New to keto

Options
Hi, my name is Kisa and I am just embarking on a keto diet. As you can imagine I have many questions. I have been following the instruction of doctor diet online and love the food. This diet goes against everything I have grown up believing on the proper way to eat. Lots of fruits and vegetables good healthy carbohydrates and low-fat. My goal with this diet or way of eating is to lose body fat. My concerns probably mirror what all newbies think about including where is my lipid panel going to be, what about my cholesterol, and most importantly heart issues. I'm a little nervous with those things and would like a little support and any information anyone can send my way. Thank you in advance and I look forward to joining in group discussions.

Replies

  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    edited July 2019
    Options
    I have a history of high blood pressure and a history of congestive heart failure.

    So, I researched very extensively into the effects of keto on cardio health before jumping on board.

    The biggest study I could find was a heart institute, asked 19,000 patients to go on a keto diet. 15,000 of them saw lowered cholesterol (breaking that pattern of thinking, high cholesterol foods raise cholesterol), raised HDLs, lowered LDLs, and lowered triglycerides, lowered blood pressure along with significant weight loss!

    I found several smaller studies a little more controlled, but results were always the same. 100% lowered weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

    Same with some cardiologists' published case studies.

    So, needless to say, I jumped on the keto wagon!! Love it!!!

    I was raised in a very strict low-fat eating house... It was the hardest thing to wrap my head around...eating a crap load of healthy fats and fatty meats=significant weight-loss.

    Shock!! But it's worked! Never hungry, super energetic, have dropped insane inches...

    I still eat a lot of veggies and tomatoes, count net carbs (subtract fibers), and end up under 20 net carbs daily.

    Good luck and welcome aboard!
  • mmultanen
    mmultanen Posts: 1,029 Member
    Options
    Welcome! I've been doing this for about 4 years, with tweaks and tinkering with myself as I go along. A few tips: nothing works for everyone, there's no silver bullet, what works for one person amazingly well won't work for you...murphys law. lol Find things to focus on that aren't the scale or inches! Things like how you feel after eating, energy levels, sleep, skin condition etc. Those things can help you continue on your journey!

    And last but not least use those sticky topics at the top of the welcome page for this group. There are endless amounts of useful information there. Lots of research if you want to read it, conversations and discussions with varying points of view, and ideas for what to eat just to name a few things.
  • bametels
    bametels Posts: 950 Member
    Options
    I
    The biggest study I could find was a heart institute, asked 19,000 patients to go on a keto diet. 15,000 of them saw lowered cholesterol (breaking that pattern of thinking, high cholesterol foods raise cholesterol), raised HDLs, lowered LDLs, and lowered triglycerides, lowered blood pressure along with significant weight loss!

    I lost a significant amount of weight five years ago counting calories, but was still hovering just above a normal BMI and I was hungry all the time. I've been eating Keto for a couple of years now and not only has the hunger subsided, but I was able to lose those hard to lose pounds bringing my weight down well into a healthy BMI. Plus, my total cholesterol went down, LDL went down, triglycerides dropped significantly, and my FBS and A1c levels, which were creeping up to high normal/borderline, dropped. Plus, my HDL, which was chronically low, went up significantly. So my n=1 experience supports what was found in this study and more! I wish I had found this way of eating years ago!!

    Best wishes to both of you as you continue your journeys to improve your health!
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    Options
    bametels wrote: »
    I
    The biggest study I could find was a heart institute, asked 19,000 patients to go on a keto diet. 15,000 of them saw lowered cholesterol (breaking that pattern of thinking, high cholesterol foods raise cholesterol), raised HDLs, lowered LDLs, and lowered triglycerides, lowered blood pressure along with significant weight loss!

    I lost a significant amount of weight five years ago counting calories, but was still hovering just above a normal BMI and I was hungry all the time. I've been eating Keto for a couple of years now and not only has the hunger subsided, but I was able to lose those hard to lose pounds bringing my weight down well into a healthy BMI. Plus, my total cholesterol went down, LDL went down, triglycerides dropped significantly, and my FBS and A1c levels, which were creeping up to high normal/borderline, dropped. Plus, my HDL, which was chronically low, went up significantly. So my n=1 experience supports what was found in this study and more! I wish I had found this way of eating years ago!!

    Best wishes to both of you as you continue your journeys to improve your health!

    Me too, I'm constantly saying I wish I'd researched into keto years ago. But I was the type who heard the word diet at the end, hearing people say they were on the Keto diet... And thought, oh god, not ANOTHER fad diet, lol!!!

  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    Options
    One of the most interesting studies I read was testing genders. I'm going to try and remember the details as well as I can. Subjects were 50 females and 49 males all starting weight 230 lbs and all the same height 5'8", they had them in a very controlled study eating 15 net carbs a day, no exercise, at the first check in, all had sightly raised cholesterol levels. But by the second check in, all had lowered cholesterol and blood pressure. By the end of the 24 week study...100% had lost at least 30 lbs, lowered blood pressure, and lowered cholesterol. I thought this one interesting, because it didn't matter what gender, they all lost the same and had same health effects.
  • Emmapatterson1729
    Emmapatterson1729 Posts: 1,296 Member
    Options
    @Dragonwolf

    Wow, I had no idea all of this was here!!! I kept seeing people talking about stickies and just thought it was like forum guidelines or an article or two posted on a specific topic.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,160 Member
    Options
    My Keto start date was Oct 2014 at the age of 63 after losing a lot of mobility. I still eat Low Carb High Fat today because it is still working to give me better health and lab reports.

    The first year was wild because of info overload. I learned just keep the daily carbs at or below 50 grams a day and the other stuff will fall into place. I did it for pain management but after a year I was down 50 pounds and have maintained that for the past 4 years never going hungry.

    Best of success in finding your own Way Of Eating.