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To Keto or Not To Keto?

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Replies

  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    I had some time this evening and I was genuinely curious, so I googled to discover what the magic of ketosis is. I scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find a reputable site for what makes ketosis the best and elite method of weight loss. Can someone please send me a link on why this method is superior?

    Who is saying it's superior?


    Like I stated earlier is there are indicators or trends of successful people, most of which are not the specific diet but rather other additives (i.e., tracking) that make people more successful.

    It was a genuine question, not trying to debate. Ketosis is often referred to as the best method for weight loss. I know that calories and tracking are what make people successful, but I was curious what people who swear by keto read to make them feel that way. I can look on a keto site and see what they are referring to.

    Usually it's decreased hunger or cravings. I doubt that's really due to ketosis vs fewer carbs (i.e., I don't think being in ketosis really matters or testing yourself). I also don't think it's helpful for everyone, it's just an effect some have. (I have found really low carbs kill my hunger, but I don't find hunger a problem with on a deficit anyway, so that isn't important to me.) But for some who find it much easier not to want to overeat when on very low carbs, it's important, and may make a keto-style diet the best one for them.

    For others, it's blood sugar control. Again, not an issue for healthy people.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    I had some time this evening and I was genuinely curious, so I googled to discover what the magic of ketosis is. I scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find a reputable site for what makes ketosis the best and elite method of weight loss. Can someone please send me a link on why this method is superior?

    Who is saying it's superior?


    Like I stated earlier is there are indicators or trends of successful people, most of which are not the specific diet but rather other additives (i.e., tracking) that make people more successful.

    It was a genuine question, not trying to debate. Ketosis is often referred to as the best method for weight loss. I know that calories and tracking are what make people successful, but I was curious what people who swear by keto read to make them feel that way. I can look on a keto site and see what they are referring to.

    What you are doing is exactly projections. You have an opinion on the right way of dieting and self confirmed, based on bias, that there were no additional benefits of ketosis. It's the same thing that happens when plant based dieters suggest that meat is unhealthy or that protein isn't as important as what people say.

    If you want to research actual evidence on ketosis, especially the hunger suppression capabilities, then look into Dr. Dominic D'Agistino.

    Anecdotal evidence with my experience:
    It supresses my appetite. This is important for getting super lean. I still have some way to go but keto helped me lose an additional 10 lbs over a standard calorie counting approach. I also can go longer periods without feeling hungry.

    Cons: gym performance sucks. And no matter what BS someone tries to push about once you are fat adapted, your explosive performance will never come back fully. Carbs are rocket fuel. I saw a 25% reduction in performance immediately.

    Others observations: the people whose generally see the most benefit are the people with metabolic disorders. That is where the majority of people see mental clarity improvements, reduce inflammation and overall improvement health. But that is largely anecdotal.
  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
    edited March 2021
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    I had some time this evening and I was genuinely curious, so I googled to discover what the magic of ketosis is. I scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find a reputable site for what makes ketosis the best and elite method of weight loss. Can someone please send me a link on why this method is superior?

    Who is saying it's superior?


    Like I stated earlier is there are indicators or trends of successful people, most of which are not the specific diet but rather other additives (i.e., tracking) that make people more successful.

    It was a genuine question, not trying to debate. Ketosis is often referred to as the best method for weight loss. I know that calories and tracking are what make people successful, but I was curious what people who swear by keto read to make them feel that way. I can look on a keto site and see what they are referring to.

    What you are doing is exactly projections. You have an opinion on the right way of dieting and self confirmed, based on bias, that there were no additional benefits of ketosis. It's the same thing that happens when plant based dieters suggest that meat is unhealthy or that protein isn't as important as what people say.

    If you want to research actual evidence on ketosis, especially the hunger suppression capabilities, then look into Dr. Dominic D'Agistino.

    Anecdotal evidence with my experience:
    It supresses my appetite. This is important for getting super lean. I still have some way to go but keto helped me lose an additional 10 lbs over a standard calorie counting approach. I also can go longer periods without feeling hungry.

