used to using glucose as a primary fuel source and needs some time to adapt to using fats. However, these symptoms may be especially prevalent only in the period of adaptation to the diet, after which most subside. Some suggest additional sodium (especially for cramping) and fluid intake to minimise side effects, since excretion of water and sodium are increased on these diets as a result of reduction in insulin levels with LCHF diet [ 103 ].

11.5. Weight loss on LCHF diets is due to increased water loss

Some have suggested that weight loss on LCHF diets is the result mainly of water loss. This increased diuresis may be true in the first weeks of carbohydrate restriction [ 104 ]. However, body composition by DEXA analysis indicates that long-term weight loss on the LCHF diet is predominantly the result of the loss of fat mass with some loss of fat-free mass [ 3 ].

11.6. Sustainability

Trials show that adherence to LCHF and LFHC diets are similar [ 13 , 72 , 105 ]. On the other hand, a recent systematic review found a higher attrition rate from LFHC than from LCHF diets [ 106 ]. Therefore, sticking to a LCHF diet is perhaps as convenient as any other dietary plan and thus may be more sustainable as it tends to reduce hunger without need for specific calorie restriction. In fact, studies of long-term adherence of up to a year [ 38 , 39 ] on the LCHF have not identified any evidence of harm.

12. Summary

From the current evidence and above reviews of lower carbohydrate diets, it can be postulated that LCHF diets reduce insulin resistance, improves glycaemic regulation and has positive effects on reducing cardiovascular risk factors, including reducing serum triglyceride, increasing HDL cholesterol, increasing LDL particle size and reducing blood pressure. A substantial proportion of individuals have also been shown to discontinue one or more diabetes medication.

Low-carbohydrate high-fat (LCHF) diet has been shown to be as effective as other diets for weight reduction, through increased satiety and reduction in calorie intake. LCHF diet also helps improve glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus and in otherwise healthy patients with insulin resistance.

Some of the benefits of the LCHF diet results from the often large weight loss typically produced by this diet. Therefore, at least some of the beneficial changes from LCHF diet would also be experienced by patients prepared to adhere to any calorie-restricted diet. LCHF diets control energy balance through increased satiety and reduced ad libitum energy intake while encouraging the ingestion of a nutrient-dense diet by replacing refined foods with natural foods.

LCHF diets have beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors through their effect on blood lipid concentrations. They decrease triglycerides, apoprotein B and saturated fat levels in blood, together with reduction in small dense LDL particles and increase in HDL-C concentrations. Their effect on LDL-C concentration seems to be variable.

LCHF diet, thus far, has proven to be a safe and efficacious strategy for weight loss and improved health outcomes especially for those with metabolic syndrome and NAFLD. Thus, LCHF diets may be the ideal choice for patients who have struggled to lose weight on traditional diets, especially T2DM with or without cardiovascular risk factors. A life-long completely carbohydrate-free diet is unlikely to be achievable but a LCHF, through reducing post-meal glucose excursions, could potentially have some benefit for improving glucose control in diabetes. However, from animal models, it has been shown that there are no longer term benefits for β-cell function or glucose metabolism.

Notably, most diets are effective at inducing at least short-term weight loss, usually followed by some weight regain as adherence diminishes. However, it can be argued that LCHF diets perform at least as well as do any other dietary approaches. In practice, beneficial responses to any diet is entirely dependent on the degree of patients’ adherence, so a LCHF diet is only likely to benefit patients motivated to comply.

A growing understanding that obesity/hypertension/T2DM/non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/atherogenic dyslipidaemia and metabolic syndrome may all be substantially influenced by a high-carbohydrate diet, acting on a single metabolic state, insulin resistance—could revolutionise the dietary management of these conditions over the next few years. It can therefore be argued that the LCHF eating plan should form an integral part of medical management for all these conditions.

LCHF diet may not be an answer for everyone as every individual metabolic profile is different. However, it may present a sensible dietary option for weight loss and health improvement in certain group of patients. Despite its numerous benefits, individual LDL-C responses need to be monitored and continued emphasis should be placed on nutrient-rich choices, avoiding ultra-processed foods. We need more well-designed comparative studies to confirm whether the metabolic changes from LCHF diet will be sustained long term.

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Assessing the nutrient intake of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet: a hypothetical case study design

1 Human Potential Centre, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand

2 Telethon Type 1 Diabetes Family Centre, Stirling, Western Australia, Australia

Rebecca Johnson

Associated data.

The low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet is becoming increasingly employed in clinical dietetic practice as a means to manage many health-related conditions. Yet, it continues to remain contentious in nutrition circles due to a belief that the diet is devoid of nutrients and concern around its saturated fat content. This work aimed to assess the micronutrient intake of the LCHF diet under two conditions of saturated fat thresholds.

In this descriptive study, two LCHF meal plans were designed for two hypothetical cases representing the average Australian male and female weight-stable adult. National documented heights, a body mass index of 22.5 to establish weight and a 1.6 activity factor were used to estimate total energy intake using the Schofield equation. Carbohydrate was limited to <130 g, protein was set at 15%–25% of total energy and fat supplied the remaining calories. One version of the diet aligned with the national saturated fat guideline threshold of <10% of total energy and the other included saturated fat ad libitum.

Primary outcomes

The primary outcomes included all micronutrients, which were assessed using FoodWorks dietary analysis software against national Australian/New Zealand nutrient reference value (NRV) thresholds.

All of the meal plans exceeded the minimum NRV thresholds, apart from iron in the female meal plans, which achieved 86%–98% of the threshold. Saturated fat intake was logistically unable to be reduced below the 10% threshold for the male plan but exceeded the threshold by 2 g (0.6%).

Despite macronutrient proportions not aligning with current national dietary guidelines, a well-planned LCHF meal plan can be considered micronutrient replete. This is an important finding for health professionals, consumers and critics of LCHF nutrition, as it dispels the myth that these diets are suboptimal in their micronutrient supply. As with any diet, for optimal nutrient achievement, meals need to be well formulated.

Strengths and limitations of this study

• A strength of this study is that we used an accurate, professional and local food composition database for dietary analysis.
• A strength of this study is that specialty foods, fortified foods and generally unpopular tasting food (ie, liver and mussels) were specifically excluded from the food selection to avoid bias towards nutrient density.
• A limitation of the study is that these results are specific to the two case studies selected, and inference to population groups cannot be made.

Introduction

The low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet is becoming increasingly employed in clinical practice as a dietary means to achieve a variety of health goals, from weight reduction to management of chronic disease, in particular diabetes. 1–3 This style of eating has been shown to be efficacious both short term and long term for its beneficial outcomes on metabolic health. 4–8 However, LCHF continues to remain a highly contentious topic in nutrition circles. Two likely reasons for this are as follows: (1) the supposition that LCHF diets are devoid of certain nutrients, and therefore increase risk of nutrient deficiencies 9 10 and (2) concern around the saturated fat content of the diets and the speculation that high intakes might increase risk of cardiovascular disease. Full-fat versions of animal fat-containing whole foods are not purposefully minimised in an LCHF diet; as a result, the saturated fat intake can exceed the maximum 10% of total energy intake threshold set by the National Australian and New Zealand Nutrient Reference Values (NRV) guidelines. 11 Recently, the science supporting the long-standing diet-heart hypothesis and the 10% threshold for saturated fat intake has been challenged; both epidemiological studies and randomised controlled trials have come under criticism for being flawed in research methodology and outcome interpretation. 12 13 This is an ongoing debate that indicates this area of public health and nutrition guidance needs further work to resolve. 12 14 15

The LCHF nutrition approach tends not to exclude any food groups specifically but rather focuses on reducing intake from high-load carbohydrate foods in general; and when carbohydrate is eaten, whole-food sources are preferred to processed ones. In contrast, vegetarian and vegan diets are styles of eating that do exclude several food groups that contain vital micronutrients. Recently, a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet has been shown to be nutrient replete, if well planned using an array of non-animal sources containing these potentially missing nutrients. 16 However, a traditional vegan diet is deficient in vitamin B 12 , as this vitamin is derived only from foods of animal origin; it is also low in the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, with consumption of fortified foods and supplementation necessary for their repletion. 17 18 Despite the known nutrient deficiency risks that arise with vegan and some vegetarian eating styles, national and international nutrition organisations are not dissuasive of these diets; nutrition professionals merely address any dietary issues in clinical practice. 19 20 By contrast, carbohydrate-restricted diets are still frowned on by many dietitians and associated national organisations, 10 despite their endorsement by some organisations such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. 21 This study aimed to assess the micronutrient thresholds of two versions of the LCHF diet against national NRV thresholds, as set by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and New Zealand Ministry of Health (MOH) 11 under two conditions of saturated fat thresholds.

In this descriptive study, we designed two LCHF meal plans for each of two hypothetical case studies representing the average Australian male and female as closely as possible. Using the body mass index (BMI) equation, BMI=(weight-kg)/(height-m×height-m), we inputted national average heights recorded by the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011–2013 for male and female adults 22 and used the midpoint for a healthy range BMI of 22.5 to calculate body weight. To estimate total energy expenditure, we used the Schofield equation, 23 where weight and height variables and an activity factor of 1.6 (light level) were inputted. The adult age range category of 19–50 years was selected from the Australian NHMRC and New Zealand MOH set of categories. 11 We used computer analysis software FoodWorks Professional V.8 (Xyris software), which uses an Australian and New Zealand food database. The only NRV that varies within this age category is magnesium, which is slightly higher, for both males and females in the 35–50 years age subcategory than in the 19–35 year age subcategory; this was accounted for in the analysis. Total energy intake would likely change within the age groups and was accounted for in the analysis by ensuring that energy intake was met within 95% of requirements for both a 25-year-old and a 45-year-old male and female, respectively. We assumed weight stability and matched the energy intake with the calculated energy expenditure.

For the macronutrient thresholds, we selected a value of carbohydrate that aligned with the ‘low carbohydrate’ definition as per Feinman and colleagues, 24 that is, <130 g per day (or <26% of total energy). The protein threshold was calculated based on the upper limit of the acceptable macronutrient distribution range (AMDR) as per the Australian NHMRC and New Zealand MOH guidelines (ie, 25% of total energy intake). 11 Fat was set as the remaining calories. The two sample meal plans differed only by saturated fat content, which was set at the threshold of 10% or less of total energy intake. All micronutrients were required to achieve at least 100% of the NRVs. The NRVs are a set of recommendations for nutritional intake based on currently available scientific knowledge. NRVs include recommended dietary intakes (RDIs), a term used to represent the average daily micronutrient level sufficient to meet the requirements of almost all (97%–98%) healthy individuals of a certain gender and life stage, and adequate intakes (AIs), where the nutrient intake level is based on observed or experimentally determined nutrient estimates of apparently healthy people and are assumed to be adequate. 11 Where the RDI value was not available, the AI value was used. Table 1 presents the demographic data used for the case studies.

Case study demographics

PAL, physical activity level; TE, total energy; UL, upper limit.

We created two different meal plans for the purpose of ensuring variety in food options, using the same macronutrient and micronutrient thresholds and targets for both sets of plans. For each sample meal plan, the male and female versions differ only by portion sizes to align with personalised energy requirements. For the dual purpose of preventing duplication in table 2 and wanting to illustrate dietary variety, we have elected to present meal plan sample 1 for females and meal plan sample 2 for males, along with their corresponding diets with saturated fat limits. All meals have been developed with a whole-food principle (ie, using foods that have been minimally processed) as a foundation. We also opted to include foods that we considered to be, generally, popular and acceptable, rather than any specialty or unusual food that would demand an acquired taste.

LCHF sample meal plans

LCHF, low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet; TE, total energy; T, tablespoon; tsp, teaspoon.

Tables 2 and 3 present the LCHF sample meal plans for females and males, and the nutrient analysis of the meal plans, respectively, with their corresponding plans aligning with the saturated fat threshold of <10% total energy.

Nutrient analysis of LCHF meal plans

*WHO recommendation for trans fats.

†AIs were used as RDIs were unavailable.

AI, adequate intake; LCHF, low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet; MUFA, monounsaturated fat; NRV, nutrient reference value; PUFA, polyunsaturated fat; RDI, recommended daily intake; TE, total energy.

Both of the meal plans successfully exceeded the NRV thresholds for all nutrients apart from two instances. The first was iron intake in females, the two meal plans achieving 86%–98% of the RDI threshold value for this mineral. The second instance was an inability to meet the <10% of total energy intake saturated fat threshold in males (meal plan 2 only). In this plan, saturated fat amounted to 10.6% of total energy, exceeding the threshold by 0.6% (or 2 g).

Overall, the LCHF meal plans successfully achieved almost all of the NRV thresholds. There are several important points about iron that warrant discussion. First, in our meal plan development, we specifically selected whole, unprocessed foods that were not fortified with nutrients, such as iron. We also decided to purposely exclude liver and mussels from these plans, despite their rich nutrient density, as we are aware that these foods may not be considered appealing for the majority of the population. However, it is worthwhile noting that the addition of a small amount of chicken liver (ie, 5 g and 25 g or 1–4 mussels, in meal plans 1 and 2, respectively) would have resulted in the RDI being met for iron. Our strategy differs somewhat to the work of Reid et al , who, knowing iron is a nutrient of concern for vegetarians, intentionally incorporated iron-fortified foods in their vegetarian meal plans. Hence, they were able to meet iron requirements, apart from during pregnancy, where the RDI is higher. 16

Second, iron bioavailability is affected by dietary composition and iron status, two aspects that are not considered comprehensively in RDI threshold generation. For industrialised countries, like Australia and New Zealand, a mean iron bioavailability factor is used to generate the iron RDI for all population groups, irrespective of dietary composition. 25 Iron bioavailability is reduced by phytates, found predominantly in wholegrains, such as breads and cereals. 25 Other compounds that reduce bioavailability are polyphenols and oxalates, and while found in vegetables and fruit, are also present in wholegrains. The LCHF diet is typically very low (or devoid) in grains, which could mean higher iron bioavailability for those consuming such a diet. This, along with other factors that influence nutrient status, plus the natural variation in food intake raises caution about the use of the RDI threshold alone to assess an individual’s diet at a glimpse. While not presented in this work, our nutrient analysis work on isocaloric diets aligning with the Australian NHMRC and New Zealand MOH guidelines also indicate a failure to meet the RDI threshold for iron. As such, while the LCHF diet is often targeted for being inadequate, using NRVs as a dietary adequacy tool, one can assume a similar inadequacy for iron under mainstream dietary guidance using unfortified foods where possible. It is worthwhile to note that this point can also be applied to other micronutrients, in that it is unlikely that any diet will achieve over 100% of the NRV thresholds each day; hence the reason why dietitians encourage the consumption of a varied diet.

In the instance where the saturated fat threshold of <10% of total energy was not met in one of the male meal plans, comprehensive dietary manipulation of this meal plan for the specific purpose of meeting this target was attempted. To achieve carbohydrate and protein targets, the only way to achieve the energy requirements with a <10% saturated fat threshold was to add an alcoholic beverage into the meal plan, as it is the only food item that provides energy without any other macronutrient. We viewed this as being somewhat futile so decided against this option. It is also important to note that during this dietary manipulation exercise, to reduce the saturated fat contribution, once all the relevant animal foods were altered to low-fat or non-fat versions (ie, dairy products and meats) and coconut products were removed, the saturated fat content still slightly exceeded the 10% threshold by 0.6%. It was only when we reduced the amount of avocados, certain seeds, olive oil and macadamia nuts, that is, foods that contain predominantly unsaturated fats, did the thresholds align. In New Zealand and Australia, saturated fat guidelines exist in the form of a percentage of total energy threshold, and it is not known whether the public health caution for saturated fat relates to an absolute amount consumed in grams or is relative to total energy only, suggesting that as a guideline it is rather arbitrary.

There are three other nutrient components that warrant discussion in the context of LCHF diets: B vitamins and fibre, protein and essential fatty acids.

