Author Topic: Anyone doing the Keto diet?  (Read 3420 times)

BTDretire

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Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« on: February 12, 2020, 11:27:15 AM »
If yes, have you seen any good changes in the numbers on your blood tests?
 Good meals?
Problems?

IslandFiGirl

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2020, 02:10:51 PM »
I did it for about 6 weeks and I lost about 20 lbs pretty quickly.  I didn't have any bloodwork done during that time though.  Positive things:  No heartburn, no food cravings, never really felt "starving" Negative things:  Pooping seemed harder to do and less frequent...didn't realize how much I took this part of my body for granted until I wasn't as regular as I was used to....hey, you asked!!!!  Overall I really liked being on it because I felt like food wasn't a big deal to me anymore (I'm kind of addicted to it, especially sugar) but it can be hard to cut out so many different foods.  I keep failing at keto, but keep trying to go back to it.  Best of luck to you, if you try it, there's a great subreddit for keto if you are a reddit person.

BTDretire

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2020, 04:12:56 PM »
I did it for about 6 weeks and I lost about 20 lbs pretty quickly.  I didn't have any bloodwork done during that time though.  Positive things:  No heartburn, no food cravings, never really felt "starving" Negative things:  Pooping seemed harder to do and less frequent...didn't realize how much I took this part of my body for granted until I wasn't as regular as I was used to....hey, you asked!!!!

I didn't about that specifically, but since you mentioned it, I didn't find it harder, but yes, less frequent, I contributed that to eating less, and I did take a Metamucil once just for some bulk, but because of the sugar added, I added water and let it soak and then poured off the sugar and left the bulk, which by now had expanded and spooned it down. it worked, but, if I was going to use a psyllium husk product, I would buy just plain Psyllium husk and deal with the flavor or lack of.
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Overall I really liked being on it because I felt like food wasn't a big deal to me anymore (I'm kind of addicted to it, especially sugar) but it can be hard to cut out so many different foods.

 Yep, no hunger, I've recently started, but lost 3 lbs in the first week.

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  I keep failing at keto, but keep trying to go back to it.  Best of luck to you, if you try it, there's a great subreddit for keto if you are a reddit person.

 It's is a little difficult and as I've just started, I don't have a lot of recipes, but  for a late breakfast, I've chopped 1/2 a avocado, cooked an egg over easy in a tablespoon in butter and added a little ham or bacon cut into pieces. Mix then all together and eat with a spoon. Very filling.
Pork rinds are a good snack, and dip in sour cream, or sour cream onion soup mix. Need to get that fat.
 Iwill have blood tests in 6 weeks and I'm really curious to see how my lipids respond, already I've noted
 by BP is lower, I'm watching close because I'm on a BP med and have split my pill and taken only 1/2,
I've seen it at 108/68, so I don't need a BP pill then. Hope it continues to change, I'd like to get off it.

IslandFiGirl

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2020, 04:48:56 PM »
That's cool you're trying it out, I do love it for the most part.  Here's one of my favorite recipes.  I know it sounds weird but it is really good!

Keto Fake French Toast
8 eggs
1 block cream cheese (8 oz)
1 stick butter
Cinnamon

Soften cream cheese and butter, mix with eggs and a few sprinkles of cinnamon, pour into a greased glass baking dish, I usually use a 9x13, bake @ 350 for 40 minutes, slice it up to look like bread, put sugar free syrup on it...tastes just like french toast!

Poeirenta

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2020, 05:12:45 PM »
I wouldn't say we're doing keto (as in seeking ketosis) but we have shifted to a pretty low carb diet. I'm down about 25 lbs, my A1c is down by .7, and my Type 1 diabetic DH is down to a 6.0, which if you know anything about Type 1, is pretty damn awesome. He was initially very resistant and thought he had to have some amount of carbs with every meal. Now he finds it frustrating that if he does eat high carb stuff he has to crank up his insulin!

We have re-tooled a bunch of our favorite recipes by either replacing the carbs or just skipping them altogether. We haven't found that we miss the rice, pasta, and potatoes. We still eat some starchy vegetables and a little whole fruit if it's in season. My approach is that if I'm going to eat a carb, it's got to have a lot of fiber in it.

Luckily there are some really good keto cracker recipes out there to fill the salty/crunchy void. Fresh homemade bread is probably the number one thing we miss, but I have also developed (or just noticed) a wheat sensitivity. Corn and rice don't seem to set me off if I have a little.

We have one acquaintance with a virulent anti-keto attitude. Apparently he thinks all we eat is bacon and butter. Little does he know that our intake of veggies has actually gone up! Speaking of which, when did cauliflower get so damn expensive?!

BTDretire

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2020, 06:43:12 PM »
I wouldn't say we're doing keto (as in seeking ketosis) but we have shifted to a pretty low carb diet.

We have one acquaintance with a virulent anti-keto attitude. Apparently he thinks all we eat is bacon and butter. Little does he know that our intake of veggies has actually gone up! Speaking of which, when did cauliflower get so damn expensive?!

