Things I have learned during 4 years of Keto
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https://selfhacked.com/blog/natural-ways-to-improve-mitochondrial-function/?utm_source=Notification
One thing I have learned about keto over the past three years is that Keto may increase both quantity and quality of mitochondrial. The source is posted above with links to the references if one wants more details.
"4) Ketogenic diet
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that switches your body from running on carbs to running on fats [R].
When we break down fats for energy, small molecules called ketone bodies are produced that are used for the production of ATP instead of glucose. This results in improved mitochondrial function (PGC-1alpha, SIRT1/3, AMPK activation), higher levels of ATP from the electron transport chain, and overall cellular health [R].
One study found that a ketogenic diet slowed down mitochondrial myopathy (muscle disease) in mice in part by increasing the number of new mitochondria (mitochondrial biogenesis) [R]."
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Great summary, great job and great inspiration. Thank you!0
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GaleHawkins wrote: »One thing I have learned about keto over the past three years is that Keto may increase both quantity and quality of mitochondria.
They are the powerhouse of the cell.
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I know I read and hugged this last year but it popped up again today for me and it's just such a great list/reminder.3
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I know I read and hugged this last year but it popped up again today for me and it's just such a great list/reminder.
Yep. I read the original post every time the thread gets bumped and have it bookmarked to give it a bump on occasion. So much truth in it and something for everyone. It has many reasons too many struggle in their losses or fail to maintain. Full of realities, it is.1 -
Awesome!
Inspirational!
Thanks for sharing!0 -
catherineg3 wrote: »LOL #21. my husband says the other day "oh would you just shut up about the diet", because he doesn't want to do a low carb diet with me. you're right. nobody cares. except all of you lovely people on this Low carb forum, who don't seem to mind how obsessive I've gotten about it.
My husband didn't care about keto until he began to have some health issues that scared him. He came to me after recovering from a bout of intense pain and asked me to teach him the keto way. He is now feeling much better and has no plans to stop this WOE.8 -
Back on this forum after 1 1/2 years absence. Stress eating and drifting off LCHF has added 15 pounds to my frame and reading this post is EXACTLY what I needed!! Thanks for being so honest and sharing your insights with us.6
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NikaChartrand wrote: »catherineg3 wrote: »LOL #21. my husband says the other day "oh would you just shut up about the diet", because he doesn't want to do a low carb diet with me. you're right. nobody cares. except all of you lovely people on this Low carb forum, who don't seem to mind how obsessive I've gotten about it.
My husband didn't care about keto until he began to have some health issues that scared him. He came to me after recovering from a bout of intense pain and asked me to teach him the keto way. He is now feeling much better and has no plans to stop this WOE.
I love reading these kinds of experiences. I do not believe in preaching a way of eating. It is possible to lose on just about any WOE. But how much pain, sacrifice, and suffering is involved can vary greatly. As a yoyoer, I did just about every diet out there, even became a WW lifetimers, etc. But this is the way I have found easiest to live with, it might not be for everyone. But when someone looks at you and says "How? I want what you have", it is so rewarding to see them progress. I have a vegan friend who was responsible for me joining MFP, she has struggled her whole adult life with her weight. When she asked me what I had done to get to my goal and stayed there, she adapted vegan style keto eating and IFing and she is at a weight she hasn't been at since she was in high school. She feels better than she has in years and loves eating this way.
It is easier when your partner is into the same way of eating as you. Congrats and I hope you both continue to enjoy the benefits.6 -
I enjoyed this, thank you.3
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Thanks for this!1
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as a newbie, that was perfect read for me, thank you!0
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Thank you for sharing!!! I have been successful in the Keto lifestyle for approximately a month. I have failed many times before and this post reminds me of why I failed and why I am succeeding. I think we need to read this every time we start to get distracted to remind us of what we are doing. Thanks again!2
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New to the group, what a great overview and great observations. Thanks for sharing!
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I'm just over a week in on keto....thanks to OP for this. Great advice!3
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https://perfectketo.com/what-is-a-ketone/
I read this the other day and it sums up what have learned reading and doing Keto for nearly four years now.
In short health is controlled more by biology than simple math I have come to realize.
