7 ms·

Switched to a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting 5 months ago. My sleep quality, mental clarity, ability to focus for long periods of time and mood swings

Switched to a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting 5 months ago. My sleep quality, mental clarity, ability to focus for long periods of time and mood swings have all improved dramatically. I am also shredding fat at a pretty good pace and apparently also gaining muscle (I lift every single day if I can).

bartoszhernas 8y ago
Same here! Keto + eating at evenings only + StrongLifts.com. Improved my mood, my energy levels. I feel so much better with it and every time I slip and do a cheat-day I do feel really awful after. Cannot imagine going back to eating any sugars now.
- sAbakumoff 8y ago
  One of the common side effects of Keto is Reduced Physical Performance. You guys must be unicorns or something..That's not a surpise because you definitely need to be "special" to restrict yourself from eating all day long LOL.
  - b0sk 8y ago
    That's only during the initial "burn-in", you feel fatigued when your body is adjusting. (not a keto guy, just interested in researching about it"
  - OldSchoolJohnny 8y ago
    That's not accurate information unless you are referring to the initial phase of getting your body used to a new way of eating. Most people who keep it up report the exact opposite.
    - sAbakumoff 8y ago
      Cmon, just google it : keto side effects, this is what I've got: KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 1 – Frequent Urination. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 2 – Dizziness and Drowsiness. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 3 – Low Blood Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 4 – Cravings for Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 5 – Constipation. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 6 – Diarrhea. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 7 – Muscle Cramps.
      - glastra 8y ago
        I'm definitely looking forward to suffering side effects 5 and 6 at once. 1: This is not even a side effect, and it refers to the loss of water weight during the hours before entering ketosis, while the body is still burning glycogen stored in the liver (which is bound to water, which goes into the bloodstream and must be excreted). 2: This goes away after the first hours of ketosis and that's if you have never been in that metabolic state ever in life, otherwise there's none at all. 3: Not a side effect but the actual intended consequence, and a positive and healthy one. 4: Cravings go away. We actually crave more sugar the more we consume it, not the other way around. A period of 2 weeks without sugar, even in the context of a non-ketogenic diet, removes cravings. 7: That's due to a lack of electrolytes and not ketosis. People who attempt to switch often disregard electrolyte intake, which is obviously crucial. As urination is more frequent during the switch, electrolyte balance is harder to maintain. Adequate intake fixes this. Try harder, please.
        sAbakumoff 8y ago
        I tried to google harder, but it doesn't provide any other results. Keto is bad for you, this is what I got. Well, any extreme dieting is bad for you.
        glastra 8y ago
        What is extreme about it? I'm never hungry, I never feel bloated, and I don't have any digestive issues. I suggest you do some research yourself and perhaps even experiment, before you regurgitate things out of the first result that comes up on Google after you enter an already biased query.
        sAbakumoff 8y ago
        I trust google and I have much more exciting things to do than following questionable dieting restrictions. Life is too short, you know :)
        8y ago
  - reitanqild 8y ago
    IIRC some combat divers use keto as it reduces the risks associated with rebreathing gear; this should indicate that excellent physical performance is possible while on keto.
    - sAbakumoff 8y ago
      who the F are combat divers? Who are they fighting against?
      - sideshowb 8y ago
        Swordfish
projectramo 8y ago
How do you know its not just the lifting alone that is giving you all the benefit?
- t3h2mas 8y ago
  You can lift and gain weight / feel bad from unhealthy eating.
iamben 8y ago
Was going to post this as well! I'm 10 weeks in and feeling great. Continuing to work out as before and lost almost 8kg (10% of my starting body weight). A bit hard getting start, but easy to roll when you're going.
methochris 8y ago
i'm interested in this approach. what is your age and starting weight and what is your fasting window regime and what amount of calories per day do you shoot for?
- glastra 8y ago
  I am a 30-year-old male. 172 cm and around 60 kg starting weight (skinny-fat, slender build, quite high fat % and almost no muscle). After the initial water weight loss, my weight has been fluctuating around the 55 kg mark. However, fat loss is really, really noticeable. I had a pretty huge belly, and now you can see my abs. As I haven't lost that much weight, and as it remains stable while I notice more fat loss, I am certain I am also gaining lean body mass in the process. I try to fast 18:6, by consuming 3 shakes of my own DIY keto powdered food (i.e. DIY soylent) at 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00, for around 650 kcal each. I also drink black coffee with 25 grams of butter some mornings if I feel like it. I don't do IF every day, especially if I travel or if I stay over at my girlfriend's. You don't have to do it every single day to reap the benefits, as long as you stay in ketosis, or at worst as long as you don't fill your liver glycogen stores completely.
