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Keto Lifestyle Question
cherelle75
Posts: 1 Member
in Debate Club
Hello All,
Hope everyone's having a fab Friday!! Someone mentioned the Keto lifestyle to me recently. Has anyone tried it or is on it and is willing to share their thoughts and/or concerns? I saw a segment of Dr. Oz where he stated his cardiac concerns & suggested to be on it no longer than 90 days. And then transition to a more sustainable less health adverse lifestyle. However, I hear the positives beyond weight loss as well: increase mental clarity, better sleep, skin/hair improvement, etc.
Hope everyone's having a fab Friday!! Someone mentioned the Keto lifestyle to me recently. Has anyone tried it or is on it and is willing to share their thoughts and/or concerns? I saw a segment of Dr. Oz where he stated his cardiac concerns & suggested to be on it no longer than 90 days. And then transition to a more sustainable less health adverse lifestyle. However, I hear the positives beyond weight loss as well: increase mental clarity, better sleep, skin/hair improvement, etc.
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Replies
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I've been on it for most of the last 3.5 years. It's made me healthier, improved my health issues (postural hypotension, insulin resistance, inflammatory pain issues, better appetite control, better hair, skin and nails, good cholesterol and labs) so I have nothing to transition to.
IMO, carbs are mostly about taste and convenience. There are no nutrients lacking in a ketogenic diet.
I have no concerns at all.
Dr Oz is.... questionable. Did he give any reason that a ketogenic diet (of veggies, nuts, seeds, meats, seafood, eggs and dairy) should be limited? About the only reason I can think of that a ketogenic diet is harmful is when one has familial hypercholesterolemia.
This sight has a great launch pad with more info for those who want to learn more.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group24 -
I tried it for a month. It killed my appetite but I felt generally unwell doing it. I concentrate on quality carbohydrate sources now, all wholegrain and veg. Try it and see how you feel, we all react differently to these things it seems6
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I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.9
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I am a month in
not losing weight fast (after the fluid went) about 1/2 to 1 pound a week but I feel so much better and am so much healthier
just had my annual bloods - I am off cholesterol meds and blood pressure meds
my resting heart rate has gone down and the biggest improvement for me is the lack of arthritic pain - just the odd niggle so now off the oral meds and just a gel for when needed
mental clarity - well I have bipolar and seem to be in a good place at the moment but that could be co-incidence only time will tell
try it I would give it a month and then make your choice - I am staying on it14 -
Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
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snickerscharlie wrote: »Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
Yep, fat does nothing for me but carbs keep me feeling full for hours. Everyone really is different 11 -
First and foremost you should understand that Dr. Oz is a f-ing quack who makes money hawking questionable products to gullible people.
Numerous studies have shown keto is safe and effective in long term.20 -
Also on the "pay no attention To Oz" bandwagon. If you have no specific health problem Keto in just one of many diets that can result in weight loss. In study after study there has been no metabolic advantage shown for keto. Some recent studies indicate there is some benefit with hunger signalling and cravings.
If craving carbs and feeling hungry is a struggle for you, keto is something to consider. If not, base your diet on preference, compliance and sustainability.17 -
I did it for 4 weeks n it killed me just about no energy, the shakes, bad heads, mood swings. Just wasn't for me, doesn't say it won't help other ppl5
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I did it for 4 weeks n it killed me just about no energy, the shakes, bad heads, mood swings. Just wasn't for me, doesn't say it won't help other ppl
Those symptoms are probably mainly due to an electrolyte imbalance from not replacing the sodium lost along with the early water weight. What you described is a pretty classic case of low sodium.8 -
I started doing keto may 5 at 228 and i have lost 24 lbr im very happy. I just learn how to make keto frendly ice cream. Love it.10
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cherelle75 wrote: »Hello All,
Hope everyone's having a fab Friday!! Someone mentioned the Keto lifestyle to me recently. Has anyone tried it or is on it and is willing to share their thoughts and/or concerns? I saw a segment of Dr. Oz where he stated his cardiac concerns & suggested to be on it no longer than 90 days. And then transition to a more sustainable less health adverse lifestyle. However, I hear the positives beyond weight loss as well: increase mental clarity, better sleep, skin/hair improvement, etc.
