What was/is your experience with the Ketogenic diet?
Replies
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I felt horrible on keto. Too little carbs and too much fatty meat. Was always constipated too and would go 2 weeks without a movement. Literally felt like I had bricks sitting in my intestines after eating a keto meal, and often wasnt hungry until the next day (nauseas). Additionally, I had bad reflux while doing keto. Turns out, I have low stomach acid. I prefer more plant-based (less acidic) and feel loads better on vegan/vegetarian diets. As for weight loss, I gained over 20 pounds on keto. On the flip side, I reached my lowest weight on vegan.2
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https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketogenic-diet-is-the-ultimate-low-carb-diet-good-for-you-2017072712089
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/#!po=21.5596
As I said ok for a very particular subset of people under a doctor’s supervision but from what I read on here people are doing it because it’s the cool new fad diet that will be the magic pill while never learning how to actually eat a healthy sustainable diet for the long term. Also overtime the results even out overtime with traditional weight loss not making any better so why put yourself through such a restrictive diet to just get the same results but putting yourself at more risk of regaining the weight?
I don't believe you have the slightest clue how a ketogenic diet works. And the junk articles you cite are some of the most one sided garbage I've seen in quite a while. I personally know lots of people that are living in NK (Nutritional Ketosis). They live great lives and range from stay at home moms to neurosurgeons. Yes living Ketogenic is not for everyone, it takes a little willpower and self control. If you find yourself unable to control what you put in your mouth then this WoE (Way of Eating) is not for you. The crap you are spewing about no fiber , fruits, or vegetables is total BS. Vegetables and fiber actually make up a large part of the diet with this WoE. The only reason fruit is restricted is because it is high in Fructose (Sugar = Carbs). Now let's cover your "Restricts or Bans an entire Macronutrient" statement. Do you mean the way Fat is eliminated or severely restricted in a low fat diet? Maybe I'm reading you wrong. And as for Fad diet....... I guess it's only been around for a bit more than 100 years, so calling it a Fad is a bit egotistical. Try doing a little more reading with a little more variety of viewpoint before you start trying to sound like an expert next time. You are entitled to your personal beliefs but when you start trying to tell people junk science is the only way to go it really gives those of us with our own thoughts and brains a good laugh, but mostly at you and not with you.
You gotta tell me the secret how vegetables, which are mainly made out of carbs, can make up a larger part of a diet that severely restricts carbs.7 -
deannalfisher wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketogenic-diet-is-the-ultimate-low-carb-diet-good-for-you-2017072712089
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/#!po=21.5596
As I said ok for a very particular subset of people under a doctor’s supervision but from what I read on here people are doing it because it’s the cool new fad diet that will be the magic pill while never learning how to actually eat a healthy sustainable diet for the long term. Also overtime the results even out overtime with traditional weight loss not making any better so why put yourself through such a restrictive diet to just get the same results but putting yourself at more risk of regaining the weight?
I don't believe you have the slightest clue how a ketogenic diet works. And the junk articles you cite are some of the most one sided garbage I've seen in quite a while. I personally know lots of people that are living in NK (Nutritional Ketosis). They live great lives and range from stay at home moms to neurosurgeons. Yes living Ketogenic is not for everyone, it takes a little willpower and self control. If you find yourself unable to control what you put in your mouth then this WoE (Way of Eating) is not for you. The crap you are spewing about no fiber , fruits, or vegetables is total BS. Vegetables and fiber actually make up a large part of the diet with this WoE. The only reason fruit is restricted is because it is high in Fructose (Sugar = Carbs). Now let's cover your "Restricts or Bans an entire Macronutrient" statement. Do you mean the way Fat is eliminated or severely restricted in a low fat diet? Maybe I'm reading you wrong. And as for Fad diet....... I guess it's only been around for a bit more than 100 years, so calling it a Fad is a bit egotistical. Try doing a little more reading with a little more variety of viewpoint before you start trying to sound like an expert next time. You are entitled to your personal beliefs but when you start trying to tell people junk science is the only way to go it really gives those of us with our own thoughts and brains a good laugh, but mostly at you and not with you.
because articles published in peer reviewed journals or by medical schools are junk - correct?
The articles were supposed to support the claim that the diet is unhealthy, however the Harvard article did not say that the diet is unhealthy; the only possible health issue it stated was the potential to overeat on red meat and fatty, salty, processed foods, which you can do on any diet.
