Question:
How many carbs can you have an still be in ketosis (SP)

I was wondering how many carbs you can have and still be in ketosis and also how many days it takes you to get into ketosis on average if you stay under that amount.    — Trin2rilax Cheryl McCoy (posted on June 25, 2003)

June 25, 2003
I'm extremely sensitive to carbs and will dump on as little as 5 in any food. I can get into ketosis if I get no more than 20g carbs a day. Most people can take a lot more than that but I can't. Everyone is different. I suggest you get some Ketostix and test yourself twice a day to see when you start going into ketosis. Once you get in and start showing purple on the sticks you can add a few carbs in order to keep it a nice rosy pink but not beige. You kind of have to ride a very fine line - not purple but not beige - just in between. Good luck.
   — Vicki H.

June 25, 2003
As I recall from my multiple atkins attempts... 20 is the count to get into ketosis in the first place, once you are there for a week you can ease up the carb latter little by little. There is an updated Atkins book now on the market, Atkins for Life I think it is called, it is for those who are transitioning to the maintance phase and or had less to loose... It expanded a lot on the basic book and it had some fantastic recipies that I still make for my diabetic family members. Get those Ketosis stix, I got them on line at LowCarbNexus.com bulk and cheeper. They are the best way to tell, and since they all are the same, why not go cheep!!!! Good luck!
   — colette73

June 26, 2003
My nutritionist told me that the average woman would have to eat 100 grams per day to come completely out of ketosis.
   — Carol S.

June 26, 2003
Just a warning about Ketosis.... can be dangerous if not monitored very carefully. Take it from someone who very nearly died of acute necrotizing pancreatitis. And have your liver and kidneys checked once in a while. Good luck!
   — kultgirl

June 26, 2003
Ketosis is not a desirable long term state you want to be in. It is something that can cause severe, permanent damage to the kidneys, and other organs. If you want to still burn calories & such by eating low carb that is one thing, but to try to stay in a long term ketosis state is not good medically. Maybe you are using this term to mean that you want to stay in a losing mode & continue to lose weight? Maybe we at this site need to come up with a word to identify that losing state. But don't think it is healthy to be in "ketosis". The reason you eventually go back to eating carbs on the Atkins diet is that permanent and even life-threatening damage/results can occur by being in ketosis for extended periods of time. Why do you think they push the water? It is to help your kidneys flush out what you are doing to them while in ketosis. So maybe you need to talk with a nutritionist as to what you can eat in balance to still achieve weight loss at your desired level as your goal instead of reaching a state called "ketosis". Just food for thought. Don't want to see you ruin your health when you're doing so well to achieve your goals! If in doubt, always talk with your doctor about stuff like this, or ask for a referral to a nutritionist. Good Luck!
   — Karen M.