wilsonnb2 8y ago
Why did you pick the keto diet? All of the studies I've seen say that while it is very effective for reducing seizure frequency in children with epilepsy, it's not any more effective for weight loss than any other diet.
- glastra 8y ago
  I didn't switch for weight loss, but for the other benefits I listed. I was skeptical, of course, but I like to self-experiment.
barleymash 8y ago
I've been trying the opposite lately -- a high carb diet. I've mostly been modeling my eating style after Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" plan. He basically believes that humans are designed to eat starchy foods (potatoes, whole grains, etc), and that fats are bad (healthy fats -- like from avocados -- aren't necessarily unhealthy, but aren't great if you are trying to lose weight). So one of the core tenets of this plan is to keep fat and protein very low, and roughly an 80/10/10 percentage of carbs/protein/fat, which means cooking without oils, butter, etc. The staple of my diet is potatoes. I eat potatoes nearly every day, and I eat a lot of them. My favorite way is to slice them up into wedges, add some spices, bake them, and then dip them in mustard. I also eat lots of rice, beans, oatmeal, bread, occasionally something like cheerios for a snack, etc. The beauty of this plan is that if you stick to resistant starches, and keep fat low, you don't need to count calories. You will likely feel full before you will overeat calories. I'm down about 15 pounds since starting in February (6 ft tall, down from 195 to 180ish), and I've got the most ab definition I've ever had from JUST a diet (I'm barely doing any cardio right now). But more importantly, I feel really good. Anyway, this is not to undermine a ketogenic diet. I think both are effective ways to feel good and look good... either eating low enough carbs that your body burns fat (Keto), or eating low enough fat that your body isn't storing any. I just enjoy experimenting with different ways of eating, and this one happens to be working great for me right now.
- DoofusOfDeath 8y ago
  I hope you'll update this post in a few weeks / months. It sounds very counter-intuitive based on prevailing wisdom. It might also be a good idea to have your physician check your blood glucose levels, other markers of pre-diabetes, and liver-function enzymes.
  - barleymash 8y ago
    Totally, I actually had a physical scheduled for last week, before realizing I scheduled it for a date I was going to be out of town. So unfortunately I had to reschedule for August. But anyway, there is a decent amount of people who are following this plan, and if you are interested, you can find a lot of anecdotal experiences (including people reporting on their blood testing, etc) by googling "Starch Solution" or "Dr McDougall Starch Solution". There is also an active Facebook group. There is a book called "The Starch Solution" which I haven't read yet, nor have I done a whole of reading of research studies yet. But, I do know that McDougall and some of his colleagues believe that diabetes is actually caused by higher fat intake, and that this plan has been used by lots of people to cure their diabetes. Sounds so counterintuitive, and like I said, I haven't read/understood the science behind that claim yet. Edit: here is a resource where Dr. McDougall explains his stance on diabetes and blood glucose. https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/dec/diabetes.htm https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/dec/diabetes.htm
DoofusOfDeath 8y ago
I'm about 2 weeks into an experiment with time-limited eating on a daily basis. I try to only consume anything with calories in a 7-8 hour window starting at lunchtime. I decided to try this because my weight was creeping up despite my controlled diet and daily exercise. So far the jury is out regarding weight loss, because I also upped my exercise regimen at the same time. But I've been pleasantly surprised to find that I'm getting much better sleep, and for the first time in years I'm waking up on my own, usually a little before my alarm is set to go off. The one downside is that starting a few days ago, I've found myself extra hungry in my non-eating hours. I hope this is temporary. It's not a risk to me keeping the regimen, but it's unpleasant and distracting.
t3h2mas 8y ago
Don't forget to let your body rest from the weight lifting.
- glastra 8y ago
  Recovery times are simply amazing when your muscles don't use glucose/glycogen. I can use the same muscle group day after day with no issues. However, I do admit that the suppression of inflammation caused by ketosis can make it hard to realize your muscles are in bad shape to work out.
Dolores12 8y ago
Fasting causes gallstones. Keep eye on that.

