Ketogenic diet
sanjeetchowdhury
Posts: 8 Member
Starting the ketogenic diet again, anyone who succeeded in it , please share, the do's & don'ts
1
Replies
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Hi, sanjeet.
Why are you doing it again if it didn't work for you?
You might not know that you don't need to follow a diet AND count calories.
You can just eat the things you like and use MFP. Best wishes.7 -
I've steered clear of any diets. I have friends who did the ketogenic but they didn't stick with it long. It doesn't seem too sustainable.4
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The biggest do's are eat adequate sodium (>3000mg) and get adequate protein (1.5 - 2.2g/kg). The biggest don'ts, is don't do this if you aren't satiated by fats or tend to be a volume eater.6
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I’ve been eating the keto lifestyle since las April & love the results; for me it’s a very sustainable lifestyle, since April I’ve lost 112lbs so it’s worked very well for me but I do go to the gym 3-5 times a week for cardio & weightlifting5
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I know a lot of folks who have tried it and I can't think of one that's sustained it long term (a year or more). Some have plugged along for several months and dropped some serious weight, though.3
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How are you gauging your carb intake?1
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sanjeetchowdhury wrote: »Starting the ketogenic diet again, anyone who succeeded in it , please share, the do's & don'ts
It's all about being at a caloric deficit. If keto makes you miserable, don't do keto, find another diet you enjoy. Why is it you failed the firt time? In my case, I was using intermittent fasting (I still ate carbs), but that's because I prefer having 2-3 big meals opposed to 5-6 small meals. IF is not magical either, I still had to make sure that I was in a caloric deficit...however it was the diet that made me the least miserable on a cut (aka fat loss phase). The moral of the story is pick a diet that you can stick to and actually enjoy.5 -
I have loved the freedom of keto. My biggest suggestion is don’t dive in head first, start bringing your carbs down slowly and raising your fat intake. Do this over a span of 3-6 weeks and give your body time to adjust and reduce the “keto flu” symptoms (which I didn’t notice). Also, plan ahead and do your reasearch. I personally loaded up on a ton of interesting recipes from Pinterest because I like to experiment in the kitchen and this was where I found the most freedom. I also found some great podcasts that helped guide me and understand the entire process. The Keto for Women Show with Shawn Mynar and Livin’ La Vida Low Carb with Jimmy Moore (or any of his podcasts really). For years I restricted everything, struggled with eating disorders, and took “calories in, calories out” as the holy word but all that really did for me was ruin my metabolism and throw my hormones out of whack. Keto has helped me fix that. I walked into keto hoping to get some balance, reduce inflammation in my gut (due to IBS-C), and just see what this low carb high fat thing was about and ended up reducing a ton of inflammation (my lower abdomen was no longer distended), lost 10lbs in 2 months (I wasn't trying to lose as I was already at a healthy weight for my height, but currently at 144lbs and 5’9”). Also, be sure to get enough fiber (I use Psyllium Husk), get your electrolytes, and test your ketones (I use the urine strips from amazon but the blood meter would be much more accurate) and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat. Keto isn’t for everyone but it is sustainable. If you are struggling you need to look a little deeper and see if there are any other underlying issues you may need to work on. Good luck!11
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I found it very hard to sustain..
low carb is more doable2 -
...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.10 -
misscheevers wrote: »I found it very hard to sustain..
low carb is more doable
As a lifelong binge-eater I found the opposite. I’ve tried for decades to moderate treats without success, but on keto I’m able to eat sensibly without losing control. It’s honestly the first time in my adult life I’ve been able to eat mindfully for more than a day or two at a time!
I’d love to reach the point of being able to eat small, sensible portions of starchy and sugary foods, but I’m not there yet and have no idea if I’ll get there. Somehow saying “No” is just easier for me than saying “A little,” and I’m down 14 pounds after two months without feeling like it was actually all that difficult at all.4 -
keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat.
So much wrong in that statement, makes me cringe when I hear that. So you're basically telling the OP to ignore the truth and keep his head in the sand? The OP needs to be aware of how much calories he is consuming or else he will be back on this forum and ask people "I don't understand, I am doing keto and I am still not losing weight". Doing keto doesn't mean eat all the high fats you want without gaining weight. If only it was that easy. Heck I'd binge on peanuts just right now if it meant my body wasn't able to use the fats as an energy source.
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keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat.
So much wrong in that statement, makes me cringe when I hear that. So you're basically telling the OP to ignore the truth and keep his head in the sand? The OP needs to be aware of how much calories he is consuming or else he will be back on this forum and ask people "I don't understand, I am doing keto and I am still not losing weight". Doing keto doesn't mean eat all the high fats you want without gaining weight. If only it was that easy. Heck I'd binge on peanuts just right now as we speak.
16 ounce ribeyes (at about 1200 calories apiece) with bacon for breakfast lunch and dinner FTW!
