Did you experience appetite suppression and mental clarity with keto?

oat_bran

For several weeks I've been struggling with being ravenous all the time, so much that I can't keep any deficit and some days struggle to eat even at maintanence. I want to give keto diet a try again. I've tried it several times in the past and couldn't do it for more than two weeks because I would feel really yucky and hungry no matter how much I ate. (I'd it under 20g of carbs, but maybe not enough fat?) The famous appetite reduction would never come. But maybe I just needed to stick to it longer?

The problem is that I need to present my thesis in a few months and I can't afford to just experiment and suffer through it only to figure out that I'm one of those people who never get 'fat adapted' and never experience significant hunger suppression. Or if would take weeks or even months to start experiencing any of those effects then it would also be not worth it.

On the other hand, if there's a big chance that I just need to wait slightly longer and would eventually get rid of the crazy hunger and become more sharp mentally and more energetic than it would really help me to and would be definitely worth it.

So I just want to hear your about your experiences or your general knowledge about how common it is to experience those supposed advantages of keto dieting and how long it can take? And how common it is in your opinion to never get keto adapted?

nosebag1212

No, I hated it and felt terrible, I was hungry all the time, had constant sugar gravings, had zero energy, lifts went down, insomnia, sex drive was in the toilet etc. I tried it for 6 weeks too so was already in ketosis but I never felt good. This was only my personal experience but others will have different results, keto works for some people especially the obese and insulin resistant, for me it was a disaster lol.

workinonit1956

I didn't feel good on Keto, plus after 4 months my hair started shedding:( I did lose while eating very low carb, but it wasn't sustainable for me because I just feel better eating carbs and I regained rather quickly.
We're all different, but I find IF to work wonders for reigning in my appetite and letting me stick quite easily to my calorie goals.

GottaBurnEmAll

I'm another one who found IF to be better for appetite control than keto/low carb.

I'm also not fond of low carb's effect on athletic performance. I didn't like waiting to become fat adapted. That was too much time to be losing muscle mass, imo.

cwolfman13

I find complex carbs suppress my appetite...oats, beans, lentils, etc...

Bearbo27

Slightly off topic...How is your protein intake normally? If I don't consume enough protein, I become super hungry.

KetoLady86

I have been keto for several months...and I feel wonderful. BUT- to each there own. I love my MCT oil...its great, and not just for keto..for everyone

snickerscharlie

KetoLady86 wrote: »

I have been keto for several months...and I feel wonderful. BUT- to each there own. I love my MCT oil...its great, and not just for keto..for everyone

Can you provide some evidence to support this claim?

nosebag1212

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I find complex carbs suppress my appetite...oats, beans, lentils, etc...

same, a big bowl of oatmeal can keep me satisfied for hours, whereas the same amount of cals composed of peanut butter does NOTHING and I'm hungry 30 minutes later

charlenekapf

ugh see if i just have oatmeal I'm starving an hour later but very full at the time. if i have just pb, i need more volume to really be full but find it satiating. so i have oatmeal and pb to really hold me. although i still get hungry a few hours after that.

nosebag1212 wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I find complex carbs suppress my appetite...oats, beans, lentils, etc...

same, a big bowl of oatmeal can keep me satisfied for hours, whereas the same amount of cals composed of peanut butter does NOTHING and I'm hungry 30 minutes later

Catawampous

Ok first let me preface this by saying I am am not promoting this way of eating. I am only leaving information as it pertains to ME with regards to the questions asked. I have been at this for about 3 weeks now so in the time frame of the OP's problems. I will not provide any type of evidence to support my claims because again, these answers only apply to ME. So as long as we understand that ... here are MY answers as they apply to ME

I started looking around for something that would help control my hunger. I get especially ravenous at certain times and could never understand why. Someone, I can't remember who, posted something about being extremely hungry after breakfast. Breakfast was oatmeal. Something we shared in common. From there, I started researching. I'd never even heard of Keto before. The more I dug in, the more I liked what was being said. Being an information sponge, I read a LOT on it and decided to use myself as my own experiment. I am a pretty cynical person when it comes to huge claims. I've fallen for them before and am not likely to do so again.

Appetite reduction ~ Yep. Definitely. I would say within the first 48 hours I noticed a huge difference. It kept getting better and better as time went on and now I can say I am rarely hungry. I do not feel that "OMG I am so hungry I want to eat hubby's arm" feeling. If I am feeling hungry at a time when I normally don't, I look at my diary and most often it's because my fat intake has been too low.

Mental Clarity ~ Some. I don't have that 2pm to 4pm mental "man I'm tired" feeling I use to get cluttering up my head. Or that "I just want to go to bed" feeling after dinner. I do have issues with focus and dyslexia and some reading comprehension challenges. I am not seeing a huge swing in this at this particular time. I don't know that I will either. But I do believe that part does take some time. Like a matter of months vs weeks.

Being Keto/Fat adapted ~ I can't answer that for you as I think it's based on individuals. But based on what I've read on this, it can take months also.