My first year into Keto was bumpy so one can expect that possibility. My only goal is that my health and health markers improve somewhat each year. They have for the past four years in my case.
https://ebay.com/itm/Police-Digital-Breath-Alcohol-Tester-Professional-Breathalyser-Detector-Portable/291349769044?epid=1861569551&hash=item43d5ccab54:g:jBsAAOSw1ZBUrjOp
I found one of these acetone meters in my desk and it still works so I started to use it again just for the heck of it. I am blowing around .02-.03 % most times that I check. There is an expensive version of this same technology call Ketonix I think but none are needed and they all can be flakey to use. The article below covers this subject if you are interested to know if you are producing Ketones at any level and do not like working with your blood or urine.
https://fatforweightloss.com.au/measure-breath-ketones/0 -
I'm pretty new to all of this so I'm not positive I'm in Ketosis but I've lost about 10 lbs in just over 1 week so I think it's a pretty good bet (SW 285). I'm holding off on any monitoring and supplements for now but I'm ensuring I get enough sodium. I'm going to ride it out for a few weeks and see where this takes me!
I do feel better and surprisingly (or perhaps not) is that I don't feel nearly as hungry as I did before. I do full body strength training with a personal trainer twice per week for an hour and usually on those days I'm completely famished....not any more!3 -
This - thanks for the reminder. 3. I am not cured of my binge eating. I will never be cured. In the same way that heroine addict clean for 4 years can not have "just one fix"4
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Alcoholism and addiction are considered diseases, right? Ones that never go away, but must be avoided. The descriptions match how I feel about carbs. I wish carbaholics were recognized and treated the same way. Centers for kicking them, medical support, etc...AKTipsyCat wrote: »This - thanks for the reminder. 3. I am not cured of my binge eating. I will never be cured. In the same way that heroine addict clean for 4 years can not have "just one fix"5 -
Excellent post! You have literally covered everything. I needed to hear this from someone and here I am! Thank you and congratulations on your success! 3
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PaulaKro - I agree with addiction to carbs being a disease. Went on vacation and fell off the wagon and I am having a heck of a time getting back on it. That wagon is beating me to death! I could use one of those centers. LOL!2
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great post Iam wondering what it means BPC. I just started keto about 6 weeks ago and my chloresterol is pretty high. I do have butter and bacon. Try to get enough fat in is not always easy.1
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BPC = Bullet Proof Coffee - coffee with extra fat mixed in (like butter or coconut oil). Some people swear by it, personally, I think it is gross and disgusting (but that's just my humble and worthless opinion ). 3
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BPC = Bullet Proof Coffee - coffee with extra fat mixed in (like butter or coconut oil). Some people swear by it, personally, I think it is gross and disgusting (but that's just my humble and worthless opinion ).
I think I agree, I have never heard of that but it sounds terrible.0 -
great post Iam wondering what it means BPC. I just started keto about 6 weeks ago and my chloresterol is pretty high. I do have butter and bacon. Try to get enough fat in is not always easy.
@Aquapunch you may consider just thinking about your Carb macro at first. It has to be cut down to no more than 50 grams daily if you want to get into a state of Nutritional Ketosis. Eating more fat is just a way to replace calories lost from cutting your carbs down to at least 50 grams (200 calories max daily from carbs).
Master the Low Carb part of the LOW CARB HIGH FAT WOE (Way Of Eating) and the High Fat part will come in time.
Ketosis is NOT about eating a lot of FAT but instead it is about burning fat for most of our energy requirements.
If one's Goal weight is 200 pounds but currently weighs 400 pound then much of the fats of a LCHF WOE is already onboard for that person to use.
LCHF/KETO is NOT about poking one's face full of fats 24/7/365
Seldom to like never do I eat butter or bacon for example. My fats come more from coconut, dairy, fish and a ton of nuts. Over the last four years of LCHF I have moved to eating less meat and more plant based WOE for some reason.
While I did lose 50 pounds without dieting to lose weight and it has automatically stayed off for the past 3 years today I still eat LCHF trying to reverse diseased states and premature death. Four years in it is working very well in my case.
I do not see Keto/LCHF as a weight loss program in my case but as a way to hopefully stick around to see some grandkids and hopefully then some great grandkids.
It was 12 months before the WHY/HOW to do Keto/LCHF even started to click for me.
I was 63 at the time and had to make it work fast to avoid starting Enbrel injections so I was highly motivated yet it was still a struggle.
