Keto Diet - Yay or nay?
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Chigreydog wrote: »I've been doing it since July 1st and have lost 42 pounds. My blood chemistry and lab values have all come back with flying colors, and I feel much better than I have in years. There is a fair amount of misinformation in this thread re. what restrictions exist, (for example, I eat a ton of vegetables, but they are all green and grow above ground) but that's to be expected with any non-mainstream way of eating. I basically just follow the protocols of Dr. Westman of Duke University Health and Dr. Eenfeldt of dietdoctor.com. I do miss beer and bread, but that's the only "sacrifice" I've really made.
There's a considerable amount of irony in calling out 'misinformation' and then linking to a woo propaganda site like dietdoctor.
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Chigreydog wrote: »Chigreydog wrote: »I've been doing it since July 1st and have lost 42 pounds. My blood chemistry and lab values have all come back with flying colors, and I feel much better than I have in years. There is a fair amount of misinformation in this thread re. what restrictions exist, (for example, I eat a ton of vegetables, but they are all green and grow above ground) but that's to be expected with any non-mainstream way of eating. I basically just follow the protocols of Dr. Westman of Duke University Health and Dr. Eenfeldt of dietdoctor.com. I do miss beer and bread, but that's the only "sacrifice" I've really made.
There isnt misinformation in this thread. The fact that almost all fruits, breads, legumes, many high GI veggies, starches, oats and more are restricted demonstrates that its restrictive.
Heck, you even point out that you miss carbs... So just saying.
Actually, there is. I specifically pointed out that I miss beer and bread, not carbs in general, and of course, I didn't say that no restrictions existed, so let's dispel that strawman. Let me change 'fair amount' to 'some' then. Some posts mentioned vegetable restriction to the degree that would lead one to believe that vegetables weren't allowed, and that isn't accurate.
Lol...all but eliminating and entire macro-nutrient is the very definition of restriction...
And how does vegetable restriction = elimination? Depending on how many grams of carbs you're keeping under for keto, it can be very restrictive in regards to what vegetables you can eat...and there are a whole boat load of healthy foods that you can't eat or can only eat very sparingly on keto.2 -
Has anyone here actually done Keto? I’ve been doing it about a week and I’m shocked at how amazing I feel and how my food control has changed. I do t see how t as a sustainable diet for life, but I definitely see it as a great way to Get a good education on how food works for us and get a whole new mind frame about portions and it could possibly change the binge mentality. I’m very excited with the changes I’m seeing and plan to keep practicing this for awhile!
Did it for 1.5 years. Lost 102lb. It restricted the foods I used to binge on so I could work on the why and strategies to fix my relationship with food.
I'm no longer keto for various reasons, including that I developed an autoimmune disease that really does not mesh with ketosis at all. I had intended to stay keto. Life happens while we are busy making plans.
I'm still low-carb but not keto. Though I don't doubt I'm in ketosis off and on on days my carbs are lower due to burning off glycogen from exercise. I do have weekly refeeds on Saturday evening though. Because, I like to drink bourbon while eating chocolate and popcorn.
And like I said, I can't hang out in ketosis or my body starts to be a real *kitten*.
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Ive been keto 2+ years and i love it. Its not hard, just takes time to adjust. Yea u will make mistakes. Yea there is something called the keto flu that WILL make u feel like crap for a week... And weird things will happen with ur hormones and bodily functions .. but after that.... ull feel great. Ur body has a transition period where it basically resets. And it's easy. Anyone who says it's hard was probably trying complicated recipes or something. Its not boring. After a while u don't even think about food much or what u can't have because ur so used to it. U can friend me and ask all the questions u like. At this point I've heard a lot of weird questions... it's ok. Lol I've been through or heard just about everything at this point.7
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Also u can make keto bagels, pizza, pasta, "rice", tacos. And a lot of things do have low carb versions like bryers no sugar added cream.0
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balvis3919 wrote: »Ive been keto 2+ years and i love it. Its not hard, just takes time to adjust. Yea u will make mistakes. Yea there is something called the keto flu that WILL make u feel like crap for a week... And weird things will happen with ur hormones and bodily functions .. but after that.... ull feel great. Ur body has a transition period where it basically resets. And it's easy. Anyone who says it's hard was probably trying complicated recipes or something. Its not boring. After a while u don't even think about food much or what u can't have because ur so used to it. U can friend me and ask all the questions u like. At this point I've heard a lot of weird questions... it's ok. Lol I've been through or heard just about everything at this point.
