Opinions on the keto diet??
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I do not understand why people mark someone's personal experiences as "woo".11
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wordvalkyrie97 wrote: »From everything I've read about it (and I've done some research, because I'd like to try it), the true point of the Keto diet is to kick your metabolism up, in a way. What you eat impacts how your body burns its fuel. The Keto diet is high-fat (healthy fats, mind you), high-fiber, low-carb, with middling amounts of protein (usually however much you need to keep from being hangry all the time). When you eat lots of healthy fats and fiber with less carbs, your body is supposed to start burning your stored fat and ketones (hence the name, "Keto diet"). This means that instead of immediately using the food you eat for fuel (and leaving your current fat stores alone), your body will use the food you eat only as immediate fuel and will use your stored fat and ketones as fuel for the rest of the time.
This, combined with living in a calorie deficit, can cause some seriously impressive weight loss and metabolic rate gain; but not for everyone. My body really likes plant-based proteins and fibers, so I believe the Keto diet would be beneficial for me (not to mention pretty easy to follow). However, my sister's body relies more on animal-based proteins, so she feels like heck when she tries to eat like me. Everyone is different. The trick is to listen to your body and see what makes you feel best.
And, of course, like any other diet, the Keto diet only works if you're in it for the long-haul. If you quit after only a month or two, any results you saw are likely to disappear once you're back on a regular diet, even if you stay on a calorie deficit.
The keto diet has no impact on your metabolism. You become a fat burn because you store more fat. You only burn body fat if you are in a calorie deficit. Its why you can gain weight on keto.22 -
oreo_cookies_1992 wrote: »Some people find Keto an easier diet to stick to. Some suggest that eating more fats keep you full. You see, when you eat carbs your body converts it to glucose which is what your body uses to produce energy. When you no longer eat carbs, your body needs to get the energy from somewhere and takes it from your body fat (this is in simple terms there is more science behind it)
I’m not saying that’s the number one concern. On Keto, it is pretty limited choices.. because you can’t snack on anything. And some people actually like that because then they’re not snacking on random *kitten* and eating a bunch of extra calories.
I’m trying a Keto diet to learn some things. I’m only on day 6, and man, the diet forces you to eat quite healthy. But there are perks (like lots of high fats) my boyfriend who never even has looked at a vegetable is eating lots of veggies this past week. He’s gone down 7lbs in six days but yes that is definitely water weight. He’s also been counting calories as well as ultimately it’s the best way to lose weight. Keto so far is just a way to kind of show you what real, whole foods are. It’s an interesting lifetsyle for sure. I’m not sure if I could do it forever but I’m loving it so far even though the Keto Flu is a real thing and it really sucks! After it’s over though, you just feel good.
And for someone who LOVES SWEETS it’s really reduced my cravings. It’s crazy.
This is why I think some people like Keto. It’s just a style that works with them and their self control. I would not knock it or say it’s better than any other type of preferred diet. It’s all about what works for you
I’m just sharing my experience on it so far! However 6 days is not a lot to go by but I thought I’d share anyways
You have part of it.. when you eat carbs, its true that you burn glucose, but even if uou dont eat carbs, your body will convert amino acids and fatty acids into glucose through glucenogenesis. So your brain will run on ketones and you will see an increase in fat used as a primary substrate, but that doesn't mean the fat burning is from body fat.8 -
Yes, there is more science behind it - but it's not what you think it is, and it's not anything like what many ketovangelists claim.oreo_cookies_1992 wrote: »Some people find Keto an easier diet to stick to. Some suggest that eating more fats keep you full. You see, when you eat carbs your body converts it to glucose which is what your body uses to produce energy. When you no longer eat carbs, your body needs to get the energy from somewhere and takes it from your body fat (this is in simple terms there is more science behind it)..
I'll let Lyle McDonald (who has authored multiple books on the subject of ketogenic dieting) explain it, he does a better job than I would:
From https://bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/nutrient-intake-nutrient-storage-and-nutrient-oxidation.html/Fat
Body fat stores are effectively unlimited as individuals reaching 1000 lbs (and 70-80% body fat) have demonstrated. Even a relatively lean male at 180 lbs and 12% body fat is carrying 21 pounds of fat. Each pound contains maybe 400 grams of actual stored fat and that means about 8500 grams of fat stored in the body. Contrast this to a relatively high daily intake of perhaps 100-150 grams per day and you can see that the body’s store of fat is much much higher than what you eat on a day. And most people aren’t 12% body fat.
