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Old Wed, Jul-26-17, 06:59
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teaser teaser is offline
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Posts: 15,075
 
Plan: mostly milkfat
Stats: 190/152.4/154 Male 67inches
BF:
Progress: 104%
Location: Ontario
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I restrict protein, and it seems to reduce binging considerably. Going to more ketogenic ratios greatly increased the reward value of food, a small piece of chocolate or an ounce of peanuts became rewarding instead of frustrating and likely to trigger a binge. At first it brought me all the way into euphoria, which eventually levelled out. A little disappointed, but it's probably just as well, I wasn't really planning on another manic episode. Just an anecdote--but I doubt I'm entirely unique, I think sometimes you can get a better result when lowering protein. I don't know if it's because some amino acid is in lower supply, or there's a different ratio of this to that amino acid at a lower intake, or because of ketones, or lower insulin, or higher palmitic acid (maybe physiological insulin resistance from increased butter intake prevents hypo-induced binge behaviour caused by a cephalic response to that first bite), or if higher fat drives up absolute intake of this or that essential fatty acid or...

The only study I'm aware of showing that ketones vs. no ketones had no effect on a reduced carb diet compared the Zone to Atkins. Since the Zone is basically a fattening, binge-promoting diet at the present stage of my journey, I tend to discount that study.

In his clinical practice, Dr. Atkins did seem to think that ketosis was worth preserving.

If all I have to go by is many people saying that ketosis doesn't seem to make much difference to their results on a low carb diet, I'm going to have to give equal weight to many people who say that a higher fat, more ketogenic diet does seem to have a positive effect on their results. Equal quality of evidence, equal plausibility. I'm not saying everybody should assume ketones make a difference--just that from where I sit, testing to see whether they seem to make a difference seems worthwhile.

I think I'd be more comfortable if instead of saying that protein is your best friend if you're trying to lose weight with a ketogenic diet, she'd said that protein can be your best friend if you're trying to lose weight with a low carb diet. There's nothing shameful in not targeting ketosis with your low carb diet. Not everybody needs to. But there are people targeting ketosis for various metabolic therapies where absolute levels of ketones might matter, and "protein won't kick you out of ketosis," doesn't work for those people unless you include the modifier, "but it may decrease ketone levels." You can't replace a misunderstanding about the effect of protein on gluconeogenesis with a myth that protein doesn't affect ketosis. I realize Amy very specifically doesn't do this, it's just a meme I see all over the place that protein won't "knock you out of ketosis." Protein is antiketogenic, even the amounts we need to maintain our lean mass are antiketogenic, there's no free lunch, although of course we do need that lean mass.
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