for you its easy and for you you felt great after the keto flu. its not that way for everyone,nor will it be. and your body doesnt reset changing from one way of eating to another. your body will change fuel types it will stop using carbs and glycogen and use dietary fat to produce ketones to run on2 -
Yay.
Before I went Keto I had issues with my mood and suffered from hypoglycemia (I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes at the age of eight). I often had trouble focusing in school and had at least one glycemic event per week. My running was good, but it could of been better. I’ve decided to go Keto after seeing my mother benefit both mentally and physically from the diet, and ever since I’ve been living a even better life. My mood has gotten significantly better, my hypoglycemia is non-existent, and I’ve had many improvements to my endurance sports. Despite the somewhat-popular belief that fat makes you fat, my weight has remained unchanged. Since starting Keto at 16 I was 5'9 and 150 lbs. Now (age nineteen) I am... 5'9 and 146 lbs with 8% body fat. Oh, and my LDL is normal despite consuming 30-60g of saturated fats a day for three years.
The only downside is that you have to maintain an active lifestyle in order to see the benefits take fruit. During my last semester of high school I had EMT school - which made me busy enough to significantly decrease my physical activities throughout the five months. In consequence I went from 9% body fat to 13%, but after graduating and going back to working out regularly I went from 13% to 8%. Can it work? Through my experience, yes it can. Is it for everyone? I believe that it has potential for everyone, but ultimately it depends on how they're executing the diet.
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Well- My real advice would be "stop trying to be entertained by your food"
yes- food can be delicious and fun- but so what if you're food is boring. eat it anyway- and then go out and enjoy a banging steak somewhere.2 -
I have done keto in the past, but could not stay on it for more than a couple months at a time. It does something wacky to my hormones and my hair will start to fall out. I've done all the research. Some said to up the protein while others said to up the fat, but just couldn't sustain it without going bald. I enjoyed that I didn't really feel hungry ever and I lost some weight, but I think it might have been the fact that I didn't feel like eating anymore because there wasn't enough variety. And then I started to develop a really unhealthy view of carbs. Almost a strange fear.
That being said, I think the diet has some major benefits to it, being that it has helped so many people get their diabetes under control, which is super important! But I have decided that it's time to change how I look at food, even the dreaded carb. I do eat low carb I guess, but decidedly not keto. I just eat a lot of fruits and vegetables for carbs instead of bread/pasta along with calorie counting and I can feel a huge difference in my body already, just because I'm giving it vital nutrients that are found in all kinds of produce, not just leafy greens.
I think you have to do something that is sustainable for life if you want to lose weight for good. For me, it's focusing on healthy fruits, veggies, meats, fats that I love and every once in awhile having a cupcake on my birthday or something, because hey, cupcakes are good!2 -
"You forgot about beer..."
Came to say this!
I'm No Sugar No Grain (NSNG) kinda-sorta. I went nuts on the kid's Valentine's Day brownies and had what, 5 or 6 beers last Sunday? But I'm a work in progress. It took me 50 years to get to where I am; it's gonna take me a few more to get to where I want to be. I'll share my diary with anyone.
I am hard-wired to eat carbs. I get a rush when we eat them. My body is a champion at using them for fuel or storing them for later. Get! In! My! Belly! The kids mocked me when they busted me with brownie crumbs all over my face: "What happened to No Sugars No Grains daaaaad?"
Aside from the occasional brownie and beer, I eat as few carbs as possible and still usually "eat too many." No bread on my sandwich. No rice with my curry. No potato with my steak. Never sugar pop or fruit juice. NSNG is just an easy way to cut a whole chunk of crap out of my diet - and I don't really miss it (cough cough brownies and pizza cough).