 Congrats on the weight loss, I'm reading that over and over, and without hunger.
BTW, Americans started putting on more weight after the government said cut out fat and eat carbs.
As far as the anti-keto attitude, I'm watching a lot of video and find the government has said the food pyramid is the way to eat and it feeds into every institutional area, schools, hospitals, military, and advertising.
 I'm convinced the government got it wrong in so many food areas. I'm the first to argue against any conspiracy, this isn't really a conspiracy, the government just took epidemiological studies and didn't use any science to back it up. Correlation does not prove Causation. One perfect correlation I saw recently was butter consumption and the divorce rate in Maine. Very close correlation, but do you think reducing your butter intake will reduce divorces?
Here's a good talk about the "Institutional Defense of the Status-Quo"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXjB-5-uzuw
 And a doctor that gives the science behind a Keto Diet, Dr. Stephen Phinney.
Here's just one video, but he as dozens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYXYfxmQV2A

Khaetra

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2020, 04:04:42 AM »
Speaking of which, when did cauliflower get so damn expensive?!

Ugh, tell me about it!  I think it's because it's the 'new kale', food-wise, but it is magical stuff :).

As far as keto, I did it for a couple months to really lower my blood sugar and A1C numbers (I was dx'd with Type 2 Diabetes), but I needed to switch to something I can actually live and thrive on and keto was not it.  I did drop those numbers but I also dropped weight which I can't afford to lose (I went from 103 to 94) and my food budget shot up big time.  I do a modified version of Mediterranean now.

The poop issue is real though (also, bad breath is another thing to watch out for).  I suffered while on it, but being able to add a few more fruits and veggies that have more fiber (carrots, apples, etc.) when switching diets has helped in that area and also my budget.

BTDretire

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2020, 12:20:09 PM »
Here's a little spiel from Dr. Phinney about salt and the poop issue.
I started the video a couple minutes before the exact moment when he points out the simple solution, because it needs a little set up.
https://youtu.be/Qk0U006YZ2w?t=997
 I recommend you watch it all, and this is part two, so you may want to find part 1 after you watch the part about salt (sodium) intake.
 I do have a cup of bouillon daily. From what he says, I make up it to 2.
 Beware if you have sodium dependent high Blood Pressure, not all high Blood Pressure is sodium dependent.

EvenSteven

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2020, 12:36:04 PM »
Quote
I saw recently was butter consumption and the divorce rate in Maine. Very close correlation, but do you think reducing your butter intake will reduce divorces?

Of course not. You have your causation backwards. Divorces cause Mainers to eat more butter.

BTDretire

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2020, 01:06:26 PM »
LOL!

Padonak

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2020, 02:08:11 PM »
I am already doing low carb, considering either keto or even carnivore diet

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2020, 04:07:31 PM »
I try to do paleo (don't 100% succeed), which is pretty similar to keto.  I was already healthy as far as blood test/bp/weight go, and that has held true.  I have, however, noticed an improvement in body composition.  I don't work out nearly as much as I should, but when I do my body responds quicker, and I lose muscle mass slower when I go through a dry (lazy) spell.

The problem is eating out.  It's easy to cook paleo, much harder to stick to it when eating out.  But that makes for good incentive to eat out less.  Not only is it hurting my budget, it's hurting my diet.

Good recipes all over the place, but here's one (if you have an instant pot):
https://flavorrd.com/2016/09/instant-pot-ropa-vieja/

and for a side these are the best green beans I've ever made:
https://icuban.com/food/frijoles_del_cordon.html

maginvizIZ

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2020, 12:10:02 PM »
This is my third attempt going keto; and I stick it's going to stick!

Jan 2017 = Lasted like 2 weeks.  The Keto flu hit me and I didn't do enough research on how to combat that
Jan 2018 = Lasted 12 weeks.  Went from 193.5 to 175.  18.5 pounds.  I was starting to incorporate 48 hour fast... 72 hour fast... Forced myself to eat an avocado every single day.  Almost no cheat days... Then I caved and binged ate carbs for the next week or two.  Ate a horrible diet for the rest of the year
Jan 2019 = Started at 187.  I'm 177 now... Have had a cheat meal or two per week (other days pretty strict.  Work trips/social events are hard).  But I'm thinking long term this diet.

Favorite meals
Chicken legs with BBQ sauce (G Hughes BBQ is 2 carbs per serving)
Crack Chicken (lots of youtube recipes, basically chicken thighs, cream cheese, and bacon)

Honorable mention:
Keto general Saos chicken.  Has more carbs, but doable if you allocate your day right. Another youtube recipe)

SugarMagnolia77

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2020, 12:30:24 PM »
We adopted keto in May 2019. My husband has lost about 60 pounds and has some to go. He was pre-diabetic and hypertensive, but that's over. He has pulled out some old, favorite shirts that he hasn't worn in years and is excited about how he feels.

I didn't really need to lose weight, but adopted the diet in solidarity (and because I do all of our cooking). I went from 144 lbs to 128 lbs in about two months. I relaxed my diet a bit and have maintained the 128 all this time.

