What are your thoughts on Keto?

ozonezoe

Love hearing people’s opinions and experience with different life style changes! Let me know what you think of keto and if it was beneficial for your life!

imjustaregularjoe

So, being a Type II diabetic for more than 30 years now, I've been very happy with how KETO can keep my BGL in a normal range. Today for instance, since I got up at 7am, my BGL hasn't been higher than 120 with a couple of dips below 70. (Still trying to adjust my medication to fit how I respond to KETO... It's a good problem to have. )

I may be able to go down to one medication (or possibly NONE!!!) if I experience the weight loss others seen to experience.

Avidkeo

Just another way to have a calorie deficit. If it works for you, go for it. If it doesn't, that's a shame. Do what works for you.

lemurcat2

I tried it out of curiosity (I was at maintenance), and didn't mind it, but I missed some perfectly healthy foods like fruit and beans/lentils and potatoes and occasional pasta and so on, and since I like to eat a lot of vegetables even eating just those plus a serving or two of nuts/seeds would cause me to exceed my goal often enough, so I decided for me it wasn't workable.

Apparently one of the main benefits is appetite control, and since I wasn't struggling with that there wasn't any major temptation to make it work.

I do think it can be a good option for some and can be done healthfully. If someone finds it an easier way for them to lose, I think that's great.

bpetrosky

I try as much as possible to think about keto as little as possible. My coworker decided to go keto last month. She will. Not. Stop. Talking. About. It. About the keto flu. About her bowl movements. About how hey husband complains about her keto breath. So much TMI.

Unfortunately my cubicle is within earshot of the break room and we're not allowed earbuds in the office. We are allowed earplugs, however, and I've invested in a year's supply.

asthesoapturns

It is absolutely not for me. My food in tolerances are many, and carbs are my friend. Saying that's friend of mine was recommended keto to help her brain fog with her bipolar disorder and it's been good in that respect. She hasn't lost much weight however because calories on/calories out. But weight loss for her is a secondary factor.

bmeadows380

I know myself well enough to know to not even bother trying. Carbs & protein are the two macros that satiate me best and keep me feeling full the longest - my natural inclination is to eat low fat higher carb. Plus, I struggle enough as it is with my body, cutting out a whole macro category is not going to win me any favors on that front.

I know it works well for some, and I'm glad they can find a eating method that fits their body, but its no magic recipe for weight loss, either, and its not for everyone.

sijomial

On a personal level it's utterly unappealing.

I would have to exclude or massively restrict a whole lot of foods that are both highly enjoyable and good for me, I eat a lot of starchy carbs, a wide variety of veg, fruit and grains.

It was also make my exercise harder and lower my performance.

For me it would make long term successful weight maintenance more difficult and less enjoyable, the least amount of restrictions possible and enjoyment of eating good tasty food are two key factors for me and keto would be an antagonist to that.

I have no medical conditions that might make keto advantageous to consider.

On a wider level as opposed to a personal level I believe that beyond people that actually enjoy a low carb eating style or do have medical problems with carbs I think it's become far more popular than it should be - a part of the dieting culture/mindset that decrees that dieting needs to be restrictive and unpleasant.

How about you OP? What are your views and experiences?

J72FIT

I'm a moderation guy, so not for me. IMO too extreme, again for me. If it suits your preferences and or you have a medical reason to follow it I see no problem...

ninerbuff

After being in the Fitness industry for over 35 years, keto is just another fad diet that people uptake to lose weight. Only about 10% who have used it to lose weight stay on the lifestyle. I've used keto ONLY when I used to compete back in the mid 80's. As for today, I've always been a moderation type, so I eat anything I want, but pay attention to the calories I consume daily. It still comes back to CICO.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

lindsaydcassidy

I was definitely anti-keto for many of the reasons listed above. However, my OBGYN recommended I eat Keto for the positive effect it has on fertility. There are a few studies with good evidence it helps those with PCOS conceive. I dont have PCOS, but decided to try anyway.