I just do not see people in general sticking with Keto/LCHF for weight loss.
It is my way of living now and I plan to stay off foods with added sugar and or any form of any grain for life. It is in no way restrictive like a grave or furnace in my view. I want to live to be 110 and walking and talking the entire way.
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Thanks for this post, I was doing Keto and doing well, life happened (my choice obviously) and I've put almost all my weight back on. What I did find is that when I did Keto I over all felt so much better. I had more energy, maybe more then in my youthful years, not exhausted all the time, and I felt full. I'm starting back on it because as you said it's a way of life not a diet for me too.
I was surprised to hear that your cholesterol jumped up. I have read so much on Keto and that was never mentioned just that it wouldn't make your cholesterol go up, so I'm confused again on your comment.
Great job with your weight loss and keeping it off and sharing what you have noticed with all of us.1 -
Thanks for this really inspiring and motivating post. Over the past six years I have low carbed and lost 20 lbs, then indulged in a few carbs every now and then and have now regained those 20 lbs. Why do I do it? Every morning I think I will not eat anything containing sugar and then after dinner I indulge maybe in one plain biscuit, and next day I repeat the process. I think I must be mad because I know what I should do and must do if I want to lose those 20lbs and be slim again. Today is the first day of the rest of my life and I am determined that by Christmas those 20 will be gone. I will reread your post every morning . 😊2
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#22 is a deeper thought that it may come off as, and people would do well to really consider it.
22. Will power is not a thing. Lack of will power is not why I failed at low fat calorie controlled diets for 20 years. And will power is not why I have not failed at Keto/Low carb. Control over my hunger (from low carb) is the only reason I have been successful.
I'd add this from my own experience: will power is temporary. And if you're stubborn and can dig in, you can get it to last longer. But there is a price to that. You'll find that you're resentful of your "diet" and less inclined to see your path as anything beyond that. I lost 70 lbs doing CICO and was successful. But the beginning months were hell- will power sent me to bed every night hungry. Will power made me work out hard for an hour just so I could have a small snickers bar. Will power made me cranky. Will power didn't stop me from thinking about food all day. Will power made me mad that I had to go without. It was at least 6 months before either my hunger levels adjusted and I felt comfortable on less. Its no wonder people quit as soon as they start.
Now that I'm trying a low carb approach, its one of the biggest changes I noticed. I am not ignoring or powering through hunger. I am instead working to not actually be hungry. Satiety is key to short and long term success.5 -
I just found all this tonight great read. It's hard but so worth it in the long run. I did 8 days with no bread no whites.
today got me I made westerns for my men and it was stronger than me. I had 1/2 a sand. But that won't get me to stop. This time was 8 days. So start over tomorrow and try and see how many days I can get.
Good luck to all this is a tough road. Let's try and pave it.6 -
OP here
It's now been 5 and a half years and 110lbs lost. Still eating Keto 99% of the time, although I take a break from tracking here and there, and keep an eye on my weight. If I gain a little I make myself track again.
I just wanted to expand on (9.) Go easy on the saturated fat. After 4 years of bacon and butter my cholesterol has gone from normal to through the roof. I can't help but regret my decision to have a BPC every morning. I'm doing much better without it and getting fats from fish, avocado and olive oil.
My cholesterol did go up each year on Keto, from normal when I started. A lot of people around the keto traps say "cook everything in butter, eat all the fatty meat" and for a lot of people that's probably fine. But there are a fair number of people who will experience high cholesterol if they eat this way. Dietdoctor has a good article on it. My doctor threatened me with statins in the end and I begged him to give me 6 months to bring it down. I did manage to do so, but I have cut out a lot of saturated fat (meat, butter etc). I do have heavy cream in my coffee, but I'm no longer doing bullet proof coffee which is basically about 300 calories of pure fat. Yes, it does stave off hunger until lunch time, but I don't think it's necessarily a good practice.
I think a lot of people who are particularly newer to keto latch onto the "high fat" part of keto and think that means they can eat a fatty diet. What the "high fat" bit actually means is that you can eat a bit more fat to stop you getting hungry, but also part of that "high fat" should come from your body stores. That's how you lose weight. Be mindful, eat sensibly, and choose healthy whole foods. Can't go wrong.10
