Biggest Surprise/Shock on Keto
SteveP999Tx
Posts: 21 Member
I've been doing this for 60 days. I did days and weeks of research before diving in 100%. I've done well. But, with all the research I had done, there were a few things I wasn't suspecting. What's your biggest shock on the lifestyle?
I have a list:
1. I don't poop much. Maybe nobody wants to talk about it. But for the first month, I thought something was wrong.
2. If you would have told me I could fast for a day with ease, I would have laughed in your face. But I do.
and my biggest shock.
3. The hate. I really didn't expect the barrage of "experts" that attack Keto like it's some alien approach to eating. It's called a "fad" diet. I've been told that I'm killing myself because my brain needs glucose. I've been told that my cholesterol will go sky high. I've been told a laundry list of reasons why the way I eat is harmful and irresponsible. Yes - I understand that you can lose weight with the CICO system. Yes I understand that you've gone to school for eight years to learn nutrition and you are more of an expert than I am. But I listen to a lot of people. What I've learned is these "experts" are repeating what they've been taught. But this is a different language they don't understand. For some of them, it threatens their business model. People that have worked their TAILS off to lose weight are a little resentful that some are losing weight with no workouts. The mentality that you have to eat 5 meals a day of grains and fruits has been so beaten into our heads that some have a hard time accepting that there is another way.
I have a list:
1. I don't poop much. Maybe nobody wants to talk about it. But for the first month, I thought something was wrong.
2. If you would have told me I could fast for a day with ease, I would have laughed in your face. But I do.
and my biggest shock.
3. The hate. I really didn't expect the barrage of "experts" that attack Keto like it's some alien approach to eating. It's called a "fad" diet. I've been told that I'm killing myself because my brain needs glucose. I've been told that my cholesterol will go sky high. I've been told a laundry list of reasons why the way I eat is harmful and irresponsible. Yes - I understand that you can lose weight with the CICO system. Yes I understand that you've gone to school for eight years to learn nutrition and you are more of an expert than I am. But I listen to a lot of people. What I've learned is these "experts" are repeating what they've been taught. But this is a different language they don't understand. For some of them, it threatens their business model. People that have worked their TAILS off to lose weight are a little resentful that some are losing weight with no workouts. The mentality that you have to eat 5 meals a day of grains and fruits has been so beaten into our heads that some have a hard time accepting that there is another way.
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Nutrition experts - I've come to the conclusion that they don't really exist, and in the USA we spend a lot of time educating people that the standard american diet is totally OK and the way everyone should eat despite the growing obesity and poor health in our country.
I have had arguments with people who have many many years of nutrition training about what being an "essential nutrient" means - I can assure you, in English, it only has one meaning and by definition carbs are not an essential nutrient...it's like we as a country go out of our way to brainwash people into ignorance...makes me sad.
And god forbid you inform someone that our nutrition guide was written by farmers, not doctors, they totally flip out even though the information and credentials are totally available for public knowledge.
On to the actual topic - I do keto for migraines, and I was shocked at how fast it worked...instantly stopped getting the monthly hormonal migraines, and after about 100 days I didn't get migraines even after consuming things that are known migraine triggers for me...considering I've been fighting the migraine battle for over a decade, 100 day to a total cure is like a freaking miracle!!!9 -
I’ve noticed the same about my migraines. I’ve only been following keto since mid-April and the only headache I’ve had in the last 30 days of my log was this weekend when I paid the price for eating poorly at that party - and I kept forgetting to take my preventative med so much that I quit it completely a few weeks ago.
Even when I was on the horribly restrictive headache elimination diet my neurologist wanted me to try last fall, I still had 5-6 migraine days a month. That was a big improvement from the 20 or more it had been, but this is so much better and I’m actually enjoying food rather than dreading trying to figure it what to eat.1 -
I am currently going through the rare side effect of hair loss
My biggest shock is that could even happen! So i am currently struggling to make it less bad, not very successfully though.
My other surprise is how much easier this WOE has been for weight loss than any other way I have tried. Like, i lose even without working out! And it is happening faster than any time before. I am 15+ lbs down from my lowest ever on any other diet, and i did it in half the time.4 -
I almost cringe everytime I see some post in the regular forums about Keto because there is so much backlash and negativity.5
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Yeah. I didn't notice the backlash until starting.
It's working for me. My doctor gave me a high five and the nurse made me write down my shopping list because she wanted to start immediately. If the fat guy on the job site thinks it's not healthy but my doctors do, I have a pretty good idea of which opinion I'm going to value.