I did it faithfully for 4 months, lost 5lbs each month and never felt deprived. I got really creative with flours, baking and cooking which I love doing anyway. I found it very freeing because I never felt hungry and could always reach for a yummy snack. I also did intermittent fasting along with keto and found I liked that process as well.

I actually have since become pregnant (woohoo)! And was planning to continue modified keto, but all day nausea has made that impossible. So I’m back to calorie counting to make sure I don’t go off the rails. I gained 65lbs last pregnancy after my doctor told me “you can’t diet while pregnant”. I don’t have a healthy food relationship and that wasn’t the best advice for me. So, trying to keep a handle on the reins this time and only gain a healthy amount of weight.

Bottom line, there are some decent research articles that show good health benefits for keto. Many don’t feel it’s a good lifestyle long term, but I think the research is lacking on long term effects.
Worked for me...I lost weight and got pregnant!

janejellyroll

I can't imagine ever doing it unless I had a health condition that required it. I love fruits, vegetables, and beans too much and it wouldn't really fit my lifestyle (long distance runner -- and I know there are some people doing keto and endurance sports, but it seems like more work).

mmapags

janejellyroll wrote: »

I can't imagine ever doing it unless I had a health condition that required it. I love fruits, vegetables, and beans too much and it wouldn't really fit my lifestyle (long distance runner -- and I know there are some people doing keto and endurance sports, but it seems like more work).

Same here to the bolded. I am not a runner but walk a lot and do resistance training. I tend to eat lower carb just as my preference. Like 100 to 150gr per day. But keto is a step too far for me. Too restrictive with no additional benefits. Fat loss is not better on keto than any other way of eating.

Over time, I have found the foods that are most satiating for me, mostly proteins and higher fiber vegetable, and I can be satiated and stay within calorie targets quite easily. There are some foods I avoid as I have trouble moderating them. (ice cream and kettle chips, I'm looking at you!) For the rest, I am satisfied, rarely hungry and eat a varied diet.

If someone prefers keto or has a medical condition that keto helps, great. What way to eating one chooses, aside from medical conditions, should be based on adherence and preference.

cwolfman13

20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day would be way too restrictive for me. I'm omnivorous, but my diet consists of lots of plants as well, including beans, lentils, oats and other whole grains, starchy root vegetables, etc. I would go insane on keto. Beyond that, I don't find 70+% of my diet coming in the form of dietary fat very appealing either. That's a lot of friggin' fat...

bmeadows380

cwolfman13 wrote: »

20-50 grams of carbohydrates per day would be way too restrictive for me. I'm omnivorous, but my diet consists of lots of plants as well, including beans, lentils, oats and other whole grains, starchy root vegetables, etc. I would go insane on keto. Beyond that, I don't find 70+% of my diet coming in the form of dietary fat very appealing either. That's a lot of friggin' fat...

*ugh* I'm in complete agreement here. I have enough time trying to get in enough protein in a day-and I actually like protein sources for the most part; having to try to get down that much fat would be too much for me. I like nuts and seeds, but only once in a while, and I still can't get myself to like avocado.

mkculs13

I know folks who have lost on keto, but the real difference seems to be that they consume fewer calories b/c that type of diet satiates their hunger. I don't put any stock in all sorts of other things that are supposed to be happening--maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but without the deficit, folks would not lose, and their rate of loss appears the same as anyone counting calories. In other words, all the other stuff that may or may not be happening does not seem to affect their rate of loss--it's still all about the calorie deficit.

I don't argue with folks who are experiencing success--or with those who are not. I try to stick to good science, share it, and then live and let live. Would not work for me b/c I am not interested in many of the high fat foods recommended--they just don't appeal to me. I'm also not much of a meat-eater, and most of my keto friends are.