The other study said the diet is "not totally safe," but in the conclusion states "As KD are often rich in fats, some negative effects could happen. Mainly in rodents, developments of NAFLD and insulin resistance were described. In humans, insulin resistance is also a potential negative effect, but some studies have shown improvements in insulin sensitivity." I don't think rodent studies and inconclusive evidence on insulin resistance are enough to support the claim that the diet is unhealthy.
my comment was more to do with this comment made:
And the junk articles you cite are some of the most one sided garbage I've seen in quite a while.
I realize that, but just because someone found something that says Harvard or comes from PubMed doesn't mean that it should pass without criticism either. The Harvard piece is a blog, with no cited sources, written by a primary care doctor, and one of the most frequent criticisms we see around here are that physicians do not receive a great deal of training in nutrition. His bio does not indicate work specifically in nutrition, or nutrition even listed as an interest, and his article reflects that.
Take his criticism of the diet - "Because it is so restrictive, it is really hard to follow over the long run. Carbohydrates normally account for at least 50% of the typical American diet. One of the main criticisms of this diet is that many people tend to eat too much protein and poor-quality fats from processed foods, with very few fruits and vegetables." - that does not sound like any keto diet I've seen described on this site. The majority of users here seem to be getting fats from butter, coconut oil, and meat, and tend to be moderate protein if that. But since he didn't cite any sources, who knows where he came up with that.
unfortuantely while you haven't seen that on the site - I have from newer people and i've had people I've worked with who are trying it make similar comments...to paraphrase one - so i could have a steak with butter and bacon and lose weight...
I tried to find the link to the Alan Aragon Keto meta-analysis which looked at 200+ keto studies - most of the conculsions of him and the panel of experts was that more long-term research was needed with larger subject pools (this conclusion was based on a the review of the research where many studies only had 10-20 subjects) which makes any kind of results harder to generalize to the wide population.
additionally, personnally, I did research and there are limited indications (and I acknowledge that more research is necessary) which ties lower carb diets (while not specifically calling keto out) to the increase in thyroid disorders over the last couple of decades.
There are people who do IIFYM and just plain old calorie counting who follow those approaches so they can eat a steak with butter and bacon and lose weight. Being able to eat something and still losing weight does not mean that a keto person is only eating steak with butter and bacon any more than it means that an IIFYM person is only eating ice cream, chocolate, or cake because they can fit those things in. I think keto and low carb get that reputation due to the popularity of Atkins a few years ago, that's the food that people associate with low carb due to pop culture and a lack of knowledge about the energy balance and dieting. They think the only way they would get to eat steak and bacon is with a low carb diet - but them saying that doesn't make the diet problematic. That's like saying IIFYM or calorie counting are problematic just because some person thinks that it's diet full of junk because they heard someone say they can eat fast food, chips, and pizza. I imagine this is why the low carbers made such an effort to create a Getting Started document in their group that outlines what the diet is really all about to educate people who are interested in going low carb.
I think every study I have seen has indicated that more research is needed. That doesn't change the fact that the person making the claim above about keto diets being unhealthy provided sources that weren't exactly steeped in validity and did not support the claim.4 -
deannalfisher wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketogenic-diet-is-the-ultimate-low-carb-diet-good-for-you-2017072712089
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/#!po=21.5596
As I said ok for a very particular subset of people under a doctor’s supervision but from what I read on here people are doing it because it’s the cool new fad diet that will be the magic pill while never learning how to actually eat a healthy sustainable diet for the long term. Also overtime the results even out overtime with traditional weight loss not making any better so why put yourself through such a restrictive diet to just get the same results but putting yourself at more risk of regaining the weight?
I don't believe you have the slightest clue how a ketogenic diet works. And the junk articles you cite are some of the most one sided garbage I've seen in quite a while. I personally know lots of people that are living in NK (Nutritional Ketosis). They live great lives and range from stay at home moms to neurosurgeons. Yes living Ketogenic is not for everyone, it takes a little willpower and self control. If you find yourself unable to control what you put in your mouth then this WoE (Way of Eating) is not for you. The crap you are spewing about no fiber , fruits, or vegetables is total BS. Vegetables and fiber actually make up a large part of the diet with this WoE. The only reason fruit is restricted is because it is high in Fructose (Sugar = Carbs). Now let's cover your "Restricts or Bans an entire Macronutrient" statement. Do you mean the way Fat is eliminated or severely restricted in a low fat diet? Maybe I'm reading you wrong. And as for Fad diet....... I guess it's only been around for a bit more than 100 years, so calling it a Fad is a bit egotistical. Try doing a little more reading with a little more variety of viewpoint before you start trying to sound like an expert next time. You are entitled to your personal beliefs but when you start trying to tell people junk science is the only way to go it really gives those of us with our own thoughts and brains a good laugh, but mostly at you and not with you.
because articles published in peer reviewed journals or by medical schools are junk - correct?
