Keto or no keto that is the question

jenniferlar
jenniferlar Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
Keto or no? What’s your take on it ? Have you lost without low carb ? Summer time is approaching and pasta and potatoes salads are going to be on the menu.

Replies

  • nmgu
    nmgu Posts: 31 Member
    My dr put me on it and it’s fine. It’s not a magic weight loss pill, you still need a caloric deficit. Not everyone likes it and not everyone’s body reacts well to it.
  • jenniferlar
    jenniferlar Posts: 2 Member
    I tried it. Never lost weight but inches. So I gave up.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    I've lost 33 pounds without keto. It may work well for some as an appetite control method, but for me there are plenty of foods that have carbs and keep me full, while I can overeat on a lot of meats.

    Weight loss is all about calories in vs calories out.
  • dmcnur
    dmcnur Posts: 157 Member
    It worked and still works for me. I lost 78 pounds and a whole lot of health issues. I have been keto since November 2017. I no longer crave carbs and sugar and can happily watch my family tucking into pizza and pasta without wanting to join them. However it is not for everyone as it needs a whole mind set change from 'diet' to 'lifestyle change'. The transition to being a fat burner can be uncomfortable to say the least and it is this that often makes people give it up. If you can get past the first few weeks the discomforts ease off. There are also a lot of snake oil salesmen who have jumped on the keto bandwagon as they see its increase in popularity as an opportunity to sell expensive supplements that are simply not needed. If you decide this way of eating is for you keep it simple and learn to read product labels as sugar is hidden in so many packaged products.
  • Bodyopus
    Bodyopus Posts: 25 Member
    Try it for a week and see if you like it. Any diet that creates a caloric deficit will cause weight loss. Personally I love the keto diet and have had great results. 34 lbs in 6 months.
  • texasredreb
    texasredreb Posts: 541 Member
    I'm down nearly 30lbs from my start date of March 11th without keto. YMMV.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    118 pounds five years ago. Paid no attention to carb intake.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited June 2019
    I lost weight without watching carbs (as in, i didn't keep them low or pay much attention to carbs in any way).
    jenniferlar wrote: »
    I tried it. Never lost weight but inches. So I gave up.

    weight loss is about taking in fewer calories than your body uses daily over time. it doesn't matter WHAT you eat. it matters that you remain in a calorie deficit.

    keto works for some who find fats filling. some find them so filling they naturally eat at a calorie deficit for a period of time WITHOUT having to count calories. But i'd guess those are rare. People also gain and maintain on keto it isn't magic. most who successfully lose on keto still count calories to ensure they remain in a calorie deficit.



  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    I am 74 and lost 50+ pounds in 5 1/2 months eating a pretty balanced diet. On average I ate around 100-125 g of protein. 60 g of fat, and 150-175 g of carbs daily.

    When I started this I really made eating in a way that I could sustain forever. I like fruit (a lot) and occasional potatoes, pasta, and bread too much to give up. While keto is clearly effective I knew that I could not sustain it.

    Now on maintenance (for 4+moths) I eat pretty much the same. Most of my additional calories are from carbs.
  • Danp
    Danp Posts: 1,561 Member
    topster79 wrote: »
    Try it for a week and see if you like it. Any diet that creates a caloric deficit will cause weight loss. Personally I love the keto diet and have had great results. 34 lbs in 6 months.

    I agree with this sentiment but not the time frame. Anything to do with weight loss should probably be tried and tested for at least 3-4 weeks to give it time to work and for actual results to be evident. Some changes will result in an initial 'woosh' and others take some time to show their effectiveness so a week can give a false impression.

    This is of course provided we're not talking about severe reactions. If you eat a particular way and absolutely HATE it then persisting is pointless and likewise if you have a really poor physical reaction (feeling sick, tired, etc) then stop right away.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    topster79 wrote: »
    Try it for a week and see if you like it. Any diet that creates a caloric deficit will cause weight loss. Personally I love the keto diet and have had great results. 34 lbs in 6 months.