I think I'd be a cheating pig on any "diet" - it's a character flaw.
I love my micro brews and wine too much to ever be keyto, but when I close my eyes and picture myself I am Keyto Joe!
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Nay for me. I have not health condition that would be made better by keto. Therefore I don't see the points to restricting carbs. Carbs help with my overall satiety, food choice selections and workout energy and results.2
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I have lost and gained 200+lbs over the last 10 years. The only time I ever, EVER can lose weight is when doing low carb. I wish it weren't true but it is.
Keto is tough to start but soon your cravings completely stop (the physical ones anyways, mentally it is harder lol).
I am back on keto after being off it for quite awhile and so far I am really not hungry at all and feeling much better. I started keto again mostly because I am having troubles with GERD and heard keto can help. So far, it is definitely helping.
Also I cannot cheat on keto, or it throws me off it completely.
I am always looking for keto friends so please feel free to add me
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I've been trying out keto - long story, I'm actually doing a Alzheimer's/cognitive decline prevention diet and then figured out that I was in ketosis - anyway I've been doing it for about a month and the #1 positive is how it makes me feel, my body is REALLY happy with fats.
I'm not on the bacon and butter bandwagon, I eat fatty fish, red meat, eggs, healthy fats like olive oil and avocado on everything (limited saturated fat), and tons of veggies. Some people are afraid of veggies on keto, but since keto wasn't my primary goal I go to town on them and it hasn't affected my ketosis.
There's TONS of YouTube videos and articles with tips on trying and starting keto. I'd say if you're interested go ahead and give it a genuine try and decide for yourself.4 -
I think from what I’ve seen throughout this thread, keto is not for me. I’ll probably stick with CICO since I think of have an issue with not having carbs.4
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I've lost 40 pounds since Oct 1, 2017. But the best part for me is my blood sugar came down from around 200 mg/dl or more to under 100 mg/dl most days. As a T2D, this diet is a lifesaver.
It was very hard in the beginning. I loved my carbs...bread, potatoes, pasta, rice...you name it. I struggled with losing weight, even though I kept under my TDEE. My total calories were around 1200 - 1500/day, yet could not lose a pound.
When I saw a couple of friends have success with it, I decided to give it a go. What did I have to lose? I was scared out of my mind, because carbs and I were a couple! And I hated to break us up! But I did. And still going strong!5 -
I'm actually a vegetarian on the keto diet which I've done since the start of 2018, having lost around 20 lbs so far. I find the diet super sustainable, as well as feeling energetic, satiated, and happy with my general being. I would argue the diet is super sustainable as, though limiting in carbs particularly, as long as you're eating within the parameters of the diet, I always am able to eat until I'm full (meaning I'm never 'cheating' on the diet)! I would 100% recommend trying it, but I can understand that it might not be for everyone.3
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Keto is great if your goal is fat loss. A good way to change behavior at home is to prepare all of your own meals. It’s so easy go through the drive thru and just eat from bag of junk they hand you but if you plan meals ahead time, go shopping and choose healthy ingredients then actually spend time cutting them up and cooking them yourself will have a better connection with your food, it’ll also make you be patient instead stuffing fast food down your throat in your car and make you wait until youre done cooking it to start eating it. The diet works wonders for many people including me. If you decide to do it, be sure to do it right or it won’t work as effectively as it can.5
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cdixon5167 wrote: »Keto is great if your goal is fat loss.
While keto can have benefits for compliance and craving control as well as improving insulin resistance, there is no evidence in the way of peer reviewed studies that indicates any metabolic advantage for fat loss. If you believe there is, please post the studies.4 -
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It worked for me.3
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2017, The year I try and get healthy! January-April....Strict Calories in and Calories out. Worked out daily and lost 8 pounds. Really started to wonder what was wrong with me. Slipped back and restarted September 4th. This time eating Keto and exercising. 40 plus pounds lost and it has been easy. My body does not like carbs.4
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A keto diet removes carbohydrates because of the high sugar content, which is why diabetics are better on a keto diet as fat has virtually no sugars. Yes there are restrictions as to what you can or can't eat but then all diets are restrictive. Also carbohydrates are not an essential food and can be done without if you wish to..7
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amusedmonkey wrote: »Answer is simple if you're doing it for non-medical reasons: yay if you find it easier to sustain than other macro distributions, nay if you don't.