SusannO

I love it. I've been testing various aspects since I started on keto in 2018. I lost weight on keto, very noticeable reduction in body inflammation, slept 1-1.5 hours less per night (and awoke feeling like I'd had coffee already) and my cholesterol dropped almost 40%. Those were all measurable findings. I had other results, but they were my perceptions and not measurable. I didn't limit calories, but did track them in MFP. I found it was hard to over consume calories because you just don't feel hungry or snacky on keto. Intermittent fasting on keto is easy. I tried upping my carb count over 50g/day and lost all the benefits. I tried cheating on weekends and lost all the benefits. I went off it for a month but continued IF and calorie restriction. I found the benefits go away. I went off completely and tested my cholesterol after 3 months off. Went up to almost what I was before I started keto. Steady weight gain throughout. So, for me, keto is my way of life. When I was off and feeling the afternoon tiredness, feeling like I was deprived if I didn't feed my snack craving, and watching the old steady weight gain, I missed keto. And my Mom's primary care doc managing her diabetes and cholesterol telling her to go on keto along with my primary doc and ophthalmologist also saying keto will help with inflammation confirm it's more than just CICO.

cosmiqrecovery

that level of restriction would send my eating disorder back into overdrive. scratch that, it has -- i got on board the intermittent fasting train for about a month, which is so saturated with keto mindset that i couldn't help absorbing some of their fear mongering about carbs. by the end of that month i found myself on the floor of my kitchen sobbing because i was too scared to break my fasts with the wrong foods to eat anything. unless a major medical condition required me to do it, no thanks, i'll keep my sanity.

janejellyroll

SusannO wrote: »

I love it. I've been testing various aspects since I started on keto in 2018. I lost weight on keto, very noticeable reduction in body inflammation, slept 1-1.5 hours less per night (and awoke feeling like I'd had coffee already) and my cholesterol dropped almost 40%. Those were all measurable findings. I had other results, but they were my perceptions and not measurable. I didn't limit calories, but did track them in MFP. I found it was hard to over consume calories because you just don't feel hungry or snacky on keto. Intermittent fasting on keto is easy. I tried upping my carb count over 50g/day and lost all the benefits. I tried cheating on weekends and lost all the benefits. I went off it for a month but continued IF and calorie restriction. I found the benefits go away. I went off completely and tested my cholesterol after 3 months off. Went up to almost what I was before I started keto. Steady weight gain throughout. So, for me, keto is my way of life. When I was off and feeling the afternoon tiredness, feeling like I was deprived if I didn't feed my snack craving, and watching the old steady weight gain, I missed keto. And my Mom's primary care doc managing her diabetes and cholesterol telling her to go on keto along with my primary doc and ophthalmologist also saying keto will help with inflammation confirm it's more than just CICO.

I don't think anybody has ever argued that managing diabetes, cholesterol, and chronic inflammation are "just CICO."

CICO is about weight loss, it's not an overall principle of disease management (although many people do find that their weight-related conditions are resolved or even eliminated when they are no longer overweight).

tcunbeliever

I love keto for controlling my migraines.

I don't know how people lose weight on keto.

I can eat an obscene amount of bacon cheeseburgers on lettuce buns! I have to track very carefully because it does not suppress my appetite, and going over a little here and a little here adds up fast. For me it's pretty easy, most of the veggies I like are low carb anyway, and fruits are not really my thing except very rarely, plus I'm not much for breads or sweets.

Life is way better without migraines!

SusannO

@janejellyroll Actually, if you read many people who post against keto or offer their advice on keto, even in this thread alone, say it's just one of many options to get a calorie deficit. I'm saying it's more than just calorie deficit or weight loss related. My Mom is not overweight. Skinny and active. She does not overeat. Eats way more fruits and vegies than the average person. Yet she has diabetes and high cholesterol. My autoimmune disease has a terrible inflammatory component. Two weeks back on keto, without having lost enough weight for that to have an impact, and my inflammation is way down. The effect of very low carb on your liver health, etc are more than just secondary to weight loss.

cwolfman13

SusannO wrote: »

@janejellyroll Actually, if you read many people who post against keto or offer their advice on keto, even in this thread alone, say it's just one of many options to get a calorie deficit. I'm saying it's more than just calorie deficit or weight loss related. My Mom is not overweight. Skinny and active. She does not overeat. Eats way more fruits and vegies than the average person. Yet she has diabetes and high cholesterol. My autoimmune disease has a terrible inflammatory component. Two weeks back on keto, without having lost enough weight for that to have an impact, and my inflammation is way down. The effect of very low carb on your liver health, etc are more than just secondary to weight loss.

