Who's on the keto diet?

[PoopandBoogers]

I will add it became hard to avoid fruits, beer, and pasta. I was doing it in the winter and it was killing me not to eat oranges, tangelos, etc. I just love fruit and beer too much, but was cool to try out. There's a bunch of awesome recipes out there. I recall a zuchini lasagna recipe that was a hearty substitute. You can eat veggies, but they are mostly peppers, spinach, zucchini, low gi types. I ate the helloutta some pickles. There's even a decent low carb ice cream. But staying away from beer, beans, watermelon, bananas, peaches, fried chicken, sweet corn, pizza, potatoes just plain sucked.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

I will add it became hard to avoid fruits, beer, and pasta. I was doing it in the winter and it was killing me not to eat oranges, tangelos, etc. I just love fruit and beer too much, but was cool to try out. There's a bunch of awesome recipes out there. I recall a zuchini lasagna recipe that was a hearty substitute. You can eat veggies, but they are mostly peppers, spinach, zucchini, low gi types. I ate the helloutta some pickles. There's even a decent low carb ice cream. But staying away from beer, beans, watermelon, bananas, peaches, fried chicken, sweet corn, pizza, potatoes just plain sucked.

Wait? No fried chicken? I may have been doing this wrong.

 

[cmanole]

I will add it became hard to avoid fruits, beer, and pasta. I was doing it in the winter and it was killing me not to eat oranges, tangelos, etc. I just love fruit and beer too much, but was cool to try out. There's a bunch of awesome recipes out there. I recall a zuchini lasagna recipe that was a hearty substitute. You can eat veggies, but they are mostly peppers, spinach, zucchini, low gi types. I ate the helloutta some pickles. There's even a decent low carb ice cream. But staying away from beer, beans, watermelon, bananas, peaches, fried chicken, sweet corn, pizza, potatoes just plain sucked.

Drink whiskey and diet for a few months brother. You'll live...

 

[MIKE_G]

It's been touched on before, but I think it's significant to point out the reason high protein (with an emphasis on healthy fats)/low carb diets are effective has more to do with the impact on controlling appetite and cravings. Protein/fat satiates and keeps you full without triggering sugar cravings. Eating a bowl of oats or some other grain, even if it's unsweetened, would fill me up for an hour or two at most, but then I'd start getting carb cravings as the my sugar levels depleted. Eating eggs and bacon or a full-fat yogurt w/raw pecans or other raw nuts or seeds, keeps me full most of the day, eliminating the snack cravings that I'd have on a carb-heavy diet. I lost a lot of weight a few years back on the Wheat Belly diet, but I slid back into bad habits a year or so ago and put weight back on. It's crazy how your tastes change when your diet does.

 

[Flie]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed. I can't recall seeing it. I've never been on any sort of diet before. However, now at 42, eating leftover chicken nuggets and half yogurts left about I've found myself getting a little tubbier than I'd want to be. My buddy told me about it and I bought a book. It's really not that bad. You're supposed to keep it less than 20g of carbs a day, and honestly I haven't found that too difficult. There are things I miss but not, out of this world.

Are any of you guys on it? Got any interesting side dish recipes?

I've never been a big breakfast guy (at least during the week) I do a couple of eggs, some tomatoes or mushrooms and maybe a meat. I've always been a black coffee guy, so that's easy. I never really drank soda except as a mixer, so that isn't hard to give up. Lunch has been easy, meat and cheese, a salad or veggie. Snacks are good, nuts and cheeses, raw veggies.

Dinner has gotten a little boring though. Meat and veggies, any cool interesting sides would be appreciated.

Also, what do you eat when you're out? I've packed a bunch of snacks and mostly just ordered salads with a protein at restaurants when I'm on a work trip, but I'd never go to a restaurant and pay for that on purpose.

Also, any interesting snacks?

I weighed myself on day one, and will do it again day 31. We will see how it goes.