1 -
...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.
Exactly. There are people who gain weight on keto, people who love the diet but want to bulk (which requires gaining weight), and there are people who don't feel keto is satisfying so they overeat and gain weight (like me). Keeping calorie balance in the backseat is not good advice.2 -
keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat.
So much wrong in that statement, makes me cringe when I hear that. So you're basically telling the OP to ignore the truth and keep his head in the sand? The OP needs to be aware of how much calories he is consuming or else he will be back on this forum and ask people "I don't understand, I am doing keto and I am still not losing weight". Doing keto doesn't mean eat all the high fats you want without gaining weight. If only it was that easy. Heck I'd binge on peanuts just right now as we speak.
16 ounce ribeyes (at about 1200 calories apiece) with bacon for breakfast lunch and dinner FTW!
I'd eat that for breakfast lunch and supper and my body will starve itself to anorexia because there's no carbs 3 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.
Exactly. There are people who gain weight on keto, people who love the diet but want to bulk (which requires gaining weight), and there are people who don't feel keto is satisfying so they overeat and gain weight (like me). Keeping calorie balance in the backseat is not good advice.
Exactly to the bolded.
People neglect to mention that fat is the most calorific of the three macros, with over twice the number of calories per gram (9 for fat vs. 4 for protein and carbs). For those who are satiated by fat, keto can help control calorie intake; for those who don't find it particularly satiating and can eat a lot of those foods, it can be a disaster as far as weight loss goes. I love steak, cheese, eggs, bacon, avocados/guacamole, bbq meats, etc. and can eat tons of any/every one of them, so the calories would add up very quickly.
I challenge anybody who believes in the wondrous magicalness of keto to do an 8-week experiment: Eat 5000 calories per day of low-carb foods, properly weighed and logged, and track your weight for the entire 8 weeks. If calories truly don't matter and it's all about carbs/insulin, as some ketovangelists claim, you should lose weight in that 8 weeks - or at the very least, maintain your current weight. Let us know how that works out for you.4 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.
Exactly. There are people who gain weight on keto, people who love the diet but want to bulk (which requires gaining weight), and there are people who don't feel keto is satisfying so they overeat and gain weight (like me). Keeping calorie balance in the backseat is not good advice.
Exactly to the bolded.
People neglect to mention that fat is the most calorific of the three macros, with over twice the number of calories per gram (9 for fat vs. 4 for protein and carbs). For those who are satiated by fat, keto can help control calorie intake; for those who don't find it particularly satiating and can eat a lot of those foods, it can be a disaster as far as weight loss goes. I love steak, cheese, eggs, bacon, avocados/guacamole, bbq meats, etc. and can eat tons of any/every one of them, so the calories would add up very quickly.
I challenge anybody who believes in the wondrous magicalness of keto to do an 8-week experiment: Eat 5000 calories per day of low-carb foods, properly weighed and logged, and track your weight for the entire 8 weeks. If calories truly don't matter and it's all about carbs/insulin, as some ketovangelists claim, you should lose weight in that 8 weeks - or at the very least, maintain your current weight. Let us know how that works out for you.
This ^ That's my gripe with some diet fanatics, they will ignore that concept and tell others to ignore CICO. I have seen it many times and that's usually a recipe for disaster. When people want to lose weight, instead of concentrating on CICO which is the direct way of losing weight, people focus too much on diets that are only tools, nothing else.2 -
I've been keto for a few years. Restricting carbs can be sustainable when it works well for you, or your health is improved, or you just like the food. For me it has been more sustainable that just restricting calories.
I would stress getting enough salt. If you don't replace your lost electrolytes you'll end up with the "keto flu"/ electrolyte imbalance.
The main don't for me is to avoid too many nuts or cheeses. Those are too easy for me to overeat.
Good luck.amusedmonkey wrote: »...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.
Exactly. There are people who gain weight on keto, people who love the diet but want to bulk (which requires gaining weight), and there are people who don't feel keto is satisfying so they overeat and gain weight (like me). Keeping calorie balance in the backseat is not good advice.
Exactly to the bolded.
People neglect to mention that fat is the most calorific of the three macros, with over twice the number of calories per gram (9 for fat vs. 4 for protein and carbs). For those who are satiated by fat, keto can help control calorie intake; for those who don't find it particularly satiating and can eat a lot of those foods, it can be a disaster as far as weight loss goes. I love steak, cheese, eggs, bacon, avocados/guacamole, bbq meats, etc. and can eat tons of any/every one of them, so the calories would add up very quickly.
I challenge anybody who believes in the wondrous magicalness of keto to do an 8-week experiment: Eat 5000 calories per day of low-carb foods, properly weighed and logged, and track your weight for the entire 8 weeks. If calories truly don't matter and it's all about carbs/insulin, as some ketovangelists claim, you should lose weight in that 8 weeks - or at the very least, maintain your current weight. Let us know how that works out for you.