But for the most part, ingested dietary fat has little impact on fat burning in the body; that is, when you eat dietary fat, your body doesn’t increase fat oxidation. One exception is if an absolutely massive amount of fat (like 80 g) is consumed all at once but even then the effect is fairly mild. Some specific fats, notably medium chain triglycerides, are somewhat of an exception to this; they are oxidized in the liver directly. Rather, the primary controller of dietary fat oxidation in the body is how many carbohydrates you’re eating, which I’ll explain momentarily.
Carbohydrate
For carbohydrate, the body’s stores are relatively close to the daily intake. A normal non-carb loaded person may store 300-400 grams of muscle glycogen, another 50 or so of liver glyogen and 10 or so in the bloodstream as free glucose. So let’s say 350-450 grams of carbohydrate as a rough average. On a relatively normal diet of 2700 calories, if a person eats the ‘recommended’ 60% carbs, that’s 400 grams. So about the amount that’s stored in the body already.
For this reason, the body is extremely good at modulating carbohydrate oxidation to carbohydrate intake. Eat more carbs and you burn more carbs (you also store more glycogen); eat less carbs and you burn less carbs (and glycogen levels drop). This occurs for a variety of reasons including changing insulin levels (fructose, for example, since it doesn’t raise insulin, doesn’t increase carbohydrate oxidation) and simple substrate availability. And, as it turns out, fat oxidation is basically inversely related to carbohydrate oxidation.
So when you eat more carbs, you burn more carbs and burn less fat; eat less carbs and you burn less carbs and burn more fat. And don’t jump to the immediate conclusion that lowcarb diets are therefore superior for fat loss because lowcarb diets are also higher in fat intake (generally speaking). You’re burning more fat, but you’re also eating more. But that’s a topic that I’ve not only addressed previously on the site but may look at in more detail in a future article with this piece as background.15 -
Keto (Low carb and high fat) will stop your hunger for sure. You get sick of eating what’s allowed. It made me hate going grocery shopping because I couldnt eat delicious fruit or potatoes or pretzels or popcorn. It really messed up my relationship with food. I’ve lost 50 -75 lbs 8 times doing low carb diets over the past 35 years. The first week I could lose like 10 lbs eating all the meat, veggies and cheese I wanted. After that loss it will stop if you don’t eat at a calorie deficient. I lost a lot of weight because I didn’t eat much because I got sick of eating meat. I would eat less than 800 calories a day. As soon as I added back carbs I would gain it all back in a few months. It also messes up your teeth with plaque buildup and bad breath.
I’ve lost 63 lbs over the past year with watching my calories with MFP and exercising. I’m very hopeful I will be able to maintain my goal weight in 5 more lbs because I can continue to eat what I like to eat with the variety I love. I’m starting to not hate going grocery shopping. I can buy and eat what I love as long as I count the calories. I’m not unhappy thinking about birthdays and Thanksgiving and Christmas food. I can eat it all, just need to watch the amount I eat.
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I've done keto for a few years. For me, it really improved my health and helped me lose weight. It can be a helpful tool for some people.
You seem to have already decided that it is not right for you. Do whatever works for you. If you change your mind and want to learn more about it, the Low Carber Daily MFP group has some great resources.12 -
I’ve been doing keto since the beginning of the year and I really like it. It felt super restrictive at first, but I got the hang of it and started figuring out how to include more variety and I’m really enjoying myself on it now.
That said, it is a lot of cooking, and a lot of math, and it’s not magic. You’ll lose some extra water weight, which is cool unless you ever plan to eat carbs again because then you’ll regain those pounds with a quickness. To lose “real” weight you have to eat in a caloric deficit, and that’s where the magic comes in for me, because I’ve never been able to intentionally sustain a deficit before and with keto I can. I don’t crave, I don’t binge; I feel really in control of what I eat in a way I have not been before in my adult (or teenaged) life.
So, yes, I’m on keto and losing weight just like I wanted to, but that’s because keto helps me to stay within my target calories. If you’re already losing weight doing what you’re doing, why worry? Grains aren’t poison, and there’s no one secret diet that’s best for everyone. You’re already doing what you’re trying to do, so block out the noise and reevaluate if (and only if) you stop liking your results.25 -
I've been at this awhile. I gain, lose, train, and have experimented. But I've never tried keto. I would not jump to it if I had not tried a good old calorie deficit first.
I am considering experimenting with it now because A) I look leaner on low carb B ) I have a bad physical reaction to high carb so I'm curious how my body will feel here C) I am actually interested in reducing the "volume" of food I eat because I think it may be messing with my GI issues D) I like experiments11 -
There was recently a very good post by a registered dietitian on the blog section of MFP:
http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ask-dietitian-opinion-ketogenic-diet/7 -
It wouldn't work well for me. I'm vegetarian and most of my favorite protein sources contain carbs. So do fruits and veggies. Add in that for me, fat isn't all that satiating and, it's just not something I ever considered. End of the day, if it works for you and the weight comes off and you don't feel deprived, go for it.2
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estherdragonbat wrote: »It wouldn't work well for me. I'm vegetarian and most of my favorite protein sources contain carbs. So do fruits and veggies. Add in that for me, fat isn't all that satiating and, it's just not something I ever considered. End of the day, if it works for you and the weight comes off and you don't feel deprived, go for it.
