The Ketosis Diet - Any opinions?

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Replies

  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    I've been maintaining a very low carb diet since the beginning of May. I've done this same diet in the past and unfortunately quit. I didn't know till recently that it is called a ketosis diet. My doctor recommended this diet to get my diabetes under control without medication. It works for me. It gives me far more benefits than just weight loss. The weight loss, for me, is a bonus. When my carb intake is very low I have more energy, I sleep better, my gums don't bleed, my bgl are under control, my A1C dropped, my back and joints don't hurt as much, I don't retain excess water, my bowels are more regular, I'm not gassy, heartburn is gone, I don't crave cake and sweets, I could go on and on about how a low carb diet benefits my body.
  • Tilran
    Tilran Posts: 627 Member
    Once you start eating carbs again all that weight you lost will come back with a vengance! So unless you plan on eating like that for the rest of your life calorie deficit is the only way to go.

    no it won't if you keep to the same calorie level, you will regain some water weight once you add in carbohydrates again but that's irrelevant. Fat loss =/= weight loss.

    I'm not even a fan of low carb dieting but statements like this are nonsense.


    I was going to say the same thing...That is just a dumb comment. I'm also not into the whole Ketosis thing, but eating carbs again wont make all that weight come back unless you are eating above maintenance.
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    Got to be honest, ketosis is not a great thing. When your body is lacking carbs it eats itself to replace. I was on a no carb diet for a while (bit like atkins) and went to the doctors for an unrelated issue, had a urine test and he commented on the "keytones" in my sample.
    It does have great effects but puts extreme pressure on the kidneys.

    The body does eat your fat stores, so I don't see how that's a bad thing. Keto is a good way to have a calorie deficit with minimum muscle loss. Also, your kidneys are working a little overtime to flush out the ketones, but the number one rule of ketosis is to drink water. LOTS of water.

    Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Keto is one way to help with a calorie deficit that won't leave you starving for more food since you're taking in high fats and moderate protein.

    I still follow MFP's calorie guidelines just like everyone else here. I just adjusted my macros to reflect low carb eating.
  • I personally would not do anything to lose weight that you can't do for the rest of your life. Do you really want to give up things like bread, bagels, pizza, tortillas, pasta, and scones for the rest of your life?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Got to be honest, ketosis is not a great thing. When your body is lacking carbs it eats itself to replace. I was on a no carb diet for a while (bit like atkins) and went to the doctors for an unrelated issue, had a urine test and he commented on the "keytones" in my sample.
    It does have great effects but puts extreme pressure on the kidneys.

    Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Keto is one way to help with a calorie deficit that won't leave you starving for more food since you're taking in high fats and moderate protein.

    Wouldn't you actually be eating less food if you're eating high fats as fats are the most calorie dense of all the macros?
  • im on it now its awesome
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    Ketones are produced whenever your body burns fat. If you are on ANY diet and losing body fat then you are producing ketones. Your body uses those ketones for energy. If you produce more ketones than your body needs for energy the excess spills into your urine and is disposed of. That is ketosis. All weight loss diets include an element of carbohydrate deficit. If you eat enough carbs to maintain the energy your body needs then you do not burn fat for energy and you will not lose body fat. If you eat more carbohydrates than your body needs for energy, the excess carbohydrates get stored as fat and you gain weight.
  • I did this when I joined Lindora and lost about 50 lbs in 4 months but gained it back very quickly plus some.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    Anything that has some random word, followed by "diet" ([word] diet) is not good for you, and will not give you sustainable, long-term results. Don't do it, and just eat healthy. Track your calories, and exercise, and you'll lose the weight.

    I've personally lost 20 lbs in 2.5 months, and I'm following MFP. When I started, I was eating maintenance, but I cut out all processed foods so I could test for food allergies. I haven't done any "diet" to do this.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Can I eat a lot of raspberries and get their ketones to make me go into ketosis?
  • pixelberry
    pixelberry Posts: 167 Member
    I'm on a low-carb diet. I've had NO problems with exercising. Biked over 45 miles just yesterday, did some hiking/jogging/walking today, and since 9/1/2012 I've been able to bike 331.14 miles.

    Keep in mind it's not for everyone, some people just do not do very well on it. It's been working pretty good for me.
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    Got to be honest, ketosis is not a great thing. When your body is lacking carbs it eats itself to replace. I was on a no carb diet for a while (bit like atkins) and went to the doctors for an unrelated issue, had a urine test and he commented on the "keytones" in my sample.
    It does have great effects but puts extreme pressure on the kidneys.

    Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Keto is one way to help with a calorie deficit that won't leave you starving for more food since you're taking in high fats and moderate protein.

    Wouldn't you actually be eating less food if you're eating high fats as fats are the most calorie dense of all the macros?