    Cons: gym performance sucks. And no matter what BS someone tries to push about once you are fat adapted, your explosive performance will never come back fully. Carbs are rocket fuel. I saw a 25% reduction in performance immediately.

    Others observations: the people whose generally see the most benefit are the people with metabolic disorders. That is where the majority of people see mental clarity improvements, reduce inflammation and overall improvement health. But that is largely anecdotal.

    What you are doing is exactly projections. You have an opinion on the right way of dieting and self confirmed, based on bias, that there were no additional benefits of ketosis.

    I didn’t say that. You are welcome to quote me where I did so I can correct myself.

    If you want to argue points I wasn’t opposed to be my guest.
  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    I had some time this evening and I was genuinely curious, so I googled to discover what the magic of ketosis is. I scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find a reputable site for what makes ketosis the best and elite method of weight loss. Can someone please send me a link on why this method is superior?

    Who is saying it's superior?


    Like I stated earlier is there are indicators or trends of successful people, most of which are not the specific diet but rather other additives (i.e., tracking) that make people more successful.

    It was a genuine question, not trying to debate. Ketosis is often referred to as the best method for weight loss. I know that calories and tracking are what make people successful, but I was curious what people who swear by keto read to make them feel that way. I can look on a keto site and see what they are referring to.

    Usually it's decreased hunger or cravings. I doubt that's really due to ketosis vs fewer carbs (i.e., I don't think being in ketosis really matters or testing yourself). I also don't think it's helpful for everyone, it's just an effect some have. (I have found really low carbs kill my hunger, but I don't find hunger a problem with on a deficit anyway, so that isn't important to me.) But for some who find it much easier not to want to overeat when on very low carbs, it's important, and may make a keto-style diet the best one for them.

    For others, it's blood sugar control. Again, not an issue for healthy people.

    Thank you so much!! This is perfect.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,304 Member
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    I had some time this evening and I was genuinely curious, so I googled to discover what the magic of ketosis is. I scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find a reputable site for what makes ketosis the best and elite method of weight loss. Can someone please send me a link on why this method is superior?

    Who is saying it's superior?


    Like I stated earlier is there are indicators or trends of successful people, most of which are not the specific diet but rather other additives (i.e., tracking) that make people more successful.

    It was a genuine question, not trying to debate. Ketosis is often referred to as the best method for weight loss. I know that calories and tracking are what make people successful, but I was curious what people who swear by keto read to make them feel that way. I can look on a keto site and see what they are referring to.


    I know this thread is about keto - and I am probably nit picking - but calories are what make people successful, not neccesarily calories and tracking.

    This is MFP - so there will be bias toward tracking.

    But it isnt neccesary for everyone - there are people who successfully cut calories /lose or maintain weight without tracking.

  • Ddsb11
    Ddsb11 Posts: 607 Member
    edited March 2021
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    Ddsb11 wrote: »
    I had some time this evening and I was genuinely curious, so I googled to discover what the magic of ketosis is. I scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find a reputable site for what makes ketosis the best and elite method of weight loss. Can someone please send me a link on why this method is superior?

    Who is saying it's superior?


    Like I stated earlier is there are indicators or trends of successful people, most of which are not the specific diet but rather other additives (i.e., tracking) that make people more successful.

    It was a genuine question, not trying to debate. Ketosis is often referred to as the best method for weight loss. I know that calories and tracking are what make people successful, but I was curious what people who swear by keto read to make them feel that way. I can look on a keto site and see what they are referring to.


    I know this thread is about keto - and I am probably nit picking - but calories are what make people successful, not neccesarily calories and tracking.

    This is MFP - so there will be bias toward tracking.

    But it isnt neccesary for everyone - there are people who successfully cut calories /lose or maintain weight without tracking.

    It’s so funny you highlighted that because I thought about that after I posted and was too lazy to edit it. You’re 💯 correct!
  • damianromero2014
    damianromero2014 Posts: 4 Member
    There are a TON of misconceptions here about keto and why it works...