I've done Keto (aka atkins) several times. Keto is just another spin on the atkins diet. Same basic principal with the key component being that you eat no more than 18-20 grams of carbs per day. You can eventually work up to maybe 25-30 grams. If you do it correctly you will burn fat like crazy with no working out required. You also don't need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight this way. I lost 50+ pounds in a few months (about 15 pounds in first two weeks) eating all kinds of high calorie/high fat foods with no limit as long as you stick to low carb.

It will make you feel really good about yourself as long as you continue to eat that way, which I have yet to see anybody pull off long term. The longest I lasted was one year and I dropped down to my high school weight during that period. I then thought "I'll just switch to low fat/low calorie and working out" and after a year or two, most of the weight came back. Every person I know who has done atkins/keto goes through the same cycle. They suddenly look thinner than they've ever looked, they stay that way for 6-12 months and then after another year or two they are back to the old weight or even bigger than before.

The issue with the "keto" diet is you eventually end up craving carbs more than you ever have before. At first you feel good and think that going low carb was the best idea you ever had. Carbs will taste weird to you for a while after you start so it's easy to stay off of them. Your head feels more clear, you feel more energetic but eventually the carb cravings kick in, GI problems often start or get worse, and you eventually start having "cheat" days or weekends where you binge on carbs. The cheat days become more frequent and then you just give up the low carb thing.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

I've done Keto (aka atkins) several times. Keto is just another spin on the atkins diet. Same basic principal with the key component being that you eat no more than 18-20 grams of carbs per day. You can eventually work up to maybe 25-30 grams. If you do it correctly you will burn fat like crazy with no working out required. You also don't need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight this way. I lost 50+ pounds in a few months (about 15 pounds in first two weeks) eating all kinds of high calorie/high fat foods with no limit as long as you stick to low carb.

It will make you feel really good about yourself as long as you continue to eat that way, which I have yet to see anybody pull off long term. The longest I lasted was one year and I dropped down to my high school weight during that period. I then thought "I'll just switch to low fat/low calorie and working out" and after a year or two, most of the weight came back. Every person I know who has done atkins/keto goes through the same cycle. They suddenly look thinner than they've ever looked, they stay that way for 6-12 months and then after another year or two they are back to the old weight or even bigger than before.

The issue with the "keto" diet is you eventually end up craving carbs more than you ever have before. At first you feel good and think that going low carb was the best idea you ever had. Carbs will taste weird to you for a while after you start so it's easy to stay off of them. Your head feels more clear, you feel more energetic but eventually the carb cravings kick in, GI problems often start or get worse, and you eventually start having "cheat" days or weekends where you binge on carbs. The cheat days become more frequent and then you just give up the low carb thing.

Sounds pretty normal, keto is definitely not for the faint of heart. Its certainly more demanding than Atkins.

The hard part with keto is going low protein and high fat because there's just not a ton of options. Atkins is pretty easy by comparison.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I've done Keto (aka atkins) several times. Keto is just another spin on the atkins diet. Same basic principal with the key component being that you eat no more than 18-20 grams of carbs per day. You can eventually work up to maybe 25-30 grams. If you do it correctly you will burn fat like crazy with no working out required. You also don't need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight this way. I lost 50+ pounds in a few months (about 15 pounds in first two weeks) eating all kinds of high calorie/high fat foods with no limit as long as you stick to low carb.

It will make you feel really good about yourself as long as you continue to eat that way, which I have yet to see anybody pull off long term. The longest I lasted was one year and I dropped down to my high school weight during that period. I then thought "I'll just switch to low fat/low calorie and working out" and after a year or two, most of the weight came back. Every person I know who has done atkins/keto goes through the same cycle. They suddenly look thinner than they've ever looked, they stay that way for 6-12 months and then after another year or two they are back to the old weight or even bigger than before.

