Of the two which worked best: Keto diet or counting cals?

Cat_Lifts

Hey everyone, first off I know its possible to lose weight with both methods as well as others, usually as simple as a calorie deficit. That's the best rule of weight loss. Eat less, exercise, and lose. However, I asked this question specifically because I've read that some people could not lose weight as easily as calories in vs calories out and have had better success with going the ketogenic way, especially if they have a lot to lose. I know hormones play an important rule in weight loss, specifically insulin. Why have othershad better success on keto where the calorie deficit method failed them? Is it their body type and how their body "deals" with carbs? Are they simply more satiated on a high fat diet that they are unknowingly eating less calories and losing from that? Would love you hear good feedback and info, thank you!

hearthwood

Do you have some kind of illness or other problem where you would need to go on a specific diet plan? Personally, I don't like these kind of diet's that eliminate certain foods while bulking up on others. It a multi-billion dollar a year industry--that promises fast weight loss, and with our experience today, we now know that these diets make people fatter. A person loses a lot of weight quickly, only to see it gained back twice as fast as they lost it, plus 20 or so pounds.

Our genetics over the past few hundred years are based around protein, carbs, fat, and sugar. By eliminating one or the other starts to mess with our genetics, and the pay back are extra pounds.

So in my opinion it is best just to eat less and move more. A calorie is a calorie regardless if it comes from carrots or cookies, protein, carbs or fat. Albeit it is wise to incorporate healthier eating into any weight loss program.

Myself, I just do portion control. Two pieces of bread turned into one, a piece of cake is now a sliver, and I count my calories thru MFP--and I sync my daily activity with Jawbone UP--so I can not only tell how many calories I am consuming but with Jawbone UP I can tell how many calories I am burning during the day.

That's what works for me.

kikityme

Be prepared for a thousand "answers" that basically just condemn you for wanting to try.

That being said, I will state first off that I am Type II diabetic. I have always tried the calorie in/out. It has "worked" in small doses but I never kept with it, because the losses were so small I gave up. I would literally lose 3 or 4 pounds a month. Some people would say that's enough, but it wasn't enough to keep me at it.

I haven't tried keto...it seems difficult.

But I am now out of necessity on a low carb/low sugar and it's working amazing for me. I keep my carbs under 100g per day and my sugar I am aiming for 6-10g per day. The sugar is hard, but I'm doing it. I keep my carbs balanced through the 3 meals. So, if I have 30g at breakfast, I aim for 30 at lunch and dinner. Snacks I keep around 5g. Always have a carb with a protein, even a tablespoon of peanut butter counts for the protein.

I find I'm never hungry, and the diabetes symptoms I was having are clearing up. 30 pounds in 2 months, and it doesn't feel like I've really done anything!

I walk an hour a day, at a fairly slow pace. And the thing with limiting carbs is that it's kind of a built in way to not go over calories.

Cat_Lifts

at my current weight, I am predisposed to getting diabetes type 2. My father had it and my sister currently has it, but based on recent blood work from my endocrinologist he said that my levels are normal yet weight does need to go down or else I'm going to get diabetes. I wanted to ask about keto because I've heard that many people have had great success with losing excess amounts of weight. I myself have about 35 to 40 pounds to lose. 2 of my personal friends have both lost a decent amount of weight through keto, and they've been able to keep it off after slowly weaning carbohydrates back into their diet. I have done the calories in calories out method as well, but like you Kiki I felt like the results were too slow. I have the patience and endurance to keep up with being consistent and losing weight, but sometimes having that extra kick in the butt and seeing more than 2 pounds lost in a month is inspiring enough to keep going. I'm all for trying new things, such as keto, when you see enough real success stories and results. I was hoping to try it for 30-60 days.

kikityme

at my current weight, I am predisposed to getting diabetes type 2. My father had it and my sister currently has it, but based on recent blood work from my endocrinologist he said that my levels are normal yet weight does need to go down or else I'm going to get diabetes. I wanted to ask about keto because I've heard that many people have had great success with losing excess amounts of weight. I myself have about 35 to 40 pounds to lose. 2 of my personal friends have both lost a decent amount of weight through keto, and they've been able to keep it off after slowly weaning carbohydrates back into their diet. I have done the calories in calories out method as well, but like you Kiki I felt like the results were too slow. I have the patience and endurance to keep up with being consistent and losing weight, but sometimes having that extra kick in the butt and seeing more than 2 pounds lost in a month is inspiring enough to keep going. I'm all for trying new things, such as keto, when you see enough real success stories and results. I was hoping to try it for 30-60 days.

http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

This will give you a plan, and this is what I meant by it seems complicated lol. A LOT of diabetics seem to be able to work with keto. I may try it eventually, I want to see where I'm going with this low carb first though, as it's working for me.