The first two weeks were hard, but the cravings faded away after that. I remember eating my old favorite breakfast (granola, yogurt, and banana) as a treat on my birthday and it made me feel pretty bad, so whenever I'm tempted by a bagel or another carby thing, I can pass it up.

For me, an unexpected side effect was that I went from getting 2-4 migraines per month to having ONE in eight months. The first time I had a normal, non-migraine headache, I was almost giddy. I forgot what they felt like. I'm also thankful that this has changed my mindset around fat. I used to be a tad obsessive about avoiding fat, but all the reading I've done has helped me focus on good fats instead.

One detail to mention: around month four, some people experience hair loss. I started adding collagen to my morning coffee (it has no taste and doesn't change the mouth feel) and taking biotin. By month six, the hair loss went back to normal.

There are some great resources online, but I credit the CarbManager app and recipes, plus the videos/recipes from the KetoConnect couple with getting us into a good routine.

I also think I spent less money on food because it's easier to know the nutritional content of our food when I make it. I do treat myself to Starbucks, but my order is now just coffee instead of a latte and a scone or some other item from the bakery case.

joe189man

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #14 on: February 18, 2020, 04:19:54 PM »
i would not recommend it, keto is very hard to follow long term. Also for gut health its not great as you are getting no fermentable fibers which healthy gut bacteria use as fuel. its great for weight loss because you loose a lot of water. unless you have cancer or are trying an elimination diet (carnivore) under medical supervision stick to  a low complex carb diet, high in vegetables, healthy fats, and some meats but shoot for ~0.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight and adjust your other macros (carbs, fats) to fit your goals.

just try fasting instead, there are a ton of ways to try it

MountainFlower

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2020, 01:47:04 PM »
I'm a bit of a ketovangelist because I LOVE keto.  Been doing it about 80% since 2013, so I disagree with the long term diet comment.  For me, it is a way of eating. 

I love it for the way my brain feels.  So much more focus and constant energy.  Regarding fiber...just take some for the gut biome and eat plenty of vegetables. 

Also, I'm in menopause and I've not had one single hot flash.  I had heard that keto helps with those symptoms, but I'm living it.  Of course, there is no way of knowing if keto is the reason, but I like keto so I don't plan to change. 

I have found that frozen cauliflower is much cheaper and works well for cooking. 

One of my hacks is to make a giant batch of scrambled eggs with lots of grass fed butter on Sunday morning that I eat all week. 

PaulMaxime

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #16 on: February 21, 2020, 12:23:04 AM »
I've been on it since the end of June 2019.

I've lost 42lb and have about 25 to go. It's been amazing so far. During that time I've actually gained about 5lb of muscle mass.

As far as blood tests my LDL has dropped, HDL increased a little but my Triglycerides have plummeted by more than half.

Blood pressure lower.

HbA1C was around 5.6 last blood test a couple months ago 5.2. Maybe a blood test coming up soon.

I have  a family history of diabetes. My Mother, Grandmother, Aunt and Uncle on my Mom's side all had it and my poor uncle went blind and lost his foot. I don't want that same fate to happen to me.

I've yoyo dieted several times and always gained it back. This time I think I have the tools to stick with it.

My plan is to reach 15% body fat - somewhere I've never even been close to.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2020, 12:26:29 AM by PaulMaxime »

BTDretire

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #17 on: March 26, 2020, 12:06:38 PM »
I started the thread a little over 6 weeks ago, I have been on a Keto Diet a little over 7 weeks now. I got Blood test results a couple days ago and it has made a huge difference.
 I lost 11 lbs, I feel better in that I have much more energy, I'm still working at a "Well Formulated Keto Diet" I've been supplementing with a Centrum adult, Magnesium, Vitamin C, and I was taking Calcium, but stopped when my blood test was a little high. I also take a whey supplement to increase Protein and I put 2 tbls of Olive oil in my bouillon broth when I need to bump either protein or fat.

PaulMaxime

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #18 on: March 27, 2020, 01:26:22 PM »
The Triglycerides change is awesome. I've seen similar results.

Remember if you are doing this to lose weight fat intake is not a goal. You should feel free to be under your fat macro if you are not otherwise hungry. Your body has plenty of fat on it already.

Hotstreak

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Re: Anyone doing the Keto diet?
« Reply #19 on: March 27, 2020, 05:38:19 PM »
Keto works great for me, for weight loss.  I had minimal hunger, my mind was clear, and I find the diet easy to follow.  I focus on protein, and increase fat as necessary for energy.  I eat vegetables every day, but not in large quantities.  I salt my water now with a homemade mix of sodium, potassium, and magnesium, about 1tsp total per day.  I lost my lowest gear, athletically (repeat sprints or hard kettlebell swings), but I found that adding targeted carbs gives me the energy I need without putting me out of ketosis.  I will eat a small apple 20 minutes before I exercise, which increase blood sugar for a bit, but all of that glucose gets used during exercise, so I'm right back in ketosis.


As far as bowel movements go, I found that adding salt and getting enough water fixed any issues.  I have lower volume, and go less often, both of which are benefits.  One of the biggest eye openers is eating pizza or a huge salad, and seeing what that does to volume.. it's such a hassle.