What your opinion on the keto diet?

2

Replies

  • GemstoneofHeart
    GemstoneofHeart Posts: 865 Member
    I haven’t tried it and don’t really plan to ever try it.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    I haven't tried it and it sounds horrible to me. I did a lo carb diet in the past and actually kept the weight off for about 6 years. Eating more carbs in a food situation in which I had no control over for 2 weeks, ended that since it was eat carbs or nothing.

    About 30 years ago a young med student told me about ketosis. It was something extreme according to him that had to be done under doctor's supervision and it was TEMPORARY. it turns me off completely to think of doing it in the first place on my own and second ly that I know I couldn't stick to it. I've lost 30 lbs. So far by counting calories and don't have to eliminate any foods for weight loss. Keto just sounds terrible to me.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.
  • kiracookie
    kiracookie Posts: 50 Member
    I found it easier to stick to the strictness of Keto than I do just trying to calorie control. I lost a stone in 3 weeks but then completely stalled and couldn’t lose any more (even over 3 months). Iv come off it now and gone back to eating a normal diet but trying to stick to calories with exercise.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    kiracookie wrote: »
    I found it easier to stick to the strictness of Keto than I do just trying to calorie control. I lost a stone in 3 weeks but then completely stalled and couldn’t lose any more (even over 3 months). Iv come off it now and gone back to eating a normal diet but trying to stick to calories with exercise.

    If you weren't controlling calories as well, than it's probably why you didn't lose weight. Initial weight losses were from glycogen depletion and water storage associated with insulin.
  • kiracookie
    kiracookie Posts: 50 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    kiracookie wrote: »
    I found it easier to stick to the strictness of Keto than I do just trying to calorie control. I lost a stone in 3 weeks but then completely stalled and couldn’t lose any more (even over 3 months). Iv come off it now and gone back to eating a normal diet but trying to stick to calories with exercise.

    If you weren't controlling calories as well, than it's probably why you didn't lose weight. Initial weight losses were from glycogen depletion and water storage associated with insulin.

    I was watching calories. I weighed everything I ate and logged it.
    According to the weight analysis machine in my gym 10lb of the weight loss was fat. And Iv not gained any weight back since stopping.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Why? There are a wide variety of grains and health benefits to eating them as psulemon mentioned. Are you pretty much against all of them? For what reason?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    2t9nty wrote: »
    Orphia wrote: »
    You want my opinion?

    I think it needlessly complicates CICO for the vast majority of people.

    Yeah, yeah, yeah, some people who've been doing it a short time SAY they can do it for life. Funny how there's just a handful who've done it barely 2 years (see my first point).

    /IMHO

    This could be. I have only been doing it for about 14 months. I am not only doing it for weight loss. I am a T2D, and it keeps my glucose levels low. I brought my A1C down to 5.5, and my doctor reduced my metformin dose. Lipid panels improved and I am off my statin. BP is teetering on the edge of my doctor taking me off my BP med. Liver enzymes are at the low end of the normal range after 20 years of being too high. It has worked well for me. So far it has looked pretty sustainable, and the results have encouraged me to stick with it. Maybe all that will change, but I don't think so.

    Most of the long term keto/LC folks on MFP are in the low carb forum.

    I think people with your health issues are one of the key groups that can benefit from keto. That being said, in many cases, IR can be addressed by low carb without having to go full potato with the restrictions of keto. For some not.

    Glad you are addressing the T2D. You didn't mention it but have you also lost body fat and undertaken a vigorous exercise program? Doing these things can also be key elements in reducing T2D.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Why? There are a wide variety of grains and health benefits to eating them as psulemon mentioned. Are you pretty much against all of them? For what reason?
    I do better on a low starch diet. Even with buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth which are probably the healthiest grains, I didn't really feel well after eating. Low carb I feel great most of the time.
  • AnnieG1957mfp
    AnnieG1957mfp Posts: 2 Member
    I started this way of eating in July of this year. Aside from a pretty good weight loss so far, I have stabilized my blood glucose levels, and the burning in my feet at night has stopped. I have more energy and I am able to handle brain things better such as my monthly requirement to change all my passwords at work. Over all it has helped me. Basically this is the diet prescribed for me after having weight loss surgery in 2008. I had gained half of the weight I had lost back as of May of this year. And I was experiencing return of Type II Diabetes symptoms. The last thing I want at 60 years of age is Type II. So my opinion is that it is working for me and all I am giving up is symptoms and sugar and grains etc.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.

    What people find satiating varies.

    I love leafy greens and eat a lot of them daily because I enjoy them and think they are nutritionally important. I mostly don't find them especially filling (which is not surprising, because they are so low cal). The exceptions would be something like collard greens, and even then more if I eat them with some fat and starch (like rice or injera) or if course protein. Most other kinds of vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, winter squash, summer squash, cabbage, turnips, carrots, asparagus (and on and on) DO fill me up very well, but I know this is not the case for everyone.