    Considering a fair amount of people get sick with the Keto flu when starting it, I wouldn't just recommend someone try it just to see unless they think they would be a good candidate for long term success.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    I'm vegetarian, so a huge part of my diet is carbs. I've lost 40 lbs so far this way. There's no way I'm ever going to do keto. It sounds like a miserable way to live (I love bread too much).
  • sammidelvecchio
    sammidelvecchio Posts: 791 Member
    I have a friend who loves keto, she has been doing it for years and she does it correctly. She is a distance runner, so it's pretty important for her to do it the right way. I've heard stories of a lot of people not really knowing what they're getting themselves into, and think a low carb diet is keto, or don't understand the amounts of other macros you need to balance the removal of most carbs from your diet, or just flat out don't research enough. I think it's really important for people to do adequate research before changing to any WOE.

    I tried to ease into keto by starting with carb cycling and I just absolutely hated it. I have settled into a macro balance that helps me achieve my weight loss goals, and it is fairly low carb, but if I went any lower than what I do now (80-90g net carbs/day) I don't think I'd like it.

    One last thing to note, is that there are a ton of more options to flirt around with when finding a WOE that helps you meet your goals. What works for you might not even have a name to put to it. I encourage everyone to think outside the diet-label box and just find something that makes them feel good while meeting their goals, and hopefully keeps them healthy too!
  • DanyellMcGinnis
    DanyellMcGinnis Posts: 315 Member
    I lost 45 pounds a few years back eating like 200g of carbs per day, though I wasn't tracking macros so that's just an estimate. (Gained some back due to abdominal surgery and multiple weeks unable to exercise so if you click my profile the number is <45 but I am still a size 4 and I am good with that.) Anyway, I could never do keto as I am a vegetarian and eating a lot of fat makes me feel sick to my stomach.

    On a related note, I read this about keto the other day:

    https://www.popsci.com/not-in-ketosis
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,162 Member
    I've never tried it, and I wouldn't do it unless I had a medical reason to limit carbs. I lost ~80 pounds and have been in maintenance for over a year and I never paid any attention to carbs at all. I'm sure keto works for some people, but it sounds miserable to me.
  • courtneyallisonatx
    courtneyallisonatx Posts: 133 Member
    I've been on Keto since last year and I am down 70lbs, I started at 370 and I have PCOS, so it was recommended to me by a Doctor. I do not lose with a typical CICO diet that contains carbs.
    I love Keto and don't see myself getting off of it anytime soon. Just do research, I did weeks of it before starting and still do.
  • Florida_Superstar
    Florida_Superstar Posts: 194 Member
    edited June 2019
    My boss lost weight on keto. I lost weight with lots of carbs. We both had a calorie deficit. I opt not to eat candy, desserts, etc. because I tend to lose control with those, but I eat around 200 grams of carbs every day via fruit, oats, vegetables, etc. I've maintained my loss and even improved body composition doing that. Keto wouldn't work for me because fat doesn't seem to keep me full. Try different options and see what makes *you* feel the best.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,203 Member
    For someone who finds fats especially filling, or finds carbs unhelpfully increase appetite, and who can imagine being happy on a very low carb diet long term, keto can be a fine, helpful thing.

    I don't have any of those characteristics, so preferred losing on a standard nutritionally balanced way of eating, relying on foods I personally enjoy and find satiating.

    I used this plan to lose around 50 pounds in less than a year, and usually ate around 150g carbs daily while doing so:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10636388/free-customized-personal-weight-loss-eating-plan-not-spam-or-mlm
  • Partagus7
    Partagus7 Posts: 2 Member
    edited June 2019
    I agree that is is certainly no 'magic pill'. I lost about 10 lbs very quickly and was extremely excited. But apparently most of that was water as it also came back very quickly without an increase in caloric intake. Since then I've added IF (intermittent fasting) to my regiment which seems to be working.
    IF and Keto are a great combo due to the Keto diet making it easier for me to go longer periods without eating; you don't get the hunger pains. I find myself now wanting to break a fast not so much from hunger but more of a psychological need. Also, from what I have read, IF and OMAD(one meal a day) Keto diets preserve more muscle as you lose weight, compared to other plans.
  • Twiley510
    Twiley510 Posts: 377 Member
    My doctor "prescribed" keto for me on October 1, 2018 due to Hashimoto's, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and Epstein Barr. Those are 3 autoimmune disorders for which no cure or treatment are available.