    So there are two parts to every diet:

    1) Physical hunger
    Keto works so well because when your body switches from burning carbs to burning fat, you're no longer walking around hungry all the time and don't snack. Many people who're on keto also do intermittent fasting because they don't get physically hungry until the afternoons.

    2) Mental food cravings/addiction/obsession or whatever you want to call it.
    The mental food cravings are different for each of us. For some of us keto is easier because excluding anything with sugar or gluten quells the internal bargaining dialogues we have with ourselves about cheating, treats, rewards, being bad, "just one more" and all the other stupid excuses we make that cause us to fail. For others, who aren't gluttons, including treats/cheat days helps staying on track.

    CICO is true but only to a certain point. If you're eating foods that make your insulin skyrocket and plummet like a yo-yo on steroids, you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you're consuming the same amount of calories as someone with a healthy diet.
  • Thoin
    Thoin Posts: 961 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    There are a TON of misconceptions here about keto and why it works...

    So there are two parts to every diet:

    1) Physical hunger
    Keto works so well because when your body switches from burning carbs to burning fat, you're no longer walking around hungry all the time and don't snack. Many people who're on keto also do intermittent fasting because they don't get physically hungry until the afternoons.

    2) Mental food cravings/addiction/obsession or whatever you want to call it.
    The mental food cravings are different for each of us. For some of us keto is easier because excluding anything with sugar or gluten quells the internal bargaining dialogues we have with ourselves about cheating, treats, rewards, being bad, "just one more" and all the other stupid excuses we make that cause us to fail. For others, who aren't gluttons, including treats/cheat days helps staying on track.

    CICO is true but only to a certain point. If you're eating foods that make your insulin skyrocket and plummet like a yo-yo on steroids, you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you're consuming the same amount of calories as someone with a healthy diet.

    You do understand that gluten is a protein, I hope . . . ?

    Completely anecdotal, but in my experience people who are doing keto either understand nutrition 1) way better than the average person or 2) way worse than the average person. There is no middle ground!

    You can probably say this about a lot of atypical diets because now that I think about it . . . many people who are eating "unusually" either have done a lot of research to understand their particular way of eating, how to meet their needs, and how it compares to other ways of eating OR they've seen a scary YouTube video/Netflix documentary and adopted it as gospel.

    Literally blew my mind because i am pretty sure you are on point now that i think of it.

    Another vote for agree from me.
  • Unknown
    edited May 2021
    This content has been removed.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »

    CICO is EXACTLY what I used to lose 40lbs in 6 months. AND I ate pizza, ice cream, french fries and burgers doing it.

    People that don't know how to STOP at a certain amount is due to BEHAVIOR. And until anyone actually changes behavior, they will run into the same problem again if they decide to overindulge in anything.

    And I don't eat breakfast (traditional) so my first meal is usually after 12pm. I start each morning at 5:30am and train fasted before working from 8-12pm for my first shift.

    So how do I do it without being hungry? I understand how behavior works.

    I lurve this post. It is behavior.



  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,265 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    There are a TON of misconceptions here about keto and why it works...

    So there are two parts to every diet:

    1) Physical hunger
    Keto works so well because when your body switches from burning carbs to burning fat, you're no longer walking around hungry all the time and don't snack. Many people who're on keto also do intermittent fasting because they don't get physically hungry until the afternoons.

    2) Mental food cravings/addiction/obsession or whatever you want to call it.
    The mental food cravings are different for each of us. For some of us keto is easier because excluding anything with sugar or gluten quells the internal bargaining dialogues we have with ourselves about cheating, treats, rewards, being bad, "just one more" and all the other stupid excuses we make that cause us to fail. For others, who aren't gluttons, including treats/cheat days helps staying on track.

    CICO is true but only to a certain point. If you're eating foods that make your insulin skyrocket and plummet like a yo-yo on steroids, you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you're consuming the same amount of calories as someone with a healthy diet.

    You do understand that gluten is a protein, I hope . . . ?

