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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask your experience of a keto diet?

299 replies

Atticusblame · 23/10/2019 12:53

Just started this today. It's basically a very low carb diet. I have low carbed before, but not quite to the keto extreme.

Has anyone found it works well for them? And how long is it until results show? And what alcohol can I drink on it?

OP posts:
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MrsTerryPratchett · 25/10/2019 15:51

protein powder to ‘bread’ chicken.

What witchcraft is this?

LittleAndOften · 25/10/2019 16:33

Please stop talking nonsense

It's not nonsense at all, don't be so patronising. Calorie counting is essential for many people to make a success of keto. It's not your way or the highway you know Hmm

Alsohuman · 25/10/2019 16:39

The whole point of low carbing is that it’s easy. Calorie counting is a completely different thing. I’m getting annoyed by the conflation of the two because it would be a real shame if people were put off low carbing because they thought they had to count calories as well.

Far from being patronising, I’m pointing out, from experience, that it’s not necessary. And overcomplicates something that is very simple.

LittleAndOften · 25/10/2019 17:09

Don't be daft. How would you advise people who follow keto religiously and don't lose weight? It's ridiculous to say calories don't matter. And there are plenty of keto for weightloss groups that do calorie count. Your reasons for low carbing aren't universal.

ActualHornist · 25/10/2019 17:19

Why is your experience valid and mine is not though?

Bluntness100 · 25/10/2019 17:21

It's very unusual to follow keto and not loose weight.

Of course if you're massively over eating on certain things, like ladling cream in to everything, hoovering down cheese like you'll never eat again, then yes you might not loose weight. Common sense is clearly required, it's not a licence to pig out at every opportunity. Portion control is still required if you can't control youtself naturally.

As biwi said, I think some folks go a bit mad on it then wonder why they don't lose weight.

However when I've seen people who haven't lost weight then generally there is a reason for this. Silly things like eating too many nuts, having nights off, scoffing thr occasional high carb/ sugary treat thing thinking it doesn't count, or simply a basic lack of understanding of what to eat.

In general though I think we can all agree you don't need to calorie count. You just need to look at biwis boot camps to see this. There will be a small minority who need to.

As said I've done this for years on and off, and I've never had to, but nor do I stuff myself senseless on a continual basis. My appetite is suppressed naturally and I eat sensible portions, without little to no snacking.

I can't do that when eating carbs, I can eat a huge amount and go back for more, but when low carbing my appetite is naturally regulated and I can easily walk away after a correct sized portion.

ActualHornist · 25/10/2019 17:22

This is the recipe I follow! Serve with Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce which is practically carb-free. Costco are selling double packs for about a tenner.

This is the protein powder I use. It works really well when you just have a craving for something a bit naughty!

ActualHornist · 25/10/2019 17:26

@Bluntness100 Well of course all of that is true. But what initially draws people to a keto diet is that you don't have to restrict anything other than carbs. If you're constantly told 'you don't need to calorie count' but what you're actually doing is overeating (which is how people get fat in the first place!) then you won't lose weight.

Alsohuman · 25/10/2019 17:42

If you’re eating the recommended amount of fat, it’s difficult to see how you could overeat. The simpler you keep it, the more likely you are to lose weight. So no faux or frankenstein foods, as few processed foods as you can manage, little or no alcohol.

Bluntness100 · 25/10/2019 17:55

Carbs normally are the main driver for peopl over eating. It's very difficult to over eat on keto to the stage you can't loose weight as protein and fat is very filling and you don't have the blood sugar spikes.

However I don't dispute there Will be people who have significant issues with food and will do it, in those case I don't think this is the way of eating for them. A simple calorie controlled diet would be better.

Different things work for different people. The overwhelming majority of people on a low carb diet, find it acts as a natural appetite suppresent allowing them to eat a healthy amount, and not have food cravings, nor do they need to calorie count.

However yes there will always be a minority who will over eat, whatever, and for those people as said. Calorie counting alone may well be the answer.

ActualHornist · 25/10/2019 18:00

....yes I’m aware thanks.

Hence the reason why I’ll only ever do the chicken and pizza like I mentioned. Every other meal is variation of meat + green veg. Which cycles back round to my opinion that it can become tedious!

