Pros and Cons of keto?
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Putting your body in a Ketosis state is pointless unless it is deemed medically necessary. You cant avoid carbs forever, so why starve your body of it now? It will only induce cravings for carbs and make it harder to stay on track. If you want to lose weight just lower your intake. Don't do low/no carbs... That is so hard on your body if not medically necessary. I would just go crazy without mine.1
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RebeccaParmenter wrote: »Putting your body in a Ketosis state is pointless unless it is deemed medically necessary. You cant avoid carbs forever, so why starve your body of it now? It will only induce cravings for carbs and make it harder to stay on track. If you want to lose weight just lower your intake. Don't do low/no carbs... That is so hard on your body if not medically necessary. I would just go crazy without mine.
Low carb actually reduces cravings for me--I'm rarely hungry now, and eat very sensibly (probably 2/3 of my plate is veggies). Being 95 lbs overweight (having lost 27 lbs since September, 14 of which were since April 1 and starting low carb) is harder on my body than eating low carb.
I plan on doing low carb for the foreseeable future, although I'm going to increase from 50g to ~100g once I get closer to maintenance.
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Thank you to all of you who answered! I lost 100 pounds (from 2013 - 2015), but I wasn't keeping track of anything, just working out and eating better. Then from 2015 - 2016, I gained 25 pounds back, and I'm wanting to lose that, plus about 20 more (goal weight: 140, current weight 180). I've been back at for about 2 weeks now and have seen amazing progress already. I think I'm going to give this keto thing a shot for a couple of weeks and see if it benefits me. I've read that the best way to combat the side effects is to drink a lot of water, and I already drink at least a gallon a day. Thank you again for all your input!!
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just curious... why does keto cause bad breath?0
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bmarge10288 wrote: »just curious... why does keto cause bad breath?
Ketones can actually be excreted a bit via your breath. Has a chemical/fruity odor.1 -
I've been keto 8 months and I love it. Of course no one diet is right for every person so my pros may not apply to you but...
Pros: less RA flares, less hunger, no cravings, better skin, better sleep, more energy, reduced anxiety, I'm now able to workout again as where chronic pain kept me from it before, and most of all I love the food.
Cons: having to constantly defend your diet.
I don't consider the socialization part a con but other people might. I'm celiac so even when eating carbs I had to turn down cake at parties and ask for bunless burgers in restaurants. In fact now it's better for me because I have no carb cravings so I don't envy the cake and pizza eaters at parties like I used to.
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Escloflowne wrote: »It's very restrictive and you will get the same results just counting your calories that MFP recommends
Source: Lost 100lbs in 12 months following MFP recommendations and didn't cut out any food types...
You may have, but that doesn't mean it will work that way for everyone--just like keto, or paleo, Weight Watchers, or any other "diet".
Weight loss is very much an individual experience. We don't all have the same metabolic rate, even at the same weight. Also there is more to losing weight than you can quantify by just calories in, calories out.
I lost 80 lbs on Weight Watchers in 2007-08. I kept a lot of that weight off for a few years, but due to some bad habits and choices I got back up to my pre WW weight in the last year. When I was on WW, I really ate poorly. This was the original (I think) points system, and I was like Oprah...maybe not with "eating bread every day", but I ate anything I wanted. The problem with doing that is that I didn't learn any good habits for eating. I opted for the convenience of frozen meals pretty often because cooking for one person and figuring out all the points values was a lot of work. I pretty much lived on processed foods, fruit, cheese sticks, and 100 calorie packs of anything.
I'm doing keto right now and have experienced great benefits in a little under 2 months. I DON'T count calories, although I am likely under my caloric goal many days. I've lost 20+ lbs in 8 weeks.
Pros:
I get to eat many foods I like, especially cheese
Better sleep
Not getting hangry and being able to go longer without eating
Working out in a fasted state
Losing weight (obviously)
Haven't found the need to count calories meticulously yet
Greater understanding of how insulin/blood glucose/ketones work
Gets my mind right because I'm not thinking about how much of a cheat I can get away with
Cons:
Can be difficult to get what you want when eating out - I eat out every day for lunch when I'm at work, and don't have too hard of a time finding something that I can eat. It's just hard for places to get it right sometimes.
Some people find it confusing or don't read up enough about it
It's not for cheaters
Muscle cramping, if you aren't getting the right supplements and electrolytes
Feeling slightly more judgmental about people consuming sugary stuff2 -
Thank you to all of you who answered! I lost 100 pounds (from 2013 - 2015), but I wasn't keeping track of anything, just working out and eating better. Then from 2015 - 2016, I gained 25 pounds back, and I'm wanting to lose that, plus about 20 more (goal weight: 140, current weight 180). I've been back at for about 2 weeks now and have seen amazing progress already. I think I'm going to give this keto thing a shot for a couple of weeks and see if it benefits me. I've read that the best way to combat the side effects is to drink a lot of water, and I already drink at least a gallon a day. Thank you again for all your input!!
And keep your electrolytes up: salt and magnesium especially. The more water you drink, the more electrolytes are watered down in the body creating an imbalance if you don't watch it. Check out the electrolyte post stickie at the top of the LC group page.
ETA: Keto flu is mostly electrolyte imbalance. Ketosis causes the kidneys to excrete extra sodium. Top it up with salty broth or homemade electrolyte drinks.1 -
about 20 years ago or so i worked at a very large gym there were a lot of power lifters bodybuilders and people just working out, i heard of keto back then but the only people that were doing it were the ones getting ready to jump on stage for a show these people were in shape already for men i would say 6 to 10 percent body fat for women 15 to 18 percent body fat, they would do keto 30 days out from a show, a day before the show i seen guys that were around 4% body fat for the women 10 to 12 % body fat from the people i talk to they would only do it for short period of time after a show they would slowly work there way back up to maintenance calories,
yeah, I know a lot of body builders use Keto as a way to decrease BF% and water weight prior to a competition. I think a body building forum would probably be the best place to get that info.