The bottom line is it is WORKING. My weight, my blood numbers, my blood pressure, my skin, my energy. There aren't many negatives.
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I may have just started a "Woo" war over in the general weight loss forum...oops. They always woo our Keto posts, so I "woo"ed several of their 'keto is bad for you' and 'it's only cico that matters' and 'keto is bad advice' lol. Their responses are funny.
But ya, I don't understand why they get so upset about how we "limit our calories" by doing keto. It's like they literally cannot understand that carbs affect people differently, and some people have to limit carbs to lose weight.4 -
I didn't trial keto for weight loss. I had already lost my excess 60 and read about keto for neurological disorders. I figured if it helps Epilepsy what not possibly my neurological movement disorder (Cervical Dystonia aka Spasmodic Torticollis) so gave it a whirl. No luck there though I ate MTKD for 52 weeks as a trial.
Hunger control was the shock. I was always hungry after weight loss on maintenance calories. For over a year. I mean gnawing, physical hunger. My super high fat MTKD trial put an end to my hunger. I was absolutely shocked at the difference. Same amount of calories. Significantly different macro allocations. Needless to say I continue with LCHF for hunger conrol.10 -
When I'm really doing keto to the max...my energy levels are amazing!! With even a "normal" amount of carbs in me I'm in a daze and need to nap at least once during a day, and go to bed early.
On keto, I'm flying along all day, and can go out and dance all night!!
Nothing beats keto for me. Nada!!5 -
Biggest surprises for me:
1. I don't fart. At all! Unless I go over my carbs. My husband loves this.
2. How quickly I no longer needed to take insulin on a daily basis. Or at all. My blood sugars are so well managed that I no longer need my long-acting insulin, or my fast-acting insulin.
3. And how satiated I feel! Every other diet, especially CICO, I've always felt under-fed, under-nourished, and generally completely grumpy because of how limited I am. I'm so not limited now and relish that if I wanted to eat a stick of butter, I can eat the stick of butter! (No I don't... maybe mayo tho...
) 7 -
I've had several surprises from the Keto way of eating so far, and I am hoping more will come my way...specifically fat loss and a good blood panel.
What has surprised me the most was the reduction of inflammation and knee pain from too much weighted hiking, sports and torn ACL's in earlier years. After a couple weeks of keto, I just so happen to notice that i wasn't relying on ibuprofen at all to get to sleep at night. That is huge for me, because i was really concerned that my knees would give out eventually, and I wasn't sure how I would deal with the pain.
When i was eating/relying on cico, i was always ravenous...especially the more i exercised! This WOE is a game changer. I don't feel like i'm starving all the time, and I am completely satiated. I've never really cut the carbs or sugar like this before, and it amazes me that I'm not really all that hungry.
Lastly, i noticed that my skin seems to have more cellulite, in places that I didn't have it before. From what I've read, it's the adipose tissue loosing fat and water from the cells and giving an appearance of lumpy skin. I sure hope that when I get where i want to be in composition and weight, that my skin shrinks or smooths out some.4 -
I am about 7 weeks in and have noticed many of the things you all have mentioned. I guess one of the biggest surprises for me is how easy it is to resist temptation. I have a big family and my house is still full of things that I love and can't eat...like Nutella
. I think to myself "I wish I could have that" but that's it. It's not a struggle not to eat those foods. I didn't expect that. I do still sometimes crave sugar but for the most part I don't have cravings any more. I previously had a serious salty grains/sugar craving cycle going on daily. 3 -
LipsLikeSykur wrote: »I am about 7 weeks in and have noticed many of the things you all have mentioned. I guess one of the biggest surprises for me is how easy it is to resist temptation. I have a big family and my house is still full of things that I love and can't eat...like Nutella. I think to myself "I wish I could have that" but that's it. It's not a struggle not to eat those foods. I didn't expect that. I do still sometimes crave sugar but for the most part I don't have cravings any more. I previously had a serious salty grains/sugar craving cycle going on daily.
I’ve noticed the same. I walked into work last night and there were 5 different boxes of cookies/cake/donuts, etc. that patients or our wonderful volunteers had brought for us. Not even a “I wish I could”, just no appeal at all.