The issue with the "keto" diet is you eventually end up craving carbs more than you ever have before. At first you feel good and think that going low carb was the best idea you ever had. Carbs will taste weird to you for a while after you start so it's easy to stay off of them. Your head feels more clear, you feel more energetic but eventually the carb cravings kick in, GI problems often start or get worse, and you eventually start having "cheat" days or weekends where you binge on carbs. The cheat days become more frequent and then you just give up the low carb thing.

In other words, embrace the Dad bod!

 

[DFSNOLE]

In other words, embrace the Dad bod!

You just have to open your arms a little wider.

 

[Nole Lou]

I've done Keto (aka atkins) several times. Keto is just another spin on the atkins diet. Same basic principal with the key component being that you eat no more than 18-20 grams of carbs per day. You can eventually work up to maybe 25-30 grams. If you do it correctly you will burn fat like crazy with no working out required. You also don't need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight this way. I lost 50+ pounds in a few months (about 15 pounds in first two weeks) eating all kinds of high calorie/high fat foods with no limit as long as you stick to low carb.

It will make you feel really good about yourself as long as you continue to eat that way, which I have yet to see anybody pull off long term. The longest I lasted was one year and I dropped down to my high school weight during that period. I then thought "I'll just switch to low fat/low calorie and working out" and after a year or two, most of the weight came back. Every person I know who has done atkins/keto goes through the same cycle. They suddenly look thinner than they've ever looked, they stay that way for 6-12 months and then after another year or two they are back to the old weight or even bigger than before.

The issue with the "keto" diet is you eventually end up craving carbs more than you ever have before. At first you feel good and think that going low carb was the best idea you ever had. Carbs will taste weird to you for a while after you start so it's easy to stay off of them. Your head feels more clear, you feel more energetic but eventually the carb cravings kick in, GI problems often start or get worse, and you eventually start having "cheat" days or weekends where you binge on carbs. The cheat days become more frequent and then you just give up the low carb thing.

Yep, this describes me.

I'm no scientist, but I'm fairly convinced that such drastic weight loss messes with your metabolism. I don't think your body reacts like "wow, I'm finally healthy, let's keep this up!". I think it reacts like "what the hell's happening, let's get this back up." When you go off even by a little, the weight gain is dramatic...much greater than the first time around putting it on over years. And I don't think that's low-carb specific.

One thing that is low-carb specific I think is what you mentioned...when you start introducing carbs back, the craving is way stronger than it was before you cut them back, in my experience. Even when I was a fat younger person, I never felt like I had to eat ice cream every day like I did after going off Atkins.

Going back into it, I'm accepting that I don't think there really is a third phase that the Atkins calls "maintenance". If I remember the book correctly, they talked about getting to the point where you could maintain at 50-60 carbs a day or something.

I don't think that's possible, at least for me. I think it's a "for life" thing. I don't know that I'll have to stay <10/day permanently, but if there is some sort of maintain phase it's going to be at the 15-20 range or something staying at the edge of ketosis forever. There's never going to be a situation where I can down a baked potato or some fries on the semi-regular. The metabolic, appetite, and craving effects are just too strong.

 

[Nole Daddy]

I've done Keto (aka atkins) several times. Keto is just another spin on the atkins diet. Same basic principal with the key component being that you eat no more than 18-20 grams of carbs per day. You can eventually work up to maybe 25-30 grams. If you do it correctly you will burn fat like crazy with no working out required. You also don't need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight this way. I lost 50+ pounds in a few months (about 15 pounds in first two weeks) eating all kinds of high calorie/high fat foods with no limit as long as you stick to low carb.

It will make you feel really good about yourself as long as you continue to eat that way, which I have yet to see anybody pull off long term. The longest I lasted was one year and I dropped down to my high school weight during that period. I then thought "I'll just switch to low fat/low calorie and working out" and after a year or two, most of the weight came back. Every person I know who has done atkins/keto goes through the same cycle. They suddenly look thinner than they've ever looked, they stay that way for 6-12 months and then after another year or two they are back to the old weight or even bigger than before.

