After surgery, we are consuming very little carbohydrates. This leads our body to burn fat. This is called nutritional ketosis. It is the same principle for weight loss during phase 1 of Atkins and South Beach Diet.
Ketosis is a metabolic process that occurs when the body does not have enough glucose for energy. Stored fats are broken down for energy, resulting in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body.
This is not to be confused with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).
What is diabetic ketoacidosis? When a diabetic (usually a Type I diabetic, but sometimes this occurs in very late-stage, insulin-dependent, Type II diabetics) fails to receive enough insulin, they go into an effective state of starvation. While they may have all the glucose in the world in their bloodstream, without insulin, they can’t get any into their cells. Hence, they are effectively going into starvation. The body does what it would do in anyone – it starts to make ketones out of fat and proteins. Here’s the problem: the diabetic patient in this case can’t produce any insulin, so there is no feedback loop and they continue to produce more and more ketones without stopping. By the time ketone levels (specifically, beta-hydroxybutyrate) approach 15 to 25 mM, the resulting pH imbalance leads to profound metabolic derangement and the patient is critically ill.
Source: http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/is-ketosis-dangerous
You can read more at the above web address.
In any case, I've decided to cut my carbs, even though I am allowed to have them, and get my body to re-enter ketosis so that I can burn this fat away. From speaking to people online, I've heard other people's doctor's have told them no bread/carb-y items for the first 6 month or even a year to optimize weight loss. I don't know why my plan allows more carbs, but I am cutting back.
In a non-weight loss surgery world, people are told that they should consume fat and protein with very little carbs. I can no longer tolerate a lot of fat due to the gastric bypass. But I know from personal experience that our bodies still enter ketosis without going over board on the fat. It just might take longer.
From what I read, ketosis can start in as little as 2 days or up to 7 days depending on your carb intake and activity level. I am not going to get a meter to measure, so I will just have to go by my weight loss on if I am being successful.
I used this calculator to figure out what I needed nutrition-wise daily to be in ketosis. The result made me laugh. To use the calculator you need to know your percentage of body fat, for which you can use this calculator, and want to cry, or at least I did.
Calories: 1346
Fat: 119 g
Carbs: 20 g
Protein: 49 g
Due to my malabsorption issues from the RNY, I already know I have to keep my protein between 85 g - 90 g a day. Maybe what I manage to absorb is close to 49 g? I don't know. Carbs at 20 g should be doable. Fat at 119 g, yes well, that is not going to happen. I'm guessing I could consume 45 g to 60 g a day depending on my food choices. But if I consume less than 119 grams that just means I will burn more of my store fat, right? Well, I hope that is how it works.
This is essentially my food plan. More on my other plans later.
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