Do you also get depressed from "normal" foods?

#1

Every time I change back to keto I just feel like my mindset and energy changed 180 degrees.

Compared to eating normal foods - also mostly healthy - it’s like being reborn.

(Edith) #2

I’m too afraid to leave keto. Whenever I add extra carbs, the weight instantly creeps back up, so vanity keeps me from straying.

I do find my mood pretty stable on keto. I don’t know if that would change if I added more carbs for a while.

#3

No, I feel pretty good off keto unless I do something crazy :slight_smile: I did it hundreds of times already so I have experience. Much carbs enervate me, too much sugar at once feels bad but I don’t do that off keto either so it’s fine.
My energy level is lowish everywhere, it’s seems I am like this but I don’t give up…

I wonder what is normal food to you… My definition changed in the last decade and I base my eating on the same type of dishes whatever my current woe is… My snacks and desserts may change a bit but I couldn’t put flour into my pancake if I wanted I am sure… Flourless is vastly superior, after all so even my high-carber SO gets those :wink:

My old high-carb woe would hit me hard (various big negative changes) but that’s in the distant past. Maybe people talk about the difference between high-carb and keto because they only knew these two. I had many years on low-carb and it’s nothing like high-carb, I compare keto and carnivore to that as high-carb has no chance anymore and even low-carb is short-living most of the time.
By the way, “low-carb” is around and below 80g net carbs for me, people call 150-160g low-carb too and that would make me a miserable carb poisoned enervated zombie in no time. I am sure we all have our limits, 80g is very noticeable in my case. Not all carbs are the same but the net carb number matters most for me.

So… It matters what “normal” you go back. You eat about the same but add 2 pears? You start to eat grains and potato galore? Sugary cakes (probably not as you mentioned mostly healthy… but if they harm you, it’s NOT healthy for you)? They probably give very different results.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

Yes, the mental clarity from putting the brain on ketones is a good feeling. Also the lack of aches, pains, and acne. And being able to breathe better.

For myself, I dislike using the term “normal foods” to mean carbohydrates. I am old enough to remember the time before the dietary guidelines when the “normal foods” were meat and dairy, with vegetables, starches, and grains to give some variety. But those weren’t the main items of the diet, the way the nutrition guidelines would have us eat them.

(Tracy) #5

I haven’t left a strict Keto lifestyle in over 15 months. I’m a firm believer that once you transition your body to fat burning, you can’t confuse it with a few carb days here and there. I’ve added extra carbs myself in the form of nuts, berries, or veggies and my hunger increases and I get really bloated. I have to stick to meat and eggs.

#6

Oh yeah, Acne.
Every time I switch back to carbs I get it once again.
Suffered from this for half my life and still, the addiction to sugar is still there.
But it’s a good reminder.

#7

Yeah, it’s a concept called hysteresis.
It takes quite a shock to your system to snap back into utilizing carbs.
As far as I know eating carbs in a very limited timeframe even makes ketosis harder - or at least your insulin levels drop much further but you don’t leave ketosis.