Tilda_P

I am on keto and I also count calories, everything that goes in my mouth. I know myself. I know that some people do great on keto without counting calories. I am not one of those people. I can tear through three full meals of keto a day and then top it off with another 3,500 cal just in snacks...before dessert.

Keto plus calorie counting has worked absolute wonders for me. I'm down 50 lbs in under 5 months and that's with May being a total wash!

stephicozar

I went with keto plus calorie counting for 3 months and lost 20kg (about 40lbs) under the supervision of a dietician and my GP with regular blood tests.

I have PCOS and Insulin Resistance so we went for this method. My insulin dropped from 55 to 15 (nearly normal) in those three months and my menstrual cycle has stabilised considerably for the first time in 10 years.

Its a hard plan to start with, to get into the keto zone, and it is really really easy to go nuts when you go off the plan. I've gained back a few kilos since December when I stopped the diet (work, family and health issues) and am thinking of trying again on the stricter diet with super limited carbs because it DID work for ME.

gabbby12345

It takes some working out to find out what works....I do believe that Keto is brilliant for people who have high blood sugar or have allot of weight to loose. But Might not be so great for people who already are sensitive to insulin (so having none around wont help anymore than normal...)
Try both and see how you go.
The one main perk i LOVE about keto that i can not get any where else is absolute loss of hunger. Go ULTRA low carb (less than 30 grams) and i guarrentee after day 4 or so hunger is a distant memory! Its so empowering and its freedom! I used to be controlled by hunger
I personally love John Kiefer's Carb Nite protocol. You spike your hormones once a week with a carb meal.

Cat_Lifts

Thank you guys for the replies and information. I decided to start today with it and 1) found that I have had no hunger pangs at all whatsoever and 2) no desire for any snacking/sweet treats/carbs/etc. Now, I know it's just day 1, but I work in a bakery and am surrounded constantly by samples of bread, cookies, pies, cakes, frostings, and sweet coffee drinks. I have at LEAST 2-3 bites a day of something random and today didn't desire one bit of it. It could definitely be because of the "I'm doing this I won't give up!" initial Day 1 phase, but I thought "Hey, if I can feel like this once I get past the sweet/carb craving hoops, I'll do whatever it takes."

One of my biggest concerns with doing keto though was what to do when it comes to working out. I enjoy occasional HIIT/cardio and mostly weights. That's something I'll still need to do my homework on.

zkjmum

My surgeon has just put me on a keto diet (Optifast), as I am having my gallbladder removed in three months, and he's worried about the safety of doing it at my current size. Fast weight loss is essential in my situation. I'm just finishing up day three (I'm in Australia) and so far I'm doing really well....I've lost 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) and am only feeling hungry in the afternoon (so I have some diet jelly, and save most of my vegetable intake for dinner time). The hunger is meant to fade in the next day or so.

I'm doing the intensive program for twelve weeks, then I will move onto the next phase. I plan to do all the phases, so food is gradually put back into my diet, and I don't pack the weight back on. My advice is to find a supportive online group (you won't find that here I'm afraid), and read lots and lots of information and recipes that will help you to stay in ketosis. Also, it's best if you do it under medical supervision (I'm seeing a dietician and my GP in addition to having another appointment with my surgeon about it a month before the operation). Oh and make sure you are getting plenty of vitamins, drinking at least two litres of water a day, and eating at least two cups of low-carb vegetables every day.

eileen0515

When I began my weight loss, my plan was "eat in such a way, as doable for the rest of my life". Counting calories, gave me the freedom and flexibility to eat like a normal person. No silly food eleminations. I have lost 70 pounds and am maintaining nicely. Because I ate like a normal person.

beamer0821

I've been on both diets and had/have success with both. Keto I lose it faster and Counting cal is slower.
but in the end i lose weight.

however the catch is on keto i gained it back, its not sustainable. i don't think its sustainable for most. and its not resilient. meaning if you "Cheat" and have an off program meal filled with bread lets say it takes DAYS for your body to get back into "ketosis" and losing again. and you gain back just as quickly as you lose...

at the end of the day in my opinion all diets work if you work them. the real answer is which one works for you that you can sustain for the rest of your life. for me its something that is balanced, allows me to eat from any food group and is most of all resilient as we all have bad weeks.

beamer0821

When I began my weight loss, my plan was "eat in such a way, as doable for the rest of my life". Counting calories, gave me the freedom and flexibility to eat like a normal person. No silly food eleminations. I have lost 70 pounds and am maintaining nicely. Because I ate like a normal person.

AMEN!!

cakeribs

It's different for everyone. I have PCOS and a family history of diabetes, and "counting cals" did *nothing* for me. I was just frustrated and hungry all the time.

Every time I do a low carb diet my energy levels are sky high, I have no cravings and I lose weight. *Every* time. When I start adding fruit juice, pasta....all the things these "portion control"/"regular eating" folks eat----that's when the weight goes way up. Even with no snacks/cheating.