B vitamins and fibre

The LCHF diet is frequently criticised for being deficient in B vitamins in particular vitamin B 1 or thiamin and fibre, two key components of grain-based foods. We have demonstrated that these meal plans do indeed meet the RDI threshold for thiamin due to the incorporation of alternative, every day thiamin-rich foods such as animal protein, nuts and seeds and several green vegetables. Despite RDIs met for thiamin, one could call into question the minimum threshold of thiamin required in an LCHF context. A key function of thiamin is the metabolism of carbohydrate 26 ; it could be speculated that with a reduced intake of carbohydrate, less thiamin is required. However, considering that in the absence of exogenous carbohydrate, glucose is still made internally through gluconeogenic precursors, research is warranted to determine whether this theory holds any truth. We also demonstrate that the AIs for fibre are surpassed in all of these meal plans, and while devoid of wholegrains, fibre, both soluble and insoluble, can be easily derived from vegetables, some fruit, nuts and seeds.

Another misconception about the LCHF diet is that it is excessive in protein. We used the protein AMDR as per the Australian NHMRC and New Zealand MOH in the development of these meal plans; however, the female meal plan 1 (<10% saturated fat threshold) exceeded the maximum AMDR protein threshold by 2% (or 7 g of protein). In the dietary manipulation required to reduce saturated fat (ie, a swap from untrimmed sirloin steak to lean eye fillet steak for dinner and a swap from full-fat to non-fat dairy products), what resulted was a higher proportion of protein being derived from those foods at the same quantities so it was unavoidable. While the LCHF diet is not intended to be any higher in protein than current dietary recommendations, in this case, protein only exceeded the AMDR when saturated fat was restricted.

Omega-6:omega-3 polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) ratio

A key characteristic of the LCHF way of eating is the discouragement of consumption of seed oils (eg, canola, sunflower, soybean, corn oil and rice bran oil) to minimise intake of linoleic acid (omega-6 PUFA), and consequently, to achieve an optimal omega-6:omega-3 ratio. Evidence suggests that a high ratio is proinflammatory and has a role to play in promoting the pathogenesis of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. 27 28 Furthermore, data indicates that humans evolved on a diet with a 1:1 omega-6:omega-3 ratio, whereas Western dietary patterns typically reflect a ratio of around 15-20:1. 28 Along with the promotion of olive oil use, which is unanimously endorsed, NHMRC/MOH guidelines recommend the use and consumption of vegetable fats (ie, margarine, canola, sunflower, soybean, corn oil and rice bran oil) in place of fats with a predominantly saturated fat make-up (ie, butter, coconut oil). As a result, most packaged supermarket foods including foods recommended by the NHMRC/MOH, such as liquid breakfasts, wholegrain bread and cereals contain omega-6-rich seed oils. This would not necessarily be problematic if omega-3 intakes were increasing on a population level. However, this is not the case; it was recently reported in the Australian 2011–2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey that 80% of the population was not meeting the NRV threshold for omega-3. 29 In our sample meal plans, we demonstrate favourable omega-6:omega-3 ratios, that is, less than the 10:1 NRV thresholds and substantially closer to that of our dietary composition prior to the agricultural revolution.

Finally, it is important to note that LCHF eating is frequently adopted for weight loss purposes. In this context, it would be highly likely that energy intakes would be lower than that of these hypothetical healthy weight case studies for a certain period of time, while weight is being lost. This poses a risk to achieving 100% of all NRVs on a daily basis; however, this would not be unique to the LCHF approach but would apply to any energy-restricted eating style, including mainstream national nutrition guidelines. During the active weight loss period, nutrient density should be a priority and if suboptimal nutrient status becomes a concern, this could be addressed by the inclusion of nutrient-fortified foods or supplementation.

There were two key limitations to this work. First, the average height for Australian male and female, respectively, and the midpoint BMI values were used to extrapolate the weights of the two hypothetical case studies. These weights do not align with documented weights for Australian males (85.9 kg) and females (71.1 kg), respectively. 22 This underestimation of weight would have underestimated energy intake to a small extent. Second, our analyses were limited to the available values in the FoodWorks database; consequently, an accurate estimate of vitamin D intake was not available. It is reported that due to current eating patterns, it is almost impossible to get sufficient vitamin D (in this case 5 μg/day) from the diet alone, 30 and it is the assumption that it will be derived from sun exposure. It is likely that the LCHF diet supplies more vitamin D than mainstream nutrition guidelines due to its greater intake of high fat, vitamin D-rich foods, such as full-fat dairy, butter, eggs and fatty fish.

We have demonstrated that a well-formulated LCHF diet can provide sufficient intakes of all of the micronutrients profiled in the FoodWorks database, apart from iron for females. This marginal shortfall along with the acknowledged limitations of using NRVs in estimating dietary adequacy leads us to believe that this is not a nutrient of concern for those consuming the LCHF diet. Irrespective of the ongoing saturated fat/heart disease scientific debate, it is still possible to adopt the LCHF diet while keeping saturated fat intake around the 10% of total energy threshold. Considering this way of eating provides a replete set of nutrients and has been shown to be effective for improving metabolic health, particularly for people with diabetes, it should at least be considered a suitable dietary option for populations, alongside that of mainstream MOH guidelines.

Supplementary Material

Contributors: All authors contributed to the conception and design of the research, interpretation of data; all authors read and approved the final manuscript; CZ, AR contributed to the diet development and analysis. CZ drafted the manuscript.

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests: CZ has coauthored two books called What the Fat?—Fat’s In, Sugar’s Out and What the Fat—Sports Performance , which both assume an LCHF nutrition approach.

Patient consent: Not required.

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Data sharing statement: Data (nutrient analysis) are unable to be placed on a data sharing system due to it being embedded in specific nutrient analysis software that is unable to be shared outside of the software program. However, a print screen version of the data is available on request from the author.

Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) Diet Explained – Is it Extreme or Healthy?

The Low Carb High Fat Diet (LCHF) Explained – Is It Extreme or Healthy?

When I first started exploring the Keto Diet, I ran into many terms and acronyms that I did not understand. LCHF was one of them. So what is it exactly?

LCHF is the acronym for Low Carb High Fat which is exactly what the Ketogenic Diet is. The Keto Diet is very low in carbs, high in fat and moderate amounts of protein. It’s the ‘high in fat’ part that makes people squirm. And with good reason.

We have been trained since the 1980s to abhor fat, run away from fat and fear fat like no other macronutrient! This was a government initiative in the US that seemed to cross borders into Canada and other developed countries.

And yet, it is no secret that since the 1980s obesity has soared in direct correlation with our efforts to rid our diets of the dreaded fat. Why is that?

Can You Lose Weight on a Low Carb High Fat Diet?

That’s a big fat yes! (See what I did there?) You can lose a lot of weight on the low carb high-fat diet. Most people adjust macros based on where they are in their journey. 

We have only 3 macronutrients to choose from and they are Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate. So if you are lowering one of those macronutrients, it makes sense that another has to go up.

So as people have been lowering their fat intake, they have been increasing their carbohydrate intake.

With the LCHF diet, the focus goes back to fat as the number one macronutrient, with many Keto diet people losing massive amounts of weight using a Ketogenic ratio as high as 85% fat, 10% protein, and 5% carbs.

In order to get started, you have to decide what ratio you want to start with. The higher the fat content, the quicker the weight loss. Read more about how to get started here.

There are lots of delicious low carb high-fat foods on this site that fit into the LCHF diet.

LCHF – The Big Fat Diet Experiment in Alert Bay, BC, Canada

People may be shocked by that ratio of 85% fat, 10% protein, and 5% carbs, given what we have been taught. But sometimes the government is just wrong.  Take a look at the people of Alert Bay, BC. I first read about this experiment in Johnny Bowden’s book called Living Low Carb .

Alert Bay is a remote fishing village in British Columbia (where I live!) with a high population of natives who are descendants of the Inuit. Most of them are obese.

An experiment was conducted there a few years ago to see what would happen if they went back to eating something similar to the Inuit diet of low carb high-fat foods of their ancestors. You can read about it in this article called The Slimming of Alert Bay.

Approximately 80 people volunteered. The parameters were to eat all the fat they wanted,  seafood and meat, non-starchy vegetables. They even called it My Big Fat Diet. No bread, pasta, and other carbs.

The Results of the Low Carb High Fat Experiment

These are the same parameters as the LCHF diet. Those 80 people lost 1200 pounds, and even more important, most were also able to go off medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and so on. Low carb high fat for diabetes has been proven to show results and this study is no exception. 

I am inspired by this story to keep on my Ketogenic journey . The more I read about it and learn, the more I believe it to be right for me. I think people will hear more about stories like these as the dogma of dietary fat is disproved. 

Of course, I am not saying that everyone has to eat like this. But it seems that a high percentage of the population is overweight and obesity is rising (now 67%!). The current party line of what makes a balanced diet is clearly not working.

How Do You Start a Low Carb High Fat Diet?

Your first step is figuring out what your goal is and how fast you want to get there. The best part of starting the low carb high fat keto diet is that there are so many absolutely delicious recipes. 

The quality of the food is so much better than what you are likely eating now. 

I’ve put together a simple and comprehensive guide on how you can get started. The grocery list takes the guesswork out of trying to figure out what to buy.

In the beginning, you may experience something called the Keto flu. This is what usually throws people off when they first get started. The Keto flu is just your body adjusting to the fact that you don’t have as many carbs going into your body anymore. Luckily, I’ve got you covered. Here is my Keto flu remedy.

My advice to you when you get started is to keep it simple and go easy on yourself. Progress, not perfection is the key here. You want this weight loss to last a long time, so you have to be able to stick to your diet.

The good news is the low carb high fat Keto diet is not that difficult to stick to. It helps keep you full, so you experience fewer cravings. 

So, Is it Extreme or Not?

This depends on your perspective. There are some conditions that Keto is not good for. It’s always good to talk to your doctor if you have any sort of prior health condition.

If you have diabetes,  your doctor might recommend the Keto diet. If you have an autoimmune disease, your doctor might advise against it.

I’ve heard amazing stories of people who have had horribly embarrassing digestive issues and eating Keto has been lifechanging for their condition, as well as losing weight. 

To me, this is not an extreme diet. What is extreme is eating fast foods and fake frankenfoods and then wondering what is going wrong. The LCHF diet protocol calls for only real foods. What a concept! Just eat real foods. Yes, please!

Read More About the Keto Diet

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If you are starting keto you WILL need this drink! Lack of electrolytes is a major reason people give up their new keto diet.

What is Keto Flu and How You Can Feel Better Fast!

When you start Keto this can happen. Get some quick tips for instant relief from the Keto flu!

What Are Good Fats for Ketosis? A Primer on Fats and Oils for Keto

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How to Do the Keto Diet On a Budget -12 Tips to Save You Money!

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What is The Ketogenic Diet? A Simple Guide for Beginners

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52 thoughts on “Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) Diet Explained – Is it Extreme or Healthy?”

I am chronically underweight (BMI=18), and yet I have been told that I am pre-diabetic. So I am not interested in losing weight, but in reversing the pre-diabetes. Is Keto appropriate for me?

Dr. Ken Berry has some great videos on reversing T2 diabetes with Keto, look him up on youtube, I think you will really get some good info from an actual doctor. As far as being underweight I think you would simply be eating more fat to keep up your calories. Fat like butter is very antinflammatory which ultimately is going to help in your fight against diabetes.

Hello, I Started the LCHF lifestyle 6 weeks ago, I have already lost 16 pounds but it is going preety slow no, I too have to loose 100 pounds and I know this will take long. I just learned of the Egg fast and I started today but I am wondering… what can I expect on the energy side are there any side effects or lack of energy?

16 pounds in 6 weeks is actually pretty good! And yes it will take a while. The reason that I like keto so much is that it is something that can be followed long term. There are periods of time that I do lazy keto and I don’t lose much if anything at all but it gives me a break. Other times when I feel very motivated I do a stricter keto and then I can lose weight easily. So look at is a long term thing and not a diet. As far as the Egg Fast, ya some people feel more energy but many don’t. It’s a pretty extreme form of keto for when you have tried everything else and just don’t know what is stalling you.

I recall years ago when Dr. Atkins first published his book and research on the benefits of low carb/high fat eating. He was treated like a lunatic. He was right. Things have come a long way.

I just started the LCHF diet and in two days I have lost zero. I am eating virtually no carbs (outside small amounts of spinach, avocado, almonds, and cheese). My keto strips show I am already moderate in ketosis. I am lifting and riding bike. No sure what I am doing wrong.

Two days is not really not enough to judge anything. But that said, cut out the almonds and cheese. For the first few weeks while you are finding your keto legs, just focus on fatty proteins, green leafy veg and butter and coconut oil. You will go through a kind of detox. When you’ve kept it plain and simple for a minimum of 2-3 weeks, then see what affect adding in a handful of almonds or a small amount of cheese has on you. If you keep losing weight, then great! Many, many people cannot eat those items on keto unless they are trying to maintain their weight and not trying to lose.

The Ketogenic Diet causes bad breath. Is it ok to chew sugar free gum to cover it a bit?

I personally wouldn’t because things like sugar free gum can cause cravings. But maybe limit to one a day? Or try some alternatives. I’m not sure what to suggest because it doesn’t cause bad breath for everyone, I don’t have this issue. Try asking this question in one of the big lchf groups on the Facebook, you’ll probably get lots of good suggestions.

Try chewing on a mint leaf

I love this website. I just stumbled onto it from a recipe I saw on Facebook. I have been doing this for almost 3 weeks and have lost 20lbs. However, i seem to have hit my first plateau. My question is, does eating less cause weight loss to stop? Cause for the last 3 days I have had almost no appetite and really haven’t eatwn much at all. I noticed the weight loss stopped when this began. Any thoughts?

It can for some people. It is one of the benefits of high fat, low carb is that your appetite just drops! But also 20 pounds in 3 weeks is a LOT! Your body probably just needs time to adjust. Congrats on the loss so far!

Hello. I just found your blog. It looks very interesting. I have been eating this way for nearly two years now, so it is fun to read about others. I live in Denmark ( northern Europe )

Thanks for visiting all the way from Denmark! :-)

I enjoy your blog. My husband and I are doing the LCHF diet together and we both feel so much better. I now shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Keep the good news coming.

Gee, thank you so much! Just when I wonder if anyone really reads it, I get a nice message from someone. I really appreciate it!

I concede that I am finding eating so much fat difficult … I find so guilty! I am currently going through Keto Flu (strangely after doing the diet for 2 weeks – must be that I finally struck the right balance. Love your blog!

Thanks for visiting Sara, your comments really mean a lot to me. Keto Flu can be difficult but once you see it through you will feel so much better! Just keep thinking to yourself “When this is over, my body will be burning fat!”

I meant to have the recipe up and posted by now, things got so busy at work this week. But it’s coming!

I hope you do, read some of my other posts and feel free to contact me.

Reducing fast food and eating real food is always a good idea. Supersize Me changed me forever!

Yes I totally agree with cutting back and not eating Fastfoods because it makes you crave more, plus you feel bad after it. I like it but it doesn’t like me. Any suggestions let me know.

Thanks for a great post, I never heard of LCHF diet and now can’t wait to try it and even learn more about it; sounds interesting and I’m all about being healthy

I am also a big believer in healthy fats and balanced eating. The truth is we eat so unhealthy now and fad diets make it so much worse. Eating real, whole foods are so important and your salmon looks delicious!!!

I’m a big believer in healthy fats in our diets. I just wish I could figure out the balance of calories. I don’t believe in calorie in calorie out, it just doesn’t work. But when I raise my calorie intake I just don’t get anywhere.

I use My Fitness Pal (a free app) to help with this. The Keto diet is more about ratios than calories. So on my 1500 calorie a day plan, MFP helps me to achieve my ratios of 75% fat, 5% carbs and 20% protein.

Interesting article. I love the title ” The slimming of Alert Bay”. If people think back, man was thin when all they ate was meat and fruits. No process sugar. No refined grains. Makes a lot of sense.

