Keto Diet

EmmaMC4365
EmmaMC4365 Posts: 8 Member
edited November 24 in Food and Nutrition
Thoughts? It seems too good to be true. I can't find a reputable source on the research behind it.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    What specific claims seem too good to be true?
  • EmmaMC4365
    EmmaMC4365 Posts: 8 Member
    Everyone claims to be losing 10 lbs a week or so and it seems odd. Have you tried it?
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    emmacharen wrote: »
    Everyone claims to be losing 10 lbs a week or so and it seems odd. Have you tried it?

    No, but there are many people here who have had success with it.

    It works like any other diet -- you consume fewer calories than your body is using and you lose weight. Keto works really well for some people because they find that eating a diet that is higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates controls their hunger and it is easier for them to stay in a deficit (this isn't universal though, some people find that getting a lot of calories from fat doesn't work to control their hunger). There will also be some water weight gain from any plan that limits your carbohydrates and that is why many people report rapid weight loss, especially at first.

    For most people, losing ten pounds a week regularly isn't safe, healthy, or sustainable (the exception would be people who are morbidly obese). If people are telling you that they are losing ten pounds week after week on keto, they're either beginning with a big amount of weight to lose, they aren't being honest, or something is off about how they are tracking their progress.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    I did lose weight in a calorie deficit while eating keto, but also while not eating keto. Basically, if you're not a fan of high carb foods and feel you can maintain a long term keto lifestyle it could be a good plan for you. If you try it and decide it isn't your thing, be prepared for water weight gain when you change your way of eating.

    Personally, I had a difficult time maintaining a training regime of running and lifting without an adequate amount of carbs....I also really like bread and pizza. So for me, it wasn't going to be a sustainable long term way of eating.
  • fuzzylop72
    fuzzylop72 Posts: 651 Member
    emmacharen wrote: »
    Everyone claims to be losing 10 lbs a week or so and it seems odd. Have you tried it?

    More realistic is probably significant weight the first couple of weeks (as your glycogen stores are depleted), then after that weight loss consistent with your deficit.
  • EmmaMC4365
    EmmaMC4365 Posts: 8 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    emmacharen wrote: »
    Everyone claims to be losing 10 lbs a week or so and it seems odd. Have you tried it?

    No, but there are many people here who have had success with it.

    It works like any other diet -- you consume fewer calories than your body is using and you lose weight. Keto works really well for some people because they find that eating a diet that is higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates controls their hunger and it is easier for them to stay in a deficit (this isn't universal though, some people find that getting a lot of calories from fat doesn't work to control their hunger). There will also be some water weight gain from any plan that limits your carbohydrates and that is why many people report rapid weight loss, especially at first.

    For most people, losing ten pounds a week regularly isn't safe, healthy, or sustainable (the exception would be people who are morbidly obese). If people are telling you that they are losing ten pounds week after week on keto, they're either beginning with a big amount of weight to lose, they aren't being honest, or something is off about how they are tracking their progress.

    That's what I was worried about. But good! I just like to do the research rather than just doing what pinterest says like a lot of people. Thanks!
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    emmacharen wrote: »
    Everyone claims to be losing 10 lbs a week or so and it seems odd. Have you tried it?

    No, but there are many people here who have had success with it.

    It works like any other diet -- you consume fewer calories than your body is using and you lose weight. Keto works really well for some people because they find that eating a diet that is higher in fat and lower in carbohydrates controls their hunger and it is easier for them to stay in a deficit (this isn't universal though, some people find that getting a lot of calories from fat doesn't work to control their hunger). There will also be some water weight gain from any plan that limits your carbohydrates and that is why many people report rapid weight loss, especially at first.

    For most people, losing ten pounds a week regularly isn't safe, healthy, or sustainable (the exception would be people who are morbidly obese). If people are telling you that they are losing ten pounds week after week on keto, they're either beginning with a big amount of weight to lose, they aren't being honest, or something is off about how they are tracking their progress.

    This is pretty much it. Keto or low carb will have some water loss in the first week which can look impressive but otherwise the main weight loss benefit is the possible increase in satiety or reduced cravings. Some with insulin resistance may find that they lose a bit faster on jets than with higher carbs but it is not significantly more - just a handful of pounds over a year.

    I have eaten keto for a few years. It helped with my satiety and cravings. I do have IR, and I lost faster than expected on a weighed and measured 1500 kcal a day diet, but it was usually 2-3 lbs a week rather than my expected 1.5 lbs. the most I ever lost in a week was 4 or 5 lbs, I believe.
  • bodyshopathome67
    bodyshopathome67 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi all, thought I'd join in on this one. I've only been on here a few days but started keto a few weeks before Christmas, lost half a stone, managed to keep it off over Christmas despite eating pasta, pizza and bread, and am now 10 days in again, with the weight still going the right way. My only problem with keto is that I'm vegetarian, and don't have meat, fish or eggs. Appetite wise its brilliant, I'm not feeling hungry like you do so often on calorie controlled plans, I just eat when I want and am finding it great fun rediscovering recipes with fresh veg. According to mfp I'm not eating enough calories, but keto sites all seem to say don't worry about it - its the carbs not the calories that matter. Most of my info comes from dietdoc.com but also from my gp - she has been really supportive with advice as well as keeping an eye on my bloods and cholesterol levels. I think you just need to keep in mind, as with all diets/eating plans, if you fall off the wagon once or twice, don't berate yourself about it, just put it behind you and keep going. I've struggled with weight issues all my life, including anorexia in my teens, and I can honestly say, keto/lchf is one of the best things I have ever tried.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    bodyshopathome67 wrote: »
    Hi all, thought I'd join in on this one. I've only been on here a few days but started keto a few weeks before Christmas, lost half a stone, managed to keep it off over Christmas despite eating pasta, pizza and bread, and am now 10 days in again, with the weight still going the right way. My only problem with keto is that I'm vegetarian, and don't have meat, fish or eggs. Appetite wise its brilliant, I'm not feeling hungry like you do so often on calorie controlled plans, I just eat when I want and am finding it great fun rediscovering recipes with fresh veg. According to mfp I'm not eating enough calories, but keto sites all seem to say don't worry about it - its the carbs not the calories that matter. Most of my info comes from dietdoc.com but also from my gp - she has been really supportive with advice as well as keeping an eye on my bloods and cholesterol levels. I think you just need to keep in mind, as with all diets/eating plans, if you fall off the wagon once or twice, don't berate yourself about it, just put it behind you and keep going. I've struggled with weight issues all my life, including anorexia in my teens, and I can honestly say, keto/lchf is one of the best things I have ever tried.

