Do We Have A Name For Us?

(KM) #1

Vegetarian. Vegan. Pescetarian. Carnivore. Omnivore. Ketovore. I’m finally noticing that when I talk about people eating a varied diet low enough to bring them into ketosis that’s not specifically all meat / mostly meat, or all plant / mostly plant, I wind up either referring to the diet itself, as Keto (“I eat foods that are keto-friendly”), or referring to them (to me) as “someone eating a varied diet low enough in carbohydrates to trigger ketosis.” Catchy!

Ketovore is the obvious answer except that’s been co-opted to mean almost all meat. What about those of us regularly, probably intentionally, indulging in some plant foods?

So … am I just still asleep? Is my caffe-tarian breakfast just not kicking in this morning, have I overlooked some obvious answer?

Ketonian? Keetarian? Keton? Omnikeet? Organo-keet? All suggestions welcome.

(Joey) #2

I usually describe this simply as “low-carb” eating.

It works as a compact label without much baggage, and also seems to explain itself in the same breath.

Then I usually add, “…and you’d be surprised where those pesky carbs are hiding in common foods…” which then often leads to a conversational Q&A.

(KM) #3

Yes, “low carb eating”, but this doesn’t give me a label for myself. I don’t know that I particularly need one, but I can see that most groups, whether it’s carnivores or patriots or Baptists or Picklers, seem to have more camaraderie and strength.

#4

Wouldn’t it just be Keto? You describe the same way that I eat myself and I see that as “standard” Keto. IF ketosis is involved that is. Not all low carb diets trigger ketosis if the carbs are still too high, so then that wouldn’t be Keto. But if your in ketosis and still eating some plant foods, that’s Keto then. So I think all these names of the other varied forms of low carb were to identify how they differ from just plain Keto.

(KM) #5

It a part of speech I’m looking for. A noun. I am a _____. I am not a keto. I am not a low carb eating.

(Cathy) #6

I am low carb or I am ketogenic… keto for short.

(KM) #7

Yes yes and yes. and Yes. I know how to describe my diet! And I say I eat keto, and then usually add in the part about what that means. But you wouldn’t go up to someone and say “Hi! I’m a person who propels myself forward as quickly as I can for long periods.” You’d say “I’m A Runner.” I wouldn’t have said I’m a person from Bisbee, I’d have said I’m a Bisbonian.

It’s about identity and the sense of belonging and pride that usually comes with it. She’s a Texan, I’m a cat person, he’s a Grandfather, I’m a Boomer, they’re Episcopalians …

I mean, there are a hundred jokes about vegans, and the punchline is always “I’m a vegan”. So maybe I don’t want my tribe named … :rofl: but I’d like it anyway.

(I’m an only child with a mother who’s been telling me I’m not really part of a family since I could talk. She was an immigrant and grew up with seven siblings, all still overseas. Maybe this is compensation, but I’m frustrated, I’ve finally found an identity that really really resonates with me, and it doesn’t have a name. :frowning:)

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #8

A “ketonian” or a “low-carber.”

Myself, I prefer “healthy eater.” Never mind that it’s probably not the sort of “healthy” they have in mind.

I suppose “carb-fearer” would also work. :laughing:

(Joey) #9

Okay, okay … @PaulL’s suggestions are solid. Then there’s being a low-carbist? :man_shrugging:

(KM) #10

, or maybe just a pain in in the a$$. :rofl:

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #11

I thought of “recovering sugar addict” as a joke, but it actually has a serious point that might get people thinking. Though probably not. :frowning_face:

(Geoffrey) #12

I would say that just referring to yourself as Ketogenic would suffice. It covers all of the bases without specifics.

(KM) #13

Ya, but it’s boring! You get to say you’re a carnivore, which is :sunglasses:.

#14

Ohhhh I’m so sorry. I misunderstood you. Ok yeah. Things like ketonian or ketoer. Lol. I get it.

Yeah I guess I’ve always said “lowcarber” but you are correct that’s a pretty wide net.

Ketovore should have been ours because really that describes us best but others hijacked that to mean “I’m carnivore except for my 5-10g carb allowance for my condiment. :rofl: They robbed us. Lmao

(Megan) #15

I haven’t heard anyone who eats carni say they are ketovore. 5-10g carbs in condiments is one hell of a lot of condiments, unless they are very high carb ones which people eating carnivore would usually avoid.

I see where you need to have a name/identity comes from but names/identities are a mixed bag. Carnivore is not my identity, just a small part of it. Just as being a New Zealander is not my identity, just a small part of it. Ditto being a woman, being a middle child, being a dog lover etc.

(Bean) #16

Can I say I’m a “lipivore” a la Amber O’Hearn? https://www.mostly-fat.com/home/

#17

I guess I do not like labels. When I first started keto/low carb (I am not as strict as some, more lazy keto), I wanted to tell the world but I am always like that with a new hobby or interest and then I get over it. I tended to lecture and wanted all of my friends to join me. I wanted them to be healthy too. Some tried it, some had no interest.

I got my husband to do it for the summer (I started in March) because I felt so good those first few months and thought he was missing out. He did great, lost 30lbs over a summer and then stopped. Now he is doing something else and it seems to be working for him and we play tennis together for the last two years.

Now I rarely go there with other people. Therefore I have no need to describe what I do. I usually say I avoid carbs. If having lunch I will usually say I will not do pizza (my favorite food that I do not eat) but otherwise pick where you want. I will refer to myself as doing keto or low carb but that is not my identity, it is what I eat. People who are vegetarian are not Tofu and carnivores are not a tenderloin. That is what they consume

#18

Self Cannibals - we ‘eat’ our own body fat

(Robin) #19

Oh man… we have a winner! lolol

#20

LOL yeah I certainly have. I was part of a carnivore group for a while and they kept trying to make Ketovore to mean Carnivore except for a few trace carbs from things like condiments. Like even a tablespoon of chopped tomatoes on top of chicken was considered a condiment to them, “just a tad bit, it’s really just a condiment” is how they said it.

They made a blanket rule that Ketovore was no more than 5-10g carbs per day.

I ended up leaving because of how the group’s owner treated other members. She was rather authoritarian and possessive about the rules of the various keto diets, and sort of taking advantage of the group to make a name for herself. It caused her to treat people like children. It’s hard enough for some people to deal with all the emotion behind switching their diets and the stress of getting healthy, they certainly don’t need to deal with that too when trying to get support. They need camaraderie and kindness. Anyway, that’s where I witnessed this definition of ketovore and I watched them take it to Carb Manager chat groups to try and instill its definition there too. :rofl: Not sure if it took.