Just starting Keto and at a total loss.

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Replies

  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    Op-I do a higher carb plan, along with IF, because that's what works best for me. But there was lots of trial and error involved, before I got to this point. No harm in trying keto -it might be a great fit for you and help you hit you hit your calorie targets. And, if after a while you find it's not a good fit, then you'll be able to use what you learned through the process to find something else that does click.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,644 Member
    It always seems to me that the lacking advice in these forums is - go talk to your Doctor and a certified nutritionist.

    While Keto isn't magic and is healthy for most- it also is unhealthy for people with certain medical issues. Like, if I were to eat a ketogenic diet it would adversely affect my thyroid as I have hypothyroidism and am on medication to regulate it.

    Also, to make sure you are in Ketosis you are supposed to measure your ketones via blood or urine. From your post it seems like all of this would be too much work for what you are looking to do.

    Honestly, it seems you would be better just watching your calorie intake and trying to eat more healthfully.

    The part about seeing a doctor is 1) suggested whenever one signs onto any type of weight loss or fitness program. It's usually at the forefront in the not-so-fine print, and 2) suggested once more in the forums when someone reports doing everything 100% perfectly but isn't seeing the expected results, which isn't the case with the OP.
  • Rillablue
    Rillablue Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2017
    https://draxe.com/keto-diet-food-list/ might help....
    Baconslave said it right.....keep it simple, it does not need to be complicated.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    It always seems to me that the lacking advice in these forums is - go talk to your Doctor and a certified nutritionist.

    While Keto isn't magic and is healthy for most- it also is unhealthy for people with certain medical issues. Like, if I were to eat a ketogenic diet it would adversely affect my thyroid as I have hypothyroidism and am on medication to regulate it.

    Also, to make sure you are in Ketosis you are supposed to measure your ketones via blood or urine. From your post it seems like all of this would be too much work for what you are looking to do.

    Honestly, it seems you would be better just watching your calorie intake and trying to eat more healthfully.

    My thyroid is basically non-functioning but I eat a ketogenic diet to help manage my autoimmune issues, including hashimoto's. Low carb is fine for hypothyroidism.

    Measuring ketones is interesting but not needed. If one is under 20-50g of carbs per day you can be certain that you are relying on fat more than glucose for energy. Plus the urine test only shows your excess ketones. I rarely showed ketones in my urine after 5-6 months in ketosis because I no longer was spilling excess into my urine.
  • park1e
    park1e Posts: 19 Member
    edited August 2017
    First post on MFP but just wanted to weigh in.

    I Follow Keto and IF fairly strictly to under 20g carbs a day and less than 1500 cals. I'm down from 110kg (242lb) at my heaviest 3 months ago to 93kg (205lb) now.

    I work on the oil rigs 6 weeks on and 3 weeks off and only follow Keto when I'm at work, although I am still lower carb than I used to be when I'm at home (switched to Vodka and diet coke from Beer) My weight goes up 3kg when I'm not at work and when I come back I lose it in the first 2 days so must just be water/Glycogen.

    People can say what they want about this diet but it's what works for me. Tried everything else out there with results that were unsustainable. Have more energy now and started going to the gym again this week. Also quit smoking a few days after starting Keto, feeling great about everything nowadays.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Rusty740 wrote: »
    I am so stinkin' sick & tired of hearing about the whole 'Keto'/low-carb diet phase! It's a sham the diet industry has people hooked on, just like the low-fat craze in the '80's and '90's. Nothing healthy about doing keto and low carb. In fact, being in a ketogenic state is actually dangerous. Why do you think diabetics die when they get ketogenic? Non diabetics aren't immune to the dangers of keto genics either. Carbs are absolutely necessary and healthy. People run into trouble when they OVEReat carbs or eat the wrong type/too many carbs. Overeating any of the macronutrients will lead the body to storing it as fat.

    ^^THIS, so this^^ A keto diet is really not a magic pill.