Keto is fine.. even long term..
Also, Dr. Oz is a surgeon... He has no formal education in nutrition. Take advice from him or most other doctors are the equivalent of taking heart advice from a dermatologist.
Alsl, those benefits are pretty much the same as every other diet out there. Often its driven by fst loss and eating a more nutrient dense foods. Its amazing what the body does when you eat adequate nutrients.14 -
I tried it because it is supposed to be good for the insulin resistance of PCOS. I gave up after only four weeks though, because I missed things like oatmeal and bananas.
I know, not much willpower there. But, the changes I make, well I want to make ones that will last my lifetime. Keto was just too big of a change for me - everyone is different though.
However, I've found that if I keep my carbs at only 35% of my daily caloric consumption, then I will lose weight fairly consistently.
In contrast, if I stay within my daily calorie target--but eat more than 100g of carbohydrates in a day, I hardly lose any weight at all.
Where I wasn't able to stick with the ultra-low-carb of Keto, I am able to maintain a lower-carb diet of 35% carbs.
Also, I think maybe I could only maintain a keto diet long-term, if my partner was doing it with me.5 -
cherelle75 wrote: »Hello All,
Hope everyone's having a fab Friday!! Someone mentioned the Keto lifestyle to me recently. Has anyone tried it or is on it and is willing to share their thoughts and/or concerns? I saw a segment of Dr. Oz where he stated his cardiac concerns & suggested to be on it no longer than 90 days. And then transition to a more sustainable less health adverse lifestyle. However, I hear the positives beyond weight loss as well: increase mental clarity, better sleep, skin/hair improvement, etc.
Keto diets have been around for almost a century.
If followed correctly, it is as healthy and optimal a diet model as anything else you could choose.
Like with all diet models - Calorie counting /moderation, Paleo, Clean eating, Pescatarian, Vegetarian, Low Carb High Fat, High Carb Low Fat not one of them will be ideal for everyone to follow, so you need to find one that is the most comfortable and easiest to adhere to.
Good luck with keto, hope it works for you.15 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
OK. Glad you found what works for you. Obviously we are all different. I would bet the people who have tried keto and found it sustainable do so largely because the do find fat satisfying. I find the fat makes a very large plate of salad very filling...or add 1/3 cup of coconut milk to a big bowl of riced cauliflower and it’s like eating twice as much pasta as I would have eaten when I was on Weight Watchers (a carefully measured cup uncooked). But I think you’re right that we’re all different and it’s important to choose an approach based on your own needs and after doing research.9 -
I did it for 4 weeks n it killed me just about no energy, the shakes, bad heads, mood swings. Just wasn't for me, doesn't say it won't help other ppl
The main thing that causes people to feel bad on keto is electrolytes, especially in the beginning when you are peeing out a lot of water weight.
Most of the time you can do this through diet, but iIf you do heavy exercise with a lot of sweating, then you need to supplement electrolytes or you will feel like crap.
General rules of thumb:
Shakes = Need magnesium
Cramps = Need potassium
Headache = Need sodium
A general electrolyte imbalance = low energy
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snickerscharlie wrote: »Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
Yep, fat does nothing for me but carbs keep me feeling full for hours. Everyone really is different
Fat has a high calorie density, so if you are used to grazing all day and eating bulky meals to "get full" then you will definitely notice that the portion sizes are smaller.
You need to learn how to differentiate between your body telling you that it is no longer hungry (i.e.,satiation) and the sensation of having a "full stomach", because they are not the same thing.
For example, you can eat a large head of lettuce, which is very bulky, but has next to nothing in nutritional value.
Your stomach will be "full" to the point you could not possibly eat another bite, but your body will not be satiated because you only consumed ~100 calories.
Conversely, to get the same 100 calories you would only need one tablespoon of butter. You will have higher satiation in terms of hormonal responses to the consumption of fat, even though your stomach is nowhere near "full" in terms of being stuffed to capacity.
Thus, if you are used to grazing on bulky meals then you might think the much smaller, denser keto meals are not enough to "get full", when they are actually the same amount of calories (or more) and have a higher degree of satiation in terms of how it will be metabolized.
