• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Fat v Protein

Alec G.

Alec G.

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Prediabetes
Treatment type
Other
I am attempting to devise a weekly menu based on high fat low carb lines, basically a Keto diet. So I am looking at about Calories 2,000, Fat 165g, Carbs 20, Protein 75g and also enjoying my meals as well as getting all the nutrients I need. Perceived wisdom on the forum appears to be, lots of above ground veg, lots of meat, fish, lots of Olive oil and butter etc. The real problem I am having is that most of the items, apart from Avocado, Virgin Oil and Butter ( which are great re carbs and protein but a disaster re Calories), have far more protein than fat, particularly all the meats and fish.

I also understand that when the body does not have enough carbs to turn into sugars it will firstly convert the proteins instead, which I presume defeats the object somewhat. So I am confused when I read that other forum members enjoy 'plenty' of these items on high fat low carb diet. How does one deal with the corresponding high protein question?.
 
Probably not the best one to reply because I don't weigh, measure or count anything. My strategy is to eat the least amount of carbs I can and enough of everything else to keep hunger at bay
I've seen T1's mention that they need to consider protein when working out their insulin dosage. But for myself I have never noticed protein or fat affecting my sugar levels.
 
I do not count either. I have two meals a day, keep my carbs under 40 gm and use very little olive oil and butter as I get fats from those occurring naturally in what I eat.
Carbs come from things with under 11 percent carbs except from a bit of chocolate.
We need very little carbohydrate, so I don't worry about protein being converted to 'fill the need' as there doesn't seem to be one for me.
 
I’m not so sure the body does turn to protein first. There’s argument that gluconeogenisis of protein might be an issue for type 1 on insulin but they are not generally in ketosis. Being in ketosis and able to effectively use fats and ketones for energy somewhat changes the prioritisation of where energy comes from in the lack of carbs - or as far as I understand it anyway. There’s even a version of very low carb called the PEratio by ted Naimen that’s all about high protein rather than high fats.

In reality l’ve never notice a rise from protein and I tend to eat heavy on the protein and less so on the fat. I’ve never worried about calories either. Carbs are my limit, protein is a goal to achieve minimum levels to protect lean muscle and fats are a lever to make me feel full and have energy. (Well that’s all the case when I’m sticking to the plan).
 
If you eat enough to not feel any hunger, then totally ignore calories. If once fat adapted ie in ketosis, any calorie defecit will be taken from stored fats, hence weight loss.
Via Gluconeogenesis the body can produce any glucose required (usually only the brain). From protein and fat. So although theoretically you should aim for certain percentages of diet, in actuality it's not that important. the main thing is to restrict carbohydrates.
As you become fat adapted you may find yourself missing meals, as you didn't realise the time, and never felt hungry.
 
Alec G. said:
I am attempting to devise a weekly menu based on high fat low carb lines, basically a Keto diet. So I am looking at about Calories 2,000, Fat 165g, Carbs 20, Protein 75g and also enjoying my meals as well as getting all the nutrients I need. Perceived wisdom on the forum appears to be, lots of above ground veg, lots of meat, fish, lots of Olive oil and butter etc. The real problem I am having is that most of the items, apart from Avocado, Virgin Oil and Butter ( which are great re carbs and protein but a disaster re Calories), have far more protein than fat, particularly all the meats and fish.

I also understand that when the body does not have enough carbs to turn into sugars it will firstly convert the proteins instead, which I presume defeats the object somewhat. So I am confused when I read that other forum members enjoy 'plenty' of these items on high fat low carb diet. How does one deal with the corresponding high protein question?.
Click to expand...
Hi Alec. I don't have any idea how many calories I take in, and haven't for the last three and a half years while I've been eating keto style - and losing >60lbs. I haven't deliberately increased fat intake - it might have happened but I've not consciously tried to do it. I have probably upped my meat/protein intake, and simply dropped the high-carb items entirely.

The way I look at it is that while I'm limiting carbs and running largely on ketones, any carbs I take in or produce via gluconeogenesis get used immediately - they're not hanging around to be turned into fat in due course. They don't overwhelm my system and they don't do damage. It's not like taking in loads of carbs in food and overloading myself - gluconeogenesis will only convert the amount needed.

I don't therefore think there is a "high protein" question for me, certainly as far as impact on blood sugars go.
 
I'm another T2 who doesn't count, etc, though I'll generally check nutritional values for any new foods I might choose to eat. I work on the basis that protein is used for my body's maintenance & repair and carbs and fat provide fuel for energy. (But as already mentioned some T1 diabetics may need to take protein into consideration for their insulin doses.)

My understanding is that our bodies are designed to use both carbohydrates and fats/ketones as fuel but, since carbs are preferred as they're a quick & easy as fuel source, if we're used to a high carb diet it may be necessary to persuade our bodies to (re)adjust to being "fat adapted" and able to use both carbs and dietary and stored body fat as required.

I don't eat a "keto" diet as such. but basically eat few enough carbs to keep my glucose at low prediabetic levels and balance this with enough fattier food (which does not affect my glucose levels) to provide energy and help keep me feeling full. I've always eaten normal full fat food rather than the now popular low/lite/reduced fat stuff, so needed to do very little adjustment to fat when cutting my carbohydrate consumption right down after my diagnosis. In retrospect, for several years pre diagnosis I was eating too many carbs, and this caused weight gain as surplus fuel was getting stored as fat around my middle. :oops: :oops: However, in addition to improving my glucose levels, cutting those carbs right back down again also resulted in almost immediate weight loss as most of this extra fat was being burned off again.
 
I'm T2 and don't count calories either. I eat the fat that comes with the meat, and add butter and/or olive oil to foods that benefit from it. My longterm diet is keto by choice as it works for me and I find it easy. I don't take meds, though I did take Metformin for a very few weeks when I was first diagnosed. I lost loads of weight as an unexpected and very welcome side effect. You don't have to go full keto unless you want to, just saying it worked for me. After almost a lifetime of starving on low-calorie low-fat diets, I wish I'd known about this years ago. I do intermittent fasting, usually eat 2 meals a day, eat to appetite, and don't eat at all unless I'm hungry.
 
Hi, is your aim to lose some weight? If so low carb is probably best, high protein is good for exercise and muscle building but the protein that you eat is not stored in your body for long.
If active, your muscles will pull out some of the glucose from carbs.
I have porridge for breakfast, do some leg work (bigger muscle take more glucose) then some weights, my bg are good.


Sent from my SM-A137F using Diabetes Forum mobile app
 
Back
Top