    Yes, you eat less food but are satisfied because your body is burning it's fat stores for energy instead of needing more carbs (more food) for energy.
  • My nutritionist and doctor have me on a ultra low-carb diet to trigger ketosis. This plan is just temporary (four to six weeks) to get the body used to burning fat as an energy source. One thing to keep in mind is not to overdo the protein while on this type of diet because excess protein can cause the body to step out of the ketosis state. Since there are three macro nutrients you will need to watch your levels closely so as not go to over on any one nutrient. To date all of my weight loss has been a result of this approach combined with a solid personal-trainer led exercise program.

    Best of luck in your weight loss goals. :)
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    Got to be honest, ketosis is not a great thing. When your body is lacking carbs it eats itself to replace. I was on a no carb diet for a while (bit like atkins) and went to the doctors for an unrelated issue, had a urine test and he commented on the "keytones" in my sample.
    It does have great effects but puts extreme pressure on the kidneys.

    Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Keto is one way to help with a calorie deficit that won't leave you starving for more food since you're taking in high fats and moderate protein.

    Wouldn't you actually be eating less food if you're eating high fats as fats are the most calorie dense of all the macros?

    I need to be honest, I do struggle getting my calories in every day, but most days I do great at it. I just need to adjust to my new schedule, and it'll fall into place. I figure if I'm moving and eating when hungry, I'll do fine!
  • hausofnichele
    hausofnichele Posts: 531 Member
    I haven't heard of this specific diet but I am eating 50 carbs/day (roughly) and doing well with it. I eat this way for medical reasons. I'm finding this works really well for me. I have no trouble with feeling full and I am getting most of my carbs from vegetables. I also exercise and don't feel bad at all. Quite the opposite. I feel really great. My mood has improved so much!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Get ready for some truly bad breath and BO - a side effect of ketosis.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    Your friend lost 2.5/week. You can safely and successfully lose 2 lbs per week just by setting your goals and tracking your calories in and calories spent. Personally, I do better with a slightly lower carb count and more protein. And! the protein keeps you from feeling hungry. PS I've been consistently tracking (this time) for about 10 weeks and have lost about 24 lbs - no ketosis.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Got to be honest, ketosis is not a great thing. When your body is lacking carbs it eats itself to replace. I was on a no carb diet for a while (bit like atkins) and went to the doctors for an unrelated issue, had a urine test and he commented on the "keytones" in my sample.
    It does have great effects but puts extreme pressure on the kidneys.

    Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Keto is one way to help with a calorie deficit that won't leave you starving for more food since you're taking in high fats and moderate protein.

    Wouldn't you actually be eating less food if you're eating high fats as fats are the most calorie dense of all the macros?

    Yes, you eat less food but are satisfied because your body is burning it's fat stores for energy instead of needing more carbs (more food) for energy.

    O I C, sure the increased protein intake isn't responsible for increased satiety, high fat foods haven't performed that great in studies measuring satiety
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    A friend of mine did this, he lost a lot of weight very quickly and kept all the muscle on his frame, he looked jacked very quickly. It looked like way to much work though, he would prepare every single meal for the week on Sunday and eat out of containers all week. I don't think you could stick to it without that type of dedication. It was interesting at first to me but it's not sustainable so in the end you still need to learn about nutrition after you are done losing all the weight.
  • T34418l3angel
    T34418l3angel Posts: 474 Member
    Once you start eating carbs again all that weight you lost will come back with a vengance! So unless you plan on eating like that for the rest of your life calorie deficit is the only way to go.

    no it won't if you keep to the same calorie level, you will regain some water weight once you add in carbohydrates again but that's irrelevant. Fat loss =/= weight loss.

    I'm not even a fan of low carb dieting but statements like this are nonsense.


    I was going to say the same thing...That is just a dumb comment. I'm also not into the whole Ketosis thing, but eating carbs again wont make all that weight come back unless you are eating above maintenance.

    I'm backing up the previous two comments. And I AM actually on this diet (aka low carb) and I have a cheat day once a week and, here's the shocker, I haven't gained a pound back what so ever. My advice is to talk to a nutritionist, read up, and see if it's right for you. Because this diet isn't for everyone and everyone had their own diet that works for them. This has been working for me and the cheat day keeps me from going insane lol.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    My nutritionist and doctor have me on a ultra low-carb diet to trigger ketosis. This plan is just temporary (four to six weeks) to get the body used to burning fat as an energy source. One thing to keep in mind is not to overdo the protein while on this type of diet because excess protein can cause the body to step out of the ketosis state. Since there are three macro nutrients you will need to watch your levels closely so as not go to over on any one nutrient. To date all of my weight loss has been a result of this approach combined with a solid personal-trainer led exercise program.

