The thing that seems to be coming up the most these days is this question: what’s the difference between fat adaptation and dietary ketosis? The biggest questions people seem to have about this are will dietary ketosis cause more fat loss/weight loss than simply being fat adapted, and will I be able to become fat adapted without actually going into dietary ketosis. As you can see, these are two different questions, often asked at the same time.
Ketons and Dietary Ketosis
First let me describe ketones and dietary ketosis.
Ketones are produced when the body breaks down fat. Dietary ketosis occurs when one restricts carbohydrates to such a low level that our bodies are forced to create more ketones which in turn act as an energy source for our bodies and our brains. In and of itself, this is not a bad idea, as the brain loves to run on ketones, and so does the body.
The biggest problem I see with clients is sustainability. This is such a regimented way of eating that it becomes “diet-like.” Also, being in dietary ketosis does not guarantee weight loss. One can literally be in dietary ketosis and not only not lose weight, but actually GAIN weight, if your fat consumption is too high (although it’s much more difficult to gain weight on a ketogenic diet from too much fat than from a high carbohydrate diet). The only other problem with being in dietary ketosis is that for some people, in order to stay ketogenic, they have to cut out too many of their vegetables.
Becoming Fat Adapted
In order to become fat adapted, you simply have to lower your carbohydrates enough so your body begins to use fat as energy. Most people want to know what that means in terms of total grams of carbohydrates per day. Unfortunately, the best answer I can give you is “it depends.” Why? A person who does little or no exercise may have to be between 40 and 60 total grams of carbohydrates a day to be fat adapted. A person who is getting ready for a marathon may do just fine at 100+ grams of carbs per day. In either case, you should have those carbs coming mainly from vegetables, and when choosing fruit, always shoot for berries over any other varieties.
All of the above is why I put my focus with clients on fat adaptation rather than dietary ketosis, and urge them to watch their diets, and see how they feel with varying levels of carb consumption from vegetables and low-glycemic fruits. Your body can tell you more about the balance that’s right for you than I can.