    I keep getting woo'd for this, but seriously... a keto diet is not some magical way to lose weight. Following a keto diet... with a calorie deficit... will help you lose weight. But ANY kind of diet structure, with a calorie deficit, will do it. If the OP is "at a total loss" I want to make sure she knows that a simple CICO is also an option for her.

    I guess the "magical" thing about keto for me was that it decreased my appetite and pretty much nixed my cravings, which made losing weight effortless.

    If people who have struggled with their weight/appetite/cravings for years also have this same experience, then it could feel magical to them too.

    This^^ is how keto works for weight loss. It's just a semi-normal way of eating that takes advantage of the satiating qualities of proteins and fats. If it's working for you, go for it, but don't fall into the trap of calling it a low carb diet or that not having all those carbs is what's working. It isn't the lack of carbs making the magic happen. Just keep that in mind for when you're all done your weight loss. :)

    Yes. It almost does feel magical when it works for you. You flip a dietary switch and suddenly weight loss becomes easier and health improves. Not for everyone, but when it works it works well.

    I don't know if it is the satiating effects of fat and protein for me. My protein is pretty moderate and always has been. For me, I think it has more to do with cutting carbs. I can add carbs on top of my usual LCHF caloric intake and end up hungrier and with greater cravings AFTER eating extra in carbs.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member

    calorie restriction is utter garbage. I have challenged other "nutrition experts" to present me with a client that has lost over 100 lbs on a calorie restriction diet and maintained it for even 5 years. I've yet to see one.

    You might want to check out the National Weight Control Registry. Every person on there has lost at least 30 lb (some as much as 300 lb) and kept it off.

  • GlassAngyl
    GlassAngyl Posts: 478 Member
    Thank you all for your time and advice. I plan to do keto as a "jump start" to learning to control my eating. Thus far it has been working beautifully. I don't feel as hungry and it has been way easier to stop eating when I notice I am approaching my calorie goal. I've never been able to do that on just reducing calories.

    Some here say it's a hard diet to maintain as I will eventually want carbs. I admit I looked at my brothers sandwhich with great interest today, but then made myself a lettuce wrap stuffed with chicken salad and lost that interest. Breads and pastas have never been a problem for me. I hate pasta and mist breads.. I like artisan breads though which is what my son had.

    Once I'm to the point where I don't feel "starved" and can easily walk away from temptations, I will slowly introduce carbs back into my diet until I find MY sweet spot.

    I have hypothyroidism and have seen posts for and against the keto diet with this disease. Seems no real studies have been done on it and since it's not a dangerous diet, I'll try it. I also don't have a gallbladder.. something else that has two opposing views butting heads about. Some say they have had no issues with the diet while others say you can't eat fats with no gallbladder. Well, we live in a society that doesn't limit fats regardless and they aren't suffering for it.

    I don't need test strips to "check" if I'm in ketosis. If I limit carbs over an extended period of time, there will be no doubt that I'm in it.

    I don't believe I can eat as much as I want.. in fact I'm hoping it will do the opposite! I don't WANT to eat more.. I want to eat less! Regular cico just isn't doing that for me. I will miss potatoes though.. I love potatoes with grilled onions.

    I appreciate everyone's concern but I don't see this as magic or a miracle diet. I have seen this diet posted many times and dismissed it as another "fad" until a real human being with real results explained it to me. I understand this won't work for everyone.. especially not those who are vegetarian or vegan or love their breads.