This is a FITNESS FORUM not a weightloss forum. Its in the name..lol..
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Michael190lbs wrote: »about 20 years ago or so i worked at a very large gym there were a lot of power lifters bodybuilders and people just working out, i heard of keto back then but the only people that were doing it were the ones getting ready to jump on stage for a show these people were in shape already for men i would say 6 to 10 percent body fat for women 15 to 18 percent body fat, they would do keto 30 days out from a show, a day before the show i seen guys that were around 4% body fat for the women 10 to 12 % body fat from the people i talk to they would only do it for short period of time after a show they would slowly work there way back up to maintenance calories,
yeah, I know a lot of body builders use Keto as a way to decrease BF% and water weight prior to a competition. I think a body building forum would probably be the best place to get that info.
This is a FITNESS FORUM not a weightloss forum. Its in the name..lol..
Easy there, buddy. I'm not saying his post isn't welcome here or anything like that. He may be able to find great advice on here as well. I was just saying that body building forums would probably be a better source because they will be in general more familiar with the exact problem he is trying to solve. Another option might be body building groups here on MFP. In either case, in order to find advice on the best application of keto for body building purposes, he would be best served to seek out people who use keto for body building purposes..lol..1 -
jollykirsten wrote: »Also there is more to losing weight than you can quantify by just calories in, calories out.
Actually calories (energy balance) is all there is to weight gain, loss, and maintenance.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »Unless you're diabetic, have PCOS, or some other difficulty with insulin, keto is kind of a fad.
(1) What's your reasoning behind this? (2) Have you used keto in the past?
1: Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. Full stop. You can lose weight eating nothing but sugar, it would be hard but it's possible. I've lost 85 pounds eating lots of carbs. Unless you have a problem with insulen, keto is unnecessary for weight loss or any other benefit. But it's really wildly popular *kitten* of a sudden despite the complete lack of necessity.
THIS.
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RebeccaParmenter wrote: »
Low carb actually reduces cravings for me--I'm rarely hungry now, and eat very sensibly (probably 2/3 of my plate is veggies).
^THIS0 -
I think sometimes people place too much importance on the specific plan they are following and attribute their success or failure to the plan they happen to have used rather than looking at other factors.
If you have a dieting mentality and are focused on losing weight as quickly as possible at all costs, for example, then no matter what plan you follow, you are not likely to achieve long term success. It has little to do with your plan, and more to do with the fact that you are looking for the quickest possible fix to the problem rather than addressing the causes of the problem.
I lost weight successfully using a variety of different programs, but failed at maintaining the weight. The failure was mine in not addressing the underlying issues that were causing me to put on weight. I had to become aware of my distorted thinking and how to address it. I had to really understand the concept of a lifestyle change - it is more than just a buzzword to indicate that you want to lose and keep the weight off, you actually have to change your approach to how you frame situations and your approach to dealing with them.
If you are choosing a plan because you perceive it to be fast, easy, or popular/trendy, that might not be the best reasoning if your goal is long term success. I'd recommend focusing on creating a plan that you will find enjoyable, healthy, and sustainable instead, then get to work exploring and addressing the issues that are causing you to struggle with your weight. I sure wish I had taken that approach at the beginning rather than waiting until I was 40 to finally figure it out.
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There is a reason people look the way they do saying that if weight loss is all you care about you will more than likely not like the way you look when you hit your goal weight. This whole you can lose weight eating at a calorie deficit is true but eating properly and lifting weights is truly the magic pill for long term results.. My 2 cents1
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Michael190lbs wrote: »There is a reason people look the way they do saying that if weight loss is all you care about you will more than likely not like the way you look when you hit your goal weight. This whole you can lose weight eating at a calorie deficit is true but eating properly and lifting weights is truly the magic pill for long term results.. My 2 cents
This!0 -
Keto diet isn't conducive to building muscle if that's one's goal too.
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
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I think sometimes people place too much importance on the specific plan they are following and attribute their success or failure to the plan they happen to have used rather than looking at other factors.
If you have a dieting mentality and are focused on losing weight as quickly as possible at all costs, for example, then no matter what plan you follow, you are not likely to achieve long term success. It has little to do with your plan, and more to do with the fact that you are looking for the quickest possible fix to the problem rather than addressing the causes of the problem.
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The failure was mine in not addressing the underlying issues that were causing me to put on weight. I had to become aware of my distorted thinking and how to address it. I had to really understand the concept of a lifestyle change - it is more than just a buzzword to indicate that you want to lose and keep the weight off, you actually have to change your approach to how you frame situations and your approach to dealing with them.
If you are choosing a plan because you perceive it to be fast, easy, or popular/trendy, that might not be the best reasoning if your goal is long term success. I'd recommend focusing on creating a plan that you will find enjoyable, healthy, and sustainable instead, then get to work exploring and addressing the issues that are causing you to struggle with your weight. I sure wish I had taken that approach at the beginning rather than waiting until I was 40 to finally figure it out.
Very true. That's great advice.
This a mental game. 80% is about mindset and 20% is actually about the food, in my experience.
Consistency + perseverance + time = success
Get your head right, and you stack the deck in your favor long term. You aren't just picking a diet. You're picking a lifestyle. Every eating plan fails if you go back to the same poor behaviors and dysfunctional food relationships that got you overweight in the first place. So identify them and fix them. Otherwise, they come back and bite you in the rear in maintenance. If you even make it there and don't give up because you're constantly being tripped up by your issues.
To be completely cliche: Work smarter, not harder.1
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