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.
Anyone else out there who is "normal?"
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.
great topic…I like how you’ve pointed out the main issue “whole grains” we’ve all been lead to believe that they are normal and needed…when they are making a lot (most) of us sick and overweight… some people can tolerate them better than others, but over time i think it just gets worse and worse the more we continue to eat them… going Keto will knock out most ( if not all) of those nasty “whole grains” …for us less than normal people with diabetes: keto i believe is the way to go but there are lots of other good reason to choose this WOE… Start now before any problems develop …unfortunately diabetes and insulin resistance is quickly becoming the new norm…type 2 diabetes used to be called “adult onset” but now it’s happening to kids and teenagers…if i only knew what i know now back when i was 25 i probably wouldn’t be in this situation…turn that boat around now.
@ Dianne Willis McCall I tried to comment to your post with just a simple “YES!” -but this app wouldn’t let me! ( it said-body is unclear, is it a complete sentence?) strange! Anyway - way to go! Glad you found this WOE & this place!!!
I’m normal(ish) however easily brainwashed by the health benefits that are promised and the more I learn about the metabolic process the more orthorexic I become
I’m basically in the same boat. My wife, friends and family know I’ve lost weight and that it “works for me” but don’t want to see the science behind it. I think they see this as a vegan type kick, and I’ll soon fall back to being my old self and eating
“normally”. They stick to their weight watchers and “carbs are good for you” mentality. So, I basically keep to myself about it unless they ask me a question.
The truth of the matter is, it is the healthiest way to eat. All of the reputable science says so. Eating foods that basically guarantee you’ll become diabetic eventually, is not healthy and that includes fruits. As soon as I told them about how fruit isn’t all that good for you, they all but laughed at me. I just want to help them be as healthy as I can because I love them, but I’m also not going to force it on them either.
I’m normal, only real issues were blood sugar problems in the morning. I got tired of not being able to say no to sweets and packing on pounds every year. I am not a big veggie fan, I smoke lots of meat weekly, and have had success on Atkins so I switched over. Family members expressed concern of course but after 40 pounds most of them have jumped on board and several are giving it a try themselves.
I would eat a big bowl of cereal in the morning, get the shakes and need protein, starving at 11 for lunch, hungry again by noon, it just didn’t make sense. I have had 1 blood sugar drop in the 4 months since starting and i’m rarely hungry so I feel a lot better and i’m sticking with it.
I liked this -but actually it is sad /but that wasn’t an option. 
I have a husband who will eat what I cook -but can’t eat pulled pork “not” on a bun. He is also taking statins… despite me & several of his friends telling him to refuse them.
Tell me about it! This is the only woe that I’ve found that works! I’ve been overweight my whole life with thyroid disease. All I heard at first was “you’re killing yourself”, now it’s “you’re getting too skinny”! Still no one gets on board. I wish my kids would listen, I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been like had I known then what I know now!
Casey, I’m in your situation, although a good deal older. All my adult life I’ve been overweight by 20 to 30 pounds, have no sign of disease and consider myself quite healthy, but do have little “conditions” that come and go.
Thirteen years ago I became convinced of the rationale behind low carb and followed it more or less. Lost some weight and regained it several times. Could never keep it off but also never went over my starting weight. But also never had the science behind insulin resistance, which I assume is my problem.
Since starting keto 12 weeks ago, I have list a few pounds, but only a few (I don’t own scale) and I don’t own a device to measure ketones. I’m on this WOE to drop 30 pounds.
Fortunately, I’ve learned patience in the last 13 years so I’m willing to wait out my body’s resistance to letting go of this fat. Helpful: some of my minor “conditions” have cleared up.