Yea if you're vegan, keto is almost impossible to do unless all you eat is avocado and nuts...and I think nuts have some carbs if I am not mistaken.3 -
I am trying out Keto + intermittent fasting (16/8), with the intention of becoming fat adapted and metabolically flexible, so that I can get myself together and still have the lifestyle I want. It takes research and adjustment, but it is well worth it (for me) to try.23
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cuzinCasey wrote: »I am trying out Keto + intermittent fasting (16/8), with the intention of becoming fat adapted and metabolically flexible, so that I can get myself together and still have the lifestyle I want. It takes research and adjustment, but it is well worth it (for me) to try.
Throw in some ACV, abdomen wraps and HIIT and you got the winning woo bingo card!!
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I’ve been doing Keto for a month. I think it’s great because it really keeps your appetite under control and you really just don’t think about food until you are truly hungry. I honestly feel like my brain is rewired. I used to chew an entire pack of sugarless gum to avoid snacking while on other plans...I’d get bored working and needed to eat something, and sometimes I’d go for a snack i regretted instead of the gum. That was my biggest issue—aside from the snacking at work, Inhave pretty good discipline and work out 5-6 days a week. Keto is much more satiating and I just eat my regular meals and don’t always finish my plate.
The biggest drawback of Keto isn’t missing carbs at all—it’s the social awkwardness of eating out and having someone watch you eat cheese and butter but refuse to have even a bite of their mashed potatoes. I just had a birthday and felt really weird about not eating the cake. I took one bite and felt like everyone must have thought I’m neurotic. For some context, I’ve never been overweight and went on Keto to lose a few pounds but ultimately not gain any more....the snacking plus traveling were making my scale creep upwards. I’ve lost 7 lbs so far, putting me at my goal, and i know it makes me look weird to have such specific requests at restaurants and also to be so strict when i don’t have a weight problem. That being said, I can get past that because of how relieved I feel to no longer have the guilt of snacking mindlessly on things I regret. I don’t actually miss the carbs at all.
BTW, no idea if the “fat burning” science is real. I just know I happily eat fewer calories this way.8 -
greenetaylor27 wrote: »I am a mother of two with a very busy schedule! I’ve been logging foods and exercising somewhat regularly for about 2-3 weeks and have lost about 3lbs. I’ve read a lot on how the keto diet can shred you down rather quickly, and “grains and carbs are poison” or what have you.
To me it just seems like a lot of work and also rather confusing. I’m fairly new to this new healthy lifestyle and didn’t know if anyone similar to my situation had bad luck— or thoughts and opinions ?? Thanks!
Grains and carbs aren't "poison"...there are many highly nutritious sources of carbohydrates.
Keto works like any other diet...if you're losing weight, it comes down to a calorie deficit and keto is just one of many ways to get there.
Personally, I find it to be about the most restrictive way of eating out there in that you're essentially all but eliminating and entire macro-nutrient. I wouldn't even consider it outside of a medical condition that specifically warranted it...and even then, most medical conditions don't require such a restrictive diet to keep those conditions under control.
Initial weight loss can be faster because you are dumping glycogen and a lot of water with that...after that, you will lose weight at the same rate as anyone else with the same calorie deficit.
If carbs were "poison", pretty much every vegan and vegetarian would be keeling over seeing as how plant based diets are typically relatively high in carbohydrates.16 -
storyjorie wrote: »I’ve been doing Keto for a month. I think it’s great because it really keeps your appetite under control and you really just don’t think about food until you are truly hungry. I honestly feel like my brain is rewired. I used to chew an entire pack of sugarless gum to avoid snacking while on other plans...I’d get bored working and needed to eat something, and sometimes I’d go for a snack i regretted instead of the gum. That was my biggest issue—aside from the snacking at work, Inhave pretty good discipline and work out 5-6 days a week. Keto is much more satiating and I just eat my regular meals and don’t always finish my plate.