My aunt was on keto most of her life because she was epileptic...her keto diet caused her to have high cholesterol and other health issues and she died at 52 from them.

I eat a varied and well balanced diet consisting largely of whole foods and exercise regularly...that fixed my high cholesterol and pre-diabetic blood work. Having a diet that is significantly plant based means I eat quite a few carbs and have zero issues.

pink_mint

I did keto for about 3 and 1/2 years. I was not always strict but I tried to be. Honestly, I wish I never did it. I looked at it as a way to cheat the system (the system being a calorie deficit) and still lose weight. I did lose weight because basically you can only eat so much bacon and cheese.

I feel that it messed up my relationship with food. It's a very restrictive diet. And ultimately if a person can't do it for life, they'll most likely end up back at square one after they can't stay with it anymore.

Aside from medical reasons, and as someone who did it for a long time, I give it a one star review.

AnnPT77

SusannO wrote: »

@janejellyroll Actually, if you read many people who post against keto or offer their advice on keto, even in this thread alone, say it's just one of many options to get a calorie deficit. I'm saying it's more than just calorie deficit or weight loss related. My Mom is not overweight. Skinny and active. She does not overeat. Eats way more fruits and vegies than the average person. Yet she has diabetes and high cholesterol. My autoimmune disease has a terrible inflammatory component. Two weeks back on keto, without having lost enough weight for that to have an impact, and my inflammation is way down. The effect of very low carb on your liver health, etc are more than just secondary to weight loss.

There are people for whom keto is medically desirable or necessary, which I believe has also been said several times in this thread. Perhaps you and your mom are such people?

A balanced, well-rounded nutritious diet at appropriate calories, plus regular exercise, helped me to lose weight from obese to healthy (and maintain there for going on 5 years since). Weight loss fully resolved my high blood pressure, poor lipid profile, and inflammatory issues.

For people like me, and unlike you, keto is just one potential route to a calorie deficit, nothing more.

For me specifically, I wouldn't consider it, as a long-term (45+ years) vegetarian. It would limit foods I consider nutritious and delicious (beans, fruit, starchy veg, etc.). Some people do keto vegetarian or even vegan, and I support that if it works well for them. I seem to do fine eating 200g +/- carbs most days (150g +/- while losing weight).

It's useful that you point out that keto can be especially beneficial or helpful for some, but that does not seem to be universal.

ozonezoe

Loving seeing a variant of replies!

ozonezoe

sijomial wrote: »

On a personal level it's utterly unappealing.

How about you OP? What are your views and experiences?

I personally like keto!
I had a nutritionist recommend keto for me at the end of 2017 because of some health issues with my digestion and severe inflammation in my body. I implemented the diet at the start of 2018 and was strict for 5 months. The nutritionist also recommend eliminating many other foods (elimination diet) from my diet like dairy, nightshades, gluten, processed foods, hydrogenated oils, so I ate a lot of whole, clean foods.

I found it hard at first but because of consistency and determination, it became apart of my life and I saw the inflammation go down in my body, my skin cleared up, and my digestion was better. I felt overall better physically and mentally. I was also able to be creative with my meals and making my own recipes! I loved the fact that I could be creative and have some fun with the diet!

It is hard to keep up with keto when I was out on the road for work but it is difficult to keep any diet when you eat on the go and don't track what you eat and how much you eat.
Just in general with any diet, I do find it important to track what you eat and how much you are eating if you want to lose/maintain weight.
I personally think any diet could work if you are dedicated to it and you are putting great quality food into your body. I'm not as strict on keto as I was two years ago but I still track my calories and eat wholesome foods. I still avoid gluten and dairy because those were huge factors in causing inflammation in my body. I know keto has helped many people whether they want to lose weight, reverse a heath issue, or for mental clarity!

