Keto vegan or counting calories?

Is it true that it's all about calories?
I've done keto vegan calories and I've lost weight on all diets and now I'm looking at losing a couple of kgs is it all about eating less and moving more or is keto the best? I lost more weight on keto than any other diet but it gave me high cholesterol

Replies

  • DFW_Tom
    DFW_Tom Posts: 220 Member
    edited March 2023
    alice5642 wrote: »
    Is it true that it's all about calories?
    No, it isn't. That is why programs that are all about calorie reduction are identified by one of those four letter words that shouldn't be used in polite company. What it is all about is changing your lifestyle and forever way of eating to one that is both healthy and sustainable - forever. The calories (and weight reduction) will take care of themselves.
    alice5642 wrote: »
    I've lost weight on all diets and ....
    Please take to heart the comment by @Lietchi posted above. You appear to be setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustrating yo-yoing by looking for a temporary, magic "d%&t" program that long term, does more harm than good.

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Oh, my. Keto Vegan has GOT to be hard.

    Why even try it? I mean, fruit and vegetables are by definition - carbs.

    Just stay within a calorie goal, try to keep protein up and you'll lose weight.

    841222-144dd652b005bcda5c9ae73ab6eea039.png
  • StaciInGa
    StaciInGa Posts: 60 Member
    Calories matter for weight loss. Macros (carbs, fat, protein) matter for overall health and can impact how full/satiated you feel. Some of that is basic. Such as we should not cut out ALL fat, and protein is important for maintaining and building muscle. But the right macro balance for you (where you feel best, most energetic, most satiated) may not be the same as the right macro balance for me.

  • alice5642
    alice5642 Posts: 11 Member
    Thankyou! Yes I want to stop yo yo dieting and eat a healthy diet
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 1,071 Member
    You want to pick a way of eating that you can sustain pretty much permanently. Going on a certain "diet" then going in a different direction once you reach your goal seldom works long term .

    true.

    losing weight and going back to one's normal eating after losing the weight guarantees one will gain the weight back. learning to eat differently means a lifelong change.
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,773 Member
    edited March 2023
    Trying to loose weight with a method that RAISES a body function that can become a disease, I would say that re-evaluating is a smart idea. Your heart and long-term health should be improved with weight loss and diet. Not put you at risk in the future.
    I used to do high fat until my cardiology appointment opened my eyes to mild calcification in an artery. I was doing a low carb whole food vegan diet and thought it was a great idea. Although it is more an accumulation of a lifetime of different mechanisms, it sparked me to look more at science and longevity. Now I am vegan, and WFPB. No low carbs here. I feel much better as well.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    edited March 2023
    VegjoyP wrote: »
    Trying to loose weight with a method that RAISES a body function that can become a disease, I would say that re-evaluating is a smart idea. Your heart and long-term health should be improved with weight loss and diet. Not put you at risk in the future.
    I used to do high fat until my cardiology appointment opened my eyes to mild calcification in an artery. I was doing a low carb whole food vegan diet and thought it was a great idea. Although it is more an accumulation of a lifetime of different mechanisms, it sparked me to look more at science and longevity. Now I am vegan, and WFPB. No low carbs here. I feel much better as well.

    So, you were doing a low carb vegan diet for most of your life and your cardiologist said you had now formed calcification in your arteries and you changed that and went whole food and not low carb,.....and now your protected, somehow, from this a process that was creating a disease? Do you believe it was the vegetable oils in that high fat vegan diet or was it the lack of carbohydrates that were causing this disease you speak of? Cheers
  • LenGray
    LenGray Posts: 869 Member
    Losing weight is all about eating less and moving more. What's best from a nutrition and health standpoint is really where you get to customize your approach, but it's still less complicated than a lot of diet fads say it is. The main thing is to feel free to experiment with your carbs, fats, and protein macros and level of activity until you find a mix that makes you feel good. This goes for whatever lifestyle you prefer, whether it's vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous.
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,773 Member
    VegjoyP wrote: »
    Trying to loose weight with a method that RAISES a body function that can become a disease, I would say that re-evaluating is a smart idea. Your heart and long-term health should be improved with weight loss and diet. Not put you at risk in the future.
    I used to do high fat until my cardiology appointment opened my eyes to mild calcification in an artery. I was doing a low carb whole food vegan diet and thought it was a great idea. Although it is more an accumulation of a lifetime of different mechanisms, it sparked me to look more at science and longevity. Now I am vegan, and WFPB. No low carbs here. I feel much better as well.