It's not 8-weeks but...
http://live.smashthefat.com/why-i-didnt-get-fat/
5000 kcals is extreme. Some do find they can eat a bit more when carbs are low. Probably a hormonal, metabolic health thing. It is not a universal effect.7 -
I've been keto for a few years. Restricting carbs can be sustainable when it works well for you, or your health is improved, or you just like the food. For me it has been more sustainable that just restricting calories.
I would stress getting enough salt. If you don't replace your lost electrolytes you'll end up with the "keto flu"/ electrolyte imbalance.
The main don't for me is to avoid too many nuts or cheeses. Those are too easy for me to overeat.
Good luck.amusedmonkey wrote: »...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.
Exactly. There are people who gain weight on keto, people who love the diet but want to bulk (which requires gaining weight), and there are people who don't feel keto is satisfying so they overeat and gain weight (like me). Keeping calorie balance in the backseat is not good advice.
Exactly to the bolded.
People neglect to mention that fat is the most calorific of the three macros, with over twice the number of calories per gram (9 for fat vs. 4 for protein and carbs). For those who are satiated by fat, keto can help control calorie intake; for those who don't find it particularly satiating and can eat a lot of those foods, it can be a disaster as far as weight loss goes. I love steak, cheese, eggs, bacon, avocados/guacamole, bbq meats, etc. and can eat tons of any/every one of them, so the calories would add up very quickly.
I challenge anybody who believes in the wondrous magicalness of keto to do an 8-week experiment: Eat 5000 calories per day of low-carb foods, properly weighed and logged, and track your weight for the entire 8 weeks. If calories truly don't matter and it's all about carbs/insulin, as some ketovangelists claim, you should lose weight in that 8 weeks - or at the very least, maintain your current weight. Let us know how that works out for you.
It's not 8-weeks but...
http://live.smashthefat.com/why-i-didnt-get-fat/
5000 kcals is extreme. Some do find they can eat a bit more when carbs are low. Probably a hormonal, metabolic health thing. It is not a universal effect.
I wouldn't make it past the first few sentences. The premise is faulty, the method is faulty, and and is clearly an "experiment" done for the views. I stopped at "body builders eat higher carb when bulking because carbs are easier to store as fat". I don't know how people come up with this. Have you seen a body builder whose goal is to build fat on a bulk?6 -
amusedmonkey wrote: »I've been keto for a few years. Restricting carbs can be sustainable when it works well for you, or your health is improved, or you just like the food. For me it has been more sustainable that just restricting calories.
I would stress getting enough salt. If you don't replace your lost electrolytes you'll end up with the "keto flu"/ electrolyte imbalance.
The main don't for me is to avoid too many nuts or cheeses. Those are too easy for me to overeat.
Good luck.amusedmonkey wrote: »...and keep the “calories in, calories out” mentality in the back seat...
The "calories in, calories out" mentality should be in the front seat right next to you, because that's what determines whether or not you lose weight. Not how many carbs you eat or what color a stick turns when you pee on it. Keto is not magic and does not defy the laws of energy balance.
Exactly. There are people who gain weight on keto, people who love the diet but want to bulk (which requires gaining weight), and there are people who don't feel keto is satisfying so they overeat and gain weight (like me). Keeping calorie balance in the backseat is not good advice.
Exactly to the bolded.
People neglect to mention that fat is the most calorific of the three macros, with over twice the number of calories per gram (9 for fat vs. 4 for protein and carbs). For those who are satiated by fat, keto can help control calorie intake; for those who don't find it particularly satiating and can eat a lot of those foods, it can be a disaster as far as weight loss goes. I love steak, cheese, eggs, bacon, avocados/guacamole, bbq meats, etc. and can eat tons of any/every one of them, so the calories would add up very quickly.
I challenge anybody who believes in the wondrous magicalness of keto to do an 8-week experiment: Eat 5000 calories per day of low-carb foods, properly weighed and logged, and track your weight for the entire 8 weeks. If calories truly don't matter and it's all about carbs/insulin, as some ketovangelists claim, you should lose weight in that 8 weeks - or at the very least, maintain your current weight. Let us know how that works out for you.
It's not 8-weeks but...
http://live.smashthefat.com/why-i-didnt-get-fat/
5000 kcals is extreme. Some do find they can eat a bit more when carbs are low. Probably a hormonal, metabolic health thing. It is not a universal effect.
I wouldn't make it past the first few sentences. The premise is faulty, the method is faulty, and and is clearly an "experiment" done for the views. I stopped at "body builders eat higher carb when bulking because carbs are easier to store as fat". I don't know how people come up with this. Have you seen a body builder whose goal is to build fat on a bulk?
I agree, that page has wrong written all over the place.0
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