    Since October 1, I have lost 66 lbs, reduced my waist circumference by 9 inches and my hips by 11 inches. My cholesterol has dropped 100 points and my cholesterol ratio has dropped 1.4. My liver enzymes have gone from indicating fatty liver disease to perfectly normal. All other hormones are now perfectly normal. My Hashimoto's is in remission.

    Keto has been the easiest way of eating I have ever done. And I have done them all. It works because I choose to make it work. If you choose to try, keep it simple. Don't worry about finding substitutes for your favorite carb foods. Just eat meat and green leafy vegetables along with healthy fats and see what happens.
  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    edited June 2019
    If you are going to try "keto", which is usually the modified Atkins diet (MAD) version of the ketogenic diet being sold as "keto" vs. the 4:1 (or even 3:1) fat:protein ratio and carefully calorie controlled actual ketogenic diet, mind as well just try the 2003 version of Atkins as laid out in the published book before Dr. Atkins died. If you don't alter ("tweak") the Atkins diet from as it is laid out in the book, it does work as well as any other weight loss plan that acknowledges at some point calories do matter as opposed to those who want to sell you the flawed carb-insulin model where they don't since it is a far, far more appealing fairy tale to believe (calories don't matter! I can eat what, and as much as, I want as long as there's no carbs! yeah, no...). At least Atkins 2003 book has a built in "exit plan" as far as learning the tools that might lead to long term sustainability for a person once the weight is shed that the current "keto" (MAD) diet does not offer those who jump on that wagon.
  • InsanityFan1
    InsanityFan1 Posts: 50 Member
    I've lost near 30, I still eat what I like, Pizzas, burgers, etc.I just don't have the amount I used too and frequency. I also get a good 30-70 minutes of workout in 4-6 days a week. I just personally don't like following something that says what I can and cant have.....Moderation works for me.
  • amayk
    amayk Posts: 42 Member
    Lost 80 pounds with carbs, lost 140 without carbs. Have been eating keto/lowcarb for 9 years, and will stick to it. Fast carbs makes me crave more carbs and I do alot better when I don't have to fight that craving all the time. Lowcarb makes me feel not hungry, and therefor I eat less.
  • Twiley510
    Twiley510 Posts: 377 Member
    grinning_chick wrote: »
    If you are going to try "keto", which is usually the modified Atkins diet (MAD) version of the ketogenic diet being sold as "keto" vs. the 4:1 (or even 3:1) fat:protein ratio and carefully calorie controlled actual ketogenic diet, mind as well just try the 2003 version of Atkins as laid out in the published book before Dr. Atkins died. If you don't alter ("tweak") the Atkins diet from as it is laid out in the book, it does work as well as any other weight loss plan that acknowledges at some point calories do matter as opposed to those who want to sell you the flawed carb-insulin model where they don't since it is a far, far more appealing fairy tale to believe (calories don't matter! I can eat what, and as much as, I want as long as there's no carbs! yeah, no...). At least Atkins 2003 book has a built in "exit plan" as far as learning the tools that might lead to long term sustainability for a person once the weight is shed that the current "keto" (MAD) diet does not offer those who jump on that wagon.

    Not really sure what "keto" plan you are referring to. My ratio fat:protein is 3:1=75% fat, 25% protein, 5% carb. My macro values in grams are adjusted every 10-15 lbs of fat loss. My calories are restricted within those macros and I maintain a marginal deficit for gradual weight loss. All grains and sugars (with the exception of the occasional berry) are off-limits forever.

    This plan works as long as you work the plan. My understanding is that keto is forever. There should not be an "exit" plan. With this Way of Eating (WoE), the body will level to its natural state and achieve homeostasis as long as there is no deviation from the WoE.
  • Bodyopus
    Bodyopus Posts: 25 Member
    @Danp Agreed. 3 - 4 weeks is a much better time frame to try out the diet but I always assume most ppl are as impatient as I am.
    @MikePTY Only comment I would make is that a person won’t know if they are a good candidate for long term success unless they it. Before I started keto I thought I would hate it and fail miserably. The opposite turned out to be true.
    Ultimately to each his own. There are many effective ways to lose weight. To me, the most important two factors are can you stick to it and does it get the results you want? If both are yes, you’re set.

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