This morning I had to go straight to Kid2’s 6th grade graduation when I got off work and being very tired and a bit hungry, wondered if the goodies they were serving as a celebratory breakfast (donuts, bagels, fruits and juice) would tempt me, but not a thing jumped out at me as looking like something I wanted to eat. That lack of cravings definitely makes it easier to stick to the plan.4 -
Just a mod-nod here... I see that y'all are keeping it pretty light here, but please remember that criticizing the main forum or non-low carb friendly folks is coming close to violating MFP guidelines. Y'all kept it mature here, but I don't want it to get out of hand.
So, thanks for acting like grown ups and keep calm and keto on!3 -
I've had several surprises from the Keto way of eating so far, and I am hoping more will come my way...specifically fat loss and a good blood panel.
What has surprised me the most was the reduction of inflammation and knee pain from too much weighted hiking, sports and torn ACL's in earlier years. After a couple weeks of keto, I just so happen to notice that i wasn't relying on ibuprofen at all to get to sleep at night. That is huge for me, because i was really concerned that my knees would give out eventually, and I wasn't sure how I would deal with the pain.
When i was eating/relying on cico, i was always ravenous...especially the more i exercised! This WOE is a game changer. I don't feel like i'm starving all the time, and I am completely satiated. I've never really cut the carbs or sugar like this before, and it amazes me that I'm not really all that hungry.
Lastly, i noticed that my skin seems to have more cellulite, in places that I didn't have it before. From what I've read, it's the adipose tissue loosing fat and water from the cells and giving an appearance of lumpy skin. I sure hope that when I get where i want to be in composition and weight, that my skin shrinks or smooths out some.
@phytogurl
While no one thing works for everyone, the general idea is that if you continue to eat enough protein (and collagen-related foods), and maintain or improve your fitness/workouts, plus losing relatively slow/steady, your skin will have more time to "spring back" with you. "Practicing maintenance" at several stages along the health gains/weight loss journey can help, too.
Sometimes massage that uses lymphatic and/or myofascial release can help speed this process, too... (ESPECIALLY MYOFASCIAL RELEASE MASSAGE - as that can help with the "stickiness of the skin/fat deposits/muscles, etc. - I can't fully attest to the science behind the fascia blaster products, but the underlying principals are true - verified by a local licensed massage therapist trained and certified in the that technique.)...
As well as the usual suspects of sufficient sleep, plenty of water, treating vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, self care, and supporting organ health - especially liver and kidney health.2 -
WHAT! Myofascial release!
So, my foam roller may be more to credit for my lack of cellulite on my hamstrings than my fat loss.
That's amazing and will definitely encourage future foam rolling!2 -
@tcunbeliever
If you go deep with your foam roller, I would say that it is definitely a contributing factor...but without your fat loss and your improved muscles, the foam roller alone could not have done it, but it definitely does not hurt!
While this lady is the person SELLING the FASCIA BLASTER product line, this is a pretty good explanation of the process and what fascia actually are, why you don't "blast" your cheekbones and such... (We want the plumpness there, most of the time)... https://ashleyblackguru.com/what-is-fascia/
This above technique is used aggressively, from what I remember of the youtube videos, to decent success, if I recall....
I'll ask my massage therapist friend if she has any good basic links for people in the process of deciding to add a Licensed Massage Therapist Certified in Advanced Direct Myofascial Release.
This seems to be a decent article, too: http://www.advancedmassageandmovement.com/Massage.html0 -
Deep or not deep generally depend on how sore I am...some days I'm done in like 5 min, other days it's like 20...just depends on how the muscles are feeling...good to know it might be helping at the very least!2
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »
Lastly, i noticed that my skin seems to have more cellulite, in places that I didn't have it before. From what I've read, it's the adipose tissue loosing fat and water from the cells and giving an appearance of lumpy skin. I sure hope that when I get where i want to be in composition and weight, that my skin shrinks or smooths out some.
@phytogurl
While no one thing works for everyone, the general idea is that if you continue to eat enough protein (and collagen-related foods), and maintain or improve your fitness/workouts, plus losing relatively slow/steady, your skin will have more time to "spring back" with you. "Practicing maintenance" at several stages along the health gains/weight loss journey can help, too.
Sometimes massage that uses lymphatic and/or myofascial release can help speed this process, too... (ESPECIALLY MYOFASCIAL RELEASE MASSAGE - as that can help with the "stickiness of the skin/fat deposits/muscles, etc. - I can't fully attest to the science behind the fascia blaster products, but the underlying principals are true - verified by a local licensed massage therapist trained and certified in the that technique.)...
As well as the usual suspects of sufficient sleep, plenty of water, treating vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, self care, and supporting organ health - especially liver and kidney health.