All in all, I think people would benefit from a healthy lifestyle whether if that's doing Keto or Vegan or in moderation!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
You would never really know how it will truly affect your body until you actually give it a try!

lemurcat2

SusannO wrote: »

@janejellyroll Actually, if you read many people who post against keto or offer their advice on keto, even in this thread alone, say it's just one of many options to get a calorie deficit.

I don't think this is true. For example, upthread I noted that it might help with appetite control. The focus of the conversation naturally has been on weight loss, however, as keto is not the only dietary change that helps with medical conditions, so I think it would be unusual for someone just asked about general thoughts on keto to bring up that it might help with some medical conditions. Same with other ways of eating.

Re T2D/IR, it is one option, but to actually become more insulin sensitive usually weight loss is what does it. Keto or low carb can be a way of controlling the symptoms (spikes) which can be damaging or avoid medication, but most often it seems there are other dietary ways of doing that (controlled and moderate carbs combined with sufficient protein and fiber).

It also seems that in many people keto may actually cause or worsen high cholesterol, and for others it is irrelevant. Are there some for whom it helps when no other dietary changes would? I find that unlikely but not impossible. But again certainly dietary changes can help with high cholesterol in some, and some of the foods you won't be able to eat on keto contribute to high cholesterol in some.

My dad had high cholesterol at a normal healthy weight, and even though he was quite active. His doctor advised him to cut back on sat fat and that worked for him. He now has good cholesterol numbers even though he eats nothing like a keto diet (quite high carb, probably, although also very healthy and he's very active for someone of his age (76)).

Are there other conditions that keto can help with in some? I suspect there are, so believe you that it helped with your condition. The way can help prevent with seizures and for some help with mental health conditions and migraines is known or being studied.

Re: IF being easier, I didn't find that it had any effect on that, but then I find it easy in general (as do many who do it without doing keto). Again, people are different, and my only objection is to selling keto as having these effects for all.

CupcakeCrusoe

My $0.02 and worth exactly that:

My brother has done strict Keto, and he enjoyed some substantial weight loss when he did. However, he likes carbs. So when he craved carbs, he got into that mindset of falling off the wagon- not wanting to get back on.

He's since regained the weight he lost.

So I would say, having seen what he went through and what the results for him were, it wasn't worth it. He would have better invested his time eating things he liked in moderation and learning how to do that. There might be some people for whom eating in a Keto fashion is a dream come true- I'm not one of them. I've found through trial and error that my optimal satiation clocks in at right around 33%/33%/33% give or take a little, protein/carbs/fats.

From a medical standpoint, I have my opinion but it is that of someone uninformed, so I won't comment. If it's working for you and your doctor is happy, then I'm happy for you.

gothchiq

My doctor doesn't advise it for me as it is too high fat. Your mileage may vary.

paperpudding

All in all, I think people would benefit from a healthy lifestyle whether if that's doing Keto or Vegan or in moderation!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
You would never really know how it will truly affect your body until you actually give it a try!

Of course people would benifit from a healthy lifestyle and of course that includes weight management and nutritious eating.

It absolutely does not have to include keto or veganism - and of course vegans and keto eaters can be overweight and eat non nutritously - or not - just like everyone else.

I like the foods I eat and have no intention of changing to keto - I can control my weight perfectly well on the diverse range of foods I already eat (in portion control, of course) and I have no medical issues with any relevance to keto eating.

Trying something just because you dont know how you would feel if you didnt is not a rational reason for doing something.
Trying something because it has proven benifits relevant to you and the pros of doing so out weigh the cons - yes.

Just randomly trying because you dont know unless you try - no.

In other news I am not randomly trying Paleo, OMAD, Intermittent fasting, black coffee, stevia, push-ups before 6 am, sleeping with 3 pillows etc etc.

Sure, those things may work for others and nothing wrong with them - but no point in just trying for the sake of it when what I am doing already works for me.

midlomel1971

I don't know much about the science behind it, but my gut feeling is that it's another Adkins fad type diet for people looking to lose weight quickly. And it's probably very hard to maintain any of the lost weight. I think slow and steady wins the race, and if you're eating healthy foods at a deficit you WILL lose weight and that's much better than a diet that gives you the flu.