I don't want to spend 20 hours in the gym every week so I can have a sandwich and a piece of cake. So from now on, for me, it's a lifestyle. It's exceedingly easy except when I eat out. There's no reason to "add food back in" because I know those foods are bad news for me--bread really doesn't mean that much to me lol!!

It's hard to tell what would work best for you, cause everyone is different.

TheDragonGrrl

I've tried both keto and counting calories, and in my experience keto wins. I lost inches and never felt deprived, where on regular calorie counting I battled constant cravings for carbs. It's kind of an all or nothing mentality - if I have just a little bit of carb rich food then I want a lot. I just went through a bout of just trying to eat sensibly, and that was disastrous for me. So back to keto I go!

Julesmichelle

I went the keto route some years ago and lost weight fast however I found that when I reintroduced those previously eliminated food groups, my body rejected them. Many years on, if I eat bread, pasta or potatoes more than two days in a row...my feet and hands swell badly, I do not lose weight even if within my cal allowance. I have eaten them over the last six years or so and regained all the weight I lost and more.

Eliminating any food group entirely proved to be unhealthy for me. I am now stuck in a position where I just can't eat them. My eating habits now is all about being healthy within a calorie allowance and exercise. Processed and sugary foods form less than 1% of my intake and the bulk comes from fresh fruit! veg, poultry and fish plus litres of water.

Good luck with the decisions you make.

midas1022

I have done both with great results but the Keto diet in my opinion is not something most people can or would want to do for the rest of their lives.

JassiBear

Be prepared for a thousand "answers" that basically just condemn you for wanting to try.

That being said, I will state first off that I am Type II diabetic. I have always tried the calorie in/out. It has "worked" in small doses but I never kept with it, because the losses were so small I gave up. I would literally lose 3 or 4 pounds a month. Some people would say that's enough, but it wasn't enough to keep me at it.

I haven't tried keto...it seems difficult.

But I am now out of necessity on a low carb/low sugar and it's working amazing for me. I keep my carbs under 100g per day and my sugar I am aiming for 6-10g per day. The sugar is hard, but I'm doing it. I keep my carbs balanced through the 3 meals. So, if I have 30g at breakfast, I aim for 30 at lunch and dinner. Snacks I keep around 5g. Always have a carb with a protein, even a tablespoon of peanut butter counts for the protein.

I find I'm never hungry, and the diabetes symptoms I was having are clearing up. 30 pounds in 2 months, and it doesn't feel like I've really done anything!

I walk an hour a day, at a fairly slow pace. And the thing with limiting carbs is that it's kind of a built in way to not go over calories.

I am not diabetic, but I agree with your post because I know many diabetics closely. I have suffer with hypoglycemia frequently and if you know anything about it OP then you know how ravenously hungry you get when your blood sugar dips so low. I would def recommend trying the keto IF you struggle with frequent blood sugar swings on a daily basis, if not..... its still good to watch the amount of high glycemic index foods you take in, as they are most easily used for your body metabolize and turn into FAT.

JassiBear

I've tried both keto and counting calories, and in my experience keto wins. I lost inches and never felt deprived, where on regular calorie counting I battled constant cravings for carbs. It's kind of an all or nothing mentality - if I have just a little bit of carb rich food then I want a lot. I just went through a bout of just trying to eat sensibly, and that was disastrous for me. So back to keto I go!

I've heard that sugar and crack are equally addictive in the human brain, so your post makes a lot of sense. Its like if you go cold turkey on keto you dont crave carbs but if you get a little hit of that sugarcrack, youll be fiening for more!

Rays_Wife

I've tried both keto and counting calories, and in my experience keto wins. I lost inches and never felt deprived, where on regular calorie counting I battled constant cravings for carbs. It's kind of an all or nothing mentality - if I have just a little bit of carb rich food then I want a lot. I just went through a bout of just trying to eat sensibly, and that was disastrous for me. So back to keto I go!

I've heard that sugar and crack are equally addictive in the human brain, so your post makes a lot of sense. Its like if you go cold turkey on keto you dont crave carbs but if you get a little hit of that sugarcrack, youll be fiening for more!

No...just no.

ROBOTFOOD

I've tried both keto and counting calories, and in my experience keto wins. I lost inches and never felt deprived, where on regular calorie counting I battled constant cravings for carbs. It's kind of an all or nothing mentality - if I have just a little bit of carb rich food then I want a lot. I just went through a bout of just trying to eat sensibly, and that was disastrous for me. So back to keto I go!

I've heard that sugar and crack are equally addictive in the human brain, so your post makes a lot of sense. Its like if you go cold turkey on keto you dont crave carbs but if you get a little hit of that sugarcrack, youll be fiening for more!

lol no.