The issue with the "keto" diet is you eventually end up craving carbs more than you ever have before. At first you feel good and think that going low carb was the best idea you ever had. Carbs will taste weird to you for a while after you start so it's easy to stay off of them. Your head feels more clear, you feel more energetic but eventually the carb cravings kick in, GI problems often start or get worse, and you eventually start having "cheat" days or weekends where you binge on carbs. The cheat days become more frequent and then you just give up the low carb thing.

That could go for anybody who loses a bunch of weight and then goes back to really bad habits. Say you did one of these things like Keto or Atkins and lost the weight, but then added some carbs back and cheat days. If a person is still living a healthy lifestyle with how they eat and exercise then they won’t get back up. You can cheat but just not all the time. The problem is people lose the weight and then go right back to what they were doing before. Eating like crap and not exercising. That will get a person every time no matter what you are doing

 

[Flie]

That could go for anybody who loses a bunch of weight and then goes back to really bad habits. Say you did one of these things like Keto or Atkins and lost the weight, but then added some carbs back and cheat days. If a person is still living a healthy lifestyle with how they eat and exercise then they won’t get back up. You can cheat but just not all the time. The problem is people lose the weight and then go right back to what they were doing before. Eating like crap and not exercising. That will get a person every time no matter what you are doing

Working out and eating right seems to have better long term results than low carb. That's just my experience and what I have observed with friends and coworkers. Working out and eating a healthy diet is more difficult at first and doesn't work as quickly as low carb but seems to be easier to maintain once you start down that path. With low carb you don't need to work out at all or have good eating habits. You can eat huge amounts of pork rinds, cheese, eggs, bacon, steaks, salads covered with blue cheese dressing etc... every day and lose weight like crazy as long as you keep the carbs low.

 

[FSUTD1]

That could go for anybody who looses a bunch of weight and then goes back to really bad habits. Say you did one of these things like Keto or Atkins and lost the weight, but then added some carbs back and cheat days. If a person is still living a healthy lifestyle with how they eat and exercise then they won’t get back up. You can cheat but just not all the time. The problem is people lose the weight and then go right back to what they were doing before. Eating like crap and not exercising. That will get a person every time no matter what you are doing

Completely agree. I've listened to several arguments from people that it's not a sustainable lifestyle. I think that is 100% not true. I think the one factor that makes Keto different (I've tried many diets) is that it's completely stopped me from having crashes and cravings. I went from someone who couldn't go a couple of hours without food to being able to last 5 days on water and Himalayan sea salt only. When I do eat something that is not good, my body lets me know immediately. It has broken a chain that lets me know that food no longer controls me. When your brain starts using Ketones, it's another level that most people will never feel even if they are doing Keto. I only achieved that feeling through an extended fast. I can only imagine it feels like being on some type of ADD medication which I have never taken.

If I eat too much or over indulge one day, because I'm fat adapted and able to go longer periods of time without food, I may just fast a little longer the next. Very flexible to me.

 

[NoleMoreTears]

Yep, this describes me.

I'm no scientist, but I'm fairly convinced that such drastic weight loss messes with your metabolism. I don't think your body reacts like "wow, I'm finally healthy, let's keep this up!". I think it reacts like "what the hell's happening, let's get this back up." When you go off even by a little, the weight gain is dramatic...much greater than the first time around putting it on over years. And I don't think that's low-carb specific.

It can go either way, to be honest. Sometimes rapid weight loss really does boost just about everything to the positive. That is more often the case with childhood obesity.

 

[LesClaypool]

Serious question which probably confirms that I'm an alcoholic, but what do you guys who are on this diet, drink? And how much can you drink?

 

[Fijimn]

Serious question which probably confirms that I'm an alcoholic, but what do you guys who are on this diet, drink? And how much can you drink?

