Ketosis and Carbs: How Many Carbs Can I Eat To Stay In Ketosis?
The basis of the keto diet is supplementing lower carbs and higher fats so your body can enter ketosis, and start burning fat for energy because the body does not have enough carbs to burn.
The short answer is everybody is different. 20 carbs or less per day is often cited as a general rule of thumb starting point for the keto diet. However, factors such as genetics, lifestyle, lean muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, and the type of carbs you consume are all going to affect your body staying in ketosis. For instance, if you are a 200-pound male bodybuilder you probably will be able to get away with eating more carbs throughout the day and stay in ketosis. Remember, ketosis is your body’s way of supplying energy when you are running too low on carbs.
Lean muscle mass likes to store glucose as glycogen, so if you regularly weight lift, you will most likely be able to tolerate larger amounts of carbs to your diet and still remain in ketosis. The type of carbs you consume also can increase or decrease your chances of kicking yourself out of ketosis.
20 carbs worth of a Snickers bar has a larger chance of kicking you out of ketosis than 20 carbs worth of quinoa. How quickly you eat the carbs will also play a role. If you eat carbs all at once they will have a larger chance of kicking you out of ketosis, than if you spread them out over the day.
Unfortunately, urine-based keto test strips do a poor job of telling you what state your body is in. So, if you are seeking more information, Dorian over at Keto-Mojo has an incredible blood ketone and glucose meter that is surprisingly affordable and brilliantly accurate.
Ketonia is not affiliated with Keto-Mojo nor is this a sponsored post. Dorian is a friend and Keto-Mojo is a great product, so I never hesitate to recommend it. At the end of the day, the amount of carbs that will kick you out of ketosis is a question only you can answer.
John Terry is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ketonia. As a long-time follower of the ketogenic diet. John handles the entirety of the business operations behind Ketonia as well as all of the client relations. Over the last 7 years of being keto, John has completely immersed himself in the nutrition, literature, and science behind the ketogenic diet to help friends, family, and Ketonians better understand the keto diet.
*John is not a certified medical professional and urges you to consult with your doctor prior to making any diet changes.
Interested in learning more about the Ketogenic diet? In order to reach your goals with keto, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the ketogenic lifestyle. Check out more of our learning center articles to Understanding Keto here.
Are you a seasoned or rookie keto dieter who is looking for some fresh, handmade to order, and delicious keto snacks? Check out our #1 best selling product, Ketonia’s Coconut Macaroons. In the mood for something a little more savory? Check out our spicy, savory, and keto Not Your MeMaw’s Cheese Straws.