Conclusion ~ For ME, it's working so far. I feel happy, healthy, there is a definite upward tick in my moods and a general feeling of well being.

OP your thesis is important. Since you've already tried it and didn't have success, maybe you should try it at a time when something as important as this isn't on the table. Just my opinion of course. You do You!

I hope my answers help you out some. Good Luck on your thesis!!

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Naija82

I've been on a low carb diet for 4.5 weeks now, I try to aim for 50g or less. I feel fine and haven't felt hunger or gotten intense cravings. I'm eating more vegetables than I did before and meeting my protein requirements. I run quite regularly and completed a half marathon on Sunday so no horrible fatigue/lack of energy.

I think low carb works for some people and doesn't for others.

ahoy_m8

I have tried it but so long ago that I don't remember well and can't answer your questions, OP.

I did want to ask, however, about the "fat adaptation" thing. Is it a thing? Aren't all bodies using stored fuel or, after eating, shuttling fuel into storage all day long? I know bodies will use alcohol, if present, first then glycogen next, but at some point in any given day, aren't we all using fat for energy and producing ketones (even if it's too small to register on a test strip or whatever)? Why would it take several weeks to adapt to that?

cerise_noir

Nope to both.

psuLemon

Fat doesn't fill me up. Protein, fiber and starches are for me.

psuLemon

ahoy_m8 wrote: »

I have tried it but so long ago that I don't remember well and can't answer your questions, OP.

I did want to ask, however, about the "fat adaptation" thing. Is it a thing? Aren't all bodies using stored fuel or, after eating, shuttling fuel into storage all day long? I know bodies will use alcohol, if present, first then glycogen next, but at some point in any given day, aren't we all using fat for energy and producing ketones (even if it's too small to register on a test strip or whatever)? Why would it take several weeks to adapt to that?

Your body constantly uses stored fat and glycogen throughout the day depending on what you are doing. And ketones are produced after long periods of fasting. And there is some debate on how long it would take to fully adapt to keto.

GottaBurnEmAll

psulemon wrote: »

Fat doesn't fill me up. Protein, fiber and starches are for me.

Ditto.

MiamiDawn

As cat say above - this is what pertains to ME.
I've been Keto for about 7 weeks now (and have done low carb in the past)

Keto is more than just being low carb, it's about consuming less than 20g carbs and having the "right" proportion of fats, carbs, and protein in what you eat, and it's not high protein but rather a moderate amount of protein. If you have no carbs all day long by eating meat, then have something with 20 carbs then you will have problems. While you've technically stayed below your 20 carbs for the day, you can easily throw yourself out of ketosis. Peanut butter is another thing ... Most are only 4 net carbs, but most brands you can buy in the local store have sugar added. Also, foods with sugar alcohols like many low carb bars affect some people by causing a rise in insulin levels. In reality, the carbs you get on the diet should come from nutrient dense foods like green vegetables and a small amount of berries.

For me ... I feel great. I do not crash in the afternoons. I take less naps. My blood sugar levels are stable. My A1C has dropped into a "normal" range and I've lost weight.

To answer your question about hunger ... I don't feel hungry however, because I am one that historically would eat just because it is there and tastes good rather than because I was hungry, I still need to watch myself if that makes sense. I don't do the "bulletproof coffee" thing because I don't like coffee or hot tea, so I do a bullion broth with some butter added.

I've read lots about it, I've joined groups, I've listened to podcasts and watched you tube videos. If you want to understand some of the science behind it in everyday language, I highly recommend listening to the 2ketodudes podcasts. All I know is it is working for me, and I feel better than I have in decades. Am I perfect on it ? No, some days I go over on carbs like pretty much everyone else, but the next day, I tighten up what I eat and get right back on plan. I would say, I'm a work in progress.

HaleCry

I couldn't stick to keto. I didn't find it sustainable and would binge. I find that being able to eat anything if I fit it in my calories works better as I'm not deprived therefore don't binge.

leanjogreen18

I felt great on Atkins however it wasn't how I wanted to eat the rest of my life so when I increased carbs I gained all my weight back. I can't cut carbs as much as I needed to in order to continue my weight loss and maintenance. Since then I've also stopped eating meat for various other reasons.

nvmomketo

I've been keto (or LCHF for a day or two here or there) since spring of 2015. Early on in the diet, after the first two weeks and until about 7 months, I found that ketosis did lower my appetite but it wasn't all of the time. My calories were set at 1420 (I was 190lbs at 5'8") but my caloric intake averaged out to 1500kcal. Some days were 2000 or even 2500 kcal but other days were as low as 500 kcal. Most days were within a couple hundred kcals of 1500.

Once I stopped logging, my calories naturally went up and I hit 2000kcals. I found when I want to eat in a deficit that logging is needed or I will eat more than I need. While in ketosis I find eating in a deficit MUCH easier than if I eat a lot of carbs, but I still need to keep an eye on intake and limit myself somewhat. I just wasn't getting hypoglycemic hunger shakes or hangry anymore.