The articles were supposed to support the claim that the diet is unhealthy, however the Harvard article did not say that the diet is unhealthy; the only possible health issue it stated was the potential to overeat on red meat and fatty, salty, processed foods, which you can do on any diet.
The other study said the diet is "not totally safe," but in the conclusion states "As KD are often rich in fats, some negative effects could happen. Mainly in rodents, developments of NAFLD and insulin resistance were described. In humans, insulin resistance is also a potential negative effect, but some studies have shown improvements in insulin sensitivity." I don't think rodent studies and inconclusive evidence on insulin resistance are enough to support the claim that the diet is unhealthy.
my comment was more to do with this comment made:
And the junk articles you cite are some of the most one sided garbage I've seen in quite a while.
I realize that, but just because someone found something that says Harvard or comes from PubMed doesn't mean that it should pass without criticism either. The Harvard piece is a blog, with no cited sources, written by a primary care doctor, and one of the most frequent criticisms we see around here are that physicians do not receive a great deal of training in nutrition. His bio does not indicate work specifically in nutrition, or nutrition even listed as an interest, and his article reflects that.
Take his criticism of the diet - "Because it is so restrictive, it is really hard to follow over the long run. Carbohydrates normally account for at least 50% of the typical American diet. One of the main criticisms of this diet is that many people tend to eat too much protein and poor-quality fats from processed foods, with very few fruits and vegetables." - that does not sound like any keto diet I've seen described on this site. The majority of users here seem to be getting fats from butter, coconut oil, and meat, and tend to be moderate protein if that. But since he didn't cite any sources, who knows where he came up with that.
unfortuantely while you haven't seen that on the site - I have from newer people and i've had people I've worked with who are trying it make similar comments...to paraphrase one - so i could have a steak with butter and bacon and lose weight...
I tried to find the link to the Alan Aragon Keto meta-analysis which looked at 200+ keto studies - most of the conculsions of him and the panel of experts was that more long-term research was needed with larger subject pools (this conclusion was based on a the review of the research where many studies only had 10-20 subjects) which makes any kind of results harder to generalize to the wide population.
additionally, personnally, I did research and there are limited indications (and I acknowledge that more research is necessary) which ties lower carb diets (while not specifically calling keto out) to the increase in thyroid disorders over the last couple of decades.
There are people who do IIFYM and just plain old calorie counting who follow those approaches so they can eat a steak with butter and bacon and lose weight. Being able to eat something and still losing weight does not mean that a keto person is only eating steak with butter and bacon any more than it means that an IIFYM person is only eating ice cream, chocolate, or cake because they can fit those things in. I think keto and low carb get that reputation due to the popularity of Atkins a few years ago, that's the food that people associate with low carb due to pop culture and a lack of knowledge about the energy balance and dieting. They think the only way they would get to eat steak and bacon is with a low carb diet - but them saying that doesn't make the diet problematic. That's like saying IIFYM or calorie counting are problematic just because some person thinks that it's diet full of junk because they heard someone say they can eat fast food, chips, and pizza. I imagine this is why the low carbers made such an effort to create a Getting Started document in their group that outlines what the diet is really all about to educate people who are interested in going low carb.
I think every study I have seen has indicated that more research is needed. That doesn't change the fact that the person making the claim above about keto diets being unhealthy provided sources that weren't exactly steeped in validity and did not support the claim.
To be in ketosis you do have to have VERY limited amounts of carbs. So few that carbs in vegetables can make or break you. Since fruit has a much higher content, that’s pretty much a no because it can be tough to fit it in. The reality is, so much is cut out, and it’s completely unnecessary unless medically advised.
Why not just count calories, and if you’re more satiated eating fat and protein, just chose those items and stick to your calorie goal? Why limit your options?4 -
Any diet that restricts or bans an entire macronutrient is not healthy. Sure you can restrict carbs to help lose weight but cutting out fiber, fruits and vegetables seem ridiculous in the long run. The only reason I’ve heard keto actually work is for people with epilepsy as it helps reduce their seizures.
This is definitely NOT how keto works, and is seriously misinformed. Keto is about reaching an adequate protein goal, keeping net carbs down below 50 grams, and filling the rest of the macro space with fats. There is *no* cutting out fiber or vegetables. Fruits are more limited because of sugar, but adding in lower sugared fruits (raspberries, blackberries, etc.) is absolutely an acceptable part of this diet.