    Completely anecdotal, but in my experience people who are doing keto either understand nutrition 1) way better than the average person or 2) way worse than the average person. There is no middle ground!

    You can probably say this about a lot of atypical diets because now that I think about it . . . many people who are eating "unusually" either have done a lot of research to understand their particular way of eating, how to meet their needs, and how it compares to other ways of eating OR they've seen a scary YouTube video/Netflix documentary and adopted it as gospel.

    You are a fountain of constant logic and sound advice, your rock.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    There are a TON of misconceptions here about keto and why it works...

    So there are two parts to every diet:

    1) Physical hunger
    Keto works so well because when your body switches from burning carbs to burning fat, you're no longer walking around hungry all the time and don't snack. Many people who're on keto also do intermittent fasting because they don't get physically hungry until the afternoons.

    2) Mental food cravings/addiction/obsession or whatever you want to call it.
    The mental food cravings are different for each of us. For some of us keto is easier because excluding anything with sugar or gluten quells the internal bargaining dialogues we have with ourselves about cheating, treats, rewards, being bad, "just one more" and all the other stupid excuses we make that cause us to fail. For others, who aren't gluttons, including treats/cheat days helps staying on track.

    CICO is true but only to a certain point. If you're eating foods that make your insulin skyrocket and plummet like a yo-yo on steroids, you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you're consuming the same amount of calories as someone with a healthy diet.

    You do understand that gluten is a protein, I hope . . . ?

    Completely anecdotal, but in my experience people who are doing keto either understand nutrition 1) way better than the average person or 2) way worse than the average person. There is no middle ground!

    You can probably say this about a lot of atypical diets because now that I think about it . . . many people who are eating "unusually" either have done a lot of research to understand their particular way of eating, how to meet their needs, and how it compares to other ways of eating OR they've seen a scary YouTube video/Netflix documentary and adopted it as gospel.

    Just to ice that cake: I just got a disagree on my post that you replied to with the above-quoted. Maybe it was merely an accidental scroll-disagree, but if not that's pretty hilarious IMO.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    There are a TON of misconceptions here about keto and why it works...

    So there are two parts to every diet:

    1) Physical hunger
    Keto works so well because when your body switches from burning carbs to burning fat, you're no longer walking around hungry all the time and don't snack. Many people who're on keto also do intermittent fasting because they don't get physically hungry until the afternoons.

    2) Mental food cravings/addiction/obsession or whatever you want to call it.
    The mental food cravings are different for each of us. For some of us keto is easier because excluding anything with sugar or gluten quells the internal bargaining dialogues we have with ourselves about cheating, treats, rewards, being bad, "just one more" and all the other stupid excuses we make that cause us to fail. For others, who aren't gluttons, including treats/cheat days helps staying on track.

    CICO is true but only to a certain point. If you're eating foods that make your insulin skyrocket and plummet like a yo-yo on steroids, you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you're consuming the same amount of calories as someone with a healthy diet.

    You do understand that gluten is a protein, I hope . . . ?

    Completely anecdotal, but in my experience people who are doing keto either understand nutrition 1) way better than the average person or 2) way worse than the average person. There is no middle ground!

    You can probably say this about a lot of atypical diets because now that I think about it . . . many people who are eating "unusually" either have done a lot of research to understand their particular way of eating, how to meet their needs, and how it compares to other ways of eating OR they've seen a scary YouTube video/Netflix documentary and adopted it as gospel.

    Just to ice that cake: I just got a disagree on my post that you replied to with the above-quoted. Maybe it was merely an accidental scroll-disagree, but if not that's pretty hilarious IMO.

    I suspect it was someone scrolling.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,009 Member
    Diatonic12 wrote: »
    People that don't know how to STOP at a certain amount is due to BEHAVIOR. And until anyone actually changes behavior, they will run into the same problem again if they decide to overindulge in anything.

    ^^^^^ This!!!

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    tsazani wrote: »
    As long as you don't overeat you can do this. There's a lot more about blue zone people than just diet.

