I’m really excited to do this way of eating, but I’m feeling a little apprehensive because I’m “normal.” I’m 25 years old, no diabetes, no PCOS, no insulin resistance (that I know of,) but I’m about 30 pounds overweight and tired all the time and have struggled with depression and anxiety. Is there anyone else who just wants to feel better? I don’t know if all of the measuring of glucose levels with blood test strips and all of that is for me at this point. It’s also difficult to convince family members that this WOE is for me, because “if you just control your portions and eat whole grains and vegetables you’ll be fine! You don’t have that much to lose!” Loving the keto forums and reading all of the great posts, just feeling a little out of place 
Anyone else out there who is "normal?"
I guess I would be classified as normal (as you defined it, just don’t ask my wife if I’m normal). I don’t do ketosis for any disease state, I just enjoy how I feel when I’m in ketosis. It also helps when I want to cut weight.
I bought Maria Emmerich’s first cookbook and my wife really enjoys the recipes from that book (of course I’m the one cooking). She has a new book out (I interviewed her about it), and beyond more great recipes, she has some great tips.
I think it is important to live your life the way you want. When you drop some weight and look and feel great, they’ll realize you’re on the right track for yourself. Don’t expect them to follow, but they may.
I’ll need to check out Maria, I’ve never heard of her! Thanks for the advice!
We’re all normal so there’s no reason for you to feel out of place! We’re all normal people looking for ways to make ourselves feel better. You don’t need to measure glucose or ketones to follow along. What you do have to do if you want to feel better is follow the diet guidelines and watch yourself get healthy. Read the posts and contribute. You made a great decision to join us normals!
I think it’s probably also a great way to eat as a preventative approach to your health. As you progress through your 30’s and then 40’s things might change a little, that few pounds over weight might increase a little and in a few years and then you go from there. I wish I knew about Keto in my 20’s. I spent my whole time frantically trying to control my weight through calorie counting and was starving.
I am in the same situation. I do have some joint inflamation that feels better while eating keto. I don’t track anything since I am losing weight and feeling better. My husband is highly unsupportive and refuses to be open minded to learning the sciencw behind keto. I fell off the wagon for the holidays and am back on track now.
You’re at an advantage to not have symptoms of metabolic diseases “of civilization” – yet. 30 lbs overweight is an indication of underlying problems that will probably erupt later, though. Your task is prevention. Some more keto preventable diseases:
I think I would say I’m normal. My challenge was to find some life style change that I could live with. I am 59 and was about 30 lbs over weight. Once I had my children I had an extra few pounds I wanted gone. I have never had trouble losing weight on any diet I have tried. It was the maintenance that I’ve never been able to stick with. Once I reached my goal weight boom - up I’d go and gain extra weight with it. My highest weight was 170 and took me a year and a half of strick low fat and working out in the gym to loss 25 lbs. A few bumps in the road and up I went to 160. I found the Keto dudes in Sept of this year and started this way of eating and within 2 months I was at 144 and loving it with no exercise at all. This was the easiest think I’ve ever done and for the first time ever I know I can stay in maintenance. I now have my husband on board.
That’s so great! My highest weight is about what yours is (I’m 5’5) and I would LOVE to be 144! I also have been able to lose weight quickly - I got to 150 for my wedding 2 years ago - but I gain it all back over and over, which I’m sure is really damaging in the long run. Maintenance is definitely my weak link. Our patterns sound very similar.
Yes. I started keto 3.5 years ago for this reason. I wasn’t overweight, just felt like crap. I saw several doctors and not one of them mentioned food as a possible solution. I was very fortunate that a family friend introduced me to LCHF, and this changed everything for me.
If you lived in a family of cigarette smokers would you feel the need to convince them that being a non-smoker is for you?
It’s a really odd dynamic isn’t it — people who think they know what it best because we have all been told the same story for decades: reduce fat, eat grains, etc. And yet now we know that this does not contribute to optimal health.
I understand that there can be powerful influences from well-meaning people (like family), but when you know what works for you, you do that. Thank them for their concern and carry on.
I still want to loss a few more lbs but I never have cravings eating LC and love the taste of the HF life style. All my inflammation in my knees and shoulders are gone as wel. Win win
This is like me. I eat LCHF and dip into ketosis once in a while, started this WOE in 2013 to lose 11kg, but stick with it to feel better and prevent diabetes and other trouble.
I wrote about that exact feeling here
And got some very supportive comments from people who are the task heros of self-improvement.
Oh! I tried searching before I posted so I didn’t repeat someone else’s question, but I didn’t see this! Thanks for pointing it out!
I guess I am normal. I had only one reason to start this lifestyle, to lose weight. Other than that I am 54 years old with no health issues. My family tends to live long healthy lives.
Besides the weight loss (I am down 35lbs since Sept 2016), I enjoy how my brain is reacting to the ketones. The constant energy is great too. If I did not lose the weight. I would probably still have stuck with LCHF lifestyle just the feel so good so much. Currently, I have not convinced any of my non-overweight friends to try being Fat-Adapted. Weight loss is still a great hook to get people into this optimal feeling of well being.
Physically, and by your definition, I guess I would be considered “normal” (though my dad would probably argue that point 
). I’m 5’4", athletic build, no diabetes, no medical reasons I follow keto but there are so many reasons I have continued to eat this way for over 2 years.
First, my brain activity is so much more focused–I feel like I’m able to concentrate way beyond my normal and my productivity never suffers due to fatigue (brain or physical!) As an engineer, this has not only helped my career but made me a better employee/manager/multitasker.
Second, while I’m a healthy weight, that didn’t keep me from having an unhealthy relationship with food in my past. I think keto is one of the reasons I was able to break through some of the obsession with calorie counting and dieting and gave me freedom from food controlling my life. Now I eat things I enjoy to satiation and never worry about counting anything! Did I mention my appetite is so controlled? And I never crave sweets or breads?
Last, my energy is ridiculous!!! I turned into a morning person! Who knew that was possible? And on top of that, I sleep better than I ever have! I wouldn’t give that up for any cookie, muffin or sweet role made in heaven or on earth.
That’s just the start. Not to mention the smooth/clear skin, better digestion, stronger lifts, more stable hormones and moods, and I will add…your sex drive may also benefit 
There are many non-medical reasons to be keto!
No worries. Post a new topic when you want to start a new discussion, that’s completely legit. Linking to other posts just allies me to contribute without having to repeat myself.
I often feel the same. I’m fascinated by this topic and have ate low carb in one form or another for about 8 years - I’m 33 now. I feel incredibly selfish when in the back of my mind I sometimes find content to be Americocenetric and focused exclusively on late stage metabolic diseases. But each persons journey is their own and, without putting a dampener on life, we never know whats round the corner that could strip us of ‘normal’ status.
We are working, one convert at a time…to make KETO the new normal.