Vodka or other clear clear spirits that have net zero carbs. But i wouldn't drink. There is a serious risk of getting gout if you drink on keto because of the build-up of uric acid and the dehydration caused by the drinking. And drinking leads to bad decision--just the bad decisions at our age are eating carbs, they are no longer going home with the unattractive person at closing time.

 

[FSUTD1]

What fiji said. I used to drink Captain Morgan and diet coke like it was my job. I hardly drink anymore except for some wine, Corona Premier, or vodka/soda. I find that it knocks me out of Ketosis and I have to work harder to get back in. Not really worth it and I feel like crap.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

Drink whiskey and diet for a few months brother. You'll live...

I've been doing several things and am down about 22 lbs.

1) I go as far into the day as I can before my first meal.
2) I exercise / lift and stairstepper 4 days a week.
3) I drink whiskey every night.
Working great.

 

[BloodyNoseJose]

It's extremely hard to get into ketosis. You can eat/metabolize only fat. If you eat any protein the amino acids will be broken down to make glucose, preventing ketosis. The "keto diets" like most diets, work because of calorie restriction not because of ketosis. And if you feel different it's due to psychological factors or some other process besides ketosis.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

It's extremely hard to get into ketosis. You can eat/metabolize only fat. If you eat any protein the amino acids will be broken down to make glucose, preventing ketosis. The "keto diets" like most diets, work because of calorie restriction not because of ketosis. And if you feel different it's due to psychological factors or some other process besides ketosis.

I keep repeating the mantra to myself throughout the day, "get hungry, stay hungry" -and then I go to the gym and lift Hard for like 20 minutes. The elliptical machine is great. I go 2-3 minutes super slow...just get loose and then try to keep heart rate about 155-165 for 20 minutes.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

I keep repeating the mantra to myself throughout the day, "get hungry, stay hungry" -and then I go to the gym and lift Hard for like 20 minutes. The elliptical machine is great. I go 2-3 minutes super slow...just get loose and then try to keep heart rate about 155-165 for 20 minutes.

 

[TarponSpringsNole]

I’m not sure if I mentioned this, but if I have an obese client, I’ll initially put them on keto for a 4 week cycle or so.

When you remove carbs, the first few weeks you’re basically losing 90% water, but it gives a person who’s dealing with inner demons confidence that they CAN lose weight.

Then I’ll put them on a linear diet, and teach them how to track their macros for long term success.
I follow IIFYM because it makes the most sense to me. I don’t bastardize the process like many do, but this way my clients can see what a 4 oz (~25g protein) portion looks like.

In addition , I eat for taste as well. I want to eat those foods I enjoy, and I just make sure they sensibly fit in my macros. It’s extemely flexible.

 

[goldmom]

Since January of 2017 I've lost 23 pounds just cutting back on total calorie intake and focusing on higher protein/fewer carbs/less sugar. I've dropped two sizes and now look half decent again in jeans.
As we age we need fewer calories anyway, and therefore the calories we do consume should be from higher quality foods. I eat less red meat, too. I have two meals a day, with breakfast being a big meal with high protein and always fresh fruit.
Dinner is chicken and a big salad. Snack is Skinny Pop. Lots of water.
I also started going to the gym 5 days a week, and I rarely drink alcohol, limiting myself to one drink. Booze doesn't interest me very much anymore.
Every now and then I'll go off the rails and eat a slice of pizza or a bowl of ice cream (damnit those Haagen Daas BOGOS get me every time) or buy candy when I stop at the Busy Bee on I-10 in Live Oak . If you saw that entire wall of candy dispensers you'd be tempted, too.
My big challenge continues trying to build muscle in my stomach, complicated by carrying BIG babies and scar tissue from Caesarean sections. Tummy tucks are $10K. I should start a go fund me!