Net carbs are the number of grams of carbs subtracted by the number of grams of fiber. On a personal level, my total carbs are typically over 80, but my net carbs are in the 30s. How? Because I eat so much fiber from vegetables and berries. Heck, I have a salad once a day at least. I ate a salad for *breakfast* this morning. And all the while I'm strictly staying in ketosis.
Any diet can be misused. I've seen people doing CICO who live off pizza and vegans who get half their calories from potato chips. They're cutting out entire nutrients too and get themselves skinnier, but unhealthy. By that token, there are obviously some people who are going to take to keto and eat their body weight in bacon daily and then wonder why they're sick, gaining weight, and so constipated they need a doctor to prescribe a laxative powerful enough to clear an elephant.
However, if you're treating keto (or any other diet) as a lifestyle change to get healthier, then it has shown to be absolutely lovely for some people as a tool for that. It's not the only option, and CICO still applies for weight loss. But it definitely can change the way someone approaches food, can help with satiety, and has been shown to have wonderful effects on multiple systems in the body (including insulin resistance).
I had a ketogenic diet recommended to me by my *doctor*, as well as the technician who performed my DEXA scan. Again, it isn't the only way to eat that works. However, scaring people away from what could be a great tool for their health by spreading misinformation is not fair in the slightest. What you posted is not what keto is about.
Now, I'm off to go make myself a tuna and avocado salad on a bed of romaine, celery, and bell peppers. And I'll be having raspberries for dessert. Keto on, fellow low-carbers.14 -
AlexMorganMc wrote: »Any diet that restricts or bans an entire macronutrient is not healthy. Sure you can restrict carbs to help lose weight but cutting out fiber, fruits and vegetables seem ridiculous in the long run. The only reason I’ve heard keto actually work is for people with epilepsy as it helps reduce their seizures.
This is definitely NOT how keto works, and is seriously misinformed. Keto is about reaching an adequate protein goal, keeping net carbs down below 50 grams, and filling the rest of the macro space with fats. There is *no* cutting out fiber or vegetables. Fruits are more limited because of sugar, but adding in lower sugared fruits (raspberries, blackberries, etc.) is absolutely an acceptable part of this diet.
Net carbs are the number of grams of carbs subtracted by the number of grams of fiber. On a personal level, my total carbs are typically over 80, but my net carbs are in the 30s. How? Because I eat so much fiber from vegetables and berries. Heck, I have a salad once a day at least. I ate a salad for *breakfast* this morning. And all the while I'm strictly staying in ketosis.
Any diet can be misused. I've seen people doing CICO who live off pizza and vegans who get half their calories from potato chips. They're cutting out entire nutrients too and get themselves skinnier, but unhealthy. By that token, there are obviously some people who are going to take to keto and eat their body weight in bacon daily and then wonder why they're sick, gaining weight, and so constipated they need a doctor to prescribe a laxative powerful enough to clear an elephant.
However, if you're treating keto (or any other diet) as a lifestyle change to get healthier, then it has shown to be absolutely lovely for some people as a tool for that. It's not the only option, and CICO still applies for weight loss. But it definitely can change the way someone approaches food, can help with satiety, and has been shown to have wonderful effects on multiple systems in the body (including insulin resistance).
I had a ketogenic diet recommended to me by my *doctor*, as well as the technician who performed my DEXA scan. Again, it isn't the only way to eat that works. However, scaring people away from what could be a great tool for their health by spreading misinformation is not fair in the slightest. What you posted is not what keto is about.
Now, I'm off to go make myself a tuna and avocado salad on a bed of romaine, celery, and bell peppers. And I'll be having raspberries for dessert. Keto on, fellow low-carbers.
Vegetables and fruit don't have that much fibre. To me, keto requires severe restriction of vegetables - my usual (preferred) intake of vegies and fruit (more skewed towards vegetables) is generally between 1-2kgs a day. There was no way I could do that doing keto!
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https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketogenic-diet-is-the-ultimate-low-carb-diet-good-for-you-2017072712089
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/#!po=21.5596
As I said ok for a very particular subset of people under a doctor’s supervision but from what I read on here people are doing it because it’s the cool new fad diet that will be the magic pill while never learning how to actually eat a healthy sustainable diet for the long term. Also overtime the results even out overtime with traditional weight loss not making any better so why put yourself through such a restrictive diet to just get the same results but putting yourself at more risk of regaining the weight?