bartoszhernas 8y ago

Same here! Keto + eating at evenings only + StrongLifts.com. Improved my mood, my energy levels. I feel so much better with it and every time I slip and do a cheat-day I do feel really awful after. Cannot imagine going back to eating any sugars now.

sAbakumoff 8y ago
One of the common side effects of Keto is Reduced Physical Performance. You guys must be unicorns or something..That's not a surpise because you definitely need to be "special" to restrict yourself from eating all day long LOL.
- b0sk 8y ago
  That's only during the initial "burn-in", you feel fatigued when your body is adjusting. (not a keto guy, just interested in researching about it"
- OldSchoolJohnny 8y ago
  That's not accurate information unless you are referring to the initial phase of getting your body used to a new way of eating. Most people who keep it up report the exact opposite.
  - sAbakumoff 8y ago
    Cmon, just google it : keto side effects, this is what I've got: KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 1 – Frequent Urination. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 2 – Dizziness and Drowsiness. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 3 – Low Blood Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 4 – Cravings for Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 5 – Constipation. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 6 – Diarrhea. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 7 – Muscle Cramps.
    - glastra 8y ago
      I'm definitely looking forward to suffering side effects 5 and 6 at once. 1: This is not even a side effect, and it refers to the loss of water weight during the hours before entering ketosis, while the body is still burning glycogen stored in the liver (which is bound to water, which goes into the bloodstream and must be excreted). 2: This goes away after the first hours of ketosis and that's if you have never been in that metabolic state ever in life, otherwise there's none at all. 3: Not a side effect but the actual intended consequence, and a positive and healthy one. 4: Cravings go away. We actually crave more sugar the more we consume it, not the other way around. A period of 2 weeks without sugar, even in the context of a non-ketogenic diet, removes cravings. 7: That's due to a lack of electrolytes and not ketosis. People who attempt to switch often disregard electrolyte intake, which is obviously crucial. As urination is more frequent during the switch, electrolyte balance is harder to maintain. Adequate intake fixes this. Try harder, please.
      - sAbakumoff 8y ago
        I tried to google harder, but it doesn't provide any other results. Keto is bad for you, this is what I got. Well, any extreme dieting is bad for you.
        glastra 8y ago
        What is extreme about it? I'm never hungry, I never feel bloated, and I don't have any digestive issues. I suggest you do some research yourself and perhaps even experiment, before you regurgitate things out of the first result that comes up on Google after you enter an already biased query.
        sAbakumoff 8y ago
        I trust google and I have much more exciting things to do than following questionable dieting restrictions. Life is too short, you know :)
        8y ago
- reitanqild 8y ago
  IIRC some combat divers use keto as it reduces the risks associated with rebreathing gear; this should indicate that excellent physical performance is possible while on keto.
  - sAbakumoff 8y ago
    who the F are combat divers? Who are they fighting against?
    - sideshowb 8y ago
      Swordfish

projectramo 8y ago

How do you know its not just the lifting alone that is giving you all the benefit?

t3h2mas 8y ago
You can lift and gain weight / feel bad from unhealthy eating.

iamben 8y ago

Was going to post this as well! I'm 10 weeks in and feeling great. Continuing to work out as before and lost almost 8kg (10% of my starting body weight). A bit hard getting start, but easy to roll when you're going.

methochris 8y ago

i'm interested in this approach. what is your age and starting weight and what is your fasting window regime and what amount of calories per day do you shoot for?

glastra 8y ago
I am a 30-year-old male. 172 cm and around 60 kg starting weight (skinny-fat, slender build, quite high fat % and almost no muscle). After the initial water weight loss, my weight has been fluctuating around the 55 kg mark. However, fat loss is really, really noticeable. I had a pretty huge belly, and now you can see my abs. As I haven't lost that much weight, and as it remains stable while I notice more fat loss, I am certain I am also gaining lean body mass in the process. I try to fast 18:6, by consuming 3 shakes of my own DIY keto powdered food (i.e. DIY soylent) at 14:00, 17:00 and 20:00, for around 650 kcal each. I also drink black coffee with 25 grams of butter some mornings if I feel like it. I don't do IF every day, especially if I travel or if I stay over at my girlfriend's. You don't have to do it every single day to reap the benefits, as long as you stay in ketosis, or at worst as long as you don't fill your liver glycogen stores completely.