It is what is on the plate, not the size of the plate that matters.
That is a difference in thinking, not a difference in biology.
So to be clear, everyone may have different habits, preferences, and things they are used to eating, but we all have pretty much the same hormonal and biological responses and biology is not malleable subject to opinion.23 -
SirSmurfalot wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
Yep, fat does nothing for me but carbs keep me feeling full for hours. Everyone really is different
Fat has a high calorie density, so if you are used to grazing all day and eating bulky meals to "get full" then you will definitely notice that the portion sizes are smaller.
You need to learn how to differentiate between your body telling you that it is no longer hungry (i.e.,satiation) and the sensation of having a "full stomach", because they are not the same thing.
For example, you can eat a large head of lettuce, which is very bulky, but has next to nothing in nutritional value.
Your stomach will be "full" to the point you could not possibly eat another bite, but your body will not be satiated because you only consumed ~100 calories.
Conversely, to get the same 100 calories you would only need one tablespoon of butter. You will have higher satiation in terms of hormonal responses to the consumption of fat, even though your stomach is nowhere near "full" in terms of being stuffed to capacity.
Thus, if you are used to grazing on bulky meals then you might think the much smaller, denser keto meals are not enough to "get full", when they are actually the same amount of calories (or more) and have a higher degree of satiation in terms of how it will be metabolized.
It is what is on the plate, not the size of the plate that matters.
That is a difference in thinking, not a difference in biology.
So to be clear, everyone may have different habits, preferences, and things they are used to eating, but we all have pretty much the same hormonal and biological responses and biology is not malleable subject to opinion.
Yes...but...on keto you can still eat the large head of lettuce, as long as you offset it with some fat. A large plate of arugula is ten calories and only one net carb; an ounce of cheese will balance that and make it keto. You could make it a HUGE plate for another half-ounce of cheese. A green salad with some cucumbers, mushrooms, and a glug of full-fat dressing can easily be keto. You don’t have to sacrifice low-calorie volume; you just have to make sure the high-calorie foods you pair it with are low-carb.
I make a soup that has so much volume I struggle to eat a 500-calorie bowl of it. The bulk comes from riced vegetables and spinach, while most of the calories come from the reduced chicken broth and coconut milk I use as a base. Once I was low on calories and had two servings left in the fridge, so I tried to eat them both at once and thought my stomach might literally burst.
It doesn’t have to be either-or. Even on keto.11 -
SirSmurfalot wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
Yep, fat does nothing for me but carbs keep me feeling full for hours. Everyone really is different
Fat has a high calorie density, so if you are used to grazing all day and eating bulky meals to "get full" then you will definitely notice that the portion sizes are smaller.
You need to learn how to differentiate between your body telling you that it is no longer hungry (i.e.,satiation) and the sensation of having a "full stomach", because they are not the same thing.
For example, you can eat a large head of lettuce, which is very bulky, but has next to nothing in nutritional value.
Your stomach will be "full" to the point you could not possibly eat another bite, but your body will not be satiated because you only consumed ~100 calories.
Conversely, to get the same 100 calories you would only need one tablespoon of butter. You will have higher satiation in terms of hormonal responses to the consumption of fat, even though your stomach is nowhere near "full" in terms of being stuffed to capacity.
Thus, if you are used to grazing on bulky meals then you might think the much smaller, denser keto meals are not enough to "get full", when they are actually the same amount of calories (or more) and have a higher degree of satiation in terms of how it will be metabolized.
It is what is on the plate, not the size of the plate that matters.
That is a difference in thinking, not a difference in biology.
So to be clear, everyone may have different habits, preferences, and things they are used to eating, but we all have pretty much the same hormonal and biological responses and biology is not malleable subject to opinion.
So you're saying if you're not eating keto and don't feel satied with your meals it's because you're eating too many carbs, but if you eat keto and don't feel satied, it's all in your head??20 -
SirSmurfalot wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »Running_and_Coffee wrote: »I’ve been on it since mid February and love the food and find it easy to follow, and it got me to my goal pretty quickly, but the first few weeks were hard. I think you need to really research any diet before jumping into it. I would never recommend it for everyone. I think it’s great if you gained weight in the first place due to things like mindless or stress eating as the high protein and fat reduces hunger and cravings.