I totally get where you're coming from. I used to be fit - weight trained 3 days a week and did cardio, ate healthy, slept good, and then I took on a stressful job and everything changed (happened slowly so the unhealthy change was unnoticeable). I did healthy eating for the past 35 days and lost 16 pounds, however, I have pcos and I've read and have been told that it's a good diet to reverse insulin resistance. At the moment, I'm still gathering information to see what I'll choose to do, which is why a variety of opinions and knowledge is valuable.0 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »AlexMorganMc wrote: »Any diet that restricts or bans an entire macronutrient is not healthy. Sure you can restrict carbs to help lose weight but cutting out fiber, fruits and vegetables seem ridiculous in the long run. The only reason I’ve heard keto actually work is for people with epilepsy as it helps reduce their seizures.
This is definitely NOT how keto works, and is seriously misinformed. Keto is about reaching an adequate protein goal, keeping net carbs down below 50 grams, and filling the rest of the macro space with fats. There is *no* cutting out fiber or vegetables. Fruits are more limited because of sugar, but adding in lower sugared fruits (raspberries, blackberries, etc.) is absolutely an acceptable part of this diet.
Net carbs are the number of grams of carbs subtracted by the number of grams of fiber. On a personal level, my total carbs are typically over 80, but my net carbs are in the 30s. How? Because I eat so much fiber from vegetables and berries. Heck, I have a salad once a day at least. I ate a salad for *breakfast* this morning. And all the while I'm strictly staying in ketosis.
Any diet can be misused. I've seen people doing CICO who live off pizza and vegans who get half their calories from potato chips. They're cutting out entire nutrients too and get themselves skinnier, but unhealthy. By that token, there are obviously some people who are going to take to keto and eat their body weight in bacon daily and then wonder why they're sick, gaining weight, and so constipated they need a doctor to prescribe a laxative powerful enough to clear an elephant.
However, if you're treating keto (or any other diet) as a lifestyle change to get healthier, then it has shown to be absolutely lovely for some people as a tool for that. It's not the only option, and CICO still applies for weight loss. But it definitely can change the way someone approaches food, can help with satiety, and has been shown to have wonderful effects on multiple systems in the body (including insulin resistance).
I had a ketogenic diet recommended to me by my *doctor*, as well as the technician who performed my DEXA scan. Again, it isn't the only way to eat that works. However, scaring people away from what could be a great tool for their health by spreading misinformation is not fair in the slightest. What you posted is not what keto is about.
Now, I'm off to go make myself a tuna and avocado salad on a bed of romaine, celery, and bell peppers. And I'll be having raspberries for dessert. Keto on, fellow low-carbers.
Vegetables and fruit don't have that much fibre. To me, keto requires severe restriction of vegetables - my usual (preferred) intake of vegies and fruit (more skewed towards vegetables) is generally between 1-2kgs a day. There was no way I could do that doing keto!
Keto can be quite low fibre for some people. My own diet is pretty low fibre because fibre containing foods causes constipation and some pain for me. The carbs I do eat tend to be high in fibre (nuts, cucs, greens, etc) but I choose to eat very little of it. If my carbs do hit 30g a day, that includes veggies at every meal.
Personally, I think fibre is really over rated. I think it's digestive importance applies to plant digestion. If you are not eating a lot of plants, fibre loses its importance.4 -
Definitely try out a lower carb plan, OP, especially if you have more than 50 lbs to lose (I haven't seen your stats, just a general statement). Please learn from my experience, though -- don't lower carb intake at the expense of vegetables. They aid in fat loss. I spent so much time feeling run down from too low carbs and when I added fresh vegetables and an apple a day, I felt better and broke my plateau. I read something once about how too low carbs can affect T3 levels. I've gone from 183-143 on about 55-60% fat/20% protein, 10-15% carbs.
You'll find success replacing all grains with veggies and keeping fruit to once a day. Godspeed!5 -
I've been doing Keto since mid August 2016 and am loving it. Since then I have lost around 30-32 pounds. It is ironic that I got on to it because all my clothes were too tight and I didn't want to be buying new clothes...but now all my clothes are too big.
Keto works for me because I have a real weakness for sweet things and asian foods which of course include lots of rice, as well as potatoes and bread. All these foods make me feel bloated, cause pain from inflammation and create constant hunger from sugar highs and lows.