 

[MagNoleA]

Since January of 2017 I've lost 23 pounds just cutting back on total calorie intake and focusing on higher protein/fewer carbs/less sugar. I've dropped two sizes and now look half decent again in jeans.
As we age we need fewer calories anyway, and therefore the calories we do consume should be from higher quality foods. I eat less red meat, too. I have two meals a day, with breakfast being a big meal with high protein and always fresh fruit.
Dinner is chicken and a big salad. Snack is Skinny Pop. Lots of water.
I also started going to the gym 5 days a week, and I rarely drink alcohol, limiting myself to one drink. Booze doesn't interest me very much anymore.
Every now and then I'll go off the rails and eat a slice of pizza or a bowl of ice cream (damnit those Haagen Daas BOGOS get me every time) or buy candy when I stop at the Busy Bee on I-10 in Live Oak . If you saw that entire wall of candy dispensers you'd be tempted, too.
My big challenge continues trying to build muscle in my stomach, complicated by carrying BIG babies and scar tissue from Caesarean sections. Tummy tucks are $10K. I should start a go fund me!

What's the average size of slice of pizza do you eat and what kind of ingredients? I like to go out but I hate waiting for ever unless there is good company.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

Since January of 2017 I've lost 23 pounds just cutting back on total calorie intake and focusing on higher protein/fewer carbs/less sugar. I've dropped two sizes and now look half decent again in jeans.
Tummy tucks are $10K. I should start a go fund me!

Pics of you in jeans....

My FIL is a plastic surgeon. He charges more than $5k, less than $10. Depends on the person and their needs, I could get you a friends deal.... if you post the jeans pic.

 

[goldmom]

What's the average size of slice of pizza do you eat and what kind of ingredients? I like to go out but I hate waiting for ever unless there is good company.

I almost never eat pizza anywhere but Momo's, and share the giant slice.
Ingredients vary, but I never put anything but the best in my mouth.

 

[goldmom]

Pics of you in jeans....

My FIL is a plastic surgeon. He charges more than $5k, less than $10. Depends on the person and their needs, I could get you a friends deal.... if you post the jeans pic.

Uhhhh....no. My friends have seen me in jeans in person and on Facebook.

 

[DFSNOLE]

I almost never eat pizza anywhere but Momo's, and share the giant slice.
Ingredients vary, but I never put anything but the best in my mouth.

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

I’m not sure if I mentioned this, but if I have an obese client, I’ll initially put them on keto for a 4 week cycle or so.

When you remove carbs, the first few weeks you’re basically losing 90% water, but it gives a person who’s dealing with inner demons confidence that they CAN lose weight.

Then I’ll put them on a linear diet, and teach them how to track their macros for long term success.
I follow IIFYM because it makes the most sense to me. I don’t bastardize the process like many do, but this way my clients can see what a 4 oz (~25g protein) portion looks like.

In addition , I eat for taste as well. I want to eat those foods I enjoy, and I just make sure they sensibly fit in my macros. It’s extemely flexible.

macros are delicious with cheese.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

So, I'm 2.5 months in to this thing, and have probably gone over 20 carbs a day 10 times, and 50 carbs in a day about 4 times. I haven't caved in and had a whole pizza or a bowl of pasta or anything like that even once.

I'm down 17lbs.

I'm digging it, tons of good food, have changed habits, learned a ton of new recipes for side dishes and overall it's been pretty easy. I could see keeping this lifestyle up permanently.

I thought I'd miss beer, but don't, also thought I'd miss bread and pasta more than I do.

 

[kc78]

So, I'm 2.5 months in to this thing, and have probably gone over 20 carbs a day 10 times, and 50 carbs in a day about 4 times. I haven't caved in and had a whole pizza or a bowl of pasta or anything like that even once.

I'm down 17lbs.

I'm digging it, tons of good food, have changed habits, learned a ton of new recipes for side dishes and overall it's been pretty easy. I could see keeping this lifestyle up permanently.

I thought I'd miss beer, but don't, also thought I'd miss bread and pasta more than I do.

