Keto Diet Question

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Currently doing Keto, primarily for weight loss, but also enjoying the other benefits (feeling of well being, mental clarity, satisfaction). Regarding weight loss, it is true that you still have to run a calorie deficit to lose weight regardless of your particular diet. So it got me thinking (mental clarity???) if you still have to run a deficit, what exactly is the benefit of Keto? In my mind, if your protein intake is adequate, you would still be burning fat either way, Keto or not. Would love to hear thoughts from others, Ketoers and non-Ketoers.


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  • cbohling1987
    cbohling1987 Posts: 99 Member
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    Yes, you have to run a calorie deficit to lose weight on any diet. It's impossible to eat more calories than you burn and lose weight, that would defy the laws of physics.

    All other things being the same, keto will not make you lose weight any faster or slower than any other diet. If you eat at a 20% calorie deficit every day, it doesn't matter whether you're following keto or a low-carb diet or a low-fat diet or whatever, what matters is the calorie deficit - a 20% deficit with any diet will result in approximately the same rate of weight loss. So keto has no distinctive advantage when it comes to just losing weight.

    That said, if you find that keto is a sustainable diet for you because you find eating higher-fat foods to be satiating and enjoyable, there is no reason to not do it, as long as you also understand that you need a calorie deficit to lose weight. As long as you expend more than you eat, eating a diet that's higher in fat like keto is totally fine.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    As others have said, yes, a calorie deficit is needed to lose fat. As far as what the benefits of keto are, that depends on your situation. Are you insulin resistant? Do you struggle with cravings? If so, keto may have benefits for you.

    Personally, the feelings of mental clarity, satisfaction and well being seem to very subjective and individual preference. Some that try keto don't experience them, some do. But there is no proven metabolic advantage for fat loss in doing keto. It is really a matter of preference.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    What do you think that means?
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
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    Yes, theoretically you still need a deficit.

    Having said that, I started low carb in order to improve blood glucose management (I have type 1 diabetes), and found significantly faster weight loss despite the same calorie deficit. It was nearly 5 times faster over the course of the first year eating low carb. I don't know why, but that is what happened. I meticulously tracked every bite and every step before and after switching; used the same food scale and the same personal scale; so I can say with certainty that my deficit did not increase 5-fold during that time and yet results would indicate it did.

    I totally believe you since I had a similar experience-- but only at first. Going ULC took several pounds off me and they stayed off as long as I stayed ULC. Did you see "unexplained weight loss" after the first two weeks? (I didn't.)