Now, I keep my carbs between 20-30 gm (not anal about measuring and weighing) just by eyeballing portions. I eat a lot of high quality chicken (free range), goat meat, fish, prawns, offal like goat and chicken liver. I once even had some grass fed beef tenderloin with no antibiotics or nasties. I cook these meats in butter, ghee, coconut oil/milk, and extremely high quality extra virgin olive oil depending on my mood. And I eat a fair bit of non-starchy vegetables every day. Okra, radish, eggplant, salad leaves, bell peppers, haricot vert, celery, boy choy, cauliflower rice (a lifesaver)...and so on. Nuts like macadamia, Brazilnuts and walnuts as well.
I use sugar substitutes like Eythritol and Monkfruit powder (mix them myself) to create sugar without calories, carbs or glycemic load. I use Swerve to bake the most sinful chocolate cake using almond flour and have a small slice every day. It's not a struggle....since I started keto, I just don't feel like eating a lot of sweet stuff.
Plus I can go for really long spells without feeling hungry...sometimes I'll work thru lunch in the office and don't notice till 6 pm when I leave. Brain feels like its working the same when it was on carbs.
What I'm not a fan of, though, is extreme keto....where you dump butter and coconut oil in your coffee hall the time....and eat fat bombs. My thinking is that if you overload with fats in the initial stages then how will your body burn its own fat....so the plan was to wait till the most of my own fat was burned off and then ramp up fat intake gradually over the next 6 months or so. The other thing I won't do is eat very fatty cuts of meat and processed meats like bacon....I prefer to get my fats from vegetable and not animal sources.
After 3 months of Keto, I just did a blood test to see if there were any signs of harm, but nothing alarming was found. BP normal....blood sugar less than what it was 8 years ago....triglycerides were within the acceptable range but there was a slight elevation in total cholesterol....I need to work on getting these eliminated via the liver by eating more vegetables. But so far so good.
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Oops, my comment above was supposed to say 283-143. 140 pounds lost with low carb. Also agree with autoroam that adding fat like butter to coffee (unless you fancy it) is unnecessary and didn't speed fat loss for me.1
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I've been doing Keto since mid August 2016 and am loving it. Since then I have lost around 30-32 pounds. It is ironic that I got on to it because all my clothes were too tight and I didn't want to be buying new clothes...but now all my clothes are too big.
Keto works for me because I have a real weakness for sweet things and asian foods which of course include lots of rice, as well as potatoes and bread. All these foods make me feel bloated, cause pain from inflammation and create constant hunger from sugar highs and lows.
Now, I keep my carbs between 20-30 gm (not anal about measuring and weighing) just by eyeballing portions. I eat a lot of high quality chicken (free range), goat meat, fish, prawns, offal like goat and chicken liver. I once even had some grass fed beef tenderloin with no antibiotics or nasties. I cook these meats in butter, ghee, coconut oil/milk, and extremely high quality extra virgin olive oil depending on my mood. And I eat a fair bit of non-starchy vegetables every day. Okra, radish, eggplant, salad leaves, bell peppers, haricot vert, celery, boy choy, cauliflower rice (a lifesaver)...and so on. Nuts like macadamia, Brazilnuts and walnuts as well.
I use sugar substitutes like Eythritol and Monkfruit powder (mix them myself) to create sugar without calories, carbs or glycemic load. I use Swerve to bake the most sinful chocolate cake using almond flour and have a small slice every day. It's not a struggle....since I started keto, I just don't feel like eating a lot of sweet stuff.
Plus I can go for really long spells without feeling hungry...sometimes I'll work thru lunch in the office and don't notice till 6 pm when I leave. Brain feels like its working the same when it was on carbs.
What I'm not a fan of, though, is extreme keto....where you dump butter and coconut oil in your coffee hall the time....and eat fat bombs. My thinking is that if you overload with fats in the initial stages then how will your body burn its own fat....so the plan was to wait till the most of my own fat was burned off and then ramp up fat intake gradually over the next 6 months or so. The other thing I won't do is eat very fatty cuts of meat and processed meats like bacon....I prefer to get my fats from vegetable and not animal sources.
After 3 months of Keto, I just did a blood test to see if there were any signs of harm, but nothing alarming was found. BP normal....blood sugar less than what it was 8 years ago....triglycerides were within the acceptable range but there was a slight elevation in total cholesterol....I need to work on getting these eliminated via the liver by eating more vegetables. But so far so good.
