Nutrition Course 1 - FAQ
Most frequent questions asked during the Nutrition Course 1
Plan and prioritise
In ketontrack we are data driven. And tracking our glucose and ketone levels are two very important metrices for health. We all know how important is to have stable glucose. Measuring your glucose levels in the morning is quite important in our perspective. Ketones are equally important. Although we are not exploring the ketogenic diet in this course, have some ketones is a sign of a proper working metabolism so tracking them will give you some very helpful insights.
Tracking food intake can be eye-opening. Most people typically eat a lot more than think. In some studies it was shown even when tracking food intake we can be off by 30%. Tracking your meals will help understand your calorie intake, your macros and micros and if you are deficient in some of them. Cronometer is a very simple tool which used by hundreds of thousands of people and is considered the most reliable food database.
Yes absolutely. If you use cronometer and want us to monitor your food intake then please send us a message. We will then ask you to provide us access to your account and we will be able to make personalised recommendations.
It is best to test your levels during your fasting window and around the same time every day. Both glucose and ketones will change during the day it is best to test them at around the same timeframe and in the morning.
Energy Balance
Cronometer is a great tool to help you baseline your calories based on your age, height etc. In your profile don’t add your exercise in calculation. On the other hand this is only a guide to understand roughly if you are undereating or overeating. As you practice this lesson try to hear your hunger and fullness cues. This will give you a indication of your real needs.
Nutrition
Question : What are the effects of sweeteners on IF & Keto. I use them when drinking herbal tea during the day. Can I use keto-mojo to check the insulin impact of the sweetener?
Answer : ketOntrack does not recommend using sweeteners, but if you choose to then it is better to use Stevia or Erythritol since they have a Glycemic Index of 0 and will not spike insulin. Using Xylitol should be kept to the minimum and not during your fast since it will spike your insulin.
Question : I find it difficult not to snack. What can I do?
Answer : If you feel the need to eat between meals it might be due to different reasons. We would recommend the following:
- Check-in with yourself. Are you really hungry? If yes, then eat something which is not sugary. Try a yogurt, some vegetables or maybe a spoon of tahini. For the next days ensure that you eat enough during your main meals. A proper meal should sustain you till the next, but it might take time.
- If you are snacking for emotional reasons, try taking a walk to clear you mind. This can do wonders.
- You might want to test your blood sugars at that point as this could be an indication of hypo glycemia.
Question: This week’s menu had carbs ~ 35gr daily (average). If ketones are still kept high with these carbs, is it necessary to aim 20 gr after all?
Answer: The target carbs is different for every person and depending on their level of metabolic flexibility. If you have ketones around 1mmol and are losing weight then these are indicators that you are utilizing the carbs during the day and able to get back into ketosis very fast.
Question: Do almonds increase prolactin?
Answer: Prolactin is mostly associated with milk production. Estrogen is the primary way to increase prolactin, while it decreases with dopamine. Cholesterol is the source of the steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol), hence and good source of cholesterol will also support prolactin production. Almonds is a good source, but fatty fish for example are an even better source.
Question: Do “fat burning supplements” work?
Answer: Hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine are part of our “fight or flight” system and stimulate fat mobilisation. In other words, when these hormones go up, the body releases fatty acids into the blood to be used for energy. These hormones go up mostly due to stress and exercise. In both cases, fat is released to be used by the muscles at the same time as they suppress appetite. You might think this is a good thing. However even if fats are released they need to be used! So if there is no muscle activity that needs energy, fat will simply recycle back and be stored. If we don’t use the energy it will be put back! Instead, try to combine such stimulants such as coffee with an exercise session. Now you are in business!
Fasting
Question: Should one make cycles of Intermittent Fasting? (e.g. 4 weeks IF, 1 week OFF)?
Answer: Doing IF on a daily basis is a totally healthy practice both for men and women. A 16 hour fast on a daily basis has great benefits and will become the foundation of your lifestyle when following the ketOntrack program. Above all though, you need to listen to your body. If you are metabolically healthy your body will signal to you when to eat. If some days you are very active, or stressed, and you feel like having meal outside your usual eating window then go for it. Don’t eat when you are not hungry and don’t put yourself in unnecessary stress.
Question: Do I need to eat something in the morning to keep my metabolism going and lose fat?
Answer: The body is an efficient machine always needing energy to function. This includes sleeping, breathing, EVERYTHING. All the functions together are called metabolism. We don’t need to kick start something. Our metabolism is always running.
In order to lose weight we need to burn our own fat. Fat is broken down and used for energy. This is part of our physiology. In a healthy body, extra food will be stored for later use. So when we eat, we will use for energy what we just ate or if we eat too much it will be stored. There is no fat loss when eating as this is an anabolic process.
And be careful! The mechanism of using your fat for energy might be broken if you eat all day or depend only on carbs! If this is the case you will break down muscle which is something we don’t want.
Question: Is it possible that IF is stressing the body? (thus cortisol lab results?)
Answer: Yes, that is possible as with any stressor. And that is exactly why we go step-by-step with fasting and at your own pace. When following the ketOntrack approach, stressing is not an issue.
General
Question: Where can I find my submitted quiz answers?
Answer: In your course overview page you can click on the drop-down arrow on the right as indicated by the picture below.