    I find many starches quite satisfying and filling/satiating, especially potatoes and sweet potatoes, but also oats and rice and wild rice (I'm not a huge fan of plain white rice so don't eat it a lot, but find it filling and weirdly have been finding myself having more of a taste for it). I don't find bread filling, regardless of the fiber, but that's me, others have different experiences.

    I don't really find berries filling at all, but I eat them because I enjoy them and they are low cal. An apple or peach or banana are more filling, despite the fact that they have less fiber. I think it's psychological somehow.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.

    I eat most of those things on top of bread, starches (this has the biggest impact on my satiety), fruits and veggies; I don't like nor will ever eat kale and walnuts. So while restriction as worked for you, limiting my ability to get nutrient dense foods would be a mistake. My diet is unlimited anything, which allows me to get the most nutrients possible.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    2t9nty wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    I think people with your health issues are one of the key groups that can benefit from keto. That being said, in many cases, IR can be addressed by low carb without having to go full potato with the restrictions of keto. For some not.

    Glad you are addressing the T2D. You didn't mention it but have you also lost body fat and undertaken a vigorous exercise program? Doing these things can also be key elements in reducing T2D.

    I followed the doctor's recommended diet very closely, and glucose numbers were very high even with the metformin. I decided to try low carb and discovered that the lower I kept my carbs, the lower the average glucose numbers and the smaller the range. I was checking glucose a lot trying to get a feel for what different foods were doing to me. I reduced the carbs to 20 per day, and have not looked back. I have actually never even checked keto sticks or whatever. I monitor the glucose and am interested in the impact there.

    I have lost 105 lbs so far. According to my fancy scales, all but about 10 lbs of that has been body fat. I increased protein when I saw that I had lost some lean body mass, and the lean body mass has been steady since the increase in protein.

    I am reasonably active in my work, and I walk to the PO to get mail, etc. I had a step counter for a while, but it was boring. I averaged about 10K steps a day without doing anything special. That is really it for physical activity.

    Dont' stress too much about the loss of lean body mass. When you went keto, you depleted glycogen and water store (two things that make up lean body mass). It doesn't mean you lost muscle, even though it's possible you did. Outside of increased protein, you will want to incorporate progressive resistance training. Those are the two components that will increase muscle retention and/or stimulate growth. But that latter is just as important as protein.
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.

    What people find satiating varies.

    I love leafy greens and eat a lot of them daily because I enjoy them and think they are nutritionally important. I mostly don't find them especially filling (which is not surprising, because they are so low cal). The exceptions would be something like collard greens, and even then more if I eat them with some fat and starch (like rice or injera) or if course protein. Most other kinds of vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, winter squash, summer squash, cabbage, turnips, carrots, asparagus (and on and on) DO fill me up very well, but I know this is not the case for everyone.

    I find many starches quite satisfying and filling/satiating, especially potatoes and sweet potatoes, but also oats and rice and wild rice (I'm not a huge fan of plain white rice so don't eat it a lot, but find it filling and weirdly have been finding myself having more of a taste for it). I don't find bread filling, regardless of the fiber, but that's me, others have different experiences.

    I don't really find berries filling at all, but I eat them because I enjoy them and they are low cal. An apple or peach or banana are more filling, despite the fact that they have less fiber. I think it's psychological somehow.

    I guess greens aren't really filling in small quantities but I make large amounts of lettuce, kale, and fruit smoothies and that can fill me up for a while. I see that you like a lot of cruciferous veggies, I'm trying to get more of those in my diet. My filling foods are peanut butter, eggs, fish, and beef off the top of my head. How do you prepare turnips so they are filling? I've had them raw and they were good but it's a starchy vegetable.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.

    What people find satiating varies.

    I love leafy greens and eat a lot of them daily because I enjoy them and think they are nutritionally important. I mostly don't find them especially filling (which is not surprising, because they are so low cal). The exceptions would be something like collard greens, and even then more if I eat them with some fat and starch (like rice or injera) or if course protein. Most other kinds of vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, winter squash, summer squash, cabbage, turnips, carrots, asparagus (and on and on) DO fill me up very well, but I know this is not the case for everyone.

    I find many starches quite satisfying and filling/satiating, especially potatoes and sweet potatoes, but also oats and rice and wild rice (I'm not a huge fan of plain white rice so don't eat it a lot, but find it filling and weirdly have been finding myself having more of a taste for it). I don't find bread filling, regardless of the fiber, but that's me, others have different experiences.

    I don't really find berries filling at all, but I eat them because I enjoy them and they are low cal. An apple or peach or banana are more filling, despite the fact that they have less fiber. I think it's psychological somehow.

    I guess greens aren't really filling in small quantities but I make large amounts of lettuce, kale, and fruit smoothies and that can fill me up for a while.