The biggest drawback of Keto isn’t missing carbs at all—it’s the social awkwardness of eating out and having someone watch you eat cheese and butter but refuse to have even a bite of their mashed potatoes. I just had a birthday and felt really weird about not eating the cake. I took one bite and felt like everyone must have thought I’m neurotic. For some context, I’ve never been overweight and went on Keto to lose a few pounds but ultimately not gain any more....the snacking plus traveling were making my scale creep upwards. I’ve lost 7 lbs so far, putting me at my goal, and i know it makes me look weird to have such specific requests at restaurants and also to be so strict when i don’t have a weight problem. That being said, I can get past that because of how relieved I feel to no longer have the guilt of snacking mindlessly on things I regret. I don’t actually miss the carbs at all.
BTW, no idea if the “fat burning” science is real. I just know I happily eat fewer calories this way.
Basically why I avoid keto. I am able to eat a caloric deficit without being a pain in the *kitten* and fussy to everyone else at social events. I don't need to restrict any food.11 -
storyjorie wrote: »I’ve been doing Keto for a month. I think it’s great because it really keeps your appetite under control and you really just don’t think about food until you are truly hungry. I honestly feel like my brain is rewired. I used to chew an entire pack of sugarless gum to avoid snacking while on other plans...I’d get bored working and needed to eat something, and sometimes I’d go for a snack i regretted instead of the gum. That was my biggest issue—aside from the snacking at work, Inhave pretty good discipline and work out 5-6 days a week. Keto is much more satiating and I just eat my regular meals and don’t always finish my plate.
The biggest drawback of Keto isn’t missing carbs at all—it’s the social awkwardness of eating out and having someone watch you eat cheese and butter but refuse to have even a bite of their mashed potatoes. I just had a birthday and felt really weird about not eating the cake. I took one bite and felt like everyone must have thought I’m neurotic. For some context, I’ve never been overweight and went on Keto to lose a few pounds but ultimately not gain any more....the snacking plus traveling were making my scale creep upwards. I’ve lost 7 lbs so far, putting me at my goal, and i know it makes me look weird to have such specific requests at restaurants and also to be so strict when i don’t have a weight problem. That being said, I can get past that because of how relieved I feel to no longer have the guilt of snacking mindlessly on things I regret. I don’t actually miss the carbs at all.
BTW, no idea if the “fat burning” science is real. I just know I happily eat fewer calories this way.
The fat burning science is very misleading. While many will make it seems like it means body fat, it really means high fat oxidation... which is driven by higher rates of dietary fat storage. The bigger problem i have is fat is an inferior energy with highly anearobic work outs. So if you are lifting or doing HIIT, your performance will most likely suffer.10 -
I have used the keto diet to lose over 150 lbs. I was on for 3 years and lost from 317 lbs down to 132 lbs which was my goal weight.
The reason a keto diet works better and you lose weight faster is you convert your body from burning sugar for fuel into burning fat for fuel. The key is you must remain in light ketosis or your body will switch right back to sugar burning. All carbs convert to glucose/sugar in your body. If you eliminate the carbs there is no sugar for fuel and your body will burn fat instead. If you eat enough protein and fat you will not feel weak or hungry and you will burn fat not muscle. Muscle is burned if you try to keep a calorie deficit while low-carbing. Ignore the calories, don't look at them and strictly watch your carbs. I kept mine below 40 a day but every person is different. Get some keto sticks to measure the amount of ketones in your urine from your pharmacy.
The reason you will lose weight faster is simple. Carbs are a high-efficiency fuel for your body. Fats are not so efficient. If your body has no sugar to burn it will burn fat and it needs more energy (calories) to burn fat because it is not a super efficient food like carbs. So it will take more fat calories than you can eat each day and it will get that fat from your stored fat, like that in your hips, thighs and belly. As long as you are in ketosis, you are burning your fat stores.
Basically it means no bread, pasta or sweets of any kind. Potatoes and other carby veggies are mostly out too. Though all you have to do it is count the carbs and keep them under your goal. I had one 3 oz potato each day OR one slice of bread, or two slices of low carb bread.
I know this is long but bear with me.
Here is the awesome thing, though people will tell you that you can't maintain and go off a keto diet once you reach your goal. I did and so have many others. The trick is to ever so Slowly add carbs back to your diet. I waited 6 months after reaching goal and then started adding back 10 carbs every 3 months. I kept my portions small and never ate to overfull. After a year I was eating like everyone else. I maintained at goal or within 3 lbs for over 10 years by just keeping portions small and not having dessert every day. But I did eat cake, ice cream... anything I wanted without counting calories or carbs.
My weight stayed off until I had foot surgery on both feet and then ended up with pneumonia twice in that same year. Being bed bound restricted my activity and my weight is back up just over 50 lbs. Hence the reason I am here. I went back on the low carb diet and have lost 5 lbs the first week.
I hope this has been informing and helps you decide what you want to do.
PS: my diet was recommended and approved by my doctor for long term use.
~Lorianne
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