Not necessarily. Everyone has different satiety triggers.
For example, I don't find fat satiating at all, because I'm a volume eater and a fat-based diet consumes waaaaay too many of my daily calories in far too little substance. So, basically, not enough bang for the caloric buck for me.
Yep, fat does nothing for me but carbs keep me feeling full for hours. Everyone really is different
Fat has a high calorie density, so if you are used to grazing all day and eating bulky meals to "get full" then you will definitely notice that the portion sizes are smaller.
You need to learn how to differentiate between your body telling you that it is no longer hungry (i.e.,satiation) and the sensation of having a "full stomach", because they are not the same thing.
For example, you can eat a large head of lettuce, which is very bulky, but has next to nothing in nutritional value.
Your stomach will be "full" to the point you could not possibly eat another bite, but your body will not be satiated because you only consumed ~100 calories.
Conversely, to get the same 100 calories you would only need one tablespoon of butter. You will have higher satiation in terms of hormonal responses to the consumption of fat, even though your stomach is nowhere near "full" in terms of being stuffed to capacity.
Thus, if you are used to grazing on bulky meals then you might think the much smaller, denser keto meals are not enough to "get full", when they are actually the same amount of calories (or more) and have a higher degree of satiation in terms of how it will be metabolized.
It is what is on the plate, not the size of the plate that matters.
That is a difference in thinking, not a difference in biology.
So to be clear, everyone may have different habits, preferences, and things they are used to eating, but we all have pretty much the same hormonal and biological responses and biology is not malleable subject to opinion.
What you state is opinion. And the satiation studies don't show universal conclusions reagrding fat or carbs. This is different than the plethera of studies showing the benefits of proteins and fiber.
I am definitely not a grazer but i am a volume eater. My average meal is probably 2-3x larger in size and often calories than most people. I know i definitely eat larger than anyone i know.9 -
So you're saying if you're not eating keto and don't feel satied with your meals it's because you're eating too many carbs, but if you eat keto and don't feel satied, it's all in your head??
No, that is not what I said at all.
I am not sure how you managed to get off track, so let me try again.
I was making two points:
First, I was stating the rather obvious fact that if you eat a calorie dense food, your meal is going to be noticeably smaller in volume for a given amount of calories... because that is what calorie dense means, more calories in a given volume!
This is not something specific to keto, it holds true whether you are talking about keto or not. Keto does however have more calories from fat, and fat is both calorie dense and known to trigger satiation by altering the balance of the hormones Leptin, the hormone which decreases your appetite and Ghrelin, the hormone that increases appetite.
The combined effect of these hormone changes is satiation (i.e., the absence of hunger).
Second, satiation is not necessarily synonymous with having a "full" stomach (i.e., your stomach has reached the capacity of what it can physically hold).
You can be satiated without being full, and full without being satiated.
You can also be both (or neither) at the same time, because they are two different things.
The main point here is, It is not necessary to stuff yourself in order to reach satiation.
Thus, if you are in the habit of eating large bulky meals (yes, this is a habit, not a physical requirement) and switch to eating small calorie dense meals, you might look at your plate and think "This is not enough food! I won't feel full", even though it is more than enough calories to sustain you. And yes, it is mostly in your head.
This is one of the reasons people habitually overeat, they keep eating well past the point to satiation in order to feel "full", because that is how they have always done it.
Again, this is not something specific to keto, but it just happens that keto includes more calories from fat (high calorie density) than most people are used to eating, so the portions tend to be noticeably smaller in volume for a given amount of calories, see the first point.
And yes, as FlyingMolly points out you can pair your high calorie density foods with a low carb filler if you really think you need that extra bulk to feel "full" and still be keto.
Whatever works for you, but I feel that using fillers to add bulk to a meal is kind of a crutch to avoid correcting bad habits.
