Keto Diet Macros look crazy !

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So I've been hearing about the Keto diet
And loosely researched it today, is it just me, or does it sound so un healthy / works against the whole 'your body is a temple'
Since so many people love it, I was hoping you guys could clear this up for me.
The Marcos I saw for keto was 70% Fat 25% protein 5% Carbs.
I would love to try it but I'm on competition prep ... as soon as I'm bulking again I might do it
But 70% fat just sounds like high cholesterol to me lol Help me Keto Pros
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Replies

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    The only people who get high cholesterol from a ketogenic diet are those with familial hypercholesterolemia. Most people find their HDL goes up, triglycerides goes down and LDL stays about the same but may change to a less dense type..

    BRW, keto can be helpful for a final cut. Water losses can be a few pounds.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    It's unnecessary for cutting or bulking. When bulking it's actually a good idea to have carbs. Keto is just one method people use to control their food intake. Nothing magical about it.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    nvmomketo wrote: »
    The only people who get high cholesterol from a ketogenic diet are those with familial hypercholesterolemia. Most people find their HDL goes up, triglycerides goes down and LDL stays about the same but may change to a less dense type..

    BRW, keto can be helpful for a final cut. Water losses can be a few pounds.

    yes having FH sucks big time but you learn to live with it.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    It's not unhealthy if done right as are with most things (like veganism), I personally am not at a point where I want to limit carbs that much. :smiley: Some of those keto recipes are amazing however. If you're just looking for weight loss, obviously not necessary as you just have to lower calories, but as @usmcmp mentioned for cutting people like it, I have several friends that are keto right now, I applaud them for it.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    Personal opinion as someone keto who has actually struggled to stop losing weight in maintenance phase- if you want to dabble in keto do it on a cut. I imagine it would actually be slightly more advantageous for competition prep because of the lost water weight? Bulking would be difficult imo on a 20g carb limit, I definitely couldn't do it.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    Personal opinion as someone keto who has actually struggled to stop losing weight in maintenance phase- if you want to dabble in keto do it on a cut. I imagine it would actually be slightly more advantageous for competition prep because of the lost water weight? Bulking would be difficult imo on a 20g carb limit, I definitely couldn't do it.

    yeah you would have to eat a lot more meats or other protein sources that didnt have carbs in them. or more fat.
  • getsexy94
    getsexy94 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks so much guys xxx
    Love the feedback
  • K_Anness17
    K_Anness17 Posts: 18 Member
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    I lost about 86lbs while eating keto in 2015, I can tell you now, all that bacon and stuff is awesome. My cholesterol (bad) went down and (good) went up, blood sugars wewre great (was prediabetic) and I felt awesome.

    I decided it was too hard to keep up with, got pregnant and...well I like bread. So don't do it now. But I did feel fantastic, had glowing skin and glossy hair.

    Doesn't make you lose weight though. Not by itself.

    It definitely does help you lose weight on its own. That's how so many people have lost so much weight. Your body is burning fat for fuel instead of carbs, resulting in fat loss.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    I won't comment on the debate, but i will say that keto is absolutely unnecessary for fat loss, good health, etc. Even more, i personally could never find enjoyment or fulfillment out of this style of eating.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    getsexy94 wrote: »
    So I've been hearing about the Keto diet
    And loosely researched it today, is it just me, or does it sound so un healthy / works against the whole 'your body is a temple'
    Since so many people love it, I was hoping you guys could clear this up for me.
    The Marcos I saw for keto was 70% Fat 25% protein 5% Carbs.
    I would love to try it but I'm on competition prep ... as soon as I'm bulking again I might do it
    But 70% fat just sounds like high cholesterol to me lol Help me Keto Pros

    keto isn't necessary to cut or for your general health, or anything else. Yes...it's a high fat diet...it would actually be sub optimal for a bulk as carbs are king when bulking...IMO, it would be sub optimal for a cut for someone who's doing competition prep because protein levels would be inadequate to maintain lean mass.

    IMO, it's good (though not necessary) for people who have metabolic disorders...it is optimal for people suffering from epilepsy...it's fine for people who are generally not particularly active and/or do not particularly care to what degree fitness performance may suffer...it is sub-optimal for the vast majority of competitive athletes save for true endurance athletes like ultra runners, etc who don't need to go fast, they just need to go long. I'm not a physique competitor, but I could see it being optimal right before a competition to shed water weight.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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  • Catawampous
    Catawampous Posts: 447 Member
    edited February 2017
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    It definitely does help you lose weight on its own. That's how so many people have lost so much weight. Your body is burning fat for fuel instead of carbs, resulting in fat loss.

