Why so extreme?
MelAnn82
Posts: 6
Hi!
So I have just signed up and am interested to know what your reasons are for a very low carb/keto lifestyle? Personally for me, it's because I have tried everything else in terms of playing around with my macros and nothing is working. The only thing I was yet to try is very high fat, very low carb. I am now on day 5 and have to say I am loving it! Have most of you adopted this lifestyle for similar reasons? Are there many people who, despite being naturally very thin and the type who can pretty much eat what they want and not gain weight, still chose to adopt the keto lifestyle?
Sometimes I have to question "why does my body require such extreme measures?" a good friend of mine has for sometime now balanced her macros at 40 Protein, 35 Carb, 25 Fat and she looks amazing. Extremely toned and nicely thin but not too skinny. So many people have fantastic figures eating oatmeal for breakfast, some brown rice with lunch then sweet potato for dinner as well as 3 or 4 pieces of fruit throughout the day. (I follow a lot of fitness accounts on my instagram page and so many girls really can't stand the idea of low carb. They look fantastic on a relatively moderate-high carb diet).
My friend put it as "it just seems strange to me..a diet that will barely allow you to eat a salad for lunch." This comment was made after we logged in a salad to MFP I used to eat a lot for lunch containing lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, sweetcorn, peas, carrot, mushrooms, beets and it worked out at 23g carbs. and I'd even sometimes have an apple or some grapes with it! Growing up I was always taught to "taste the rainbow" meaning eats lots of different colourful and fresh foods. I have to say I do miss my big lunchtime salad! I can't help but feel like keto doesn't give enough vitamins? I eat a lot of kale cabbage and spinach but I'm sure this is going to get boring pretty soon? I find it sad that I won't be able to order a big exotic salad in a restaurant containing lots of yummy ingredients, unless I'm on a carb re-feed or as a treat.
so basically..what are YOUR reasons for going so extreme? As a last resort? Because you feel its the healthiest way to live? An illness? Or you simply enjoy the food on offer?
So I have just signed up and am interested to know what your reasons are for a very low carb/keto lifestyle? Personally for me, it's because I have tried everything else in terms of playing around with my macros and nothing is working. The only thing I was yet to try is very high fat, very low carb. I am now on day 5 and have to say I am loving it! Have most of you adopted this lifestyle for similar reasons? Are there many people who, despite being naturally very thin and the type who can pretty much eat what they want and not gain weight, still chose to adopt the keto lifestyle?
Sometimes I have to question "why does my body require such extreme measures?" a good friend of mine has for sometime now balanced her macros at 40 Protein, 35 Carb, 25 Fat and she looks amazing. Extremely toned and nicely thin but not too skinny. So many people have fantastic figures eating oatmeal for breakfast, some brown rice with lunch then sweet potato for dinner as well as 3 or 4 pieces of fruit throughout the day. (I follow a lot of fitness accounts on my instagram page and so many girls really can't stand the idea of low carb. They look fantastic on a relatively moderate-high carb diet).
My friend put it as "it just seems strange to me..a diet that will barely allow you to eat a salad for lunch." This comment was made after we logged in a salad to MFP I used to eat a lot for lunch containing lettuce, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, sweetcorn, peas, carrot, mushrooms, beets and it worked out at 23g carbs. and I'd even sometimes have an apple or some grapes with it! Growing up I was always taught to "taste the rainbow" meaning eats lots of different colourful and fresh foods. I have to say I do miss my big lunchtime salad! I can't help but feel like keto doesn't give enough vitamins? I eat a lot of kale cabbage and spinach but I'm sure this is going to get boring pretty soon? I find it sad that I won't be able to order a big exotic salad in a restaurant containing lots of yummy ingredients, unless I'm on a carb re-feed or as a treat.
so basically..what are YOUR reasons for going so extreme? As a last resort? Because you feel its the healthiest way to live? An illness? Or you simply enjoy the food on offer?
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Replies
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I don't think it's all that extreme, more so what society thinks of as extreme because we have been lied to about what makes us healthy & what doesn't.
It's not a last resort for me, I just really needed to lose weight & have been putting it off. Luckily I saw Fat Head & it really inspired me
I think it's a healthy way to live, though ideal for me would be Keto-Paleo diet eventually. And since the keto diet works so well even without exercise, it was ideal for me due to my physical limitations.
Some people take magnesium, potassium & sodium supplements.
I eat salads I, just try to choose wisely. I still eat lettuces,cabbages, mushrooms, avocado, celery, peppers, chilies, tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots & cauliflower. Just use less root veggies & tomatoes than usual. I don't eat corn or fruits anymore though. No grains, legumes ( except peanuts) or "low-carb" products such as low-carb tortillas/carbquick.
Don't be fooled by your friends high-carb diet, you may not see the effects on their body now, but I'm sure what it's doing to their insides isn't pretty.
Eat good fats!
Eat whole foods as much as possible. Occasional treats.
Watch Fat Head if you haven't already & do research.
Hope this helps.0 -
I've done Weight Watchers and had success, but it felt like food was my focus 100% of the day. With this diet, I don't think about it so much. I feel satisfied.0
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I don't think it's that extreme either. carbs aren't something we (humans) generally had in large supply in times before the last few hundred years. I don't think we're honestly adapted for it. We're just marketed for it. I mean northern europeans and well northerners in general.. how many carbs did they have access to for most of the year? Not much.
I get 70 carbs a day or there abouts on average and about 50 net. I stay in ketosis and I check regularly. I get veggies (although some days more than others) no fruit but I rarely ate fruit anyway. the main difference for me is grain products and starchy vegetables. not so sure those are really that great for you anyway.
I am on this diet because I cannot stay full on 1200 calories a day on a high carb diet. I end up starving and craving all sorts of junk. on this diet I am perfectly sated.
I am short. my maintenance calorie allotment will be about 1500 calories a day. (not counting exercise) I am not going to stay in a ketogenic diet the rest of my life, but after I hit maintenance I think I am still going to remain lowish carbs, Just to try and stay sated and not craving junk food.0 -
Im prediabetic and it levels out my blood sugar levels. I no longer do the ups and downs of the sugar rollercoaster, I no longer faint/blackout from sugar crashes (while thinking I was being good and having a fruit salad for breakfast)
I get alot more pleasure out of vegetables than fruit now.
Loads of carbs even while doing 'low GI Diet' bloated me beyond belief.
Helps I dont like rice,bread or pasta anyway.0