wilsonnb2 8y ago

Why did you pick the keto diet? All of the studies I've seen say that while it is very effective for reducing seizure frequency in children with epilepsy, it's not any more effective for weight loss than any other diet.

glastra 8y ago
I didn't switch for weight loss, but for the other benefits I listed. I was skeptical, of course, but I like to self-experiment.

barleymash 8y ago

I've been trying the opposite lately -- a high carb diet. I've mostly been modeling my eating style after Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" plan. He basically believes that humans are designed to eat starchy foods (potatoes, whole grains, etc), and that fats are bad (healthy fats -- like from avocados -- aren't necessarily unhealthy, but aren't great if you are trying to lose weight). So one of the core tenets of this plan is to keep fat and protein very low, and roughly an 80/10/10 percentage of carbs/protein/fat, which means cooking without oils, butter, etc. The staple of my diet is potatoes. I eat potatoes nearly every day, and I eat a lot of them. My favorite way is to slice them up into wedges, add some spices, bake them, and then dip them in mustard. I also eat lots of rice, beans, oatmeal, bread, occasionally something like cheerios for a snack, etc. The beauty of this plan is that if you stick to resistant starches, and keep fat low, you don't need to count calories. You will likely feel full before you will overeat calories. I'm down about 15 pounds since starting in February (6 ft tall, down from 195 to 180ish), and I've got the most ab definition I've ever had from JUST a diet (I'm barely doing any cardio right now). But more importantly, I feel really good. Anyway, this is not to undermine a ketogenic diet. I think both are effective ways to feel good and look good... either eating low enough carbs that your body burns fat (Keto), or eating low enough fat that your body isn't storing any. I just enjoy experimenting with different ways of eating, and this one happens to be working great for me right now.

DoofusOfDeath 8y ago
I hope you'll update this post in a few weeks / months. It sounds very counter-intuitive based on prevailing wisdom. It might also be a good idea to have your physician check your blood glucose levels, other markers of pre-diabetes, and liver-function enzymes.
- barleymash 8y ago
  Totally, I actually had a physical scheduled for last week, before realizing I scheduled it for a date I was going to be out of town. So unfortunately I had to reschedule for August. But anyway, there is a decent amount of people who are following this plan, and if you are interested, you can find a lot of anecdotal experiences (including people reporting on their blood testing, etc) by googling "Starch Solution" or "Dr McDougall Starch Solution". There is also an active Facebook group. There is a book called "The Starch Solution" which I haven't read yet, nor have I done a whole of reading of research studies yet. But, I do know that McDougall and some of his colleagues believe that diabetes is actually caused by higher fat intake, and that this plan has been used by lots of people to cure their diabetes. Sounds so counterintuitive, and like I said, I haven't read/understood the science behind that claim yet. Edit: here is a resource where Dr. McDougall explains his stance on diabetes and blood glucose. https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/dec/diabetes.htm https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/dec/diabetes.htm

DoofusOfDeath 8y ago

I'm about 2 weeks into an experiment with time-limited eating on a daily basis. I try to only consume anything with calories in a 7-8 hour window starting at lunchtime. I decided to try this because my weight was creeping up despite my controlled diet and daily exercise. So far the jury is out regarding weight loss, because I also upped my exercise regimen at the same time. But I've been pleasantly surprised to find that I'm getting much better sleep, and for the first time in years I'm waking up on my own, usually a little before my alarm is set to go off. The one downside is that starting a few days ago, I've found myself extra hungry in my non-eating hours. I hope this is temporary. It's not a risk to me keeping the regimen, but it's unpleasant and distracting.

t3h2mas 8y ago

Don't forget to let your body rest from the weight lifting.

glastra 8y ago
Recovery times are simply amazing when your muscles don't use glucose/glycogen. I can use the same muscle group day after day with no issues. However, I do admit that the suppression of inflammation caused by ketosis can make it hard to realize your muscles are in bad shape to work out.

Dolores12 8y ago

Fasting causes gallstones. Keep eye on that.