    I live in a blue zone in Costa Rica. These blue zoners live on ANIMAL products. Mainly meat and dairy. Super healthy. Lean. Live into their late 90s and hundreds.

    My wife's grandparents were of this type. Grandma died at 110. Grandpa died at 100.

    "Yes, I have lived in Okinawa (blue zone) and in mostly plant-based communities and was surrounded by healthy and fit people who ate lots of tropical fruit and other carb intense foods like rice and beans or rice and dal."

    Not true. I have been to Costa Rice many times and their staple diet is rice and beans. Many eat meat, sure, but there are many plant based meals and eaters there.

    Yes, where I was in Costa Rica (non-tourist extremely rural area) rice, beans, and tropical fruit was cheap and abundant, and meat was scarce and expensive.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    My resent annual exam lab results (August 2021) showed concerning triglycerides level increase and a 50% decline in HDL level. I told the doctor that will be addressed and 2022 lab results will prove it.

    Jan 2021 I got very sick that started out with the worse sinus infection ever. Turned 70 the next month when 5 months blood clots started. Spent Easter weekend in a heart ward to dissolve 28+ clot fragments from my lungs.

    After having been Keto since late 2014 I let my 50 gram daily limit jump up hoping to get more energy.

    The day I got my lab results I stopped any food containing any added sugars and/or any form of any grain like for the prior 6 years.

    Unlike in 2014 when I thought going full Keto was going to kill me there wasn't any negative temporary side effects.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    There are a TON of misconceptions here about keto and why it works...

    So there are two parts to every diet:

    1) Physical hunger
    Keto works so well because when your body switches from burning carbs to burning fat, you're no longer walking around hungry all the time and don't snack. Many people who're on keto also do intermittent fasting because they don't get physically hungry until the afternoons.

    2) Mental food cravings/addiction/obsession or whatever you want to call it.
    The mental food cravings are different for each of us. For some of us keto is easier because excluding anything with sugar or gluten quells the internal bargaining dialogues we have with ourselves about cheating, treats, rewards, being bad, "just one more" and all the other stupid excuses we make that cause us to fail. For others, who aren't gluttons, including treats/cheat days helps staying on track.

    CICO is true but only to a certain point. If you're eating foods that make your insulin skyrocket and plummet like a yo-yo on steroids, you will have a harder time losing weight, even if you're consuming the same amount of calories as someone with a healthy diet.

    You do understand that gluten is a protein, I hope . . . ?

    Completely anecdotal, but in my experience people who are doing keto either understand nutrition 1) way better than the average person or 2) way worse than the average person. There is no middle ground!

    You can probably say this about a lot of atypical diets because now that I think about it . . . many people who are eating "unusually" either have done a lot of research to understand their particular way of eating, how to meet their needs, and how it compares to other ways of eating OR they've seen a scary YouTube video/Netflix documentary and adopted it as gospel.

    https://scitechdaily.com/can-you-lose-weight-success-or-failure-may-depend-on-your-gut-microbiome/

    When I changed my WOE in 2014 by late 2015 my intuition was screaming that ketones are not as magical as some thought back then.

    Research that I have since read indicates in my case cold turkey stopping all added sugars and all forms of all grain products may have reshaped the balance of my gut microbiome in positive way. Learning my source of cravings was coming from my gut brain was a game changer.

    To me this is one reason Keto is bad for some and like magic for others. The metabolites produced by our gut microbiome can make or break our physical and mental health at any age.

  • LtHammerhead
    LtHammerhead Posts: 33 Member
    I tried keto a few years ago and found it very difficult. I found it challenging to get enough snacks that traveled well and even after a month I didn’t have the energy level I wanted. I surf and I found after surfing for an hour or two I’d be weak and dizzy.

    On the plus side, while keto experimenting i trained myself to go all all black on my coffee which has persisted.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10843778/gut-microbiome-impact-on-longevity

    To keep this Keto thread scope more defined I started the above for evolving science about our varied human gut microbiome.