Thank you for this. This is useful information. I decided to start about 4 days ago and so far I'm struggling with meals because I don't really like anything besides chicken fish and eggs with regards to meat. I'm staying within my limits but I'm all over the place with what I eat just to fit it in there. It's definitely an adjustment. I'm not fond of most cheeses or diary and I really REALLY don't like pork. I'm glad I have this forum to come back to for encouragement and advice.0 -
Oops, my comment above was supposed to say 283-143. 140 pounds lost with low carb. Also agree with autoroam that adding fat like butter to coffee (unless you fancy it) is unnecessary and didn't speed fat loss for me.
Woah! Congratulations on your big weight loss - that's impressive.
I've been thinking about how to fit in vegetables and fruits without going out. My Carb is 18 limit per day, so I end up eating cucumbers and spinach a lot (which is fine with me because I like both of those things a lot). However, I am definitely struggling with my fat intake. I'm currently getting it from cheese, cream in coffee, butter and coconut oil. I'm use to eating apples, bananas and broccoli (I LOVE raw broccoli). I'm assuming everyone has an adjustment period right?
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I've lost weight calorie counting and i've lost weight calorie counting eating keto. Either way, it was my calorie balance that was the reason I lost the weight - but I do find keto more filling, satisfying and better for my recomp/muscle building goals.
I don't have any 'reason' to do Keto, I just enjoy the food and how it makes me feel. It's worth a try, but personally I would recommend a beginner do plain calorie counting first to learn the basics, and then try keto, as it requires a lot of attention to macro ratios, micronutrients etc.
Yeah, I've heard that Keto keeps you feeling full. That might be a good enough reason to try it!
Satiation is highly individual. Some people find more protein keeps them more satiated, some people fats and some people actually find carbs more filling. I kept trying to up my protein in an attempt to feel more satiated because that's what you always hear works, but it never worked. For me, fiber and fat are important for satiation. So you might be more satiated, but don't feel like that's something that must happen or you're doing it wrong.
Also, what's wrong with salt, spices and potatoes???
I'm one of those that feel most satiated with carbs. Not fruit or veggies generally but good old bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, etc. Give me a fatty meal at lunch time and I will be tired for the rest of the day, and super hungry. Too much protein might cause reflux. So yes, everyone is different.
But not trying to discourage you, TO.2 -
I’ve done the Keto diet for about 40 days until I started feeling heart palpitations almost on a daily basis. Turns out for me at least, my body needs an amount of carbs and sugar to function so I’ve adjusted 140 carbs and 50 g sugar per day since the change I no longer have the palpitations. Everyone’s body is different I guess finding that sweet spot where your not feeling drained and tired all the time will take some experimentation.3
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Hi there! I’m not exactly doing keto, but my program is close! It’s a medical weight loss clinic under doctor supervision, and it calls for a major calorie deficit and also eating mostly protein with some healthy fats (no carbs and no sugar). It’s worked really well for my fiancé and me. He’s lost 55 lbs in 7 weeks, and I’ve lost 30!
More importantly, I have PCOS and only had 5 periods in the past 4 years when we started the program. I couldn’t tolerate metformin at all, and I was feeling helpless. But since starting the program, I’ve had my period twice— 27 days apart! I personally don’t think I would have been able to do keto without my man doing it with me, and also weekly check-ins with the clinic. I’ve definitely struggled through it, but it’s been absolutely worth it!
Wow 55 pounds in seven weeks..I would love to hear from you could you add me to your friend list.. How many calories do you guys consume? What exactly are your meals.....Great job!!!3 -
I tried keto for about a month and a half, and personally, I found it absolutely unsustainable to lay off the carbs - the cravings were far too strong, even after I had recovered from my "keto-flu" period. Recently I've been slowly reincorporating carbs back into my diet, but rather than the 200-300 g I used to have per day, I'm trying to keep my diet relatively low-carb by trying to keep my intake <100 g per day. Aiming for the caloric deficit more than anything else and hoping for the same results - during the keto period I was averaging about 2 lbs of weight loss per week. But at the cost of my sanity. If I continue to average at 1 lb per week with carbs, I'll stay happy.5
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I'm only on day 5 and I'm finding my cravings for carbs going away, but I have no hunger. I'm struggling to reach my daily calories. I decided to give myself a month and see how I feel, so far I'm feeling great. However, I'm doing 70% fat 25% protein, 5% carbs. My biggest problem is I don't like a lot of meat, or dairy, so my meals are limited. I miss bananas already.
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I'm only on day 5 and I'm finding my cravings for carbs going away, but I have no hunger. I'm struggling to reach my daily calories. I decided to give myself a month and see how I feel, so far I'm feeling great. However, I'm doing 70% fat 25% protein, 5% carbs. My biggest problem is I don't like a lot of meat, or dairy, so my meals are limited. I miss bananas already.