    The bolded above is the fundamental failing in keto zealotry.

    The calories absolutely do matter. Anybody who tells you anything else should immediately be ignored because they're preaching woo and peddling snake oil.
  • tumblyweed
    tumblyweed Posts: 416 Member
    Keto is great. Never hungry. Sugar and carb cravings are non-existent.
    You put your body into a state of ketosis which switches you from using sugar and carbs as an energy source to fat as your source of energy.
    It is not unusual to drop 10 pounds the very first week but then it tapers off for most.
    For me, it was only 4 pounds the first week. A had a total loss of 8 pounds this month. Not drastic but good.
  • whpeel
    whpeel Posts: 1 Member
    This is my 12th day of Keto dieting. I have lost 7 Lbs from 214 to 207. I have been measuring my food and calories trying to keep a 300 caloric deficit. I have been doing at least 40 minutes exercise (usually elliptical) daily. I have used Ketostix to measure my Ketosis level. I measured a trace on day 3 and continued to increase until day 7 when it stabilized at 40 mg/dl. Its not exact just a color range, but I have stayed at 40mg/dl this week. I have also lost 1 1/2 inches from my waist measured at my belly button. I have had really good energy levels much more than before I started. I have not noticed any physical symptoms except a couple of days constipation but that passed(pun). The biggest positive effect is my appetite and cravings are significantly reduced. Another benefit is that I'm eating more leafy green vegetables than ever. The downside is I love bread, pizza, chips, pasta, sweets, fruit, and beer. This diet basically eliminates a lot of my favorite foods. Watching football on TV is just not the same without beer and junk food. In conclusion, I went on this diet because I knew I needed to do something drastic to lose weight and improve my health, after 12 days this diet is working. I will continue for at least two weeks more. Then I will get my Lipids checked because after all these years of being told to avoid high fat foods, it's hard to accept that all that advice was wrong. If my blood work is good, I'll keep going.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    whpeel wrote: »
    This is my 12th day of Keto dieting. I have lost 7 Lbs from 214 to 207. I have been measuring my food and calories trying to keep a 300 caloric deficit. I have been doing at least 40 minutes exercise (usually elliptical) daily. I have used Ketostix to measure my Ketosis level. I measured a trace on day 3 and continued to increase until day 7 when it stabilized at 40 mg/dl. Its not exact just a color range, but I have stayed at 40mg/dl this week. I have also lost 1 1/2 inches from my waist measured at my belly button. I have had really good energy levels much more than before I started. I have not noticed any physical symptoms except a couple of days constipation but that passed(pun). The biggest positive effect is my appetite and cravings are significantly reduced. Another benefit is that I'm eating more leafy green vegetables than ever. The downside is I love bread, pizza, chips, pasta, sweets, fruit, and beer. This diet basically eliminates a lot of my favorite foods. Watching football on TV is just not the same without beer and junk food. In conclusion, I went on this diet because I knew I needed to do something drastic to lose weight and improve my health, after 12 days this diet is working. I will continue for at least two weeks more. Then I will get my Lipids checked because after all these years of being told to avoid high fat foods, it's hard to accept that all that advice was wrong. If my blood work is good, I'll keep going.

    @whpeel Feldman has an interesting n=1 experiment with cholesterol, fat intake and calorie level. He has ound that total cholesterol levels fall, HDL improves, and triglycerides fall if one eats high fat and EXCESS calories in the few days before having blood draws. He's recruited many people to test this finding, and I know of one on these forums, to replicate his findings and it works. Every time.

    If you want cholesterol to drop, eat more fat and more calories before your test. Sounds funny but it appears to work.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZu52duIqno
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    I found it easier to lose weight with keto because:

    a.) Big whoosh of water weight gone in the first 2 weeks means the scale drops down dramatically (around 5lbs for me - keep in mind this is only WATER weight, not fat)
    b.) Dietary fat and protein kept me full, making it easier for me to stick to a calorie deficit

    Ultimately I found keto too restrictive and it warped my mind into believing that carbs are inherently bad - resulting in immense guilt (even now that I'm not doing keto anymore) whenever I'd indulge in them.

    Obviously some have great success with it - and cutting down on your sugar and refined carbohydrate consumption in favour of more nutrient-dense foods is great! But it wasn't for me.
  • catluvgal
    catluvgal Posts: 41 Member
    I'm on keto and really believe that, for me, it is THE answer. IR, obesity and diabetes in my family and I'm a total carb junkie. Does Keto eliminate many of my favorite foods? Yes but that is like an addict complaining that treatment doesn't let them take a hit! Those foods were literally killing me. I have a long way (57lbs) to go but this is the only time in my life I'm not starving all the time and obsessed with eating. Energy levels are great too!
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