Protein & carnivore diet

I've read several folks state that eating too much protein can knock you out of ketosis because protein gets converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis. If that is true then why does carnivore diet work?

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  • Yeah, that's right!

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    • Pat F
    • Pat_F
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    I’ve read that in several places as well.  

    How I’ve processed it all is that proteins sustain body systems and are (or should be) set to sustain the desired goal weight and not the current or starting weight.   A lighter person needs less protein than a heavier person.  Setting your protein macro for the desired weight provides nourishment for the body at that desired weight and avoids excess.

    Eating more protein than that results in excess proteins and that’s where the gluconeogenesis process can happen.   It’s also clear to me that ‘how much is excess’,  ‘how often eating excess proteins’ and ‘will gluconeogenesis kick me out of ketosis’ are all variables that will be different from person to person.

    What all that means to me is that whether one is keto, carnivore, or anything else, the body needs X amount of proteins; eating to excess raises the possibility of gluconeogenesis with the possible individualized outcomes.

    Does that make sense?

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  • True

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  • Pat F yes, makes sense. Thanks for responding!

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  • There has to be a limit to everything, just like in nutrition. Yes, protein is important, and so are carbohydrates and fats, but if you have too much of them, you're not healthy. That's why it's important to calculate it.

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  • @5Lethel2020  said:
    I've read several folks state that eating too much protein can knock you out of ketosis because protein gets converted to glucose through gluconeogenesis.

     As...

    Pat F said:
    Eating more protein than that results in excess proteins and that’s where the gluconeogenesis process can happen.
    As you probably know, moderate protein intake (around 25% or less) of you total calorie intake for the days keeps you in ketosis.  That providing your fat intake is in the 70% area and carbohydrates are 50 gram of less per day.
    Protein Per Meal
    Research by Drs Donald Layman and Layne Norton determined that what matter the most is the amount of protein consumed per meal.
    To maintain or increase muscle mass...
    Older individual need to consume around 40 gram of Quality Protein per meal.
    David Graves said:
    protein is important, and so are carbohydrates and fats,

     Carbohydrates Are Non-essential

    Protein and Fat are essential.  Carbohydrates are not.  

    As noted, the body can convert protein and fats (glycerol) to glucose. 

    Lethel2020 said:
    If that is true then why does carnivore diet work?

    A Couple of Reasons

    1) Many overweight individual are Insulin Resistant.  Their body cannot process glucose (carbohydrates).  These individual tend to store glucose as body fat.

    Thus, low carbohydrate diets that focus on consuming low Glycemic Index Food usually are effective at decreasing body fat/body weight. 

    2) Secondly, research has demonstrated that high protein diet tend to promote weight loss. 

    As Dr MIke T. Nelson (Intermittent Fasting Researcher) stated, when one of this clients are hungry, he recommending eating more protein. 

    Another factor as to why eating more protein works is satiety.  It kills hunger which allow you to decreases you daily calorie intake; since you are full and don't get hungry. 

    The Carnivore Diet

    This definitely fall into the category of a low carbohydrate diet.   

    The higher protein intake works for the reasons stated above. 

    However, due to the higher protein intake, it does not allow you to get into ketosis.

    Atkin's Is Not A Keto Diet

    Atkins start off as a Ketogenic Diet for weight loss.

    Once you have reached your goal weight, you then gradually add carbohydrate back into your diet.

    The scales are use to determine the number of gram of carbohydrate you are able to consume per day. 

    If the scales go up, you need to cut back on your carbohydrate.

    If the scales don't change, you've found the number of carbohydrates you can consume per day without gaining weight. 

    Kenny Croxdale

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    • S Strouse
    • S_Strouse
    • 3 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Kenny, just want to say - great answer. I looked at both diets - Carnivore and Keto. I chose Keto because I am insulin resistant and really need to watch my intake of protein so that It doesn't raise my blood sugar.  Keto works best for me.  Also i've found that the Carnivore diet has a big following of body builders - makes sense

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