Keto carb limit

Carbs On Keto

There is no legitimate carb limit for keto. The truth is that every person has a different carb limit that they should stick to so that they can achieve ketosis and trigger ketone production. It would make things easier if there was just one magic number to keep in mind. But, it's important to remember that there are multiple factors that can change and determine that figure. 

Keto Carb Limit

For your body to start producing ketones and burning fat, you must rearrange your eating habits to include very few carbohydrates. That means avoiding foods like grains, fruits, tubers, and all sugars. The focus instead is on fatty meats, oils, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, high-fat dairy, as well as nuts and seeds. Some fruits, like avocado and berries, as well as sweeteners like stevia and erythritol, can also fit into the diet. With those basics down, let’s tackle carb limits. 

While these carb limits can change from one person to another, there is a carb limit that almost anyone can use to achieve ketosis. This limit is 35 grams of total carbs and 25 grams of net carbs. Remember, net carbs are found by subtracting the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbs. If you are not getting into ketosis, or you want to find your personal carb limit, then you must know the other factors that contribute to ketosis. 

Keto Adaptation

Everybody can adapt to burning ketones for fuel. In the process of keto-adaptation, your cells become more efficient with this process. The longer your body is familiar with burning ketones for fuel, the more quickly it can shift into ketosis, compared to when you first started a ketogenic diet. As an added bonus, as your body becomes more keto-adapted, you can typically add some extra carbs and remain in ketosis. 

We encourage you to start slow with this concept and to follow a strict keto diet for at least 3 to 6 months before experimenting with your carb intake. Your cells need time to get used to producing and using ketones for energy. Besides the amount of time you've been in ketosis, exercise, eating appropriate protein levels, and mitigating stress are other factors that can improve or impair your body’s ability to adapt to the ketogenic diet. 

High-Intensity Activity

Exercise is an important factor in determining your carb limit. High-intensity activity will help deplete stored sugar, called glycogen, from your muscles. To use up your stored glycogen, do 30 to 60 minutes of high-intensity exercise for a few days, something like weightlifting or CrossFit. Make sure to re-hydrate and take mineral supplements afterward, if needed. Once your glycogen is depleted, you can do 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise daily to encourage fat - and ketone-burning - something like a brisk walk or cycling. 

For improved results, do the exercises before you’ve eaten anything. By increasing your activity levels and doing the right types of exercise at the right time, you can achieve ketosis more quickly, burn more fat, and improve your health.  Keep in mind that too much exercise can cause additional stress on the body and may impair your ability to stay in ketosis. 

Can Stress Kick You Out, Keto?

Stress is another factor in determining your carb limit. Stress-related hormones like cortisol raise your blood sugar levels and can lower ketone production. Occasional stress cannot really be avoided, but the real problems come with all-day, everyday stress. Over-exercising, not eating enough, focusing too much on mistakes, worrying about the future, and non-stop work without breaks, are common culprits of all-day stress. 

All of these stressors combined can cause heightened blood sugar levels and can keep you from losing fat or maintaining muscle mass. There are plenty of ways to help keep stress under control. They include consistent healthy eating habits, improving sleep quality with additional sun exposure, replacing some high-intensity exercises with low-intensity options, and occasional meditation.

Protein Intake

Consuming too much protein can also inhibit your body’s ability to get into ketosis or to reach a deeper level of ketosis. In a ketogenic diet, about 25% of your calories should come from protein. When protein intake is too high, the body is flooded with amino acids, which releases insulin. Insulin sends a message to cells that there is ample energy available from the amino acids, and they stop producing and burning ketones. 

With all of these factors in mind, you can start experimenting with your own personal keto carb limit. We find the best way to do this is to add just 5 grams of complex carbs from vegetables or low-carb fruits each day until you notice a drop in your ketone levels. Then, decrease your carbs until your ketones rise back up, and you’ve found your new carb limit. To accurately track your ketones while doing this, make sure to use a blood ketone meter, and measure your ketones at the same time each day.

Ketone Level

Avoid using urine strips for this, as they will be too inaccurate for reliable results. The goal is to increase the carbs you’re consuming a little bit at a time while maintaining a medium or deep level of ketosis. This will be around 1.5 on your ketone meter. The amount of time you've been in ketosis, exercise habits, stress levels, and protein intake all affect your personal keto carb limit. 

Each one of these factors has the ability to increase or decrease that daily net carb number. You can experiment yourself, or just stay below 35g total carbs to keep you in ketosis.

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