Ya, it sure does make sense to me. The people of Alert Bay are simply returning to what they were eating less than 100 years ago.

Wow so interesting it’s amazing how perhaps our bodies are used to what our ancestors ate and we should stop following all this diet talk as a whole and look at it more individually x

This lunch really does look good. I am in serious need of adjusting my diet. I have been gaining weight lately and know it is because I have been eating too much junk.

There are so many different diets out there and unfortunately the research is so different. You can basically find the research to support what ever you want to believe. I do think though that a healthy diet and exercise is extremely important to everyone but that not everyone can follow the same diet or exercise plan. We each have to find what works for us and if this is what works for you, then enjoy it!

Wow, this looks so good! I need to read up on the Ketogenic diet since I don’t know anything about it.

I agree with you that real foods are the way to go. We get so hung up on junk (myself included) that it’s hard to remember what a ‘real’ diet should look like.

Wow, we knew that for my body personally I do a lot better with a high fat low carb diet. I just feel a lot better. But never knew it was an actual diet that had a name like Ketogenic.

Because of a health issue, I have to be very cautious of what diets I take. I am interested in seeing how this turns out for you. Your lunch certainly does look delicious!

It was delicious! Good luck with your own health issue and thanks for commenting.

Thanks for explaining, I have been curious to what the Ketogenic diet actually is and its making sense

Thank you for sharing this i have not really heard about this diet but i will be looking up about it now :-)

I actually do not consider this diet or even Atkins for that matter to be fad diets. Easy to stay on? No, especially with all the processed foods we are faced with every day. But if you look into it, this is the way people ate for centuries before the age of agriculture and before all the GMO and super modified foods. Our current way of eating as a society is a fad that I hope leaves us!

I’ve been hearing more and more about Ketogenic diet and have been wanting to read up more on it. Thanks for sharing and looking forward to hearing more about it.

Thanks for visiting and your comment. I think people will hear more and more about this.

I think it truly depends on the individual–for me I have to keep my carbs low now (diabetic) and fats I try to keep moderate–protein is where I allow myself to EAT!! Moderation should be the key ingredient to everyone’s diet.

It’s really an interesting concept and I hope that it really does work for you if you choose to follow it.

This is such an interesting concept to me. I look forward to seeing what happens. I like the idea though.

Low fat diets have been beat into my head. I am so curious to see what your results are. I’ll stay tuned; I want to try something new.

The government has done an excellent job of beating the low fat dogma into us! More and more scientists are now providing evidence to the contrary.

Your lunch looks really good, I am working on getting healthy so this post pointed out some good info thank you!

Thanks Teresa, glad you found it helpful!

It can seem lie it’s extreme up until someone really fully reads about it. I think any diet is like that. Something seems so drastic yet the real thing we should be thinking about is the outcome. Will it actaully help in the long run? That dish looks wonderful

Yes, you are right and I do believe that for me, this is how I want to eat long term. I also believe that eating real foods with healthy fats will help me in the long run!

I eat a very low carb diet, but I eat a lot more vegetables than I do fat. I don’t eat a lot of fat at all. Your lunch looks delish!!

Thanks Terry! You are one of those lucky people who is naturally lean and what you are doing is working for you so enjoy! Vegetables are great! I’m suggesting that people who struggle with obesity rethink their relationship with real foods, and that includes fats.

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Low Carb Living!

The science behind lchf & fasting.

• Should I eat breakfast?
• How do I know I should fast?
• Aren’t saturated fats bad for you?
• Isn’t fasting the same as starving?
• Won’t eating all that fat cause a heart attack?
• Why I can eat brown rice or whole grains?

For me, when it comes to reclaiming my health and losing weight, nothing beats a low carb diet combined with intermittent fasting. Unlike the standard Western diet, there is actual science behind the therapeutic benefits of LCHF/Keto and fasting.

I’m not saying LCHF/Keto and fasting works for everyone. But the science for each is rock solid.  For me, understanding the science of why we get fat was key to making better decisions on what to eat AND when to eat.

So for those who are new to, curious or want a primer on LCHF/Keto and fasting I’ve posted a few videos below to help you out.

Also keep in mind to do your own research like I did. For me, the science was compelling so I gave it a try and sure enough LCHF & intermittent fasting worked .  That may not be the situation for you.

Science Behind LCHF/Ketogenic Diets

• Low Carb Diet: Fat or Fiction?
• Why We Get Fat (Gary Taubes)
• Processed Food: An Experiment That Failed (Dr. Robert Lustig)

How LCHF Works

• Optimizing Weight & Health with an LCHF Diet: Part 1 (Dr. Stephen Phinney)
• Optimizing Weight & Health with an LCHF Diet: Part 2 (Dr. Stephen Phinney)
• Optimizing Weight & Health with an LCHF Diet: Part 3 (Dr. Stephen Phinney)
•   The Perfect Treatment for Diabetes & Weight Loss (Dr. Jason Fung)
• The Calorie Deception (Dr. Jason Fung)
• Therapeutic Fasting (Dr. Jason Fung)

Cholesterol & Heart Disease

• The Truth About Cholesterol – And LDL and HDL (Dr. Eric Berg)
• Demonization and Deception in Cholesterol Research (Dr. David M. Diamond)

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• My Fat Fast Experiment and Meal Plan
• Strict Keto

Ketone & Glucose Monitoring

My progress, my diet log in detail, final thoughts.

A few weeks ago, I created a guide to the Fat Fast. This short-term diet plan is very popular within the low-carb community because it may help people break through a weight loss plateau. I have always been planning to try the fat fast but was discouraged by its stringent rules and so I made some adjustments to it. Here is how my fat fast experiment looked like:

• Eating 2-3 regular meals (plus coffee). Ever since I've been following LCHF, I got used to 1-3 meals a day (plus coffee). Eating many small meals (4-5 as recommended in the traditional fat fast) would only make me hungry and think about food all day long. Eating 2-3 regular meals was more convenient.
• Sometimes eating less than 80% calories from fat . Getting 80-90% calories from fats is more difficult than you may think. I've reviewed all the available studies on the fat fast and there is no evidence that it is more effective than other types of low-carb diets limited in calories. That's why my tweaked version allows to go slightly below 80% fat but it is still relatively high in fat compare to "regular keto eating."
• Eating close to the upper limit of calories allowed on the fat fast. Limiting your food intake to only 1000-1200 kcal could be quite tough. On average, I ate 1100-1200 kcal. I was a bit hungry during the first two days but it was bearable. My body got adjusted to lower food intake very quickly and I naturally kept my calorie intake low even after the fat fast (1500-1600 kcal compared to my regular ~2000 kcal).
• Following the fat fast for no more than 3-5 days. According my tweaked version, I had no difficulties following the fat fast for 5 days. In fact, I know I could do it for even longer but didn't want to run any risks of deficiencies or getting my body into a starvation mode.
• Including some type of exercise. I didn't experience any drop in energy. In fact, I could do lifting and even some high intensity interval training. During the period of 5 days, I didn't give up my daily 30-45 minute walks, had 2 days of weight training (20 minutes which I mostly do at home) and one day of HIIT (20 minutes).
• It's hard to get all your electrolytes on a very low-carb diet limited in calories, so I included foods rich in electrolytes (avocados, nuts, mushrooms and even dark chocolate). You can always take multivitamins, magnesium supplements and for your potassium use a pinch of lite salt together with regular salt.

I started using blood ketone meter during my fat fast. I've been using urine ketone sticks to test my ketone levels every now and then and to monitor my tolerance to carbs. However, I wanted to get a more accurate idea of how my body was affected. Another more convenient and less expensive option is to use the Ketonix Acetone Breathalyzer. While you can easily get both the urine strips and blood ketone meter from Amazon , the breathalyser is now only available at the manufacturer's website.

My readings very high from day 1, going up to 3.2 mMol (right) while my glucose levels stayed low (4-6 mMol, left). Both of the values shown below were my morning fasting levels. It's very likely my ketone levels were even higher later in the evening.

During my fat fast experiment, I had no symptoms of keto-flu, because I was already keto-adapted. If you just started following a low-carb diet, you will need to give it at least 3-4 weeks before your body gets used to using ketones for fuel and you should not follow the fat fast (try this diet plan first ).

Although I never had to lose a significant amount of weight, I have always been struggling with 2-4 kg of excess body fat. Don't get me wrong, I have a healthy weight but simply wanted to shed a few more pounds. I'm physically active and eat 30-50 g net carbs a day (you can read why I don't eat less carbs in my post here. ) I've always had a big appetite and hormone issues (Hashimoto's) since 2011 which makes weight maintenance / weight loss more difficult.

Also, as I mentioned in my post here, weight loss becomes more and more difficult as you get close to your target weight. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those who can eat huge amounts of calories on a low-carb diet without consequences. One day of excessive eating won't make a difference but what really counts is how much you eat on average, say over a week.

Being a food blogger, I spend a big part of my time developing recipes and I'm constantly surrounded by food. I don't count calories but I am always aware of how much I eat. No matter what diet you follow, you can eat too much and put on weight, especially if you eat too many treats (even low-carb treats). Low-carb eating has a natural sating effect but this may not be enough for everyone. To find your ideal food intake, try KetoDiet Buddy, our free online keto calculator.

Before the fat fast, I was at 60 kg / 132 lbs (~ 22% body fat). My target was to get to 56 kg / 124 lbs which is a lot in just a few days. During the 5 day fat fast, I've lost about 6 pounds and gained 2 pounds back after 2-3 days. So, I'm happy with the final result, 58 kg / 128 lbs. I used body callipers to measure my body fat and confirmed that all of it came from body fat - no muscle loss!

Another effect of the fat fast was that my appetite decreased and all sweet cravings disappeared completely. Without forcing myself, I started eating less than before the fat fast and I got better at portion control.

I was using the KetoDiet iPad app to track my diet. I was keeping my fat intake between 72-83% calories from fat, mostly round 80% and my calorie intake round 1,100 kcal.

I included raw dairy in the fat fast. There are many recipes with or without dairy among those I created for the fat fast.

You can always use coconut milk instead of cream ( Aroy-D tastes just like cream!), ghee instead of butter and avocado in salads instead of cheese.

• Meal 1: 2 oz / 60g macadamia nuts, 1 avocado (7.1 oz / 200g) seasoned with pink Himalayan salt (you can get a large bag of macadamia nuts here ).
• Meal 2: Sashimi (80g salmon + 20g tuna) with some seaweed and edamame beans (sushi takeaway). Edamame beans are low-carb and paleo-friendly but you can skip them.
• Snacks: 2 cups of coffee, each with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream, herbal tea
• Exercise: 35 minute fast walking

Total Daily values: 1138 kcal, 83% kcal from fat 32 g total carbs, 20.2 g fibre, 11.8 g net carbs (4%), 35.8 g protein (13%), 102 g fat (83%), 463 mg magnesium (115% RDA), 2185 mg potassium (109% EMR)

• Meal 1: 1 slice bacon, 2 large eggs fried in 1 tsp ghee, 2 roasted tomatoes (5.3 oz / 150g), 1 small gluten-free sausage from outdoor-reared pork (1.8 oz / 50g)
• Meal 2: Beef burger served on half of my keto buns (recipe from my apps and book ), 2 small lettuce leaves, 1 tsp home-made mustard
• Snacks: 1 cup coffee with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream, 0.7 oz / 20g dark chocolate (85% cacao), 1 oz / 30g macadamia nuts, herbal or green tea
• Exercise: 45 minute fast walking

Total Daily values: 1107 kcal, 78% kcal from fat 21.5 g total carbs, 9.7 g fibre, 11.8 g net carbs (4%), 49.6 g protein (18%), 94.4 g fat (78%), 289 mg magnesium (72.4% RDA), 1499 mg potassium (75% EMR)

• Meal 1: 3 slices bacon, 1 small avocado (3.5 oz / 100g), 1 cup brown mushrooms (90g / 3.1 oz) cooked in 1 tbsp butter, salt to taste
• Meal 2: Tomato & feta salad from 3.5 oz / 100g tomatoes, 2.8 oz / 80g feta cheese, 1 / 2 cup black and green olives (2.8 oz / 80g), 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, basil or oregano to taste
• Snacks: 1 cup coffee with 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream, herbal or green tea
• Exercise: 30 minute fast walking, 30 minutes home exercise (a combination of HIIT and strength training). I often follow videos from BodyRock . If this looks too challenging (or too easy) for you, they have more videos for beginners / very advanced.

Total Daily values: 1155 kcal, 85% kcal from fat 22.4 g total carbs, 11.2 g fibre, 11.2 g net carbs (4%), 30.6 g protein (11%), 107 g fat (85%), 194 mg magnesium (49% RDA), 1583 mg potassium (79% EMR)

• Meal 1: Salmon & cream cheese parcels (ready-made from M&S) with 1 / 2 avocado (3.5 oz / 100g) seasoned with salt
• Meal 2: Slow-cooked meat (lamb, 6 oz / 170g) with butter-roasted asparagus (1 tbsp butter, 3 oz / 85 g asparagus), salt
• Exercise: 35 minute fast walking, 20 minutes home exercise (strength training - squats, press-ups, etc.)

Total Daily values: 1049 kcal, 75% kcal from fat 15.6 g total carbs, 8.5 g fibre, 7.1 g net carbs (3%), 57.3 g protein (22%), 85.5 g fat (75%), 199 mg magnesium (50% RDA), 1409 mg potassium (71% EMR)

• Meal 1: 1 large egg fried in 1 tbsp ghee, 1 / 2 avocado (3.5 oz / 100g) seasoned with salt, 1 medium gluten-free sausage from outdoor-reared pork (2.8 oz / 80g)
• Meal 2: Omelet from 2 large eggs fried in 1 tbsp ghee topped with 5.3 oz / 150g slow-cooked lamb and 1 / 2 avocado (3.5 oz / 100g) seasoned with salt

Total Daily values: 1054 kcal, 81% kcal from fat 15.3 g total carbs, 10.5 g fibre, 4.8 g net carbs (2%), 44 g protein (17%), 92 g fat (81%), 206 mg magnesium (67% RDA), 1499 mg potassium (75% EMR)

I've been making easy to prepare recipes ( you can find all of them here ) during my fat fast experiment and even ate out on the first day (sashimi which is my favourite sushi meal). For those who have my apps / book , there are many recipes suitable for this diet plan, too.

We have been working on yet another update and are planning to add a filtering option to search for meals based on special dietary requirements which will include meals suitable for the fat fast.

How about snacks? Apart from coffee with cream or tea, other snacks great for the fat fast are fat bombs such as the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Fat Bombs (photo below).

Fat fast is not suitable for everyone, you really have to be keto-adapted before you even try it. However, if you are stuck at the same weight, then it can definitely help you move the scales down and help you start losing weight again.

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Comments (86)

Hi Martina! Happy New Year to you, sweetie! Given the latest information from Dr. Jason Fung, regarding pure water fasts and extended fasting as strategies which do not decrease metabolism and cause muscle catabolism, what are your thoughts on Fat Fasting for extended periods just a wee bit beyond 5 days? I know that Dana Carpenter in her “Fat Fast” cookbook, said that she went on some for a week and one for eight days with no ill effects, stating that Dr. Benoit fasted his subjects for 10 days. She also quotes Dr. Jackie Eberstein as saying maybe to go up to 5 days of fat fasting, followed by 2 regular low carb days....I am wondering if a person could for example, follow Dr. Jackie Eberstein’s adivce, but then do another shorter spurt (say, 3 days after several days of regular eating) and simply rotate this idea. Another scenario: One 5 day Fat Fast, 5 day regular low carb eating, 3 day Fat Fast...and continue to rotate until one has achieved a significant progressional loss of body fat. Possibly even just 2 cycles of this one rotation. -I have a great interest in this topic, due to the increased information about extended water fasts as indicating NO muscle loss and an increased metabolism. Wondering why fat in itself, should lower metabolism, if at all. In the meanwhile, I am on a hopeful 5 day fast and simply pondering these things. -I love how you laid out the Fat Fast in many adaptable ways! ❤️ You rock! Wishing you a Happy New Year from Canada! Sincerely, Mary

Thank you so much Mary and Happy New Year to you too! Thank you so much for your kind words ❤ I personally don't do extended fasts (due to a thyroid condition) and I don't think that extended fasting is that similar to fat fasting. For fat fasting I wouldn't (personally) go beyond the recommended 3 to 5 days. Given the anecdotal evidence of this approach, it's a safer approach - that is just my opinion. The question is what are you trying to achieve? What is your goal? Unlike extended water-only fats which are typically used for several different reasons ( 7 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Fasting ), fat fasting is usually used for weight loss. I hope this helps!