Kind of like using artificial sweeteners instead of just not eating/drinking sweet things. Sure a can of diet soda is marginally better than a can of full sugar soda, but it is even better to drink water or unsweetened tea.FlyingMolly wrote: »Yes...but...on keto you can still eat the large head of lettuce, as long as you offset it with some fat. A large plate of arugula is ten calories and only one net carb; an ounce of cheese will balance that and make it keto. You could make it a HUGE plate for another half-ounce of cheese. A green salad with some cucumbers, mushrooms, and a glug of full-fat dressing can easily be keto. You don’t have to sacrifice low-calorie volume; you just have to make sure the high-calorie foods you pair it with are low-carb.
I make a soup that has so much volume I struggle to eat a 500-calorie bowl of it. The bulk comes from riced vegetables and spinach, while most of the calories come from the reduced chicken broth and coconut milk I use as a base. Once I was low on calories and had two servings left in the fridge, so I tried to eat them both at once and thought my stomach might literally burst.
It doesn’t have to be either-or. Even on keto.
Yeah, true. See above.
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SirSmurfalot wrote: »So you're saying if you're not eating keto and don't feel satied with your meals it's because you're eating too many carbs, but if you eat keto and don't feel satied, it's all in your head??
No, that is not what I said at all.
I am not sure how you managed to get off track, so let me try again.
I was making two points:
First, I was stating the rather obvious fact that if you eat a calorie dense food, your meal is going to be noticeably smaller in volume for a given amount of calories... because that is what calorie dense means, more calories in a given volume!
This is not something specific to keto, it holds true whether you are talking about keto or not. Keto does however have more calories from fat, and fat is both calorie dense and known to trigger satiation by altering the balance of the hormones Leptin, the hormone which decreases your appetite and Ghrelin, the hormone that increases appetite.
The combined effect of these hormone changes is satiation (i.e., the absence of hunger).
Second, satiation is not necessarily synonymous with having a "full" stomach (i.e., your stomach has reached the capacity of what it can physically hold).
You can be satiated without being full, and full without being satiated.
You can also be both (or neither) at the same time, because they are two different things.
The main point here is, It is not necessary to stuff yourself in order to reach satiation.
Thus, if you are in the habit of eating large bulky meals (yes, this is a habit, not a physical requirement) and switch to eating small calorie dense meals, you might look at your plate and think "This is not enough food! I won't feel full", even though it is more than enough calories to sustain you. And yes, it is mostly in your head.
This is one of the reasons people habitually overeat, they keep eating well past the point to satiation in order to feel "full", because that is how they have always done it.
Again, this is not something specific to keto, but it just happens that keto includes more calories from fat (high calorie density) than most people are used to eating, so the portions tend to be noticeably smaller in volume for a given amount of calories, see the first point.
And yes, as FlyingMolly points out you can pair your high calorie density foods with a low carb filler if you really think you need that extra bulk to feel "full" and still be keto.
Whatever works for you, but I feel that using fillers to add bulk to a meal is kind of a crutch to avoid correcting bad habits.
Kind of like using artificial sweeteners instead of just not eating/drinking sweet things. Sure a can of diet soda is marginally better than a can of full sugar soda, but it is even better to drink water or unsweetened tea.FlyingMolly wrote: »Yes...but...on keto you can still eat the large head of lettuce, as long as you offset it with some fat. A large plate of arugula is ten calories and only one net carb; an ounce of cheese will balance that and make it keto. You could make it a HUGE plate for another half-ounce of cheese. A green salad with some cucumbers, mushrooms, and a glug of full-fat dressing can easily be keto. You don’t have to sacrifice low-calorie volume; you just have to make sure the high-calorie foods you pair it with are low-carb.
I make a soup that has so much volume I struggle to eat a 500-calorie bowl of it. The bulk comes from riced vegetables and spinach, while most of the calories come from the reduced chicken broth and coconut milk I use as a base. Once I was low on calories and had two servings left in the fridge, so I tried to eat them both at once and thought my stomach might literally burst.
It doesn’t have to be either-or. Even on keto.
Yeah, true. See above.
And again, studies dont support that. Also, carbs have the greater impacts on leptin. Its why refeeds, to get leptin back to normal levels, are done with extremely high carbs.20 -
SirSmurfalot wrote: »I did it for 4 weeks n it killed me just about no energy, the shakes, bad heads, mood swings. Just wasn't for me, doesn't say it won't help other ppl
The main thing that causes people to feel bad on keto is electrolytes, especially in the beginning when you are peeing out a lot of water weight.