Bluntness100 · 25/10/2019 18:04

Why does it need to be meat and green veg, don't you like salads, fish, eggs, cheese, seafood etc?

Jumblebee · 25/10/2019 18:13

I feel much healthier eating a low carb diet, I've lost over 5 stone since 1st January 2019 but know that if I want to keep the weight off, it needs to be a permanent lifestyle change.

I've done it before and gained all the weight back plus more when I went back to my old binge eating sugar addict habits.

When I get to my goal weight I know I will have to look at re-introducing healthier carbs such as starchier vegetables and grains, but I'll still need to avoid cakes/biscuits/chocolate as that is what triggers my binging.

ActualHornist · 25/10/2019 18:14

Yes I do like all of those things. I couldn’t be bothered typing it all out.

My point was that I’m not eating ‘frankenfoods’ or convenience foods.

MrsTerryPratchett · 25/10/2019 18:29

Thanks @ActualHornist

Atticusblame · 25/10/2019 19:28

Added bonus for me btw was it helped reduce my type 2 rosacea. I have rosacea! Hope it helps mine too.

Might sound like a killjoy but I wouldn’t recommend these cheat foods that you can sometimes find on Pinterest eg keto cookies etc. This is where I lucky - I'm not keen on sweet things particularly so won't miss them.

I haven't had the slightest sign of keto flu. I do hope I'm not doing anything wrong.

OP posts:
StoatofDisarray · 25/10/2019 19:29

I agree with everything Bluntness said. I'm on a ketogenic diet and I find it very easy to stick to and very varied. It also encourages me to cook more and try new things. I do have a tendency to pig out which is why I calorie count alongside keeping my carbs at 20g - 30g per day, but it's quite satiating and I'm never really hungry. I've lost 17lbs since August. It's easy to eat out too so I can carry on with my social life without having to push a grilled chicken salad (no dressing) that I don't really want around the plate as I used to when I was in a normal diet.

BIWitch · 25/10/2019 19:29

Not everyone suffers, @Atticusblame

StoatofDisarray · 25/10/2019 19:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StoatofDisarray · 25/10/2019 19:33

Sorry, I pressed send too quickly. As I was saying that I have lost my sweet tooth, and if you asked me to give you a list of my top 10 favourite foods, you'd find all of them are things I could eat freely on the ketogenic diet without worrying too much.

Bluntness100 · 25/10/2019 19:48

I've done it before and gained all the weight back plus more when I went back to my old binge eating sugar addict habits

This is the same for any woe. If you revert to what made you over weight in the first place, then it will make you over weight again. There simply isn't any way round that.

Op, ive never had keto flu, and I don't really understand it to be honest, but I maintain my fluids and ensure I salt my food, I don't know if that makes a difference.

Atticusblame · 25/10/2019 20:09

Maybe that's why, Bluntness. I drink loads of water anyway and have particularly thirsty since starting this, and I always grind a fair bit of pink salt onto my food before cooking.

OP posts:
BIWitch · 25/10/2019 20:09

If you're really thirsty but are drinking loads of water, this indicates that you need more salt.

Siameasy · 25/10/2019 20:13

This is where I lucky - I'm not keen on sweet things particularly so won't miss them.

Yeah I’m mostly a savoury person - since I’m 10m in I now enjoy a bit of dark chocolate with no ill effects but I’m not sure I’ll ever be free of my love for potatoes, especially crisps 😭
But I satisfy the urge thru pork scratchings

mooncuplanding · 25/10/2019 20:16

One negative thing I do find about keto is that the usual routine of 'eating out' is a bit scuppered because you are just not hungry. So you might go out for a walk on a Sunday and you'd usually go for a pub lunch, and you just don't feel like it. It sort of ruins the 'weekend' routine we all have in the UK.

Re the calorie thing, it's really easy to go way over a reasonable calorie intake when you eat high carb/high fat food, but if you try and eat masses of calories on keto it is almost impossible. I think that's how our body is supposed to be, how it is designed. I remember a podcast talking about this and if you look to the animal kingdom, you don't see obese animals even if they have enormous available supplies of their natural food - for example a rabbit in a field full of lush grass doesn't get obese, it just eats what it needs. I believe that to be true of humans, if we eat the right foods, we naturally regulate our intake, and I do not believe we are naturally designed to eat high levels of refined carbs and sugars

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