    As far as results go, my sister in law (sil) and bro have joined me on this plan. My bro lost 12lbs already. He hasn't been able to lose weight at all and he works HARD as an off shore fisherman. My sil hasn't lost yet but she keeps sneaking chips and soda. I've lost 7 lbs so far...and this is with having carbs randomly and accidentally..(potatoes).. I was still low carb but not keto low carb. That's why I plan to reintroduce carbs at a later date and test the gram amounts until I find that sweet spot.
  • TomatoandMoz
    TomatoandMoz Posts: 3 Member
    Keto is just a way to help you feel satiated at an appropriate calorie limit. Focus on eating reasonable amounts of fatty meat and lower carb veggies. Two burger patties with cheese and mashed garlic cauliflower. Roasted chicken thighs with roasted broccoli. Cobb salad. Bacon and eggs. Beef stir fry. Steaks and zucchini on the grill. Tuna salad on a bed of lettuce.
  • drgnfyre
    drgnfyre Posts: 45 Member
    baconslave wrote: »
    I am so stinkin' sick & tired of hearing about the whole 'Keto'/low-carb diet phase! It's a sham the diet industry has people hooked on, just like the low-fat craze in the '80's and '90's. Nothing healthy about doing keto and low carb. In fact, being in a ketogenic state is actually dangerous. Why do you think diabetics die when they get ketogenic? Non diabetics aren't immune to the dangers of keto genics either. Carbs are absolutely necessary and healthy. People run into trouble when they OVEReat carbs or eat the wrong type/too many carbs. Overeating any of the macronutrients will lead the body to storing it as fat.

    Ketosis is not a dangerous state. Many people slip into ketosis overnight while they are sleeping. While they are pregnant. While sick and can't eat for a day or 2. While a breastfeeding infant. Ketosis is a natural body process.

    Diabetic ketoacidosis is what you are thinking of. Nutritional ketosis is ketone concentrations below about 5 or 6mmol/L. Those that high are people doing extended fasts, like for weeks. Even people who try to get higher just can't, because their pancreas is functioning. Ketoacidosis is above 15mmol/L. T1 diabetics have to worry about it since they cannot produce insulin. And T2 diabetics who have uncontrolled very high blood sugars and cannot produce enough insulin or cannot control it with injected insulin. Ketoacidosis occurs because of sky-high blood sugar AND not enough insulin. If you have a properly functioning pancreas, you can't go into diabetic ketoacidosis.
    Of course there's ketoacidosis which occurs in severe alcoholics, but that's entirely different than nutritional ketosis as well.

    Right, keto is not magic. It's a tool to achieve a calorie deficit.
    But there's nothing unhealthy about about doing keto or low-carb.

    This is correct.
    Diabetic ketoacidosis is not the same as nutritional ketosis. Type 2 diabetics go into this state because they are not capable of using the glucose in their blood for energy, and also can not remove it from the blood stream. Nutritional ketosis is about lowering your intake of foods that increase your blood glucose, which in turn lowers your insulin. You do not have high levels of glucose like a diabetic would. You will not die from this diet.
  • drgnfyre
    drgnfyre Posts: 45 Member
    I personally tried keto after people tried to scare me off it, and it worked for me very well. But i enjoy eating this way and am also allergic to grains and a lot of fruits and veggies so I couldn't eat a lot of carbs if i wanted to. Bottom line is...if you try it and hate it don't think it's the only way, but don't not try it because people scared you away. This has been the best thing I have tried so far and I am glad I tried it. I only wish I hadn't listened to people who scared me away from it for years.
  • BodyByButter
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
    Last week my doctor told me to go on a low carb diet. I know (and he knows) that I need to lose weight, but the reason for the low carb diet is that at my annual physical, my triglycerides were through the roof. It's not exactly a surprise for me since I have been mainlining jelly beans and salt water taffy lately with little regard to how much sugar is going into me.

    His recommendation was to aim for 100 or fewer carbs a day. After a solid week of reading I decided that full on keto isn't really sustainable for me, but I can fall somewhere in the middle and be happy on about 70-75 carbs a day. I am also logging and see that with those low carb choices, I am within my calorie goal.

    I always resent the posts on here where people toss in a terse "get a new doctor" like they know it all. They don't. Sure, I need to lose weight but getting the blood sugar under control is the immediate goal and why my doctor made that recommendation.
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