Did you experience appetite suppression and mental clarity with keto?

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oat_bran
oat_bran Posts: 370 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For several weeks I've been struggling with being ravenous all the time, so much that I can't keep any deficit and some days struggle to eat even at maintanence. I want to give keto diet a try again. I've tried it several times in the past and couldn't do it for more than two weeks because I would feel really yucky and hungry no matter how much I ate. (I'd it under 20g of carbs, but maybe not enough fat?) The famous appetite reduction would never come. But maybe I just needed to stick to it longer?

The problem is that I need to present my thesis in a few months and I can't afford to just experiment and suffer through it only to figure out that I'm one of those people who never get 'fat adapted' and never experience significant hunger suppression. Or if would take weeks or even months to start experiencing any of those effects then it would also be not worth it.

On the other hand, if there's a big chance that I just need to wait slightly longer and would eventually get rid of the crazy hunger and become more sharp mentally and more energetic than it would really help me to and would be definitely worth it.

So I just want to hear your about your experiences or your general knowledge about how common it is to experience those supposed advantages of keto dieting and how long it can take? And how common it is in your opinion to never get keto adapted?

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Replies

  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I didn't feel good on Keto, plus after 4 months my hair started shedding:( I did lose while eating very low carb, but it wasn't sustainable for me because I just feel better eating carbs and I regained rather quickly.
    We're all different, but I find IF to work wonders for reigning in my appetite and letting me stick quite easily to my calorie goals.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    I'm another one who found IF to be better for appetite control than keto/low carb.

    I'm also not fond of low carb's effect on athletic performance. I didn't like waiting to become fat adapted. That was too much time to be losing muscle mass, imo.
  • Bearbo27
    Bearbo27 Posts: 339 Member
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    Slightly off topic...How is your protein intake normally? If I don't consume enough protein, I become super hungry.
  • KetoLady86
    KetoLady86 Posts: 337 Member
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    I have been keto for several months...and I feel wonderful. BUT- to each there own. I love my MCT oil...its great, and not just for keto..for everyone
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited October 2016
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    KetoLady86 wrote: »
    I have been keto for several months...and I feel wonderful. BUT- to each there own. I love my MCT oil...its great, and not just for keto..for everyone
    Can you provide some evidence to support this claim?
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I find complex carbs suppress my appetite...oats, beans, lentils, etc...

    same, a big bowl of oatmeal can keep me satisfied for hours, whereas the same amount of cals composed of peanut butter does NOTHING and I'm hungry 30 minutes later
  • charlenekapf
    charlenekapf Posts: 309 Member
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    ugh see if i just have oatmeal I'm starving an hour later but very full at the time. if i have just pb, i need more volume to really be full but find it satiating. so i have oatmeal and pb to really hold me. although i still get hungry a few hours after that.
    nosebag1212 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I find complex carbs suppress my appetite...oats, beans, lentils, etc...

    same, a big bowl of oatmeal can keep me satisfied for hours, whereas the same amount of cals composed of peanut butter does NOTHING and I'm hungry 30 minutes later

  • Naija82
    Naija82 Posts: 345 Member
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    I've been on a low carb diet for 4.5 weeks now, I try to aim for 50g or less. I feel fine and haven't felt hunger or gotten intense cravings. I'm eating more vegetables than I did before and meeting my protein requirements. I run quite regularly and completed a half marathon on Sunday so no horrible fatigue/lack of energy.

    I think low carb works for some people and doesn't for others.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
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    I have tried it but so long ago that I don't remember well and can't answer your questions, OP.

    I did want to ask, however, about the "fat adaptation" thing. Is it a thing? Aren't all bodies using stored fuel or, after eating, shuttling fuel into storage all day long? I know bodies will use alcohol, if present, first then glycogen next, but at some point in any given day, aren't we all using fat for energy and producing ketones (even if it's too small to register on a test strip or whatever)? Why would it take several weeks to adapt to that?
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
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    Nope to both.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    Fat doesn't fill me up. Protein, fiber and starches are for me.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,397 MFP Moderator
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    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    I have tried it but so long ago that I don't remember well and can't answer your questions, OP.

    I did want to ask, however, about the "fat adaptation" thing. Is it a thing? Aren't all bodies using stored fuel or, after eating, shuttling fuel into storage all day long? I know bodies will use alcohol, if present, first then glycogen next, but at some point in any given day, aren't we all using fat for energy and producing ketones (even if it's too small to register on a test strip or whatever)? Why would it take several weeks to adapt to that?

    Your body constantly uses stored fat and glycogen throughout the day depending on what you are doing. And ketones are produced after long periods of fasting. And there is some debate on how long it would take to fully adapt to keto.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
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    psulemon wrote: »
    Fat doesn't fill me up. Protein, fiber and starches are for me.

    Ditto.
  • MiamiDawn
    MiamiDawn Posts: 90 Member
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    As cat say above - this is what pertains to ME.
    I've been Keto for about 7 weeks now (and have done low carb in the past)

    Keto is more than just being low carb, it's about consuming less than 20g carbs and having the "right" proportion of fats, carbs, and protein in what you eat, and it's not high protein but rather a moderate amount of protein. If you have no carbs all day long by eating meat, then have something with 20 carbs then you will have problems. While you've technically stayed below your 20 carbs for the day, you can easily throw yourself out of ketosis. Peanut butter is another thing ... Most are only 4 net carbs, but most brands you can buy in the local store have sugar added. Also, foods with sugar alcohols like many low carb bars affect some people by causing a rise in insulin levels. In reality, the carbs you get on the diet should come from nutrient dense foods like green vegetables and a small amount of berries.

    For me ... I feel great. I do not crash in the afternoons. I take less naps. My blood sugar levels are stable. My A1C has dropped into a "normal" range and I've lost weight.

    To answer your question about hunger ... I don't feel hungry however, because I am one that historically would eat just because it is there and tastes good rather than because I was hungry, I still need to watch myself if that makes sense. I don't do the "bulletproof coffee" thing because I don't like coffee or hot tea, so I do a bullion broth with some butter added.

    I've read lots about it, I've joined groups, I've listened to podcasts and watched you tube videos. If you want to understand some of the science behind it in everyday language, I highly recommend listening to the 2ketodudes podcasts. All I know is it is working for me, and I feel better than I have in decades. Am I perfect on it ? No, some days I go over on carbs like pretty much everyone else, but the next day, I tighten up what I eat and get right back on plan. I would say, I'm a work in progress.
  • HaleCry
    HaleCry Posts: 387 Member
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    I couldn't stick to keto. I didn't find it sustainable and would binge. I find that being able to eat anything if I fit it in my calories works better as I'm not deprived therefore don't binge.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
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    I felt great on Atkins however it wasn't how I wanted to eat the rest of my life so when I increased carbs I gained all my weight back. I can't cut carbs as much as I needed to in order to continue my weight loss and maintenance. Since then I've also stopped eating meat for various other reasons.

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