    Even large amounts aren't for me. A huge salad is, but that's because there's a lot more on it than just greens. I doubt eating a bag of spinach would do much for me (I like kale, but couldn't just eat it plain on its own).

    For example, I made a smoothie (turned out delicious -- I am always experimenting with new combinations) yesterday morning with about half an avocado, a third of an acorn squash (pre-roasted), around 130 g of frozen spinach, some almonds (basically I made my own almond milk), a small banana, and some vegan protein powder. It was super filling. I actually had to save some of it for lunch. But I think it would have been equally filling without the spinach.
    I see that you like a lot of cruciferous veggies, I'm trying to get more of those in my diet. My filling foods are peanut butter, eggs, fish, and beef off the top of my head. How do you prepare turnips so they are filling? I've had them raw and they were good but it's a starchy vegetable.

    I like them raw, but even more often I roast them. I have no issues with starchy veg, but they are way less carbs than a potato if you are concerned about that -- more similar to a radish, probably. I typically do a mix of roasted root veg as a side dish (they are good in stews too).
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    edited November 2017
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.

    I eat most of those things on top of bread, starches (this has the biggest impact on my satiety), fruits and veggies; I don't like nor will ever eat kale and walnuts. So while restriction as worked for you, limiting my ability to get nutrient dense foods would be a mistake. My diet is unlimited anything, which allows me to get the most nutrients possible.
    Kale is the 3rd most nutrient dense food there is according to Healthaliciousness.com. I know some people say they would rather die than eat it though. I think the main grain foods I would be missing out on are rice bran and wheat germ that are nutrient dense.

    https://healthaliciousness.com/articles/most-nutrient-dense-foods.php
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    I'd recommend low carbs. I like fruit too much to go full keto. Grains are unnecessary for everyday foods. Fruits, veggies, grass fed meat, eggs, cheese, fish, seafood, nuts, seeds, seaweeds, and mushrooms are most of the foods I eat. Exercise is very important as well, like walking and weightlifting.

    Just to point out, no specific food is necessary for everyday foods.

    I guess that's true. I'm pretty much against grains most of the time but I do eat them when traveling.

    Fair enough. I eat them daily because the fiber helps satiate me and good for GI health.

    Lettuce, kale, and other greens also avocados, berries, walnuts, and sunflower seeds all have fiber as well and they are very satiating especially lots of greens. They can take some time getting used to though.

    What people find satiating varies.

    I love leafy greens and eat a lot of them daily because I enjoy them and think they are nutritionally important. I mostly don't find them especially filling (which is not surprising, because they are so low cal). The exceptions would be something like collard greens, and even then more if I eat them with some fat and starch (like rice or injera) or if course protein. Most other kinds of vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, winter squash, summer squash, cabbage, turnips, carrots, asparagus (and on and on) DO fill me up very well, but I know this is not the case for everyone.

    I find many starches quite satisfying and filling/satiating, especially potatoes and sweet potatoes, but also oats and rice and wild rice (I'm not a huge fan of plain white rice so don't eat it a lot, but find it filling and weirdly have been finding myself having more of a taste for it). I don't find bread filling, regardless of the fiber, but that's me, others have different experiences.

    I don't really find berries filling at all, but I eat them because I enjoy them and they are low cal. An apple or peach or banana are more filling, despite the fact that they have less fiber. I think it's psychological somehow.

    I guess greens aren't really filling in small quantities but I make large amounts of lettuce, kale, and fruit smoothies and that can fill me up for a while.

    Even large amounts aren't for me. A huge salad is, but that's because there's a lot more on it than just greens. I doubt eating a bag of spinach would do much for me (I like kale, but couldn't just eat it plain on its own).

    For example, I made a smoothie (turned out delicious -- I am always experimenting with new combinations) yesterday morning with about half an avocado, a third of an acorn squash (pre-roasted), around 130 g of frozen spinach, some almonds (basically I made my own almond milk), a small banana, and some vegan protein powder. It was super filling. I actually had to save some of it for lunch. But I think it would have been equally filling without the spinach.
    I've been eating lacinato kale by itself. It's bitter but I sort of like it.
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    I see that you like a lot of cruciferous veggies, I'm trying to get more of those in my diet. My filling foods are peanut butter, eggs, fish, and beef off the top of my head. How do you prepare turnips so they are filling? I've had them raw and they were good but it's a starchy vegetable.

    I like them raw, but even more often I roast them. I have no issues with starchy veg, but they are way less carbs than a potato if you are concerned about that -- more similar to a radish, probably. I typically do a mix of roasted root veg as a side dish (they are good in stews too).

    I think I like turnips because they are close to radishes which I love.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Generally I think people should just stick to eating all food groups in moderation not go on a restrictive diet plan. It isn't necessary for weight loss to follow a special diet.
    If you like following a keto diet then do it. If you have trouble following it long term then don't.