Good post on fat fast and challenge the very concept of weight loss using specific food. Essentially it is a caloric-restriction plan - fat happens to be the main fuel within this calorie restriction so there are plenty of food outside of eggs that has over 40% calories from fat. While I applaud the confirmation of the pounds lost comes fat using a caliper, why then is there no explaination of the weight regain? Is the regain from fat or is it additional water retention? Since you mentioned all the weight loss was from body fat, not muscles, I assumed that statement means none of the weight loss came from water. So what explain the fat regain or new water gain post-fat fast? Is there a follow-on weight and body fat monitoring well after the fat fast (1 week after, 2 week after) to monitor after you have adjusted down from 1600cal to 1200 cal as your normal daily calorie intake, was there any weight rebound back to pre-fat fast? This shall address the question if a fat fast is useful in the long term, or is it useful to drop a few pound before attending a party and fit into a dress better. Overall I find your content very useful and have an unbiased perspective  - it is void of false statement and false advertisement of what keto can do. In this day and age of over-information and dis-information, what readers could use is something more blunt - deliverying hard to swallow truth in the fewest words. Overeating in any diet result in weight gain, keto or not.

Great info. Thanks. I've been keto adapted for a few months now and loving it. I've found that my ketone levels drop low even when I'm strict on the plan and even sometimes when fasting. Interestingly I found that my levels when higher the morning after going out with friends and eating some new foreign foods like meat that was marinated in soy and sugar and different sauces and other foods, still trying to adhere to keto. It was as if going slightly astray, even if it was just in trace amounts of sugars and carbs, actually boosted my levels incredibly high the next morning, much to my surprise. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is there such a thing as being too strict on the keto diet? If so I think that may be something I do.

Hi, I really like this blog, good job. I wandered if you also have a KETO Meal Prep Menu ? It would really fit in my live,  because every day I have so little time to make a decent breakfast, lunch or dinner. I would really appreciatie it. Thank you Kind Regards Betty

Hi Betty, you can download our free diet plans: ketodietapp.com/free-diet-plans They are optimised for busy people (meals are prepared in advance for the rest of the week so you don't have to cook every day).

Day two meal one, you say a gluten free sausage???  Unless you had it stuffed with grain, why do you identify it as gluten free?  Gluten is never found in any meats.  It is only found in some plants like wheat, rye, barley... lloyd, www.bentmileshealth.com

There are fillers such as corn starch or flour in sausages - it's always better to look at the list of ingredients.

Love this! Am really stock on my weight and I was trying to find something like this! Thanks for sharing ! Question: 1-can a do 2 big Snacks ( coffee  and WHC ) and 1 Meal? 2- And you said you gain 2pounds later, why that happen?

Hi there, really good blog. How much weight did you lose during the 5 days?

Hi Gemma, it's above in the "My Progress" part 😊

VERY nice blog and recipes! Thanks for sharing, Martina! 😊

How do I make the salmon and cream cheese parcels or something similar at home?

I think it was just smoked salmon, herbs (dill works well) and lemon juice so it should be easy to make them 😊

I need to loose weight can u share me a good keto diet plan to shed off weight ASAP.

You can get my diet plans: ketodietebooks.com/ (they are ideal for weight loss) - for free diet plans, scroll down that page. I hope this helps!

Today is 3/13/2018 and I am just now getting off a 5 day 800 cal. for 3 months fasting.I feel great,but my #'s still stay up in the 300 range.I was on 3 different types of diabetic meds. that would not get the #'s out of the 300 range,even up to 700 or more as my meter reads high on those days when I wasn't watching what I was eating.After getting myself off the meds. I even had my #'s in the 200 range something the med.s could not do.After research and research I came across DrAxe.com such an amazing man and I noticed that what I was eating was causing a lot of damage.Foods like rice,noodles,popcorn,breads of all kinds,beans REALLY! Oh yes,beans would sky rocket my #'s and fruits,go figure! I will say I have a strong will power when it comes to food as I am not a big eater at all it was just what I was eating that a normal person could eat and not effect them at all, like my hubby! Oh yes, dear old hubby can scarf down all kinds of high carbs,high calories,foods high in GI and I checked his #'s they were 98 on my meter,say what??? My dad who is a diabetic as well been normal weight all his life can take his meds. and be in the 90 range.My dad's mom died of diabetes in her 60's so genetics plays a part as well,not good! I had very large 8 boys at birth and was diagnosed with 6 of them GD. I struggled with weight loss for all my married 35 years, but now weight loss is not a factor it comes off for no reason.I am 173lbs 5ft8 before married and baby life I was 125 5ft 10,yep loss even footage! My busy life lead me to your site trying to find meals ideas that will benefit my life and I am so happy to find your meal plan that will be perfect for me to give a try! Sry for the long comment,but I will give your plan a try and keep you updated on the outcome that I am so positive about that will benefit me 100%! “”

Hi, I have been having weight loss problems for many years. Now that I am 50, it has become harder. My question:  Am I allowed to have a protein (whey) smoothie on the Fat Fast? I work out in the early mornings, so need it for post recovery. Thanks so much for helping us.

Hi Naomi, I think that it's better to avoid it on a fat fast. It may be better if you only do light exercise when reducing your calorie intake during fat fast.

I've been stalled for a few weeks now and began a FAT Fast yesterday.  Today I found this great plan of yours and have printed all of the menus and recipes.  The photos look wonderful, such a variety and very colorful.  I've done the Egg Fast in the past and am hoping the Fat Fast will be even better due to the variety of foods I can eat.  I found the Egg Fast quite boring even though I love eggs. Thanks and I love your BLOG and your latest cookbook too.

Thank you Pat, I hope you find this diet plan useful!

I gained 2.5 pounds on my first day following your meal plan? Ant thoughts? On day two and nervous.

I think it's just natural weight fluctuation (very common for women but also men). Make sure that you first get keto-adapted before following a fat fast. I'd give it 2-3 more days.

what a wonderful blog! i like the photos 😊 i "suddenly" gained 17 lbs over the last year and i need to get back in shape. i think a 5 day fat fast will be just the thing to kick start my keto diet! thk you!

Hello, Have been trying IF for a while and all is good so far. My work schedule is so tight and I'd like to know if I am doing right. Get up around 4:30 and be at home 6 weekdays. Try to eat with my boys dinner around 6:30-7:00. And I go to bed around 9. Is it too early? I mean almost 1 hour after dinner I go to bed. And also, I feel hunger in the morning, because almost 8 hours after rising I only can eat. Should I switch my meal schedules? Or what can I eat/drink if I feel very hungry? I drunk bone broth today. Does it break my fasting? I really enjoy your website and will try some recipes over the weekend. Thanks so much, Hanife

Hi Hanife, here's a post that may help (intermittent fasting): Complete Guide to Intermittent Fasting I understand this may be difficult due to your work schedule but if you feel hungry/dizzy, you should eat more or increase your portion sizes. How about having a quick snack if you can't have a regular meal? Make sure you eat enough protein - that's what will keep hunger at bay. Bone broth is low in calories and I don't think it will break your fast. I hope this helps!

Hi your site is absolutely wonderful with clear pics of your meals and alot of information. It is easy to read and perfect to use,giving one an excellent guide to follow on the ketogenic diet.I am still in ketosis,and have done a test to confirm this,have lost 4 kg over a month,but now over one week i am not loosing  at all,scale shows i have picked up 500g.I am really not cheating in any type of way,but have kept strickly to my eating pattern as before.How can a whole week go by without me loosing something.I only eat 2 meals a day which is fine for me.I donot really excercise,and have still lost before and even eat 2 meals a day,wheras others eat 3 meals a day.I have lost steadily,now all of a sudden the scale shows the same as a week ago.But yet i am still in ketosis,so how can i NOT loose some weight in a week.If the body is keeping water,HOW LONG will this go on for? I drink enough water daily too.Am i still loosing weight,although it does not show on the scale?

Thank you Tania, I hope this post helps: How To Low Carb: 15+ Common Weight Loss Mistakes

How does MCT oil fit into this fat fast?

I use MCT oil as a supplement (in smoothies and coffee). You can use it on a fat fast too - just make sure you don't exceed the recommended amounts. MCT oil may sometimes cause stomach distress.

Thanks for this! I've been on keto for 4 weeks now, in ketosis for almost the same period. Apart from a couple of pounds of water weight loss right in the beginning, I haven't lost any weight OR inches although I've noticed that my keto sticks have started to turn a much darker shade of purple in the last 2-3 days...on the other hand, I definitely feel heavier on my abdomen and cheeks. I'm 5'3 at 110 lbs trying to get to my usual weight of 105. I know that might seem low but I have pockets of (new) fat that I'm trying to lose, e.g upper arms. I restrict my calories to about 1200 on average per week, but calorie cycle to avoid any metabolism slowdown. I'm also sedentary with no exercise at all. My macros are pretty spot-on, ❤ 0 g grabs, protein in 50g-65g range and the rest from fats. Fat intake comes from meat, eggs, avocado, oils and occasionally almond butter. My question is, given that I seem to be stuck on a weight plateau (with slight weight gain) on keto, will the fat fast aggravate the weight gain or help me kickstart weight loss? Apologies for the loooong email, it helps to confide!!!

Hi Yasmin, I'd actually try something else instead - how about adding some exercise and convert those extra few pounds into muscles? Instead of just losing body fat, I'd try to gain muscles muscles at the same time - if I were you - so you might want to try resistance training and focus on large muscle groups. Have you checked your macros? Here is a tool that will help: KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet . I think that 1200 kcal is way too low but it's good that you cycle.

I love this post, but with regards to the woman weighing 110 and 5'3", you should be more vigilant, don't you think? Yasmin is at a normal weight for her height and I think pointing her to information that shows that would be a smart choice. Many women and men looking up fat loss info or diets are at risk for eating disorders...I know it's not your job persay, but it could be a part of your mission.

Thank you Rubie. I did point that out and emphasised the importance of muscle gain over weight loss, but as I explained here, I can only point people to the right direction: Low-Carb Experts

Hi Martina, I have been a LCHF for more than a year and have been in my plateau of 72kg for about 6 months. so i decided to do the fat fast, i am on my 3rd day and i have kept my cal under1200 and high fat about 80% but I have not lost any weight as yet.. still 71.7kg-72.5kg. whats going on?

Hi Anita, fat fasting might help but there is no guarantee that it will always work. What's your "usual" calorie intake like? Have you been eating enough on a regular low-carb/ keto diet? Here is a post that might help: Not Losing Weight on a Low-Carb Ketogenic Diet? Don’t Give Up and Read Further

Hi Martina, thank you so much for this article and for all those tips. I really really like your website and come here often. Do you think that there is any value in fat-fasting once a week, e.g. having a very high fat day (~90%) every Monday or would it be rather pointless? Thanks a lot and Best Wishes.  Marie

Thank you Marie! I'd rather go for a day of complete fasting or for intermittent fasting. I'd only use fat fasting for the reasons listed in this post: Complete Guide to Fat Fast Hope this helps!

Hi Martina, I have a nut allergy, what can I use to substitute the MAcademia nuts serving in your Fat Fast plan? BTW... Thank you for making all of these great recipes available.

Thanks Peggy! I I'd use sunflower seeds or avocados or even a piece of cheese if you can eat dairy. Or make "fat bombs" from sunflower seeds, coconut oil & cinnamon... 😊

I have a question, and I've never seen it addressed, so hopefully posting it here will help others too. Is it possible to do keto if you hate avocados? I really, really hate them. They make me retch, they smell awful, and they feel greasy and slimy in my mouth. I hate them and every bloody keto diet/recipe/plan features like 800 avocados a day. Please someone help me. Is there any kind of keto plan that does not force me to choke down avocados???

Hi Delia, yes, it is possible even without avocados. What you might have to be careful about your potassium intake. An average avocado will give you about 50% of your daily potassium values and you will have to make sure to get it from other food sources (salmon, mushrooms, eggplants, leafy greens and you may also need to add some "lite" salt).

Hey 😊 Thanks for a the great info!! Was just wondering what your thoughts are regarding using whey protein when low carbing and a high fat diet. I love mixing a scoop of protein powder and coconut oil...

Hi Marieette, I use whey protein myself (high quality, without sweeteners or unhealthy additives). In general, you can use whey protein if you are physically active and make sure you don't go too much over your daily protein intake (see how to find it here: KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet ).

I've been plateaued for months now. 44 y/o and in the past 2 yrs keto just hasn't seemed to work anymore. So I tried to up the fat content, adding coconut oil & cream to coffee. This makes me running to the bathroom ill. So maybe I should ditch that (already did) and try this. Thanks for the input. Any other info always welcome.

Hi Jenn, I think this may help but in the long term, you may need to adjust your macros. Make sure you get enough protein and avoid options with low calorie intake (ketoDiet Buddy: KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet ) I'd try to stay within 1400-1600 kcal but that's just a guess that works in general.

Hi Martina, I love your app. I find this diet easier than in your other one I tried before. Just days following the plans from the app I lost my desire for sweets. 😊  I have a question where are these meals on your app? When I search for that fast nothing comes up. Are the meals in this blog not part of the app meals but custom ones? Thank you.

Thank you Victoria, that's amazing! These meals are not in the "meals" tab but you can find them in the integrated blog (last tab). You can then tap "add to Custom meals" and they will appear in your Planner ready to be added to your days. If you search for "Ketodiet" or "blog", you'll find all your blog meals (in the Planner). We have been working on new features and are planning to enhance the  overall UI. Hope this helps 😊

Hi thank u for explaining abt the fat fast...but can you please explain how in the long run to stay in ketosis...do I need to be in a mainly higher macro fat or higher macro protein diet...I'm so confused..please help.

Sorry for the late rely - I haven't seen your comment. Please, have a look at this tool - it will help you stay within the right macros: KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet You don't need to be in ketosis all the time if your aim is to lose weight or maintain it. In general, you should follow a high fat and moderate protein diet (low-carb) so your fat intake should stay high.

I have loved reading all of the info you have here!! Just fabulous!  I have lost 60 pounds (regained 30) using a VLCD that was also low carb and very low fat.  I'm having a ton of trouble with this diet this go around!  However, after having success with weight loss using this VLCD method previously, I'm hesitant (scared) to increase my calories and fat to the amount the calculator is recommending.  I'm keto-adapted so do you think a fat fast would be a good place for me to start and then change to the calories and fat recommended for a keto diet rather than my VLCD?? Ugh, change is hard😊

Hi Susie, thank you! I'm not a dietitian but I can tell you what I think. I don't think you need to start with a fat fast. The low-fat diet you've been following may be the reason for your weight gain. I suppose it's also a high protein and low-calorie diet. I'm not sure how many calories you've been eating, just guessing. Protein & fat are the most sating macronutrients but too much protein & too little calories will impair your weight loss and may damage your health. The truth is that you'll have to overcome your fear of fat. I think that the best way to do it is to add fats incrementally, ~ 200 kcal from fats a week and decrease your protein intake (I suppose your protein intake must be quite high since your carbs are low). If you were used to a low-calorie / low-fat diet, this may be a better approach than just start eating high-fat from one day to another. Hope this helps!