Edit: Oh, forgot to add how it went for me. Nope, it hindered my success because I didn't like it, was hungry on it, and had unwanted side effects. So it's definitely a nay for me, but your mileage may vary.
I concur with this but with a variation. For weight loss/maintenance I think eating a keto style or very LC breakfast and lunch can go a long ways with keeping the calories down. Then eat carbs for dinner. I do a 16:8 IF eating schedule to maintain and if I eat a LC lunch, I can eat ad libitum for dinner and can maintain weight.
For just good nutrition, I would not restrict carbs for the whole day because there are a lot of nutritious things that have carbs in them.0 -
DaniDoll57 wrote: »I think from what I’ve seen throughout this thread, keto is not for me. I’ll probably stick with CICO since I think of have an issue with not having carbs.
even keto is CICO. CICO is an energy balance, not a way to eat. all ways of eating follow CICO.if you overeat with any way of eating including keto you gain weight.0 -
Penanneiom wrote: »A keto diet removes carbohydrates because of the high sugar content, which is why diabetics are better on a keto diet as fat has virtually no sugars. Yes there are restrictions as to what you can or can't eat but then all diets are restrictive. Also carbohydrates are not an essential food and can be done without if you wish to..
no not all diets are restrictive. I lost weight eating what I want and what I like just in smaller portions. I made it fit into my calorie goals.I was eating over 2000 calories when I started. I try to make it a balanced diet of course. but I have never cut anything out.The only thing for me and having a health issue is I have to do low fat/low cholesterol and high fiber.1 -
Lost 20 lbs on keto diet 3
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Penanneiom wrote: »A keto diet removes carbohydrates because of the high sugar content, which is why diabetics are better on a keto diet as fat has virtually no sugars. Yes there are restrictions as to what you can or can't eat but then all diets are restrictive. Also carbohydrates are not an essential food and can be done without if you wish to..
I agree with you completely when it comes to weight management. Calorie restriction is still a restriction.
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I do keto because my doc recommended it. I also do intermittent fasting. I do 2000cal 5 days and fast (500 cal) 2 days. I feel good, I have lost weight and my bloodwork is markedly improved. I have lost 30 pounds. No thinking. Meat and veggies.
I am going to keep doing the diet even after I lose all the weight I want. Better like meat. It will take a while to get your mind around the idea of eating bostonbutt pork and king crab legs in butter and still being able to lose weight.
I know some people hate on it, but it is ignorance that fuels it. Good luck whatever you choose!6 -
Penanneiom wrote: »A keto diet removes carbohydrates because of the high sugar content, which is why diabetics are better on a keto diet as fat has virtually no sugars. Yes there are restrictions as to what you can or can't eat but then all diets are restrictive. Also carbohydrates are not an essential food and can be done without if you wish to..
I agree with you completely when it comes to weight management. Calorie restriction is still a restriction.
Agreed. Conscious calorie restriction (and even maintenance) wasn't sustainable for me but restricting carbs (and letting the calories take care of themselves) has proved to be something I can sustain long term - going on five or six years now.3 -
Penanneiom wrote: »A keto diet removes carbohydrates because of the high sugar content, which is why diabetics are better on a keto diet as fat has virtually no sugars. Yes there are restrictions as to what you can or can't eat but then all diets are restrictive. Also carbohydrates are not an essential food and can be done without if you wish to..
While its true that carbs are non essential, it doesn't mean they dont improve or maximize performance or health. In fact, you dont need a ton of protein or fats to meet minimums, but that doesn't mean more isnt better.
So there is a huge difference between the essential levels and optimized levels for performance, health and dietary compliance.7
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