Wait, what? Eat Carbs to Lose More? (Really Works)

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Hey there, Keto Explorer!

Are you scratching your head, wondering how many carbs you can eat on a keto diet? Don't worry, you're not alone! Let's dive into this carb-counting adventure together and make it as easy as pie (well, keto pie, that is!).

Why Do We Count Carbs on Keto?🤔🥑

First things first - why are we even talking about counting carbs? Well, the keto diet is all about eating very few carbs, lots of healthy fats, and just enough protein. When you eat this way, your body turns into a fat-burning machine! But to get there, you need to keep those carbs super low. That's where carb counting comes in.

The Magic Number: 20 Net Carbs 🔢✨

You might have heard people talk about eating just 20 net carbs a day on keto. But where did this number come from? Let's break it down:

1. The Atkins Connection: Remember the Atkins diet? It's like keto's cousin. The first part of Atkins said to eat only 20 grams of carbs a day for two weeks. This helped people get into fat-burning mode quickly.

2. Doctor's Orders: Some doctors use keto diets to help people with health problems. They found that eating about 20-30 grams of carbs a day worked well.

3. Science Says So: Scientists who studied low-carb diets found that eating 20-50 grams of carbs a day helps most people burn fat for energy.

4. Everyone's Different: The 20-carb rule is like a starting point. Some people might need to eat even less, while others can eat a bit more and still burn fat.

What Are Net Carbs? 🧮🥦

Now, here's where it gets a little tricky (but don't worry, we'll make it easy!). When we talk about 20 carbs, we don't mean just any carbs. We mean 20 net carbs. But what in the world are net carbs?

Net carbs are the carbs that your body can actually use for energy. To find out how many net carbs are in food, we do a little math:

Net Carbs = Total Carbs - Fiber - Sugar Alcohols

Let's break that down:

1. Total Carbs: This is all the carbs in your food.

2. Fiber: Fiber is a type of carb that your body can't digest. It's like a visitor that comes to your body but doesn't stay!

3. Sugar Alcohols: These are sweet-tasting things that don't affect your body like regular sugar.

We subtract fiber and sugar alcohols because they don't really count as carbs that give you energy or stop your body from burning fat.

Why Do We Subtract Fiber? 🚫🧻

You might be wondering, "Why do we get to ignore fiber?" Well, fiber is pretty special:

1. Your Body Can't Digest It: Fiber passes through your body without being broken down. It's like a train that goes through a station without stopping.

2. It Doesn't Affect Your Blood Sugar: Because your body doesn't break it down, fiber doesn't make your blood sugar go up. This is important for staying in fat-burning mode.

3. It Helps You Eat More Veggies: By not counting fiber, you can eat more low-carb vegetables, which are super good for you!

4. It Keeps You Full: Fiber helps you feel full, which is great when you're trying to eat less.

How to Calculate Net Carbs 🧠➖

Let's practice calculating net carbs with an example:

Imagine you have a yummy keto snack. The label says:

• Total Carbs: 10 grams

• Fiber: 3 grams

• Sugar Alcohols: 2 grams

To find the net carbs, we do this:

10 (Total Carbs) - 3 (Fiber) - 2 (Sugar Alcohols) = 5 Net Carbs

So this snack has 5 net carbs. Not bad for a keto treat!

Tricky Foods to Watch Out For 👀🍽️

Some foods can be extra tricky when you're counting net carbs:

1. Keto Snacks from the Store: Be careful with packaged foods that say they're keto-friendly. Sometimes they count net carbs differently than we do.

2. Foods with Sugar Alcohols: Some sugar alcohols can affect your body a little bit. To be safe, count half of the sugar alcohols as carbs.

3. Sauces and Dressings: These can have hidden carbs. Always check the label!

4. Nuts and Seeds: They're healthy, but the carbs can add up fast if you eat too many.

5. Some Veggies: Vegetables like onions and tomatoes have more carbs than leafy greens. Keep an eye on how much you eat.

How Cooking Changes Carbs 👨‍🍳🔥

Did you know that cooking can change how many carbs are in your food? Here's how:

1. Water Loss: When you cook veggies, they might shrink. This means a cup of cooked spinach has more carbs than a cup of raw spinach, because it's more squished together.

2. Adding Stuff: If you add oil or sauce when cooking, you might be adding extra carbs too.

3. Making Starches Easier to Digest: Cooking starchy foods like potatoes can make the carbs easier for your body to use.

To make it easier, try this:

• Weigh your veggies before cooking

• Cook them however you like

• Weigh your portion after cooking

• Figure out what fraction of the original amount you're eating

• Use that to figure out how many carbs are in your cooked portion

Don't worry if this sounds complicated. For most low-carb veggies, the difference between raw and cooked isn't huge.

How Many Carbs Can YOU Eat? 🤷‍♂️🍽️

Remember when we said everyone's different? It's true! While 20 net carbs is a good starting point, you might be able to eat more or less. Here's how to find your perfect carb level:

1. Start Low: Begin with 20 net carbs a day for a couple of weeks.

2. Pay Attention: Notice how you feel. Do you have energy? Are you losing weight if that's your goal?

3. Slowly Add More: If you're feeling good, try adding 5 net carbs a day. Do this for a week and see how you feel.

4. Find Your Sweet Spot: Keep adding carbs slowly until you find the highest number where you still feel good and are reaching your goals.

5. Be Flexible: Your perfect carb number might change depending on how active you are or even the time of year!

Tips for Staying at 20 Net Carbs 💡🥗

Staying at 20 net carbs might seem hard at first, but here are some tips to make it easier:

1. Eat Lots of Leafy Greens: They're super low in carbs and high in the good stuff your body needs.

2. Choose Above-Ground Veggies: Things that grow above the ground (like broccoli) usually have fewer carbs than things that grow below the ground (like potatoes).

3. Be Careful with Fruit: Most fruits are high in carbs. Stick to small amounts of berries for a sweet treat.

4. Read Labels: Always check how many carbs are in packaged foods.

5. Plan Ahead: Knowing what you're going to eat can help you stay on track.

6. Keep It Simple: Stick to meats, fish, eggs, low-carb veggies, and healthy fats most of the time.

What If You Go Over 20 Net Carbs? 😱↗️

Don't panic if you eat more than 20 net carbs one day. It's not the end of the world! Here's what to do:

1. Don't Beat Yourself Up: One day won't ruin everything. Just get back on track with your next meal.

2. Learn From It: Think about why you ate more carbs. Were you super hungry? Did you forget to check a label? Use this to plan better next time.

3. Get Moving: A little extra exercise can help your body use up those extra carbs.

4. Drink Water: Staying hydrated is always a good idea.

5. Go Back to Basics: For the next few days, stick to simple, very low-carb foods to get back on track.

Remember, the goal is to find a way of eating that you can stick with long-term. It's okay if it takes some time to figure out what works best for you.

Wrapping It Up 🎁👍

Whew! We've covered a lot about carbs on keto. Remember, while counting carbs is important, it's not the only thing that matters. Eating healthy fats, getting enough protein, and choosing nutritious foods are all part of a healthy keto diet.

The most important thing is to listen to your body. Pay attention to how you feel and how your body responds to different amounts of carbs. With a little practice and patience, you'll become a keto carb-counting pro in no time!

Do you have any favorite low-carb foods or tips for staying under 20 net carbs? We'd love to hear about them! Share your ideas with other keto friends and keep learning together. After all, the keto journey is more fun when we help each other out!

Stay awesome and keto on!