Hi how did you transition from the fat fast?I always gain a couple pounds ,more than 4 ,when I go to LCHF direct.Can you post a menu plan that worked for you after you were done with fat fast?

Hi Sandra, just naturally ate less and that's how I didn't gain all the weight back. I can't remember what exactly I had but I know I ate less than usual for at least a week or so. I'll have to try the fat fast again and will post a diet plan after I track it 😊

a few questions: I know how good coconut oil is for me, but I gag on it. Any tips to disguising its flavor? when I wasn't doint keto diet, I could disguise the flavor with honey- so now I'm stumped. tried coffee, but I still smell it unless I hold my nose. 2nd question-should I eat if I'm not hungry? I'm so used to diets that say eat every 3-4 hours to rev metabolism, do I have to eat if I'm not hungry, so I'm getting enough fat?  don't know why this diet is working- but don't care, 2.1 lbs after 4 days- unheard of for a 54 year old woman. Comments?

Have you tried making fat bombs? Add cocoa powder, cinnamon and stevia (or Erythritol). Or add some almond or other nut butter. If you are not hungry, do not eat. The main reason people successfully lose weight on a low-carb diet is their satiety effect - people naturally eat less without feeling hungry. I have all about the keto diet in my post here: Keto Diet Guide for Beginners Hope this helps!

You said a couple times that you shouldn't do the fat fast if you are new to low carb/keto diet. What is the reason for this? I have been doing the keto diet for 17 days (with one cheat day after 10 days but I decided no more cheat days for at least a month), and I wanted to try the fat fast just to make sure I'm in ketosis, as I heard the keto strips aren't reliable and the meter is too expensive. I'm worried I may be eating too much protein or I'm getting hidden carbs somewhere that's preventing me from getting into ketosis. I feel the fat fast would be a guarantee I'd go into ketosis.

Hi Shannon, yes that's correct. I wouldn't recommend following a the fat fast if you are new to the diet. Fat fast is low in calories and for that reason it would be difficult for you because you'd feel worse if you are not keto-adapted (you may still be using glucose as primary energy source). You may be confusing two different things - to be in ketosis and to be keto-adapted. You can easily be (and most likely are) in ketosis just after 2-3 days of a ketogenic diet. However, it takes time for your body to use ketones for energy effectively (it usually takes 3-4 weeks). Don't focus too much on ketones, I have more about this here: Ketosis & Measuring Ketones: All You Need To Know Are you tracking your diet? That may help you find out whether there are any hidden carbs you may have been eating. If you're not sure whether your macros are right, try KetoDiet Buddy (my keto calculator): KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet Hope this helps!

I think I've bought everything you sell. 😊) Ok, I'm a 52 year old female~just rec'd bloodwork confirming I've just crossed the threshold into menopause.  I did keto nearly 2 years ago and lost about #25 in 2 months. I let stress knock me out and it's back.  This time around something has changed and after 6 weeks of consistently moderate to large ketosis I have not lost anything.  I think that 'something' is menopause.  Do you have any counsel on what adjustments have worked for other women in menopause?  I wondered about decreasing the protein and increasing the fat, ergo the Fat Fast.  Bought the Fat Fast book by Dana Carpender.  I Have to do something . . . tell me I don't have to wait until after menopause to get my body back. Many thanks!!! Monica 😊

Hi Monica, I don't have any personal experience but I know some women don't seem to be doing well on keto while in menopause, or generally while in menopause and following any diet. Firstly, try the keto calculator and see if your macros are about right: KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet . Yes fat fast may help and I'd give it a try! If you don't see any improvements and your weight is still stalling, maybe you should consult this with an expert. I can only recommend Franziska Spritzler who is a registered dietitian specialised in low-carb diets (www.lowcarbdietitian.com).

Your reply about menopausal women not having luck with any diet is just depressing! Lol. However I know  I too have been in ketosis for 12 weeks now and haven't lost anything but water 😞. I feel better, clear headed, no bloating, but am sad that I can't get below 29%bf right now. I am working out, lifting etc to keep muscles mass I have...but really want to lean out. I have done fat fast in past, didn't lose more than 2 pounds, and never got as high of ketones as you did. HOW does one get ketones above 2 in one day? Do you think hormones effect ketones? I have been eating 20-25 total carbs and have never gotten above .7 in morning, and highest was 1.7 mid afternoon.  Does one need more fats to reach Higher ketones, while keeping carbs low. My protein averages 50-70 grams. I'm 5'2, small boned and weight 134. Thank you!

Hi Terri, no need to get discouraged! Have a look at this post: http://www.lowcarbdietitian.com/1/post/2013/05/aging-gracefully-with-carbohydrate-restriction-and-mind-body-exercise.html Although may be more difficult to succeed while in menopause, low-carb eating is still the best way to achieve weight loss. Keep join mind that ketone levels are not the most important factor in weight loss. The two major factors are: hormone balance and satiety effect of LCHF eating. Check out these two posts: Ketosis & Measuring Ketones: All You Need To Know and Total Carbs or Net Carbs: What Really Counts?

I am going to be 52 next week. I am premenaposal. I have been on Keto diet for over a month. Lost initial water weight, about 8 lbs first week. I had over 80lbs to loose, so I expected that I would loose a lot of initial fat fairly quickly.  I found that no matter how much water I drank, or how well I followed the diet, I haven't lost any more weight the entire month. Then I started doing the brisk walks, 30-40 min a day for the past 10 days, and that helped to get things going I think.  I've averaged .5 - 1 lb loss per day, down 7 lbs in the last 10 days. I don't know yet, maybe it's more water weight? I hope the combination of additional excersise & starting the fat fast pushes me into fat burning. I just started the fat fast, I am going to go for 5 days.  I'll let you know how I do. Mary

Hi Mary, well done - this doesn't look like water weight so it looks like you found what works best for you! Good luck and keto on 😊

Troy not Trou lol

Just curious about how much water you were drinking Thanks

Hi Troy, I did drink a bit more than usual, it helped me with hunger issues, about 3 litres a day (water and herbal tea).

I'm 5'6" 113lbs and 24% bodyfat sorry I forgot to enter my height!!!

Hello would this work if I have been low carb for 5 months? I am 25 y/o female and I weigh 113 pounds. I'm 24% body fat so that is not ideal for me. I am looking to lose the excess flabby bits. What I ate before was 115g of protein and less than 20g of carbs maybe 25 g of fat. So I was extremely low fat dieting. Is this where I should start if I want to lower my body fat percentage? What do you think? I see that low calorie high protein and low fat/carb does not work to get my bodyfat lower. I've been to a doctor and nothing is wrong with me medically, maybe the protein was turning into glucose and getting stored as sugar?? Thank you!!!

Hi Jules, Are you sure your body fat is 24%? You weight is quite low but I can't be sure. Have you checked KetoDiet Buddy? KetoDiet Buddy - Easy Macro Calculator for the Ketogenic Diet Because your weight is quite low, it may be more beneficial for you if you focus on exercise, especially strength training/ lifting to build muscles. This will transform your body significantly by lowering your body fat and growing muscles. Just to make sure, you have been following a low-carb diet for 5 months and were doing low-fat with the above macronutrients before that? Or were you following both low-carb and low-fat at the same time? If that's the case, you need to increase your FAT intake and decrease your protein intake. By using my keto calculator, you can determine your carbs level and the remaining macronutrients (protein and fat) will be calculated based on your body weight, body fat, etc. I have also included some comparison photos for body fat, so you can check if your estimate is correct. I tried to calculate your ideal macros but I'd need to know your activity level. Based on this, your protein intake should be anywhere between 51-86 grams. Most of your calories should come from fats (~70-80% in your case). The fat fast is only designed to help those who are already keto-adapted (by following a low-carb, HIGH-FAT diet) and their weight has been stalling. Details are here: Complete Guide to Fat Fast Hope this helps!

Thank you Martina! Love your site very much! I was following a very low fat and very low carb diet high in protein. I think that caused the protein to convert to glucose. I will shot for a higher fat intake and strength training! Thanks again. Yesterday I had 60 G protein and 93 g fat with 12 g carbs. Is this correct?

Thank you Jules! Yes, those macronutrients sound correct for a LCHF diet and I guess you used the calculator. I think you may not need to be so low in carbs. This level is individual, not everyone needs to be on a diet with less than 20 grams of carbs / net carbs. I have more about it here: How Many Carbs per Day on a Low-Carb Ketogenic Diet?

No reply needed--just wanted to say that I broke a nearly year-long stall by lowering my protein intake.  So far, I lost 10 lbs. in 1 mo., and the losing still goes on. Gluconeogenesis is a nasty thing.

Congratulations! Yes, too much protein can cause weight stalling, good you found what it was, keto on Wenchypoo!

I had the same problem as Wenchypoo and had to drop my protein intake in order to lose weight. However, now I have 15 more pounds to lose and my weight hasn't changed for the last 2 months. I may give this fat fast a try!

I had the opposite problem and had to increase my protein intake in order to lose more weight. I'm now eating 65-70% calories from fat (used to be 75-80%) and I'm finally losing weight again! I still don't go over the recommended protein from ketodiet buddy calculator and seems to be working 😊

I agree, if it works for you, don't increase your protein intake. KetoDiet Buddy relies on the input / data and we are all different after all 😊

This sound quite easy to follow! I've been on a low-fat diet for years and it has definitely destroyed my body. I really want to learn how to eat this way but I can't seem to go over my fear of fat. Any tips?

It is, or at least it was for me. If you just started, it's better to avoid the fat fast and start with "regular" low-carb plan like the one I link to in this post. I also suggest you read my easy keto guide here: Keto Diet Guide for Beginners

So which fats tare the healthiest? It's quite high in fats and I want to make sure I use the right type.

Hi Tim, I would say MUFA and omega 3s from animal sources... and saturated fats from coconut oil are the most beneficial options.

So glad to hear I don't need to stick with the 90% fat rule. This was the biggest challenge for me and the main reason I never tried fat fast. Thanks so much for sharing!

Thank you for your kind words, I hope it works for you!

I have impatiently been waiting for this post and I'm not disappointed,,, I haven't expected anything less from you 😊 I've been stuck on the same weight for more than 2 months and I really wanter to try this fat fast. I've attempted a total fat but that was not successful and I hope I can follow this one. Seems quite easy, I'll just have to cut my calories and up my fats a bit,,, My regular calorie intake is 1800 and 70% fat, so I'll try to go for 1000 kcal and 80-85% fat. And thanks for sharing your meal plan!!

Thank you Ellie! Yes, I think it's easier to follow and it seems to make no difference if you eat less fat. Hope it works for you!

Thank you for sharing your meal plans.

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The effect of high-fat versus high-carb diet on body composition in strength-trained males

Affiliation.

• 1 Department of Dietetics Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW) Warsaw Poland.
• PMID: 34026070
• PMCID: PMC8116875
• DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2204

Low-fat, high-carb (LFHC) and low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diets change body composition as a consequence of the reduction of body fat of overweight persons. The aim of this study is the assessment of the impact of LFHC and LCHF diets on body composition of men of a healthy body mass who do strength sports while maintaining the appropriate calorific value in a diet and protein intake. The research involved 55 men aged 19-35, with an average BMI of 24.01 ± 1.17 (min. 20.1, max. 26.1). The participants were divided into two groups following two interventional diets: high-fat diet or high-carb diet, for 12 weeks. The body composition of the participants was measured using bioimpedance. After the 12-week-long experiment based on the low-carbohydrate diet, a significant body mass reduction of 1.5% was observed. In the group, following the LFHC diet, the parameters did not significantly change. In the group following LCHF diet, the body fat reduction of 8.6% from 14 (6.7-19.8) kg to 12.7 (3.9-19.2) was reported ( p = 0.01) (in the absolute value of 1.2 kg). However, also in the LFHC group, the body fat mass was significantly reduced, that is, by 1.5% ( p = 0.01) (by 0.4 kg). Nevertheless, it is worth emphasizing that despite significant changes within the groups, these changes were not statistically significant between the groups. Diets with different carbohydrate and fat intake and the energy value covering the energy needs of men training strength sports have similar impact on changes in body composition.

Keywords: body composition; body weight; high‐carbohydrate diet; high‐fat diet; strength sports.

© 2021 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they do not have any conflict of interest.

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• Treatment of NAFLD with intermittent calorie restriction or low-carb high-fat diet - a randomised controlled trial. Holmer M, Lindqvist C, Petersson S, Moshtaghi-Svensson J, Tillander V, Brismar TB, Hagström H, Stål P. Holmer M, et al. JHEP Rep. 2021 Feb 17;3(3):100256. doi: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2021.100256. eCollection 2021 Jun. JHEP Rep. 2021. PMID: 33898960 Free PMC article.
• Consuming a hypocaloric high fat low carbohydrate diet for 12 weeks lowers C-reactive protein, and raises serum adiponectin and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol in obese subjects. Ruth MR, Port AM, Shah M, Bourland AC, Istfan NW, Nelson KP, Gokce N, Apovian CM. Ruth MR, et al. Metabolism. 2013 Dec;62(12):1779-87. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2013.07.006. Epub 2013 Sep 26. Metabolism. 2013. PMID: 24075505 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
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Cycling Ascents

living and cycling near Alpe d'Huez, in the french alps

My continuing low carb experience – will ketosis make me a better cyclist?

Exercise without Carbs

Cycling on a Low Carb Diet Update

So….before we start I thought it might be useful to define some terms I’ll be using or you might have come across in case you are not familiar with them.  If you are, skip ahead!

(Nutritional) Ketosis – the state your body is in when it is producing ketones (above a certain level).  Usually achieved by restricting carbs to between 30 – 50g per day (could be more or less depending on the person and their level of exercise volume & intensity)

Low Carb High Fat Diet (LCHF) – any diet where carbs are generally restricted & replaced with additional fat (protein stays the same), but without the carb restriction down to the levels to promote nutritional ketosis.

Ketones (or ketone bodies) – a by product of burning fat (so the more floating around your body the more in ketosis you are)…and the preferred fuel for your brain when in a depleted carbohydrate state

(Diabetic) Ketoacidosis – a bad thing!  An condition potentially affecting diabetics when blood sugar and ketone levels both get dangerously high (not possible in non diabetics). Related to but not at all the same as ketosis…if someone tells you ketosis is dangerous then they are probably mixing it up with this.

Keto Adaption – when your body has been in nutritional ketosis long or often enough, and has produced sufficient enzymes to increase fat utilisation levels & your muscles have become efficient at using these increased levels of fat as fuel.  In real tems you are at the point where athletic performance returns to ‘pre ketosis levels’  Around 1 – 2 months as a rough estimate, but probably varies based on how ‘strict’ you are with keeping the carbs low.

Keto Flu – the flu like symptoms when first entering into ketosis. Your body & brain’s way of saying wtf do I do with this new fuel, and where have my carbs gone???  Usually over within a week or so, depending on how hard you reduce the carbs down.  Symptoms are often made worse due to lack of hydration & low sodium levels.

Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5 – nothing to do with ketosis or diets, but shorthand for training zones as defined by Andy Coggan.  Z1 is recovery pace,Z2 is endurance levels, or steady riding, Z3 is tempo (think challenging group ride pace), Z4 is threshold, and Z5 VO2 max.  Roughly.  There is more to it than that, but hopefully you get the idea.

I’d also like to state that while I’ve learnt a lot about low carb diets and ketosis over the last 6 months and the effect it’s had on my own athletic performance, I’m not an expert and definitely not a doctor.  If you are thinking about trying ketosis or a low carb diet out, I would very much recommend it (you’ll see why just below!) but I encourage you to do your own research, and if you have any existing conditions then to definitely check things out with your doctor or a medical professional.  Keep in mind though that while ketogenic diets are getting more popular they are still very much contrary to the ‘traditional’ nutritional advice so the response you get may not be 100% positive, but use it to make you own mind up along with whatever research you have done into your own personal circumstances to determine if it’s for you or not.  Get out clause / ass covering over 🙂

So, before I get to the question you want hear an answer for, why should you consider trying out ketosis? ie what will be the positive effects?