I did it for approximately 6 months, lost 40 lbs. Then I got burned out and just wanted to enjoy the summer with my kids. I've gained back about 6 lbs over the last few months. I figure as soon as it cools off again, maybe after Thanksgiving I'll go back on it again and try to drop down about another 15 lbs or so.

 

[SoddyNole]

I've been doing several things and am down about 22 lbs.

1) I go as far into the day as I can before my first meal.
2) I exercise / lift and stairstepper 4 days a week.
3) I drink whiskey every night.
Working great.

How much whiskey should I consume each night to lose weight?

This may be the one diet I can get excited about!

 

[More Kirk Less Spock]

How much whiskey should I consume each night to lose weight?

This may be the one diet I can get excited about!

I think about two doubles will do the trick.

 

[surfnole]

There is a difference between complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbs are not bad and won't spike your blood sugar or create cravings.

Carbs are ESSENTIAL for any anaroebic exercise thats last for 50 minutes to an hour or maybe slightly more. Your blood only stores so much glucose, and when you deplete that glucose, you bonk. Your body can't convert fat to glucose at the the rate you need. This is what marathoners describe, and I have experienced it on intense bike rides. I ate a Snickers bar once I bonked, and I was fine a few minutes later. A Monster energy drink did the same thing.

Are the riders on the Tour de France eating pure chicken during the race, or are they consuming as many carbs as they can?

I did Atkins a few times, and I absolutely felt like crap about day three, but I have heard that feeling passes after a couple of days. If I stuck with it, maybe I could adjust.

All that being said, processed sugar is the culprit of obesity in the USA. And, it's in everything.

Funny how the government wanted everybody on a "low fat diet" twenty years ago.

You don't see fat people in the major cities in most of the world because they don't have vending machines and fast food restaurants in every corner.

 

[PoopandBoogers]

It wasnt the pasta, bread, potatoes, or beer that was the hard part for me, it was the no fruit. Love bananas, oranges, watermelon, grapes, cherries, peaches etc too much. I can eat a huge watermelon in one day in the summer no problem.

 

[kc78]

I did Atkins a few times, and I absolutely felt like crap about day three, but I have heard that feeling passes after a couple of days. If I stuck with it, maybe I could adjust.

Yes, it's called the keto-flu. When you go on the low carb diet, it absolutely hits your body hard for up to the first two weeks and it feels like you have the flu. It's miserable. However, once you get through it you suddenly start getting more energy than you've had before, no longer feeling stuffed, and the wanting to fall asleep at 3PM starts to go away. You also tend to lose somewhere between 8 - 10 lbs in those first two weeks as well, so it's a nice incentive to keep going.

But yes, those first two weeks are rough as your body tries to adjust. It starves itself for a while. Generally, our body stores away all fat and eats the carbs. So it takes a while for it to stop storing fat and recognizing that it should be used for energy consumption. That's the explanation I've been given at least.

 

[nynole1]

I never tried keto, but did Whole30. I lost 14 lbs (and I was only 182 when I started) and that's without exercise. First two weeks we're hard as your body withdraws from sugar, you literally get "hangry". After that, it was pretty easy.
I ate 3-6 eggs per day, along with compliant bacon and home fries for breakfast. Not only did I lose weight, but every measurable blood work improved dramatically, including my cholesterol which has been an issue my whole life.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

So, I'm 2.5 months in to this thing, and have probably gone over 20 carbs a day 10 times, and 50 carbs in a day about 4 times. I haven't caved in and had a whole pizza or a bowl of pasta or anything like that even once.

I'm down 17lbs.

I'm digging it, tons of good food, have changed habits, learned a ton of new recipes for side dishes and overall it's been pretty easy. I could see keeping this lifestyle up permanently.

I thought I'd miss beer, but don't, also thought I'd miss bread and pasta more than I do.

