carbs and insulin = stored fat :(

[danyelle]

i have been locarbing since may 2007....started out traditional atkins...induction....then moved up the rungs and found my ccl at 35 carbs per day....then my Dr put me on a med where i had to up the carbs too a maintenence level...like 60-65 b/c this med can cause ketoacidosis and kidney stones if too little carbs....

neways.....

ive maintained a 20 lb loss and would like to step it up at this point ...maybe throw in an extra excerize session or drink some more water.....i cant really drop the carbs too much...as stated above....

i havent used coconut oil as much latley cause im worried the extra fat plus the extra carbs ive injested will pack on the pounds....what do you all think??? i really like the co...it helps my energy level, my BM ( gross i know, sorry ) and my skin and hair...it even helped regulate my thyroid. i would just hate to have it stored as fat since insulin is probably being produced since im on maintenence level carbs....

any thoughts on the co???
any thoughts on how i can kick it up a noch???

[LoveMyGSDs]

Have you been using a program to track all of you food during the time you've been maintaining?

If not, do so for at least 2 weeks.

If yes, determine your maintenance calories by adding all of the days total calories and dividing by the number of days.

Take 80% of that number and that will be the amount of calories you can have each day. Since you require a certain number of carbs per day, work those in first. Then work in your protein (about 1 gram of protein per pound of lean body mass). Then work in your fat to make up the rest of the calories.

If your fat works out to less than 1/2 gram per pound of lean body mass, make sure you are supplementing with EFAs.

[danyelle]

lovemygsds...i totally dont understand.....can you ellaborate in my journal??? please tell me what is an EFA. I'm sorry for not understanding.

[KvonM]

EFA's are essential fatty acids.

what medication does your doctor have you on and why? why is he worried about ketoacidosis and kidney stones? is there something in the medicine that requires a higher blood glucose level? and based on the medicine, what's considered "too little carbs?" is your doctor low-carb friendly or is he still clinging to the low-fat bandwagon?

without knowing why you're on the medicine or what it's supposed to be doing for you, it's hard for me to know what to tell you about the coconut oil. http://bestsmileys.com/clueless/4.gif

[Daryl]

Yes, I'd like to hear more about how this med can cause ketoacidosis.....

[lisabinil]

Read the chapter in DANDR about adding supplements like chromium and carnitine. I recently added the CLA/GLA & chromium and it jumpstarted a 6 lbs weight loss for me. :thup:

[danyelle]

"Ketogenic or "ketosis" diets that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates can increase the risk of kidney stones. Avoid the use of such diets while you are taking topiramate"

i copied and pasted off the meds web site....i take it for migranes

[lisabinil]

Danyelle I take topamax and have never had any problems with kidney stones. I started with SBD and am now on Atkins-it lists it as a possible side effect.

[danyelle]

i understand that i may not experience that particular side effect, however i am not willing to risk it. i find following maintenence level carbs or even swarchburn level carbs (15 non starchy carbs) per meal to be just as helpful in weight loss....its not as fast as i would before when i was doing atkins/kimkins...but its working.

how do you like the topimax? how long have you taken it?

[Daryl]

"Ketogenic or "ketosis" diets that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates can increase the risk of kidney stones. Avoid the use of such diets while you are taking topiramate"

i copied and pasted off the meds web site....i take it for migranes

Okay, but "ketoacidosis" doesn't have anything to do with a "ketogenic" diet.

Ketoacidosis: A feature of uncontrolled diabetes mellitus characterized by a combination of ketosis and acidosis. Ketosis is the accumulation of substances called ketone bodies in the blood. Acidosis is increased acidity of the blood.

Symptoms of ketoacidosis include slow, deep breathing with a fruity odor to the breath; confusion; frequent urination (polyuria); poor appetite; and eventually loss of consciousness.

The treatment of ketoacidosis is a matter of urgency and is usually done in a hospital. It may require the administration of intravenous fluids, insulin, and glucose, and the institution of changes in the person's diet.

It's caused by uncontrolled blood sugar, almost always in type 1 diabetics.

[Daryl]

A better definition:

Diabetic acidosis is a life-threatening condition that can occur in people with Type 1 diabetes. Less commonly, it can also occur with Type 2 diabetes.

It happens when a lack of insulin leads to:


high blood sugar levels


the presence of ketones in urine


certain acids in the blood.


Diabetic acidosis requires immediate hospitalisation for treatment with fluid and insulin.

It can usually be avoided through proper treatment of Type 1 diabetes. But ketoacidosis can also occur with well-controlled diabetes if you get a severe infection or other serious illness, such as a heart attack or stroke.

What causes diabetic acidosis?

The condition is caused by a lack of insulin, most commonly when doses are missed.

While insulin's main function is to lower the blood sugar level, it also reduces the burning of body fat.

If the insulin level drops significantly, the body will start burning fat uncontrollably while blood sugar levels rise.

Glucose will then begin to show up in your urine, along with ketone bodies that turn the body acidic.

The body attempts to reduce the level of acid by increasing the rate and depth of breathing. This blows off carbon dioxide in the breath, which tends to correct the acidosis temporarily.

At the same time, the high secretion of glucose into the urine causes large quantities of water and salts to be lost, putting the body at serious risk of dehydration.

Eventually, over-breathing becomes inadequate to control the acidosis.

What are the symptoms?

Since diabetic acidosis is most often linked with high blood sugar levels, symptoms are the same as those for diabetes:


increased thirst


increased urination


tiredness


confusion


possible loss of consciousness.


Symptoms of the acidosis are:


fast, deep breathing


a smell of acetone on your breath


nausea and vomiting


stomach pains.


Diabetic acidosis is often triggered by an infection, such as a urine or chest infection. It can develop in anything from a matter of hours to a few days.

[lisabinil]

i understand that i may not experience that particular side effect, however i am not willing to risk it. i find following maintenence level carbs or even swarchburn level carbs (15 non starchy carbs) per meal to be just as helpful in weight loss....its not as fast as i would before when i was doing atkins/kimkins...but its working.

how do you like the topimax? how long have you taken it?

2 yrs now and it really has cut the frequency of my migraines. Glad to see you're still losing!