    I really hope you just worded this poorly. But just in case ... I eat Keto and I loose weight because I am in a deficit calorie wise. If I ate the way I do and did not monitor it I would be as big as a house. I eat this way because I enjoy it, I feel good AND it helps control my hunger and has some other side benefits for me. It is not magic and is not for everyone.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    getsexy94 wrote: »
    So I've been hearing about the Keto diet
    And loosely researched it today, is it just me, or does it sound so un healthy / works against the whole 'your body is a temple'
    Since so many people love it, I was hoping you guys could clear this up for me.
    The Marcos I saw for keto was 70% Fat 25% protein 5% Carbs.
    I would love to try it but I'm on competition prep ... as soon as I'm bulking again I might do it
    But 70% fat just sounds like high cholesterol to me lol Help me Keto Pros

    keto isn't necessary to cut or for your general health, or anything else. Yes...it's a high fat diet...it would actually be sub optimal for a bulk as carbs are king when bulking...IMO, it would be sub optimal for a cut for someone who's doing competition prep because protein levels would be inadequate to maintain lean mass.

    IMO, it's good (though not necessary) for people who have metabolic disorders...it is optimal for people suffering from epilepsy...it's fine for people who are generally not particularly active and/or do not particularly care to what degree fitness performance may suffer...it is sub-optimal for the vast majority of competitive athletes save for true endurance athletes like ultra runners, etc who don't need to go fast, they just need to go long. I'm not a physique competitor, but I could see it being optimal right before a competition to shed water weight.

    To the bolded:

    What is the optimal protein level to maintain muscle mass during a cut? Ketogenic diets typically have protein levels between 15 and 35%. Those with low protein are often doing it for the therapeutic benefits of the ketones. Others go higher, especially those with a heavy weight program.

    And...

    On what do you base the statement that it is only for people who don't care if their fitness suffers unless you are an endurance athlete who doesn't want to go fast?

    Sure, someone on a ketogenic may not get that extra energy boost, lasting only seconds, that a glucose burner may get, but its only seconds and only makes a difference for elite athletes IMO. If you are going up against Bolt, then yes, higher carbs may be in your best interest. If, like me, you do some lifting, play recreational basketball (or even pro basketball ie. Kobe Bryant) and walk or hike, then ketosis is fine. Plus one never needs to worry about "hitting the wall" while doing that endurance event.

    And yes, high insulin will help you make gains faster than low insulin but there are body builders out there doing keto. Ketogains is a good spot to look into that.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    It definitely does help you lose weight on its own. That's how so many people have lost so much weight. Your body is burning fat for fuel instead of carbs, resulting in fat loss.

    I really hope you just worded this poorly. But just in case ... I eat Keto and I loose weight because I am in a deficit calorie wise. If I ate the way I do and did not monitor it I would be as big as a house. I eat this way because I enjoy it, I feel good AND it helps control my hunger and has some other side benefits for me. It is not magic and is not for everyone.

    I think for some, it does help you lose weight a bit faster. Not a lot, but a bit. At least that was my experience. Granted, I do have autoimmune issues and insulin resistance, so I am probably better suited to benefit from ketosis than most people.
  • tmoneyag99
    tmoneyag99 Posts: 480 Member
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    getsexy94 wrote: »
    So I've been hearing about the Keto diet
    And loosely researched it today, is it just me, or does it sound so un healthy / works against the whole 'your body is a temple'
    Since so many people love it, I was hoping you guys could clear this up for me.
    The Marcos I saw for keto was 70% Fat 25% protein 5% Carbs.
    I would love to try it but I'm on competition prep ... as soon as I'm bulking again I might do it
    But 70% fat just sounds like high cholesterol to me lol Help me Keto Pros

    Alot of those fats are supposed to be good fats (ie avocados, fish, nuts and grass fed/wild game)

    Those fat sources are what you call "good fat" which acutally serves to help you reduce your total cholesterol. Kind of the whole "Like attracts like" idea. Good fat's attract bad fats stored in your body and helps you actually eliminate the storage of LDL

    not that I'm on the keto diet. I like lots of veggies but I comprehend the logic.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I know a couple of people who have been put on it for medical/health reasons by their doctor (which is obviously very different than people who are simply trying to lose weight), but aside from that, I think it's "popularity" comes from the fact that it builds on the idea that carbs are bad. For people who believe that, this type of diet seems to make sense.
  • KatyBell164
    KatyBell164 Posts: 104 Member
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    Brand new Keto-er here, 4 weeks in. For me personally it's because I have 0 control with carb filled foods. I cannot have a portion of chips, I have the whole bag. Having zero and knowing they are completely off the table is helping me, mentally.