• Potential weight loss, while not affecting energy levels for effective training. This is a big one! Balancing hunger, calories, energy levels and a training schedule on a traditional low fat high carb diet is a nightmare….on a low carb high fat diet it’s a relative piece of cake!…but you can’t eat the cake… 🙂
• Less reliance on high carbohydrate energy products (which cause gastric problems for a lot of people, including myself)
• Ability to exercise for long periods with minimal fuelling…less chance of bonking / hitting the wall etc
• Concentration levels can be maintained for longer…no brain fog from being in a low blood sugar state
• Consistent energy levels throughout the day
• Feeling just as full of energy after a long ride as before it!  For example not needing to crash out on the sofa after getting back from a tough ride…handy for anyone who’s not a professional athlete.
• More consistent mood
• Better quality of sleep…another big one.  I personally think sleep is the most important aspect of recovery, and recovery is often woefully neglected
• Less oxidative stress for a given level of exercise (compared to when consuming carbohydrate energy products)…this means quicker / easier recovery as you do less damage to your body in the first place

So, this sounds great huh?  Of course, as with pretty much everything in life, there are two sides to every story.  Here are some of the things that aren’t so great about the diet:

• Learning what you can and can’t eat – as this is probably a big dietary change for most people, it takes time and effort to discover and learn new recipes, buy in all the different products you’ll need, and unless you live alone or convert you whole family you’ll probably be cooking two separate meals each time you eat (or at least cooking one meal and adjusting yours to include more fat).  There are plenty of resources out there to help however, and  this is a good one to start with .
• Following on from above…..Social eating.  It’s possible but not always easy to follow a LCHF or keto diet while out at a restaurant, and I wouldn’t even try if I was invited to someone’s house for a meal (although of course it’s probably ok to ask if you can pass on the potatoes).
• No more beer….or French bread…or ‘insert your favorite carbohydrate rich product here’.  As you are either in ketosis or not, you can’t ‘cheat’ with this diet, and definitely not in the early stages.  In one way I think this is a good thing….sugar is remarkably addictive and it took me a good couple of months before I didn’t feel the urge to eat something sugary whenever I saw it. However now I look at a piece of chocolate in exactly the same way I’d see a big chunk of cheese…it’s just food.  It wasn’t like that 2 weeks into a LCHF diet I can tell you!  But tough it out and it will be worth it…
• Your cholesterol levels could increase.  This is a complicated subject, so I’ll just say that for most people cholesterol improves…as shown by this study , but for a small number (myself included) your total cholesterol levels can increase.  I’m not personally concerned however, as my ‘good cholesterol’ (HDL) has increased, my triglyceride levels are low and while my ‘bad cholesterol (LDL) is higher than I would like, it’s the particle size that matters, and LCHF diets typically increase LDL particle size (which is good)…..so if you are still with me I think I’m going to be ok!
• Aside from dietary implications, you might lose your capacity to exercise at very high intensities, such as sprinting, or short efforts above VO2 max for example.  Early on in the diet, when you are still adapting, anything above tempo (a strong effort but not really fast) feels terrible, but then as time goes on everything goes back to normal…with a little bit taken off the top end. Having said that though, this study showed that long term LCHF athletes had just as much glycogen stored in their muscles and replenished it at the same rate (despite not eating carbs) as the high carb athletes….so you might be fine!

So if you’ve got to this stage and think, yes, on balance sounds good, should I try it out?  Then I’d say absolutely, give it a try.  Especially if you are:

• a long distance athlete (ie take part in events that take 4 hours or more)
• are struggling with carbohyrates, or have the feeling that they are doing you no good
• have swings in energy levels or mood (ie do you often feel you would like to take a nap early afternoon?)
• would benefit from losing some weight, but don’t want constant hunger and lack of energy
• not someone who needs a race winning sprint

If you’d like to learn more about ketosis and the effect on sporting performance, I’d really recommend this book by Volek & Phinney.  They are at the forefront of science in this area.

Now I’ve covered the bigger picture, how is it going for me?  The last blog post I wrote was just before Christmas, and I wasn’t convinced I was going to get through without being tempted back to the dark side (my traditional high carb diet).  It went remarkably well however, and while I did of course eat many things that meant I was nowhere near ketosis, I generally stuck to avoiding the high concentrations of carbs (except for the odd desert!) and then afterwards settled back into a LCHF diet, a bit more relaxed than the ketogenic diet I was trying to stick to prior to Christmas.  This worked well for me in the off season, especially as I wasn’t doing much exercise at all (our new project kept me off the bike for most of Jan – April).  However I decided to try and get back into Ketosis in April, to see what effect it would have on the long rides I typically do when getting back into base training.

The first thing my engineer brain thought was ‘well how can I measure that I will actually be in ketosis?’  Some people are happy to restrict their carbs and, quite rightly, assume that they will be in ketosis.  But being a precise kind of guy, I have to know!

I’ve used Ketostix before – which are great when you start out, but less accurate as time goes on (they measure the waste ketones in your urine, however after you become keto adapted your body disposes of less and less of them…as it finds a balance on how many to produce, and the body becomes more effective at actually using them as an energy source.)  I thought that my 2 months keto and then 3 month LCHF would potentially make them useless.

An alternative is blood monitoring.  Using the same device that diabetics use to measure blood glucose levels, you can buy strips specifically to check your blood ketone levels.  While very accurate, they cost a fortune!  So I plumped for option 3….

A Ketonix – a device that measures the acetone (another by product of ketosis) in your breath.  The advantage of this device is that it’s a one time investment – no strips required, so you can test as often as you like!  It also tells you in real time how much you are in ketosis (the blood test shows you how long / much you have been in ketosis as the ketones in your blood are effectively an energy storage facility by your body, but you could have a high value, eat a doughnut and be out of ketosis while still having (temporarily) high blood ketone levels).  Therefore using the breath test method (Ketonix) you can in theory find out which foods might kick you out of ketosis, how many carbs you can eat after exercise while staying in ketosis, etc etc.  Sounds perfect! Unfortunately, my Ketonix doesn’t work.

I know this as after many weeks of trying, and sticking to 30 – 40g of carbs per day, I still wasn’t getting values showing I was in ketosis, and often getting a zero reading.  So in the end I bought a blood monitor anyway, which over the period of a week showed I was definitely in ketosis, while the breath monitor was still showing me a big fat zero.

So, after an email to the vendor, I have a replacement on the way which with fingers crossed will work this time!  Note there is a common mistake made by people using the Ketonix regarding the breathing technique….it needs the very last bit of air in your lungs, which can be hard to get right.  I was literally turning my lungs inside out however (I once got cramp in my intercostal muscles I breathed out so far!) so I’m fairly confident I didn’t make that mistake.

Measurement aside, the diet is generally going very well for me.  Compared to my last update my cycling performance is right back to where it should be…perhaps even better – which I’ll talk about more later on (better compared to a high carbohydrate diet, and for the amount of cycling I’ve done so far this year). The sluggishness I sometimes felt in the early stages of the diet before or during exercising is gone, and now I’ve done some longer rides (just with electrolytes) I can clearly state that energy levels are not an issue (the legs on the other hand need a little more work – I’ve not done much riding yet this year compared to normal).  One key factor I feel has really helped get the most out of my performance on this keto diet, is ensuring I am getting enough salt prior to exercise.  It’s another aspect of the diet that is ‘against current advice’, but when in ketosis your insulin levels are very low, and it’s insulin which signals to your body to keep hold of salt.  So in ketosis (or for a lesser extent on a LCHF diet) you need more salt to compensate for the fact that more is just passing straight through your body.  Having your sodium levels wrong can create havoc with your endurance performance (low levels will restrict your blood volume as your body tries to keep the concentration in a certain range).  Obviously if you have high blood pressure already you will need to be careful about this, but if not, I’d keep adding salt to your diet based on feel.  A drink made from a beef stock cube will really boost salt levels, and if you have one of these an hour or so prior to exercise it can really make a difference.  Salted mixed nuts are now my cycling ’emergency snack’ rather than gels or bars, which I’ll occasionally take a small amount towards the end of a really long or tough ride.

Another good tip which can give an energy boost is the use of MCT oil.  This is oil that has been refined (yes I know processing is not good) to just leave the medium chain triglycerides (C8 is the best, followed by C10) which are most efficiently used by your body during ketosis.  I’ll typically have this in the morning with butter in my decaf coffee  – look up bullet proof coffee…you can use real coffee for an extra fat burning boost…I’m just not very good with caffeine unfortunately.  Now I’ve been in ketosis a while I seem to digest it pretty quickly, so sometimes have one 1/2 hr or so prior to exercise for a boost in energy levels.  Normally fat prior to exercise is a bad thing as it’s difficult to digest (if you are on a traditional diet), but I think the combination of the medium chain oils and being keto adapted means it goes down just fine!

Other potential energy sources that I’m yet to do much experimentation with (but it’s in the plan) are:

Exogenous ketones – these are synthetic ketones (exogenous means produced outside the body) which are usually sold as a dieting aid…but potentially give a big increase in blood ketones hence energy levels

Vespa – a really interesting looking product that stimulates your body to produce more of it’s own ketones (using peptides extracted from wasps!) I’m keen to try this one out – if it’s good enough to help Romain Bardet win a stage and come second overall in the TdF then I’m willing to try it!  More to follow on both of these…

So to finish (sorry for being a tease :)) I’ll get to the original question..has being on a keto / LCHF diet made me a better cyclist?  Well I did a training ride the other day that’s a standard ‘long-ish’ test for me – 100km (give or take) with just short of 1600m climbing.  I went pretty hard, especially given it’s the first time I’ve done it this year.  Rather depressingly, power numbers while climbing were well down compared to previous years, but I did expect this as I’ve done much less riding this year – about 80 hours so far this year compared to about 180 at the same stage last year…and much less higher intensity work.  So that was to be expected, and I did wonder if I was setting myself up for trouble – going hard, longer than usual, first time of trying this year, not enough miles in the legs…all the standard ingredients in a recipe for disaster called bonking.  But I continued to feel ok so kept going.  The first thing I noticed was that despite the lower power, the lower weight meant that the climbing speed wasn’t too bad.  Also, sections in between climbs where I’d typically have to back off (my normal thinking is there’s no point burning your matches when on a carb based diet on the flats…I want to save more energy for the climbs, as I live in the French Alps) I felt that I could still keep a relatively good pace…and it didn’t appear to be affecting my overall energy reserves.  It felt like an upper zone 2 endurance pace, which before I changed my diet I could keep up for a long time but would ultimately be using some of my energy at a slow rate, was now mine to use for free!  This is possibly because the diet has bumped up the intensity I can ride at while still maintaining 100% fat burning…I’ve no idea of the numbers as I’ve never done the relevant testing but my guess would be that in the past, even when fit I was probably something like 75%/25% carbs vs fat at that intensity (upper Z2), so even though 25% of not much is not a lot of calories burnt, over time it still depletes your glycogen reserves.  Riding on the flat or downhill at this pace felt just fine even at the end of my ride, where typically everything normally feels bad (just different levels of bad!).  During the second half of the last climb of the day I did feel like I was starting to lose strength, but 20g of salty nuts later I felt much better.  Whether it was the salt or the small amount of carbs (I’d been riding between Z3 & Z4 on the climbs so will have been using glycogen) I don’t know, but it picked me up and I finished feeling pretty good, especially for the effort I’d put in, and the fact that I’d gone way harder than usual for a first effort of that type for the year.  So how did I do?  Well despite the fairly poor power (which gives me something to aim at improving), and lack of training hours I got round in a shade under my best time ever….which pretty much blew me away.  I was purposely trying to avoid carbs during the ride in order to test myself, but would not do this in a race situation so even with my current relatively poor level of fitness there is scope for improvement.  I was riding alone so there was no drafting effect, & given the amount of climbing the weather / wind doesn’t come into it too much (although weather conditions were pretty good, so this might have helped a little).  I was probably also unconsciously pushing a little harder maybe (as I wanted to be faster) but seriously didn’t realise until near the end of the last climb that I was on for a good time.

So, for one test in my own personal n=1 experiment, the result is a (totally unscientific)win for ketosis! Perhaps a little more testing needs to be done :), but it’s started in the right direction.

18 Replies to “My continuing low carb experience – will ketosis make me a better cyclist?”

Kevin, Super excited to have found your site! Started Keto three weeks ago and have been extremely frustrated with my power outputs on zwift. All the sudden I cannot hang with the normal group of riders I usually ride with. I am hopeful that I turn the corner in a few weeks like you have written about getting back to “normal power.” I was worried that this was the new norm and have almost given up but after reading this I am gonna go on for the original three month trial I was going to do! If I keep getting dropped come spring I might need to head back into a modified carb only for specific rides and stay low carb when not cycling. Planning a trip to France in summer of 2019. Hope I can meet you! Thanks, Matt

Nice to hear from you Matt. You are probably in the toughest period right now and you are asking your body to perform just as well as it has in the past but with a completely different fuel source. If there are long hard efforts in the rides you are getting dropped on try taking a small amount of carbs part way through the effort – if you are riding at threshold intensities or higher for more than 10 – 20 minutes then your body will be able to use them without necessarily kicking you out of ketosis. But I’m afraid that you will likely see a drop in performance in your higher intensities for a good while to come…ketosis is better suited to low to mid intensity efforts, and this is even more true prior to you becoming fat adapted. Good luck and let me know how it goes for you!

Thanks for the reply Kevin… I might need to rethink keto but at least it’s winter! Most of my rides are with a group that is faster than me and last for 1-2 hours of pretty intense effort. Today they were keeping a 3.5w/kg pace and I lasted maybe 15 minutes and told them to go on. Old me probably could have hanged. Keto me no way! Confused but will stay on course. When you say take a carb during effort. How many grams and what kind of source would you suggest? I fear I burn through my glycogen stores so fast and then power just suffers the rest of these rides. Only week 4 though so… like you said, probably a very tough portion of training!

Unless your FTP is north of 4w/kg then I’d say that these rides are too tough for 4 weeks into ketosis…if you can only manage a 15 minute effort which you would have previously kept up for an hour or more indicates to me that your glycogen levels are low (normal for someone just into keto)…and as your body is still burning it at a relatively fast a rate you run out of steam much more quickly (also normal for the stage you are at!). Over time your body will get better at creating your own glycogen, and you will burn it more slowly for a given intensity – so you’ll get back to where you should be, except for the hardest efforts .I’d just keep it at a lower intensity for another month and then see how the faster rides go after that. Can I ask why you are trying a keto diet?