Most of the time you can do this through diet, but iIf you do heavy exercise with a lot of sweating, then you need to supplement electrolytes or you will feel like crap.
General rules of thumb:
Shakes = Need magnesium
Cramps = Need potassium
Headache = Need sodium
A general electrolyte imbalance = low energy
Or you could, you know, not force yourself to push through and make accommodations to survive these symptoms just to continue on with a diet that shows no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss.
I will never understand why when people come in and describe their symptoms of keto flu why keto proponents are so adamant that they need to make all these adjustments just to get past it. That sounds awful and completely unnecessary so why encourage someone to stick with something that they found miserable?32 -
WinoGelato wrote: »SirSmurfalot wrote: »I did it for 4 weeks n it killed me just about no energy, the shakes, bad heads, mood swings. Just wasn't for me, doesn't say it won't help other ppl
The main thing that causes people to feel bad on keto is electrolytes, especially in the beginning when you are peeing out a lot of water weight.
Most of the time you can do this through diet, but iIf you do heavy exercise with a lot of sweating, then you need to supplement electrolytes or you will feel like crap.
General rules of thumb:
Shakes = Need magnesium
Cramps = Need potassium
Headache = Need sodium
A general electrolyte imbalance = low energy
Or you could, you know, not force yourself to push through and make accommodations to survive these symptoms just to continue on with a diet that shows no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss.
I will never understand why when people come in and describe their symptoms of keto flu why keto proponents are so adamant that they need to make all these adjustments just to get past it. That sounds awful and completely unnecessary so why encourage someone to stick with something that they found miserable?
Because for some people it beats choosing a diet model that leaves them going to bed hungry if they want to remain in a calorie deficit (IMO)!
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tennisdude2004 wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »SirSmurfalot wrote: »I did it for 4 weeks n it killed me just about no energy, the shakes, bad heads, mood swings. Just wasn't for me, doesn't say it won't help other ppl
The main thing that causes people to feel bad on keto is electrolytes, especially in the beginning when you are peeing out a lot of water weight.
Most of the time you can do this through diet, but iIf you do heavy exercise with a lot of sweating, then you need to supplement electrolytes or you will feel like crap.
General rules of thumb:
Shakes = Need magnesium
Cramps = Need potassium
Headache = Need sodium
A general electrolyte imbalance = low energy
Or you could, you know, not force yourself to push through and make accommodations to survive these symptoms just to continue on with a diet that shows no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss.
I will never understand why when people come in and describe their symptoms of keto flu why keto proponents are so adamant that they need to make all these adjustments just to get past it. That sounds awful and completely unnecessary so why encourage someone to stick with something that they found miserable?
Because for some people it beats choosing a diet model that leaves them going to bed hungry if they want to remain in a calorie deficit (IMO)!
And just like many keto proponents are quick to point out that the person who tried keto and failed to get through the rough patch just wasn’t doing it right, i would respond that maybe your attempts with other diet models weren’t successful because you weren’t doing it right. I’ve never gone to bed hungry while eating all things in moderation, because I know what satiates me and I build my days around that. If you tried it and it didn’t work, kudos for finding something that did, but that’s basically what this poster is saying as well - they tried keto, they were miserable, they’ve moved onto something that works. And yet people are still telling them what they should have done differently so that they could have stuck with it and powered through the misery.21 -
I read the KETO diet info & my take away from it was to eliminate simple carbs from my diet. No Bread & pasta of any sort. The extra weight I needed to shed came off easily. As a bonus my afternoon fatigue was also gone. I struggled with afternoon fatigue for years & figured it was a daily simple carb crash>>> all good now!
I still have wine & beer though but I do this in evening so if I get tired I go to bed... lol6 -
WinoGelato wrote: »And just like many keto proponents are quick to point out that the person who tried keto and failed to get through the rough patch just wasn’t doing it right, i would respond that maybe your attempts with other diet models weren’t successful because you weren’t doing it right. I’ve never gone to bed hungry while eating all things in moderation, because I know what satiates me and I build my days around that. If you tried it and it didn’t work, kudos for finding something that did, but that’s basically what this poster is saying as well - they tried keto, they were miserable, they’ve moved onto something that works. And yet people are still telling them what they should have done differently so that they could have stuck with it and powered through the misery.