    Best of luck in your weight loss goals. :)

    You should probably get a new doctor if he told you your body needs to get used to burning fat
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
    Being in ketosis is how I lost 55 lbs from February up until June but I was on a medically supervised weight loss plan. Monitoring your ketones while doing a low carb diet is EXTREMELY important as you want to maintain a healthy level of ketosis and not overdo it. Personally, I only recommend doing it for brief periods of time to jumpstart weightloss and not as a way of life or permanent eating solution.
  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
    I would suggest that you find a good carb level that you can live with and that works for you. Try lowering it a little at a time to see if that helps. I'm doing South Beach Phase 1 right now and I doing about 60-80 carbs a day - it's working for me but I can't imagine going any lower! I enjoy lots of veggies, lean protein but no starches, grains, etc yet! Those I will add back in VERY slowly! (I should note that I have insulin resistance - yes, medically diagnosed using blood work - so I am trying this to see if it may be helpful to me.
    To answer's your question, I do Zumba twice a week and C25K three times a week.
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    I'm down 13 pounds in five weeks and feel great. I'm still eating at/under my MFP calories, but for me eating low carb stops my sugar binges/carb binges and food obsession, which has always been my downfall on a low fat, restricted calorie diet... It basically helps me stay full and eat a reasonable amount of calories.
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    Got to be honest, ketosis is not a great thing. When your body is lacking carbs it eats itself to replace. I was on a no carb diet for a while (bit like atkins) and went to the doctors for an unrelated issue, had a urine test and he commented on the "keytones" in my sample.
    It does have great effects but puts extreme pressure on the kidneys.

    Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Keto is one way to help with a calorie deficit that won't leave you starving for more food since you're taking in high fats and moderate protein.

    Wouldn't you actually be eating less food if you're eating high fats as fats are the most calorie dense of all the macros?

    Yes, you eat less food but are satisfied because your body is burning it's fat stores for energy instead of needing more carbs (more food) for energy.

    O I C, sure the increased protein intake isn't responsible for increased satiety, high fat foods haven't performed that great in studies measuring satiety

    It's burning your own body fat that is responsible for increased satiety. If you eat too much fat or too many calories then your body does not burn it's own fat for energy and you will not be satisfied. The body takes the path of least resistance. Carbs take the least amount of energy to convert to blood glucose and produce energy. So, if you eat a lot of carbs the body burns that first and prefers it. If you eat too much fat then your body will just use the fat you are currently consuming for energy. But, if you eat the right balance to force your body to burn its own fat stores then you have enough energy and you stay satisfied longer.
  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    Get ready for some truly bad breath and BO - a side effect of ketosis.

    I haven't had that side affect. I know some people do.
  • cgarand
    cgarand Posts: 541 Member
    I know someone who is doing this on a program monitored by her Dr. She is losing weight but she is absolutely miserable. And, she only has about 40-50 lbs to lose. I am happy with my slow but sure weight loss that allows me to eat whatever I want, if I'm going to have something calorie and fat dense I will just work out a little extra.
  • I don't think that any diet that is extreme like that is a good diet.
    When trying to lose weight, and keep it off, the diet chosen should be for the long term, because if it's short term chances are the weight will spring back on.
    With my diet, I've made subtle changes that are leading up to a "goal diet" that, once I'm there, I will stick to. The goal diet is basically just a healthy, balanced diet. But I have to work up to it, because if I just change out of nowhere I'm going to hate it. I started with cutting out refined sugar. Then I worked on the breads I was eating, switched from white to wheat.Then I took out a lot of dairy because I was eating too much cheese. Then I worked on adding fruits and veggies. Now I'm working on my meat intake, and possibly striving for a more vegetarian diet because it seems to be healthier. But this is just me, these are my choices to strive for a general balanced healthy diet.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    Ketones are produced whenever your body burns fat. If you are on ANY diet and losing body fat then you are producing ketones. Your body uses those ketones for energy. If you produce more ketones than your body needs for energy the excess spills into your urine and is disposed of. That is ketosis. All weight loss diets include an element of carbohydrate deficit. If you eat enough carbs to maintain the energy your body needs then you do not burn fat for energy and you will not lose body fat. If you eat more carbohydrates than your body needs for energy, the excess carbohydrates get stored as fat and you gain weight.

    Not true.

    I'm losing weight with a controlled diet, my carbs come in between 50-100 a day. There are no ketones in my urine (I check).

    There are several diets out there that do not restrict carbs in anyway, Slimming World for instance.
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
    Once you start eating carbs again all that weight you lost will come back with a vengance! So unless you plan on eating like that for the rest of your life calorie deficit is the only way to go.

    Yes if you eat way over on cals like you used to. Same on a calorie restriction diet, if you go back to eating way more calories than you need then you'll gain it all back. Let's think before we post nonsense, k?