Hey Kevin, Intrigue more than anything. My last ride of the fall was a 150km group ride at a pretty good pace. Many things probably contributed (x bike with different gearing, faster pace, tough workout day before) but I bonked with 50km left. I realize this could have been a one off but this got me thinking about keto. Then I read Attia’s self research numbers and was pretty fascinated by them. Ultimately though I am terrible at eating. I’m an anesthesiologist and I am to go go until I would get home. Woulldnt eat breakfast, wouldn’t eat lunch, then would come home snack on some high sugar food, then eat some high carb meal. So… keto seemed good bc I could get away with this “fast” without it being so detrimental to my health. I decided to give it a try over the winter months. FTP pre keto was 245, FTP yesterday was 215. Pre keto weight was 74.5 now I’m 69. However that 69 is probably still elevated bc of some weight training. I think I just wanted to try it out. I will most likely go back to introducing some starchy carbs come spring and become more targeted. I want to be able to hang with my friends and they are getting stronger of the winter while I’m getting weaker. That weakness is relative obviously bc of my body going through some changes. The question is would my power jump back up if I started eating carbs again or even be higher? My workouts haven’t changed which means after 5 weeks on a normal diet I probably would be stronger. Am I still building muscle even though I feel weaker? Is it just cells changing and their ability to utilize different macronutrients, or did I actually lose muscle, strength, and the ability to hang with these guys. No doubt being 6 or 7 kg lighter I will be faster as you found on your hill climbs. What I need to figure out is… is that 10–12% drop in power (now) worth that 6-7 kg loss in weight? The answer for me today is NO. I would rather have the power. However if that ftp returns at month 2-3 on keto to what it previously was and continues to climb then I think I would continue keto/targeted keto bc of its health benefits and everything else. Wow long answer to your question which could have been summed up as: I want to be able to go long, be strong, stay light, and be healthy! Kevin would you want me to send you emails instead or are you okay with these dialogues being on your blog. I do appreciate your time and wisdom. I also believe we will one day meet in person which is super cool! Thanks, Matt

Hi Matt, First of all if you are happy to keep going with this discussion on the blog them I am too! I think it sounds like a keto diet would suit your lifestyle, but you are unsure if it’s going to work for you from a sporting performance point of view. First of all, I think that worrying about FTP test results is probably the worst thing you could do right now – I presume you did a 20 minute test and that’s probably the power / duration that’s taken one of the biggest hits as your body tries to adapt. Putting your latest FTP numbers to one side, to me working out if it is right for you will boil down to a few points:

a) do you feel better on the new diet? 4 weeks is long enough that if you’ve been restricting your carb intake sufficiently, you should be well into ketosis, and feeling the energy level and other benefits. b) is feeling strong 4 hours into a z2/3/4 ride more important than your FTP? c) do you struggle to get to the weight you want to be on a carb based diet?

If you answered yes for all of the above…I’d personally live with the lower FTP (which I’m sure will come back with time) and stick with it. If you answered no, then maybe keto isn’t for you. We all have different levels of carb tolerance, if you are ok with carbs, you might not find the benefits enough to outweigh the disadvantages. Keto clearly seems to fit your lifestyle, you need to decide if it fits with your cycling ambitions. But don’t forget that it’s a long term commitment – I haven’t been monitoring my FTP as I’ve not really been training hard while on keto but based on feel I think that it’s taken me more than 6 months to get my 20 minute power back (rather than the 2 – 3 months you mention…but it could be different for you!)

Assuming you are going to stick with it – to answer your question about re-introducing carbs, I’d hold off for the time being. I think that at the stage you are at it will be sending mixed messages to your body. Experiment by all means with carbs when you are keto adapted, but it sounds to me you are not there yet and I think that I’d personally swing more the other way – restrict the carbs more to force your body into making it’s own glycogen. Initially I had to be lower than 30g (ideally less than 20g) of carbs a day to get into ketosis, and build up enough blood ketones to start to feel stronger on the bike again. It sounds to me like you are running a little on empty with regards to glycogen reserves, and if you provide more for your body through food the less likely it is to make the switch to producing it’s own (which is the goal). I found that the cold turkey approach worked for me – I also weighed the food I ate and put it into a spreadsheet – yes it’s a pain, even for an engineer 🙂 But I found it essential in order to get a real idea of the amount of carbs I was eating – until you do this is can be hard to know for sure you are in the correct range.

Lastly, you shouldn’t have any problems from a muscle / strength point of view – ketones (as well as the hormonal changes ketosis causes in your body) are known to ‘spare’ protein:

https://ketogenic.com/performance/will-lose-muscle-ketogenic-diet/

Hey Kevin, probably should have read this earlier. Wife is away for the weekend. I have four kiddos and rode for an hour after putting the younger two down for a nap. Pretty good effort but pretty low power. After taking one to a birthday party the other three wanted some Mexican so we went. On the way I felt off. Maybe dehydrated, probably electrolytes were out of whack but also felt hypoglycemic which shouldn’t be the case. I being very disciplined have probably gone less than 10 grams a day of carbs. I use the Senza app. Well tonight I ordered a coke and had a few chips and salsa. These being the first bad carbs I have eaten in 5 weeks. I only have the urine strips and checked which showed I was definitely in ketosis still. I need to get a blood monitor bc. I would like to play around with on days I do a hard ride figuring out how many carbs i can push to help me on the bike. Yes I would answer yes to your questions. It does fit my lifestyle! I will fight the urge to get that ftp up, all the while continuing to train for nothing in particular. I do think a little more carbs than the 10 or so I have been consuming could help replenish the glycogen quicker. I’m gonna get that blood monitor and play around with some pre prandial post prandial levels before and after certain bike efforts while consuming some carbs and other times more but never to push myself out of ketosis. Like you said some people respond differently. Question. Is the goal okay to just stay in a Ketotic State. If one can consume 200grams of carbs and remain in ketosis is that okay to do? I think that there is still a possibility that one could remain in ketosis and still have productive gains from carbohydrates on the bike in this time of transition to a well oiled fat burning keto utilizing machine. I need to shift focus away from production. This is difficult however being so type A. I will be in touch! Thanks Kevin

Hi Matt – with regards to replenishing glycogen, in my view the goal on ketogenic diet is to achieve this through mainly through gluconeogenesis (not to be confused with glycogenolysis), rather than eating carbs.

Basically the first process (gluconeogenesis) is the body’s way of creating new glycogen from non carbohydrate sources like protein, fatty acids, and lactate. This is what you want your body to be doing on a ketogenic diet in order to get your muscle glycogen levels up. It makes sense to me that the efficiency or scale of this process could take time, and that perhaps in your situation you are asking too much from it at your stage in your dietary change by continuing with high intensity workouts (this last sentence is conjecture on my part!)

The second (glycogenolysis) is a non desirable process which can happen when you run out of stored carbs and are not on a keto diet, as it provides glycogen to your body by taking it from your liver & muscle glycogen, and then (even worse) by breaking down the protein in your muscles.

I know that it has been shown that people who exercise can tolerate more carbs and still stay in ketosis – and if you get a blood monitor (definitely a good idea) you can test this out and see what level of carbs you can take immediately after exercise and still stay in ketosis. I have no idea if by doing this you will compromise the gluconeogenesis process or not….or even the rate of keto adaption. I’m kind of an all or nothing person and took a cold turkey approach…which worked for me (as I was willing to accept the lower performance at higher intensities during my off season training). Now I feel like I’ve got as much glycogen as I need – like these guys:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049515003340

But I admit it’s taken me a long time (getting on for a year!) Once past the initial adaption, I definitely think there is a place for increased carbs – I’ve used them sparingly in the last few 4 hr plus races I’ve done and it’s worked well. But that’s the issue – I don’t know if increasing your carbs intake now will compromise your keto adaption (obviously assuming that you are still staying in ketosis by monitoring your blood levels…as I wouldn’t rely on the urine sticks for the level of carb / ketosis juggling you’ll need to be doing), but I’d certainly be interested in how it works out for you.

So the more I read I think I probably should just change it up a bit. With four kids I hardly ever have time to go on 4 hour rides. Those might happen one weekend day a month, but typically it is intense effort for 1-2 hours. HR not dropping much below 170-175. I have never tried adapting while on keto to a decreased pace and longer distance with a low heart rate. There in lies the problem and frustration bc I want to be able to put out that maximum intensity but don’t know if I want to wait 2 years to get there. I don’t know if that a cycled keto diet works. Like you I am usually an all or nothing type of person. At this point confused though bc I like not having to worry about eating and the energy level I am at while not on the bike. I like the leaner look. There are a ton of positives, but it overwhelms me that I can’t hang with my buddies anymore. Gotta figure this out. Might mean getting out of ketosis and watching what I eat which I think is impossible not to do at this point. Still eating high fat moderate protein but increasing those carbs to find that sweet spot where my intensity level can be high for that 1.5 hours and feel strong while doing it. There has to be a happy medium. So Kevin on these 4 plus hour races are you holding back. Is it possible you burn through your glycogen on a tough climb and then have to bring it down until you can get levels back up? I’m lost Matt

Hey Kevin, Hope your well! I think I turned the corner which has been encouraging. Power is up. I have been messing around with the blood monitor. I need to start increasing duration of rides though bc I have kept it under 1.5 hours at this point. I started some interval training as well. How are things for you? Matt

Hi Matt, Good to hear things are going well, and you are getting your power back! Sounds like the blood monitor was a good investment for you. If your intervals are feeling ok then that’s a great sign that you are producing the glycogen you need yourself (as well as probably being more efficient in burning it). I’m good thanks – I’ve been focusing on triathlon lately so leaves less time for the bike, but I find that the measured, long duration efforts really lends itself to the benefits I get from a keto diet (I’ve done a 1/2 ironman recently, during our holiday in New Zealand….hence the lateness of the reply from me!)

Im glad you wrote this blog so I dont have to. very similar journey but Im a bigger cyclist, usually around 100kgs. Took me about two months to stabilise my cycling performance from a power point of view. and now yes, I seem to be bonk proof. I can cycle 150k on a cup of tea which would have been impossible for me in 2016. I also dont really miss the carbs now, and on the odd occasion when I take down too many (friends dinner, christmas) I feel bloated and horrible for a couple of days. That said, I now do eat carbs when Im looking for a big effort on the bike – it feels liike having two engines and is very promising. Im experimenting much more with this ths year. Did a long ride today and took in a reasonable number of carbs before the ride. it felt great. My as yet untested theory is that this might be the way forward – i.e. carbs are fine if you are frying them off fast. Other than the cycling, I shed fat on LCHF, and generally feel better. I like it.

Hi Paul, good to hear from other keto cyclists out there! Sorry for the delay in replying (I’ve been away for a major holiday in New Zealand recently amongst other things). I too suffer when I very occasionally indulge in carbs…I call it a carb hangover and I’ve found the best way to beat it is to get out on a long ride and burn them off! I’m also having success with limited carbs in important training sessions / races, but find that my tolerance of them is even worse than it used to be so have to be really careful not to over-do it,otherwise I get some serious stomach / intestinal cramps (but that’s probably because I have low level colitis anyway). But yes, it’s been noticed by quite a few people that as long as you are running fairly high intensities or long hard efforts (that result in your body really cranking out the ketones) that replacing carbs works well…..as even though we are burning much more fat we’ll still eventually run glycogen levels low without some way of replacing them (this study suggests that while we burn carbs at about half the rate of high carb dieters, the rate our bodies produce glucose during exercise is the same: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4967730/ ). So putting some back when needed is a good strategy…..

Hi Kevin. 4 weeks in to keto and finding the same results as you! People claim keto is good for cycling but it seems these people don’t do any threshold efforts on the climbs, haha! My power is down but I’m hopeful of it’s return after reading your blog. The blood monitor has been extremely useful for learning how many carbs I can have whilst staying in ketosis so I think I’ll be using that to balance my energy stores before a race (with a few carbs I think). Luckily, I race cyclocross so experimenting in the summer hasn’t spoilt anything. Keep us up to date on your progress and thanks for sharing.

Hi Matt, thanks for posting your experience with the diet. 4 weeks in is really early days in my experience so keep with it if everything apart from the power levels is working for you! CX might be a tricky one to get the most out of a keto diet however due to the power profile you’ll need (lots of repeats of high intensity efforts with threshold in between). If you are riding at VO2 max for a significant portion of your racing you might find that the power you can push is a little down compared to a traditional carb diet. But if you really get well adapted you might find you can make those glycogen stores last longer. Good luck!

Hi Kevin. Thanks for your reply. I’m definitely going to stick at it and see where I can get. I agree that the CX looks to be a challenge but I will experiment with adding carbs on race day and see what happens! Once I’m “adapted” (I hope it will be obvious) then maybe a cyclical ketogenic diet may be useful. I certainly look forward to my next sportive where I hope to sail past all the feed stations! Thanks again for sharing your experiences, it’s really interesting to learn from other people. Keep up the good work.

Hi Guys , Heres my story about keto . About 6 Month Keto , before Keto FTP 213 , Weight 71 . After keto FTP 135 , weight 61. Any idea how for increase FTP

Hi Wirro, That sounds like a pretty drastic reduction in http://FTP…are you still training while on the keto diet?

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Final report: two months of a strict keto diet and ketone monitoring

What happens if you hugely digress from a low-carbohydrate diet and suddenly eat a whole load of carbs?

Here is my final report following two months of a very strict LCHF diet , and daily measurements of four parameters:

• Blood ketones (the red curve)
• Urine ketones (yellow)
• Weight (purple)
• Waistline (purple)

To get familiar with the experiment design, I recommend reading my first report . For results from the first month, have a look at my second report . Here’s the third and final one, discussing the second month.

As you can see from the above graph, I took the opportunity to conduct a side experiment. The pink vertical column marks one weekend where I conciously completely deviated from the low-carbohydrate diet. I was on the Swedish archipelago “Koster” for the year’s lobster premiere, and simply had the same food as everyone else.

So, what happens if you totally veer off the low carb lifestyle after a long period of strict LCHF? Is complete havoc wrought in your body? Do you have to start from scratch again? Here’s the answer:

Lobster weekend

Here are the non-strict LCHF foodstuffs I consumed during the weekend of 28-30th September:

• Three small helpings of pasta
• One “Digestive” biscuit
• A total of 7 slices of bread!
• Some orange juice x 2
• Some chocolate (70% cocoa content)
• Liberal helpings of nuts
• Liberal helpings of sorbet and honeymelon
• Yoghurt with müsli and apple
• An unspecified number of wine glasses (many)

After finishing off that pizza on my way back home on the Sunday, my ketone meter read “LOW” – that is, a negligible amount of ketones. The ketosis was gone.

I’m sure you’re curious as to how long it takes to return to ketosis after such a monumental digression. Some have claimed it can take up to two weeks, but for me, it didn’t:

• The morning after, I was at 0.3 and one day after that I was at 0.5, which means I was back in ketosis. It took a week for me to get back to my previous “optimal” levels of over 1.5.
• The scales immediately showed +2kgs (+4.5 lbs), but these vanished in a couple of days. In other words, it was all water and glycogen weight. My waistline saw little or no change at all.
• I felt alright the whole time.

Summary: An entire weekend of cheating took me a few days to a week to bounce back from. That’s of course keeping in mind I was very keto-adapted going in. I can however imagine that some people may need more time.

Weight results after two months

As mentioned in my earlier accounts, weight loss was not my ambition when starting this experiment. I was happy with my weight and waistline, which I’ve kept for years with the more liberal LCHF diet I stick to. Interestingly, I still lost a total of 4.5kgs (almost 10 pounds) and a whopping 7cms (over 2.5 inches) around my waist . This happened without the slightest hunger pang.

I had to punch a new hole in my belt. My trousers were falling off – that’s how noticeable it was. I have however kept my original weights at the gym, so I’m assuming there hasn’t been significant muscle loss. This in spite of the fact that I’ve only found time to work out about once weekly.

Lessons learned

The biggest lesson I’ve learned during these two months is how much the effects of a strict LCHF diet can be intensified when taken to optimal ketosis. Also, I’ve seen that it takes more than just great care with carbohydrate to achieve deep ketosis; in fact, you need more fat and less protein than many believe. Too much protein tends to actually inhibit optimal ketosis (a ketone level of over 1.5), instead making it easy to stall at around 0.5.

A handy way to consume more fat and less protein is to drink your coffee with butter and coconut oil (mix with a blender!). One or two mugs of this kind of “fat coffee” gets you feeling so full you won’t be eating too much meat, fish or eggs. Perhaps this brings an environmental as well as monetary saving?

What are your thoughts on these results? Is there anything you’d like to ask? Go ahead and hit me with some comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer.

Previous posts on ketone measurement

A keto diet for beginners

What is LCHF? The Low Carb High Fat Diet

So what is this diet plan all about and should it be a part of your new fat loss, muscle building mission?

We asked PT and nutrition expert Luke Keating everything important that you need to know...

When people say 'low carb, high fat diet' what does that really mean?

A low carbohydrate, high fat diet (LCHF) could be considered to be any ratio of calories less than the current FSA (Food Standards Agency) guidelines.