I am one who noticed a significant cognitive improvement. Disturbingly so. Even my husband noticed. That's enough to keep my in ketosis for life right there. The cognitive improvements did not happen right away though. It took at least a month, closer to two, before the improvements became obvious to me and those who are closest to me.

Perhaps share your diary with people in the Low Carber Daily MFP group. They can give you tips and ideas like making sure your sodium is 3000-5000mg per day to avoid electrolyte imbalance which could hide any cognitive improvements behind the symptoms of fatigue, headaches and general feelings of unwellness. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group

Good luck.

workinonit1956

psulemon wrote: »

Fat doesn't fill me up. Protein, fiber and starches are for me.

Omg, me too! I thought I had to be the only one that wasn't "satiated" by eating fat.

lemurcat12

psulemon wrote: »

Fat doesn't fill me up. Protein, fiber and starches are for me.

Yup, me too.

I will say that before I was into good habits about eating times (when I am I am pretty content no mater what I eat for meals), eating low protein at breakfast was an issue, so changing from something like a bagel or plain oatmeal to a higher protein option (vegetable omelet with low fat cottage cheese) helped. If I didn't know better I might assume that was due to carb cutting, since the omelet has a lot fewer carbs, but in experimenting, just adding protein powder or some smoked salmon and veg on the side with oatmeal or making a (very high carb and low fat, often) smoothie with some fruit, lots of veg, and protein powder and yogurt will be every bit as filling as the omelet. So I think what helps me is having protein and fiber -- many people have breakfasts that are quite low on protein. On the other hand (from experimenting), a lower protein, higher fat breakfast tends to work worse for me than a lower protein, high carb one.

psuLemon

I should add, that I haven't done keto or even gotten to low carb. My body does not respond well to low carb diets. The lowest I got was around 170g and I thought I was going to die and my workouts suffered so bad, it was terrible. And I doubt it's a sodium thing because I regularly eat 4000 to 6000mg + .

nvmomketo

psulemon wrote: »

I should add, that I haven't done keto or even gotten to low carb. My body does not respond well to low carb diets. The lowest I got was around 170g and I thought I was going to die and my workouts suffered so bad, it was terrible. And I doubt it's a sodium thing because I regularly eat 4000 to 6000mg + .

It might have been sodium, in part. Sodium needs go up when you go lower carbs so if you are already at 4000-6000mg per day, you may need to go higher.

ahoy_m8

The diversity of experience is very interesting, especially IMHO endurance athletes doing keto. FWIW, my sweet spot is 100g protein, 50g fat and 25g fiber with net carbs <100g. That's low-ish carb, but not keto by any measure. I feel good and function well if I hit these minimums even when my calorie intake is too low. My problem with keto was more lifestyle..... many catered business lunches, work travel, just too many meals I could not control. 90% of catered business lunches were sandwiches, and picking out the meat only calls attention to yourself in situations where it's best not to look odd. Better to eat the sandwich, rearranging it to omit half the bread.

bininj

Canned sardines tuna or salmon in oil. Eat the whole can. Cook meat in butter. Cream in coffee. Cream cheese on ham. Fresh veggies every day. Keep carbs low. Result - NO hunger, no sugar cravings, stable blood sugar, stable triglyceride level, PLUS regular weight loss.

oat_bran

workinonit1956 wrote: »

I didn't feel good on Keto, plus after 4 months my hair started shedding:( I did lose while eating very low carb, but it wasn't sustainable for me because I just feel better eating carbs and I regained rather quickly.
We're all different, but I find IF to work wonders for reigning in my appetite and letting me stick quite easily to my calorie goals.

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I'm another one who found IF to be better for appetite control than keto/low carb.

I'm also not fond of low carb's effect on athletic performance. I didn't like waiting to become fat adapted. That was too much time to be losing muscle mass, imo.

I used to wake up and not be hungry for many hours and water fasting for a day was easy. I tried IF in the past and while it didn't go with my particular lifestyle it was pretty easy. Now I'm so ravenous that I can't imagine to not be able to eat something for many hours. But like I said in the previous thread that I made I really doubt it's just regular healthy hunger. But I was hoping keto could still be a temporary solution...

oat_bran

Bearbo27 wrote: »

Slightly off topic...How is your protein intake normally? If I don't consume enough protein, I become super hungry.

No, I really doubt it's my protein intake. I tried different macro ratios. I tried 40% and 50% protein, I tried lowering my carbs to 30%. I tried upping my fat. My fiber intake has been pretty significant, too (like 50-70g daily.

VintageFeline

I've never done it but I certainly have reduced starchy carbs hugely. What I have found though is that I need those starchy carbs in combination with my fat and protein to stay sated. Not a lot but a few mouthfuls at least. If I don't I quickly start mooching for something else to nibble on and my workouts suffer.

It does take some experimentation to find what works though!