    So, you were doing a low carb vegan diet for most of your life and your cardiologist said you had now formed calcification in your arteries and you changed that and went whole food and not low carb,.....and now your protected, somehow, from this a process that was creating a disease? Do you believe it was the vegetable oils in that high fat vegan diet or was it the lack of carbohydrates that were causing this disease you speak of? Cheers

    The progression of calcification is an accumulation of many variables over
    time. The heavy meat consumption for me, the yoyo diets and weight issues growing up and the excess. The vegan low carb sparked much research and from my numbers and follow up tests, after going to low fat FOR ME worked to bring down my numbers- cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. I am speaking from my experience. I feel my body does not manufacture saturated fat effectively. It runs in my family. Plus there are endless studies showing the benefits of a lower fat WFPB diet.
    There are studies and beliefs for the opposite and other diets but for me this works.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    edited March 2023
    VegjoyP wrote: »
    VegjoyP wrote: »
    Trying to loose weight with a method that RAISES a body function that can become a disease, I would say that re-evaluating is a smart idea. Your heart and long-term health should be improved with weight loss and diet. Not put you at risk in the future.
    I used to do high fat until my cardiology appointment opened my eyes to mild calcification in an artery. I was doing a low carb whole food vegan diet and thought it was a great idea. Although it is more an accumulation of a lifetime of different mechanisms, it sparked me to look more at science and longevity. Now I am vegan, and WFPB. No low carbs here. I feel much better as well.

    So, you were doing a low carb vegan diet for most of your life and your cardiologist said you had now formed calcification in your arteries and you changed that and went whole food and not low carb,.....and now your protected, somehow, from this a process that was creating a disease? Do you believe it was the vegetable oils in that high fat vegan diet or was it the lack of carbohydrates that were causing this disease you speak of? Cheers

    The progression of calcification is an accumulation of many variables over
    time. The heavy meat consumption for me, the yoyo diets and weight issues growing up and the excess. The vegan low carb sparked much research and from my numbers and follow up tests, after going to low fat FOR ME worked to bring down my numbers- cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. I am speaking from my experience. I feel my body does not manufacture saturated fat effectively. It runs in my family. Plus there are endless studies showing the benefits of a lower fat WFPB diet.
    There are studies and beliefs for the opposite and other diets but for me this works.

    I'm glad you've taken it upon yourself to improve your health. Calcification is by definition atherosclerosis which is a little more complicated than consuming meat, which by the way has little to no link of calcification. Diabetes, obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, sedentary, smoking and of course the lack of Vit D. This demographic is the one that is over 60% more likely to get atherosclerosis and there's no doubt about the effect a whole food diet would have whether it's plant or animal based, and I commend you on your whole food regime, vegan, not so much but that's your decision and I suspect that will stop for the most part any progression of calcification but keep your Vit D in
    focus, cheers.
  • ericatoday1
    ericatoday1 Posts: 53 Member
    Never ever ever ever never ever ever start a diet that is not sustainable

    Don’t be on a diet change your diet

  • alice5642
    alice5642 Posts: 11 Member
    I was low carb to then got high cholesterol. I'm going plant based again
  • coffeeandtruecrime
    coffeeandtruecrime Posts: 20 Member
    You can calorie count as a vegan :)

    I have been vegan for about 7 years now and I started my health journey at the beginning of the year. Being vegan is just my lifestyle, and calorie counting is a tool to help my health. I am more of a high carb person, and I am losing weight, not losing muscle, and I still have energy more than I have in a long time. So, I as someone who has done the fad low carb diets, and I felt sick all the time, weak all the time, no energy, and lost muscle I personally wouldn't do it again, especially now that I know more about nutrition.
  • alice5642
    alice5642 Posts: 11 Member
    That's great thankyou what an awesome answer. I'm vegan now and calorie counting I'm hoping I lose weight.