Currently they recommend:

• A minimum of 50% of your calories should come from carbohydrate, mostly from unrefined sources such as wholemeal/wholegrain products, fresh and frozen vegetables, potatoes and sweet potatoes, yams, pulses and quinoa.
• They also recommend a maximum of 35% of your calories should come from fat, a variety of sources are recommended such as animal products, oils, nuts and seeds.
• A minimum of 9-12% of your calories should come from protein, sources include meat, fish, dairy, eggs, soy foods and some plant food combinations for vegetarians.

Are there certain ratios people are sticking to?

Ratios vary greatly dependant on the extremism of the diet. Recommendations would be based on the individual and their specific food needs.

If you're someone who craves a lot of carbohydrate all the time it's probably not good to go cold turkey as you're less likely to stick with it and more likely to go on a carb binge after a period of time.

EXTREME OPTION (You can't even look at a doughut)

You have the Ketogenic Diet, otherwise known as a very low carbohydrate diet, similar to The Aktins or South Beach diet, where you could consume as little as 8% of calories from carbohydrate and up to 70% of calories from fat.

CONSERVATIVE OPTION (You've got to work for it)

On the more conservative end your carbohydrate intake would be reduced in correlation to your activity level (move more, eat more carbs, move less, eat less carbs).

What are the carbs that are allowed?

If it's a very low carbohydrate diet your carbs will be restricted to vegetables only (excluding potatoes), most other low carb high fat diets recommend small portions of unrefined carbohydrates.

Remember if you're reducing your ratio of carbs dramatically you have to take a lot of care to ensure you're not missing vital nutrients.

You may be trying to reduce you carb intake to just 20% of your total calories but eating '5 portions of fruit and veg a day' could already send you beyond 20%.

What are the fats that are allowed?

Whilst on a low carb diet it is essential to increase the amount of fat in your diet to make sure you reach your recommended daily calorie intake.

Fat is not a bad word. Fats are essential to health and have a huge amount of important jobs in the body.

SATURATED FATS (Is butter a carb?)

Saturated Fat has been accused of being a heart killer, but new evidence may suggest otherwise.

You need adequate amounts of saturated fat to have an effective immune system, to protect the liver from alcohol and toxins, and to fight bad bacteria in the gut.

Sources include meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and coconut oil.

MONOSATURATED FATS (Yay! Avocado)

Monounsaturated fats are also recommended, these have lots of health promoting properties in the body and also help keep arteries free from plaque.

Popular sources include avocados and olive oil.

What are the benefits of a diet like this?

There is a lot of misinformation when it comes to new diet fads and if you're looking to take up this kind of diet it is recommended to seek professional advice.

The low carb/high fat diet is not for everyone but there are circumstances where this type of diet can be a healthier option than the FSA recommended guidelines.

Benefits such as improved blood sugar, cholesterol and weight loss have been shown in clinical trials when using this type of diet, but you will only reap these benefits if you can stick to it.

You are also less likely to over-eat fat and protein compared with carbs.

When would a diet like this be a bad idea?

When severely reducing any food group away from the recommended guidelines you open yourself up to risks of malnutrition, leaving you lacking in energy and open to illness.

That being said, not everybody's needs are the same and some people do not tolerate a high carbohydrate diet well.

Regardless of genetics, food allergies or intolerances, personal preference and your other unique circumstances, it would be a bad idea to start this diet without seeking advice.

If you have any underlying health conditions please ask your GP before starting, you could put yourself at risk of hyperglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) or nutrient deficiencies.

What about protein and training?

Protein helps repair muscle tissue after training, so it's essential to consume adequate amounts if you go to the gym.

How much protein depends on your activity level, the type of activity you do, and your body size.

Recommended amounts vary from 0.8 - 2.0g per kilogram of bodyweight.

When using a LCHF diet and training intensely you could be at risk of dizziness and nausea. But at less intense activities this should not be a problem.

Is it better for fat loss or muscle build?

The overriding factor if you're training for fat loss would be if you are in a calorie deficit. It would not matter if you're training whilst on a LCHF diet or on a conventional diet, if you are not in a calorie deficit the result will be the same.

For muscle gain, you need a calorie surplus. If you do not create this environment it is impossible for your body to change no matter what the ratios of your carbohydrate, fat and protein.

Also remember, if you're dong intense workouts you'll need carbs to restore energy - it's all about balance.

Is it suitable for a short period or as an ongoing lifestyle change?

The human body can survive without consuming carbohydrates. Its uniquely adaptable to a large array of diets.

To make a diet sustainable you must choose one that creates a healthy relationship between you and the food, one that takes into account all your individual needs, makes you feel good and doesn't make you feel bad if you slip off the rails a little.

Carbohydrates aren't bad for you, and won't make you fat anymore than overeating protein or fat will.

Should you go LCHF?

If your looking to start a very low carbohydrate diet, ask yourself this:

Can you honestly see yourself never eating bread, pasta, rice, cake or chocolate ever again?

If the answers no then its not for you. Adherence is everything and if you cut out those foods for a period of time and then start eating them again you will be able to watch the weight climb up the scale.

Consume adequate protein and fats. Adjust your carbohydrate intake in correlation to your activity level, body size and goal as a means of manipulating overall energy balance.

And most important of all, seek professional advice before dramatically changing your diet.

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• Does Soy Stop You Losing Fat & Gaining Muscle?
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Ces is the resident runner, with 3 marathons (and counting) under her belt. As acting digital editor she spends her days filling your feeds with things you want to do, try and eat… and lives in perpetual fear of running out of funny meme ideas. 

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The Real Reason WHY Nutritional Ketosis Didn't Work for Me

A LCHF Diet Isn't What You've Been Told it Is

My 90-Day Nutritional Ketosis Experiment

• I lowered my protein intake to 60 grams a day , which was about 15 percent of my calories.
• I went to 20 net carbs instead of counting total carb intake.
• And I upped my dietary fats to 80 percent of my calories.

How Did People React to My Nutritional Ketosis Experiment?

Achieving nutritional ketosis for weight loss, how much protein is enough to maintain lean body mass.

How Many Carbohydrates Should You Eat on LCHF?

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The truth about dietary fat on lchf diets.

Truth About LCHF Weight Loss

Wow! I have watched Dr. Phinney's videos religiously and do remember him making the point about eating at 70 or 80 percent fat at maintenance, but apparently I also missed the point of curtailing fat during the weight loss phase. What an eye-opening post! Now I need to go and read the book again with this new perspective. This also explains why I did well with Dr. Eades' Thin So Fast program, although I suspect over the long run that stopped working for me because I wasn't getting enough protein. Awesome post - thanks! Have a great holiday!

I have had a lot of people write me and say that LCHF doesn't work, but they were eating at 80 percent fat, so I was glad to learn what to tell all these people who ask for help. This coincides with the Keto Diet now, which "stresses" calorie deficit. In the video, I had to stop the video and take a close look at the diagram, but he used a similar example in the maintenance chapter of the book, which is much more explicit about curtailing the fat.

Yeah. It never worked for more than ten pounds loss for me, either. My mind is officially blown with this post!

Over a decade ago when I began losing seriously with very low carb eating, I was having some gastro problems. Doctors thought it was my gall bladder, but all tests were negative. My doctor told me that since eating very low fat eliminated my 'attacks' (very painful), I should eat that way, and eventually the problems might resolve. So for about 18 months, I ate very low carb AND low fat, and I not only lost weight but remained very healthy. I am hypothyroid and get labs every 4 months, which is how I know I had no problems with eating this way. Eventually, my issues resolved, and I could add more fat, but I was never more than moderate. I eventually lost 180 lbs and have been maintaining that loss for the past 8 years. I need to keep carbs very low, but only lately have I been eating high fat to maintain. I'm always reading low carb boards where people INSIST that fat must be high to lose! And it drives me nuts, especially when these same people aren't losing.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your story. I'm sure others will find it helpful. I often feel like I'm a "lone" voice in a sea of crazies. It's good to know that I am not alone.

Yes, the 'party line' which I see on low-carb boards is always to 'add more fat' if you're not losing, and it drives me nuts. There are also a lot of 'calorie deniers' and that doesn't help at all. New people take ALL their information from these people, and that's why (IMO) the erroneous info persists.

I definitely agree with you. Newbies really don't know. Thanks for bringing up that insight. Appreciate it.

This comment has been removed by the author.

Here is a good diagram to illustrate your discussion: https://www.dietdoctor.com/much-fat-eat-ketogenic-diet

Thank you very very much. I appreciate the link.

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Want to help design a relative LCHF experiment for Endurance?

EvgeniZyntx wrote: » jacksonpt wrote: » As far as the actual experiment goes, I feel like I'd want to break it up into 3 segments: a high carb period, a transitional period, and a low carb period. I don't think I'd let my current diet or performances into the experiment as my history isn't as controlled nor as intentional as I'd want it to be for this sort of project. I think I'd probably run the high and low carb periods for 8 weeks and the transitional period for 4-6 weeks, but I'm really just pulling those numbers out of thin air. I think some of it would depend on how often you were working out, and thus how quickly meaningful data would be compiled. Next, I'd try to eliminate as many variables as I could. I'd decide on an eating pattern and stick to it for the entirety of the experiment. I'd also decide when my workouts would happen, and stick to that throughout. I view it much like I do my weigh-in days... always the same day(s) of the week, always the same time of day, etc etc. to rule out as many variables as possible. Next, I'd keep my workout routines consistent throughout the experiment. I'd pick a couple of routes to run, a couple to bike, and that would be my test arena (bike and run are important to me, YMMV). Then I'd record my cals, macros, sleep and workouts data as thoroughly as possible. At the end of the experiment I'd plot the data and end up with a bell curve for each of the 3 periods. That should give me a reasonable feel for both what I could consider the norm for that type of nutrition, but also how extreme the extremes could be. The thing I struggle with, at least conceptually, is how to isolate the impact of nutrient timing from overall carb level of the diet. At least, that's the approach I'd take going into it all. I'd probably last about 3 days before I said eff it.

auddii wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » jacksonpt wrote: » As far as the actual experiment goes, I feel like I'd want to break it up into 3 segments: a high carb period, a transitional period, and a low carb period. I don't think I'd let my current diet or performances into the experiment as my history isn't as controlled nor as intentional as I'd want it to be for this sort of project. I think I'd probably run the high and low carb periods for 8 weeks and the transitional period for 4-6 weeks, but I'm really just pulling those numbers out of thin air. I think some of it would depend on how often you were working out, and thus how quickly meaningful data would be compiled. Next, I'd try to eliminate as many variables as I could. I'd decide on an eating pattern and stick to it for the entirety of the experiment. I'd also decide when my workouts would happen, and stick to that throughout. I view it much like I do my weigh-in days... always the same day(s) of the week, always the same time of day, etc etc. to rule out as many variables as possible. Next, I'd keep my workout routines consistent throughout the experiment. I'd pick a couple of routes to run, a couple to bike, and that would be my test arena (bike and run are important to me, YMMV). Then I'd record my cals, macros, sleep and workouts data as thoroughly as possible. At the end of the experiment I'd plot the data and end up with a bell curve for each of the 3 periods. That should give me a reasonable feel for both what I could consider the norm for that type of nutrition, but also how extreme the extremes could be. The thing I struggle with, at least conceptually, is how to isolate the impact of nutrient timing from overall carb level of the diet. At least, that's the approach I'd take going into it all. I'd probably last about 3 days before I said eff it.

EvgeniZyntx wrote: » auddii wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » jacksonpt wrote: » As far as the actual experiment goes, I feel like I'd want to break it up into 3 segments: a high carb period, a transitional period, and a low carb period. I don't think I'd let my current diet or performances into the experiment as my history isn't as controlled nor as intentional as I'd want it to be for this sort of project. I think I'd probably run the high and low carb periods for 8 weeks and the transitional period for 4-6 weeks, but I'm really just pulling those numbers out of thin air. I think some of it would depend on how often you were working out, and thus how quickly meaningful data would be compiled. Next, I'd try to eliminate as many variables as I could. I'd decide on an eating pattern and stick to it for the entirety of the experiment. I'd also decide when my workouts would happen, and stick to that throughout. I view it much like I do my weigh-in days... always the same day(s) of the week, always the same time of day, etc etc. to rule out as many variables as possible. Next, I'd keep my workout routines consistent throughout the experiment. I'd pick a couple of routes to run, a couple to bike, and that would be my test arena (bike and run are important to me, YMMV). Then I'd record my cals, macros, sleep and workouts data as thoroughly as possible. At the end of the experiment I'd plot the data and end up with a bell curve for each of the 3 periods. That should give me a reasonable feel for both what I could consider the norm for that type of nutrition, but also how extreme the extremes could be. The thing I struggle with, at least conceptually, is how to isolate the impact of nutrient timing from overall carb level of the diet. At least, that's the approach I'd take going into it all. I'd probably last about 3 days before I said eff it.

auddii wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » auddii wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » jacksonpt wrote: » As far as the actual experiment goes, I feel like I'd want to break it up into 3 segments: a high carb period, a transitional period, and a low carb period. I don't think I'd let my current diet or performances into the experiment as my history isn't as controlled nor as intentional as I'd want it to be for this sort of project. I think I'd probably run the high and low carb periods for 8 weeks and the transitional period for 4-6 weeks, but I'm really just pulling those numbers out of thin air. I think some of it would depend on how often you were working out, and thus how quickly meaningful data would be compiled. Next, I'd try to eliminate as many variables as I could. I'd decide on an eating pattern and stick to it for the entirety of the experiment. I'd also decide when my workouts would happen, and stick to that throughout. I view it much like I do my weigh-in days... always the same day(s) of the week, always the same time of day, etc etc. to rule out as many variables as possible. Next, I'd keep my workout routines consistent throughout the experiment. I'd pick a couple of routes to run, a couple to bike, and that would be my test arena (bike and run are important to me, YMMV). Then I'd record my cals, macros, sleep and workouts data as thoroughly as possible. At the end of the experiment I'd plot the data and end up with a bell curve for each of the 3 periods. That should give me a reasonable feel for both what I could consider the norm for that type of nutrition, but also how extreme the extremes could be. The thing I struggle with, at least conceptually, is how to isolate the impact of nutrient timing from overall carb level of the diet. At least, that's the approach I'd take going into it all. I'd probably last about 3 days before I said eff it.

lemurcat12 wrote: » You may have covered this already, but how are you tracking performance? Subjective feel, heart rate, speed, endurance, recovery? Any metrics planned? My stumbling block in figuring out a sensible way to do it is that I am in a training plan, so expect my fitness to improve over the next few months (even if just a little), and would want to increase training hours/distances. I think as a result I will wait to do a similar experiment until the winter.

amusedmonkey wrote: » How are you planning to measure your performance?

EvgeniZyntx wrote: » It also makes me think that I should look at pace per HR.

NorthCascades wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » It also makes me think that I should look at pace per HR.

midwesterner85 wrote: » yarwell wrote: » midwesterner85 wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » Not a criticism, because I love this stuff, but I'm not sure what this has to do with the experiment at hand? Are you planning endurance training and want to participate within your specific condition?

EvgeniZyntx wrote: » yarwell wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » moe0303 wrote: » Would body fat percentage be a factor to track?

EvgeniZyntx wrote: » NorthCascades wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » It also makes me think that I should look at pace per HR.

NorthCascades wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » NorthCascades wrote: » EvgeniZyntx wrote: » It also makes me think that I should look at pace per HR.

NorthCascades wrote: » Threshold pace vs actual pace isn't something I invented, it's part of Training Peaks and Golden Cheetah as a way to assign TSS in order to build the Performance Management Chart. I know some people use a metric called "gradient normalized pace" to fix the problem of hills. I know that the "drift" you see between HR and pace happens to everyone. I'm coming from a cycling background; we measure this as the "drift" between HR and power. Some software calculates this for you automatically by taking your average HR and average PWR for the first and second half of a ride, and then giving you the ratio. (Seems overly simplistic to me.) Most people consider a drift value of less than 5 % for a steady effort to be an indicator of good fitness.

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