So do you think that a collagen supplement may help, or would my diet be enough? Hmmm, I'm very interested in the massage idea as therapy not only for my sore muscles but to also help with my cottage cheese skin. Thank you KnitorMiss...maybe, i'll look into that and budget that in
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »
Lastly, i noticed that my skin seems to have more cellulite, in places that I didn't have it before. From what I've read, it's the adipose tissue loosing fat and water from the cells and giving an appearance of lumpy skin. I sure hope that when I get where i want to be in composition and weight, that my skin shrinks or smooths out some.
@phytogurl
While no one thing works for everyone, the general idea is that if you continue to eat enough protein (and collagen-related foods), and maintain or improve your fitness/workouts, plus losing relatively slow/steady, your skin will have more time to "spring back" with you. "Practicing maintenance" at several stages along the health gains/weight loss journey can help, too.
Sometimes massage that uses lymphatic and/or myofascial release can help speed this process, too... (ESPECIALLY MYOFASCIAL RELEASE MASSAGE - as that can help with the "stickiness of the skin/fat deposits/muscles, etc. - I can't fully attest to the science behind the fascia blaster products, but the underlying principals are true - verified by a local licensed massage therapist trained and certified in the that technique.)...
As well as the usual suspects of sufficient sleep, plenty of water, treating vitamin/nutrient deficiencies, self care, and supporting organ health - especially liver and kidney health.
So do you think that a collagen supplement may help, or would my diet be enough? Hmmm, I'm very interested in the massage idea as therapy not only for my sore muscles but to also help with my cottage cheese skin. Thank you KnitorMiss...maybe, i'll look into that and budget that in
@phytogurl
Remember that if you take in collagen with the intention of specifically to help skin/hair/nails/etc., it must be consumed alone, and in a calorie restricted manner (I don't recall the number, here), or else it will be digested and processed as an incomplete protein. I believe bone broth is the preferred source, though I also like collagen powder.
Personally, I feel that if you get enough protein, and some of that protein includes slowly cooked meats that render out collage into the mix, you're golden and probably don't need to add anything. If you do add in something, I'd opt for food sources, if possible...and so on. But if your only option is to take some kind of supplement, just make sure that it meets your needs...
Boron and zinc are also part of this process, the boron is lesser known for a lot of reasons...
Good luck on working in the massage as therapy. That sounds like the best supplement you can get! 3 -
1. That my taste buds have really changed. Have sent back iced tea to Starbucks because I thought they added in three packs of Splenda instead of one--finally realized it was me, not them. Sorry, baristas!
2. That the keto "induction phase" is very long, but once it's over, it's pretty much over. I thought it would take me a few weeks to kick the keto flu, then when it went on longer, assumed being weaker during workouts was the price I had to pay for such a satisfying and easy weight loss method. Now, 3-4 months into it, I have better strength, stamina and speed. And all my other "flu" symptoms are gone. The only difference between me now and pre-keto is 12 lbs. and lack of cravings.
3. That I could travel 2-3x per month, go on two family vacations, be in my 40s, not have much weight to lose--and still get to my goal weight in faster time than I ever did before.3 -
NO MORE HEARTBURN - GONE - amazing for a guy that could get heartburn from a glass of water!!6
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tcunbeliever wrote: »On to the actual topic - I do keto for migraines, and I was shocked at how fast it worked...instantly stopped getting the monthly hormonal migraines, and after about 100 days I didn't get migraines even after consuming things that are known migraine triggers for me...considering I've been fighting the migraine battle for over a decade, 100 day to a total cure is like a freaking miracle!!!
That is good to know. I get hormonal migraines what some times feel like twice a month. I should start tracking that.0 -
I no longer feel bloated all the time or have stomach issues.. even though less pooping is a (mental) adjustment for me. Having IBS, Keto has dramatically changed the way I feel especially with no constantly having an upset stomach every time I eat.
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1. There is such a HUGE backlash against keto, and how "unhealthy" and "impractical" of a lifestyle this approach is.
2. How full I feel on such little food, I use to eat double the calories and still felt hungry, it's amazing.
3. How good keto food is, I expected to have a diet taste, for example everything bland, tasteless, and boring. Man, was I wrong.
4. How fast the weight is coming off.
5. How suckie the keto flu is, and how real it really is.
6. How much healthier and happier I am after starting keto.5 -
Energy. Since I started Keto I am up and wide awake at 11:00 PM. Before Keto I was in bed and sleeping by 9:00 PM. Not by choice, I was that tired.
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