I just started an altered form of the potato diet on Monday that Penn from Penn and Teller and Kevin Smith both used to the quickly lose 100+lbs and have to say I’ve been impressed with the results so far. Basically the principal is that 5 days a week you eat nothing but a five ounce serving of a lean protein and as many potatoes cooked without fat as possible. On those five days I’m supplementing my diet with collagen, high EPA fish oil, benefiber, gummies (multivitamin, extra fiber, extra c and calcium), pills (turmeric, green tea extract, garlic, cayenne, cinnamon, Japanese knotweed/resveratrol, coQ-10, and bilberry) and some dried with most sugar removed beet powder. You do that for five days and the sixth day you eat whatever you want but watching calories to match your maintenance level of calories and then the seventh day you feast and eat an amount that would have you gain a half pound. So basically in essence it’s a semi fast for 5 days with two days of eating and it should work out to losing a healthy two pounds a week (you should lose 2.5 during the fast and gain back a half on the feast day).

So far it’s worked fantastic, best diet I’ve been on and I haven’t even reached the feast portion yet. 3 days in and my measurable weight is down 11.5 lbs (yes, most of that’s BS “water weight” aka cleaning the gut and lessening inflammation from bad eating, but I’m guessing 2-3lbs is real fat) but with exercising at a high level on top and me eating only 600-700 calories a day it should be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 3/4 to a full pound of actual fat loss per day. But the best parts haven’t been the weight loss but the energy levels (despite taking in very few calories they’ve been through the roof) and the lack of inflammation (suddenly my old shoulder pain which I believe is arthritis from old HS baseball injuries has 100% disappeared as well as mild lower and middle back pain I was getting just from being fat). And the eating almost exclusively potatoes thing hasn’t been THAT bad. I’m not a huge potato fan to start with, but we’ve been able to slightly vary it up by boiling, nuking, making hash browns with no fat on a nonstick griddle, making no fat “waffles” in a waffle maker etc...and then varying the spices or dousing it in vinegar (which is allowable).

So the positives so far are:
1) Quick and healthy weight loss
2) A disappearance of all inflammation and the chronic pain from it
3) Very high energy levels leading to great workouts as well as work during the day
4) I’m never hungry despite only eating between 700-850 calories a day
5) Should be getting all of the micro and macro nutrients I need thanks to supplementation and lean protein
6) My mood is better for some reason, I’m normally a very even keeled, content but calm person. Now for some reason I’m actually bright and cheerful to the point my wife was wondering what the heck happened. Even my subordinates that don’t know about the diet asked why I was suddenly smiling a lot more.
7) I still get to talk about and look forward to eating “bad foods” during the weekend as long as I keep it SOMEWHAT under control.

To slightly offset that the negatives are:
1) Lots of supplements, including a few that are relatively pricy.
2) I will probably learn to hate potatoes, I definitely do not want French fries or poutine this weekend.

 

[cfbfan23]

I just started an altered form of the potato diet on Monday that Penn from Penn and Teller and Kevin Smith both used to the quickly lose 100+lbs and have to say I’ve been impressed with the results so far. Basically the principal is that 5 days a week you eat nothing but a five ounce serving of a lean protein and as many potatoes cooked without fat as possible.

Sounds like your basic mid 19th-century Irish fad diet.

 

[Imtotallynottribe]

Sounds like your basic mid 19th-century Irish fad diet.

In essence you’re not that far off. There seems to be something in potatoes that really lessens your appetite. Definitely the so-called “resistant starch” that can’t be broken down in your stomach like ordinary carbs but lasts until broken down in your intestines. But there seems to be a chemical at work as well.

Regardless of why it works, at least in my personal experience it really does seem to work. On the diet you can eat as much potatoes as you want, but I usually end up eating only around a pound a day (which works to only about 350 calories or so, I get to about 700 by eating vitamins, fish oil and some extra protein).

 

[Wendy79]

You can eat 700 calories of anything each day and lose weight.