Keto or Mediterranean

Why are you considering Keto?
Why are you considering Mediterranean?

I mean there's nothing inherently special or magic about them and they're no better than the dozens of other approaches so what made you decided on these two? They're quite different approaches to eating and would have very different reasons for adopting them so the first step in deciding is to work why.

Try a month of one, then a month of the other. If they’re both appropriate for your needs, there’s no reason not to test them out.

I’m on keto because while I love carbs, I don’t miss them when they’re (almost) gone. I’m not great at moderation and don’t get especially excited about a lot of the staple foods in the Mediterranean diet, so while I’ve tried to move my eating that way in the past, it never really took off. Keto sounded like a nightmare to me, but I tried it on a lark/dare for a month, and it was exactly what I needed.

It’s stricter than my mom’s pre-Type-2 management diet, but I need strict. It allows me to control my overeating and make good choices and, paradoxically, obsess less about food. I never would’ve predicted any of that before I tried, so...try. 🙂

I'm type 2, and have been eating way closer to Mediterranean than Keto, just found out today that my A1C dropped form 7 to 6.2. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Check out https://nutritionfacts.org/2018/09/20/how-to-reverse-type-2-diabetes/
Dr. Greger is a strong advocate of going vegan. For myself, I am a flexitarian - I follow a vegetarian diet about 80% but when I feel like eating meat socially or otherwise I do, and I regularly have dairy. Regardless, there is a lot of really good information on this site - lots of 3-minute videos that take you through the literature. In particular to Type 2 diabetes there is some compelling diet-related information such as the link I provided that indicate a vegetarian-oriented diet is the way to go. If your journey was strictly about weight loss there are certainly lots of people who have had success with keto but if the underlying issue relates to T2 Diabetes then a Mediterranean diet with a lot of vegetables is preferable.

I like the (is it Michael Pollan?) "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." That's my way of eating. Of course he and I don't always agree on the details but it's a pretty good overall strategy.

Other than that I just watch protein and fat to make sure I'm getting enough. I exercise for an hour five days per week.

Easy peasy.

No labels.

rsclause wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

rsclause wrote: »

I am keto and enjoy the keto WOE but some find it restrictive. I think the Mediterranean is a little less restrictive on carbs. I would guess (key word guess) that keto may be a bit faster way to reach your goal but there is nothing wrong with either.

The Mediterranean diet isn't carbohydrate-restricted at all. It encourages the consumption of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains (along with moderate amounts of fish, dairy, and wine).

I know nothing about Mediterranean diet but would it be safe to say it is not a high carb diet?

It would be considered moderate to high carbohydrate, with estimates of 55-60% calories coming from carbohydrates. It's not at all accurate to say it's a "little less restrictive on carbs" than keto. The base of the food pyramid would be fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans (along with olive oil and nuts/seeds). It's hard to imagine a definition of "carbohydrate restricted" that would apply to this way of eating.

pspenc90 wrote: »

You can do both. I bought the book The Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet by Robert Santos-Prowse

https://www.amazon.com/Ketogenic-Mediterranean-Diet-Fresh-Delicious/dp/1612436412/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539965489&sr=8-2&keywords=ketogenic+mediterranean+diet

This may be a great way to eat, but with limitations on vegetables, grains, fruit, and beans, I don't see how it can accurately be described as "Mediterranean."

Although I'm not a fan of diets, I did follow "The Sonoma Diet" for a month and lost 38 lbs (with no exercising). I actually ate quadruple the fat that I normally ate, but it was healthier fats (EVOO, avocado). It's basically a Mediterranean diet, although I consider it more of a lifestyle change (lifelong vs temporary fix).

Like others have said, all that matters for weight loss is a calorie deficit. For health, I like the mediterranean diet's emphasis on produce.

I will start by saying that I don't have diabetes, but I was considered pre-diabetic. My blood sugar and A1C were above norm, but not in the diabetic range. My real killer was my triglycerides were at 545, blood pressure was very high, and I weighed 235 pounds as a 5'8" male. I decided I needed to lose weight and did a little research on Med Diet, Keto, Atkins, and too many others. I am still on my journey, but I am down to 182 in 145 days. My last check had my tryglicerides at 152 and my blood sugar and A1C within normal. Here is what I found worked for me. I apologize for the long list, but I think they are important.

1. Any "diet" can work if you lower your intake of calories below what you burn. Start by weighing (with a food scale), measuring (if you can't weigh) and recording everything you eat or drink. That is the whole point of myfitnesspal. If you need help with how to record things, there are great posts on the forums to teach you.
2. No "diet" will work long term if you start by deciding what you can't eat. Does anyone like to be told that they can't have something?
3. If you don't like what you are eating or drinking, you won't stick to it. That seems like torture to me. I think about the scenes on tv when the mother makes her kids eat the food they hate, just because she made it.
4. Make the food you do love fit into your caloric needs and practice moderation on the "bad" foods.
5. Try to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and nuts into your diet by experimenting to see what you enjoy. Make it a game to see how many colors of fruits and vegetables you can eat in a day and try a new vegetable each week. You might find a new favorite!
6. Try to reduce foods high in added sugars, sodium and saturated fats because they "might" be bad for you. (Everything causes cancer if you have too much of it!)
7. Move more to get your body in better cardiovascular condition to make life easier to enjoy and allow you to eat a bit more food or create a larger deficit. Find some thing that you enjoy that gets you moving, and you can fit into your schedule. I started out walking, and I am now working on running with a C210K program. Do what you like!
8. Add resistance training to strengthen muscles to make life easier to enjoy and burn more calories in a rested state so you can eat more food or create a larger deficit. Make sure it fits in your schedule. I do a bodyweight workout that takes very little equipment, and I can do it at home. I hate having to drive to the gym. I use the program at www.startbodyweight.com.
9. Don't think you will fix things over night, and your weight will fluctuate along the way. You won't lose weight every day, week or maybe even month. Just stick to it.
10. Make sure you have a solid reason for "why" you are doing this. Repeat it to yourself when needed to keep motivated.
11. Find a spouse, partner, friend, internet buddy, support group, or something to do the journey with you. It will make everything easier!
12. Try your hand at meal prepping and bring lunches to work or school. It can help make your life easier. I make my lunches for the entire work week on Sunday. I save tons of money by cooking and eating out less. If you can't cook, try the podcast series at www.stellaculinary.com. (previously www.freeculinaryschool.com)
13. Moderation is the key. If you try to change everything to an extreme, you will almost always fail or regress at some point.
14. Just start now and stop researching. Too many of us suffer from paralysis by analysis. Start by working on how much you eat and add the rest later.
15. This is a Journey. Losing the weight it only one step in the journey. If you can't keep it off, then you will have to start the journey again. That is why most diets that radically change the foods you eat will not work after the initial weight loss. Think about it this way, if you lose the weight, what will you eat when you are trying to maintain? If it is completely different foods, then you will probably end up gaining weight back. If it is the same foods at a higher caloric level, then you have just spent the weight loss journey training yourself what to eat for the weight maintenance journey.

Good luck! Hope this helps. Find what works for you!