A misery that can have ramifications in the heart. There are people walking around out there with undiagnosed heart conditions and it does concern me that some Keto newcomers are unaware of a potential electrolyte imbalance that some people here take pretty lightly.
I think anyone considering this diet should first experiment with their eating to make sure it is even necessary. If it does seem necessary they should transition slowly instead of cutting their carbs drastically to avoid the Keto flu and other side effects.11 -
Been Keto for almost 3 months. I love it.
Pros so far:
Lost 14 pounds... some of which is water I’m sure.
No longer need prescription acne medication.
No longer need sleeping medication. I used to take 10mg of melatonin to fall asleep.
Don’t wake 5 times to pee at night, can sleep 9 hours without moving.
Way less hungry, unless it’s shark week.
Way more energy, feel alert and cheerful without caffeine.
Less headaches.
I don’t get hangry anymore.
My memory seems better. Maybe I’m imagining this one? Lol
My kids love all the delicious things I cook.
Cons (so far):
Less convenient. I generally make all my own food, which can occasionally take a long time. Meal prep once a week helps. Foods can sometimes be expensive if I go organic grass fed, etc.
Have to carry a water bottle everywhere because I get thirsty a lot.
The first week sucked. Tiredness, headaches, low blood pressure, constant peeing. It passed, though.
All in all, I’m very satisfied with it. After a while you don’t even miss carbs. There’s been an open bag of Oreo mini’s on my desk for a week now (kids like ‘em) and I haven’t touched it!5 -
WinoGelato wrote: »
Or you could, you know, not force yourself to push through and make accommodations to survive these symptoms just to continue on with a diet that shows no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss.
I will never understand why when people come in and describe their symptoms of keto flu why keto proponents are so adamant that they need to make all these adjustments just to get past it. That sounds awful and completely unnecessary so why encourage someone to stick with something that they found miserable?
Or you could, you know, eat the Standard American Diet (SAD); be obese and bloated until either the diabetes or the heart disease kills you.
Your choice, but I personally would rather take the minor inconvenience of having to manage my electrolytes over the well documented negative health effects of SAD any day.
The keto flu (a misnomer, it is actually closer to a mild hangover) lasts a day or two at most and can be completely eliminated if you simply watch your hydration and electrolytes, as people with experience rightly suggest.
Staying well-hydrated and managing your electrolytes not something new or special to keto, as any athlete could tell you. It is actually a very good idea for everyone.
I will never understand why people are so quick give up something that is ultimately good for them at the first sign that they have to put the least little bit of <gasp> effort into it.32 -
SirSmurfalot wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »
Or you could, you know, not force yourself to push through and make accommodations to survive these symptoms just to continue on with a diet that shows no long term metabolic advantage for weight loss.
I will never understand why when people come in and describe their symptoms of keto flu why keto proponents are so adamant that they need to make all these adjustments just to get past it. That sounds awful and completely unnecessary so why encourage someone to stick with something that they found miserable?
Or you could, you know, eat the Standard American Diet (SAD); be obese and bloated until either the diabetes or the heart disease kills you.
Your choice, but I personally would rather take the minor inconvenience of having to manage my electrolytes over the well documented negative health effects of SAD any day.
The keto flu (a misnomer, it is actually closer to a mild hangover) lasts a day or two at most and can be completely eliminated if you simply watch your hydration and electrolytes, as people with experience rightly suggest.
Staying well-hydrated and managing your electrolytes not something new or special to keto, as any athlete could tell you. It is actually a very good idea for everyone.
I will never understand why people are so quick give up something that is ultimately good for them at the first sign that they have to put the least little bit of <gasp> effort into it.
There's nothing wrong with SAD as long as one isn't obese, or eating more than is necessary to maintain a healthy weight.
And there's no benefit to keto, if one is obese and eats more than is necessary to maintain a healthy weight.
If you're going to have to track and micromanage either way, you might as well eat a varied diet.15
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