2nd symptom of ketosis is - Sugar stupidity page 2

[Annlee]

Another thing that helps me is the material that Phinney and Volek stated in their books (both books) that true nutritional ketosis* takes 2-3 weeks (and for some people a bit longer) to fully develop. And I'm not willing to set myself back and need a recovery for such a transient pleasure. Especially when it ain't what it used to be.

* While the body shifts to burning fats when it needs energy and glucose isn't handy, the production of ketones (BOHB and AcAc) begins in earnest after a few days of no handy glucose (low carb). And after a few days more, the body changes the partitioning so that the BOHB is preferentially consumed by the brain and the muscles no longer take some of them, relying instead on FFAs.

When I'm at that point, I am so steady, and I am handling the stress of my job so much better, that I am not interested in losing that. It's like I've been burning diesel in a high octane engine, and suddenly the system's been purged and I've got the good stuff flowing.

Kind of hard to describe, but you know it when you feel it - like PaleoBird said.

[sbhikes]

sbhikes - A spur of the moment impulse to swing into Taco Bell doesn't leave much time for rationalizing with another food addict! We're not thinking. That's the problem.

Ah, but you are aware of it now. Next time on the spur of the moment as you drive into the parking lot, you'll think to yourself, here I am doing it again. One day you will want the change enough to admit that this addiction has a stronger hold over you than you thought. It's then that you will make a change. That's the day you pull back out of the parking lot and go home. You're not there yet, but you will be.

[Misabi]

Have you tried following the primal blueprint, as written, for a few months? Are you trying to get into ketosis for a specific medical reason, or just to boost your weight loss?

Many find that the sweet spot for weight loss is between 70 & 100g of crabs per day, as recommended in the book. But of course your miles may vary.

If you do want to get int ketosis quickly, it can certainly be done in a matter of days, not weeks.
Johns Hopkins hospital in the US has been effectively using ketosis to treat epilepsy in children for years and in the book The Ketogenic Diet: A Treatment for epilepsy by several Dr's who run the program (j.m. Freeman, j.b. freeman and M. Kelly) they describe getting the child to fast for a couple of days before starting to feed a low carb, high fat diet, as this kicks them straight into ketosis.

Their aims are different from yours (assuming your aim is weight loss) in that they need deep ketosis to prevent seizures, so they also prescribe lower than ideal levels of protein, as the body converts a percentage of that into carbs which can effect the depth of the patients ketosis enough to reduce the benefits in treating seizures. Ketosis for weight loss doesn't need to be at the same depth.

The Johns Hopkins ketogenic diet is not paleo/primal, which is one of the reasons it's so hard for the kids to stick to it. The diet is relies on heavy whipping cream and MCT oil to provide the high fat content, and often the MCT can cause stomach upset at the recommended levels.

[Jac]

When I do this, it's because I'm craving the feeling - not the food or the taste. The non-rational part of my brain is just screaming at me to do whatever it takes to get that feeling. It's kind of numbed out happiness. It comes out of tiredness or when stress has just passed (when I'm in the stress, I'm not hungry). I'm getting better at recognising it and finding my own version of healthy alternatives, but I'm a long way from being bulletproof yet!

[Reindeer]

I'm working on the ketosis thing, too. Probably won't make it very well, since I have to rely a little on what's currently in the school cafeteria - however, if your cravings are really bad, you could just eat SOMETHING and make damn sure it doesn't involve carbs. I carried around a bunch of boiled eggs in my bags, and probably ate three times as many calories of fat and protein than I actually needed to stay sated. But the point was that if I was disgustingly full, I wasn't as willing to consume the carbs. Probably not healthy in the long run, but it was my ticket to get out of the ever lasting carb swamp.

[sarasue624]

Jac, that's my experience, too. Happens mostly when I'm run down or it's late at night. Makes sense that the rational part of your body dials down then and the more instinctual side takes over. So then, we have to figure out how to change our instincts when the bad food out there is specifically designed to appeal to those instincts!

Misabi and sbhikes, there's a catch-22 here. Break your food addiction or lack of impulse control by breaking your food addiction and not giving into your lack of impulse control. That's exactly the advice I find so frustrating on other threads with people like me.

I've done some prelim research on L-Glutamine and Chromium - both are used for impulse control issues, not just food addiction issues. They help some people, though we don't know how they work or why. I bought some of both and will add them to my pill box.

From what I've found just researching impulse issues in general, no one understands why some people have them nor is there any consistent advice other than CW methods like attempting to create bad associations with unhealthy impulses and talk therapy and standard accountability journaling or social groups. Sad, really. Those of us who know what this sort of lack of impulse control feels like literally have trouble talking to those without or those who overcame the impulse control. Classic incommensurability. Impulse control is not something that one day just magically happens.

Surely there are biological nutritionists out there who can shed some light on this!

[Lawyerchick12]

I don't get a craving anymore and I have been doing ketosis for a little while. I do love sushi and sometimes have it once a week because I miss it as opposed to specifically craving it. I also do very low carb for 5-6 days and then just force myself to eat mighty crazy for a day so my body does not adapt...kinda like killing two birds with one stone. I get to enjoy my sushi and wine and it gives my body a nice jolt.

[counterpuncher]

Ah, but you are aware of it now. Next time on the spur of the moment as you drive into the parking lot, you'll think to yourself, here I am doing it again. One day you will want the change enough to admit that this addiction has a stronger hold over you than you thought. It's then that you will make a change. That's the day you pull back out of the parking lot and go home. You're not there yet, but you will be.

Very true.
Sometimes we take a step backwards to take two steps foward.
The main thing is to keep at it, and not get down on yourself. You will beat it.

[sarasue624]

It's kind of interesting on this thread how many people say things like "if your cravings are..." "when you get a craving eat..." "I couldn't let myself give into cravings..." etc.

I think I've realized why I've been so frustrated with the other threads on similar topics. I'm not getting cravings. There is no recognition of "I want X" or "I'm hungry for X."

This is an impulse.

So, y'all have helped, even though I've been testy with you!

[counterpuncher]

I don't get a craving anymore and I have been doing ketosis for a little while. I do love sushi and sometimes have it once a week because I miss it as opposed to specifically craving it. I also do very low carb for 5-6 days and then just force myself to eat mighty crazy for a day so my body does not adapt...kinda like killing two birds with one stone. I get to enjoy my sushi and wine and it gives my body a nice jolt.

I do something similar.
After my last workout for the week, (Sat. morning) I eat all of my food for the day inside of a 4 hour window, and go heavy on the carbs. Then I fast until Sunday morning, and go back to a more sane primal diet for the week.