You said your carb goal is 18g? That may be needlessly low - especially if you're not happy with your food choices. For example: you might be able to eat 40g of carbs a day - still be in ketosis the majority of time - and keep eating the broccoli, spinach and cucumbers you love and have 20g carbs to spare for a small banana. The goal is to eat as many carbs as you can and still receive the benefits of low carb - lower is not necessarily better.
There's more room for flexibility than you're allowing yourself. Experiment and see how you make out - best wishes.
P.S. Here's a great blog post to help put things in perspective: The Keto Train to Crazy Town.3 -
I personally dont like any diet that excludes something (or drastically limits it). I prefer balance.4
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Ryansworld84 wrote: »I personally dont like any diet that excludes something (or drastically limits it). I prefer balance.
I don't really like the term balanced diet. Does it mean a diet that has all essential nutrients? Or a diet rich in carbohydrates, the only non essential macronutrient?
In seems a bit judgemental to me too. Like if I restrict carbs then I am "unbalanced." LOL8 -
Ryansworld84 wrote: »I personally dont like any diet that excludes something (or drastically limits it). I prefer balance.
I don't really like the term balanced diet. Does it mean a diet that has all essential nutrients? Or a diet rich in carbohydrates, the only non essential macronutrient?
In seems a bit judgemental to me too. Like if I restrict carbs then I am "unbalanced." LOL
I'd say you are interpreting through your own biased filter. There is plenty of info available on how to "balance" a diet and there is a wide range of room for interpretation.
A diet that restricts a whole macro nutrient likely has a lower chance of cover all the important micro nutrients that a "balanced" diet does. You mention essential nutrients but they are only important for survival not for thriving.
It's not judgmental. It is just fact that seems to offend your biased nutritional view.4 -
Ryansworld84 wrote: »I personally dont like any diet that excludes something (or drastically limits it). I prefer balance.
I don't really like the term balanced diet. Does it mean a diet that has all essential nutrients? Or a diet rich in carbohydrates, the only non essential macronutrient?
In seems a bit judgemental to me too. Like if I restrict carbs then I am "unbalanced." LOL
I'd say you are interpreting through your own biased filter. There is plenty of info available on how to "balance" a diet and there is a wide range of room for interpretation.
A diet that restricts a whole macro nutrient likely has a lower chance of cover all the important micro nutrients that a "balanced" diet does. You mention essential nutrients but they are only important for survival not for thriving.
It's not judgmental. It is just fact that seems to offend your biased nutritional view.
I'd say I've definitely improved my nutrition by going keto in that I get way more micronutrients than I used to, within my calorie limits. I find myself eating more veggies and healthy fats/proteins than when I crammed my face with bread and French fries. I believe the food pyramid to be unbalanced...which is what I've always utilized in previous diets...none of which have worked for me. I also feel the restriction on carbs is not limiting in essential nutrients because I am more choosy about the things in which I want to spend those carbs. The higher fat content allows me to not feel as hungry and thus reduces my overall desire to eat all the things. I'd say overall, it feels like a good balance for me...but I'd agree it isn't for everyone and people should experiment to see what works for them.4 -
I love keto. I have PCOS with a history of diabetes in my family on both sides. It really is a lifestyle, this isn't for everyone. Unlike other posters, I choose keto because I have a very hard time controlling myself eating a SAD. I am also an emotional eater, so keto helps me distance myself from foods that I used to run to in order to cope with my feelings. I lost 90lbs two year ago. When my mom died, I pretty much sank into a depression and gained it all back. The picture in my profile is me at about 190. Now, I'm back to 250lbs and I know that keto is sustainable for me, the foods I make are delicious and I don't feel deprived.
It's really up to you, calories do count no matter what style you try. Keto makes me feel good and in control. Maybe give it a go and if it doesn't work out, try something like paleo or even basic calorie counting eating whatever you want.2 -
silversnow7 wrote: »I’ve done the Keto diet for about 40 days until I started feeling heart palpitations almost on a daily basis. Turns out for me at least, my body needs an amount of carbs and sugar to function so I’ve adjusted 140 carbs and 50 g sugar per day since the change I no longer have the palpitations. Everyone’s body is different I guess finding that sweet spot where your not feeling drained and tired all the time will take some experimentation.
Heart palpitations usually mean low potassium, which is usually solved by including more avocado or a supplement. I have never had keto flu because I make sure that my electrolytes are provided for, since low carb means we do not hold on to a lot of water.3
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