How did you find keto / LCHF? Initiation stories plz!

#1

Hi everybody, I’d love to hear from each of you on this! Or maybe refer me to an existing thread?

I stumbled on to keto after a long tumble down a few rabbit holes (Wansink, Pollan, Taubes, Fung, 2ketodudes) and have since been a catalyst in many of my friends’ lives asking about keto. When asked, I can evangelize the benefits of keto, and how easy the lifestyle can be. But I didn’t have that… Nobody to ask!

It got me thinking… How did most people on this forum find the ketogenic way of eating? It is certainly gaining popularity but it is nowhere near mainstream…

So I ask: was it a friend that lead you in? Your own searching online for a “way out” of the endless cycle? A natural progression from general “healthier habits”?

I’m trying to figure the best way to pull of the “inception” move of friends / family so I don’t outright scare them with keto… Just start them on paths that we all seem to have tried + naturally followed to its logical conclusion.

Looking forward to your initiation stories!

(Brian) #2

Was feeling generally crappy. Weight continued to pile on. Blood sugar creeping upward. General lethargy. And all despite trying to eat “healthy” and get some exercise. Was basically doing the “McDougall diet” and it was NOT working.

Got a “junk email” from Dr. Eric Berg. Didn’t know him from Adam but watched a few of his videos on YouTube. Watched a few other videos by several other internet types including Dr. Sarah Hallberg, Dr. Phinney, Dr. Naiman, and I’m sure a few others.

I figured I had to do something, otherwise, it was probably not long before a stroke or a heart attack or at least diabetes set in. And the LCHF thing seemed to make a lot of sense.

Made the announcement to my dear wife in early August and I think she thought I was nuts. Told her she didn’t have to do it but I was going to go keto. She’s mostly come with me.

It hasn’t been that hard. I’ve been more faithful about it than she has. I’ve lost a little over 50 pounds, she’s lost a little over 25. I’m not sure where she’s planning to go but I figure I’m at least half way to my goal, maybe a little farther. I haven’t rechecked the blood sugar, haven’t been too worried about it. Feeling a whole lot better and able to move a whole lot easier. Don’t feel like there is a health crisis looming over my head anymore.

There are a few other people around me that are “health nuts” but none of them keto. And I’ve learned that I can only get so far in some of the conversations. But they’re watching. Funny thing is, I haven’t seen them losing weight, and most of them really need to.

Gonna keto on. Too many good things happening not to.

(Allie) #3

I was lazy and short of time so kept cooking just a piece of meat with butter / cheese or scrambled eggs. When the weight started coming off I researched and found it was called keto… that was 2.5 years ago.

#4

I kind of bumbled into it. Started with being tired of my weight and subsequent other issues (shortness of breath, hypertension, swollen ankles). But I was more tired of ‘trying to lose weight’ and failing with classic COCI and previous attempts with low carb and was loathe to try again. A friend of mine lent me a keto cook book - and it was the first I had heard of it - and pretty much dismissed as another version of Atkins. Somewhere along the way I saw the Dietdoctor web site. I will admit that I thought it was a pretty corny name and figured it would have advice to match. Boy was I ever wrong!! I binge watched the videos and presentations over a one month period. - and couldn’t believe was I was seeing. It just made so much sense - and explained so much.
I actually don’t talk about keto as I know there will be resistance. However, as I lose weight and folks are noticing - I will tell them a bit but only if I figure they will be receptive. But the information is getting out there - and more and more folks are trying it. And I also figure the keto community is leading by example - and as we lose weight, correct metabolic imbalances and maintain, eventually the message will be recieved.

#5

For me, a friend on Facebook kept posting about this diet she was on. How she was losing weight, feeling great, etc. When she posted some before and after pics, I became interested, so I asked her about it. After hearing how low the carb counts were, I knew it wasn’t for me. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to give up my beloved carbs. This was about 4 months before I actually gave in and tried it.

What finally made me bite the bullet was I was feeling so sluggish, and I hated being in photos because of my weight. My son and I took a trip to Maryland to visit his paternal grandma, and while there, we went to the beach. My son wanted some pics of him, his grandma and I, and hated seeing myself in them. As soon as we got home, I messaged my friend to give me the specifics, went shopping, and it’s been almost 3 months now!

I’ve lost 30 pounds. My fasting blood sugar counts have gone from high 100s to under 100 most mornings. My blood pressure is down to normal. I feel so much better. I did miss my pasta and breads the first couple of weeks, but now? Not really. I miss the thought of them, but I won’t go back to them. I’m Keto For Life!

(Shane Poynter) #6

About four months ago I picked up Eat Bacon, Don’t Jog by Grant Petersen at the library. In the book he talked about all the low fat diets that had failed him leaving him always hungry. That was the same experience I had been having since my mid twenties. He discussed LCHF diets and how well they worked for him. He talked about the science behind them and why they worked. I was curious so I bought the Ketogenic Bible and read it in a day. I was hooked. I started keto the next day and haven’t looked back. Lots of bacon and eggs were consumed during the first week until I could stock my pantry and explain to my wife why I was almond flour and coconut oil. Since then I’ve lost 23 pounds and feel better than I have in years. My wife saw the change and started the diet three weeks after I did. The keto flu was pretty short lived for me, it only lasted a couple of days thanks to some salt and magnesium supplementation. Now, I’m experimenting with some IF/EF although its been difficult with my schedule as a career firefighter working a 24on/48off schedule.

(Lynne Hurley Perry) #7

I was having trouble with blood sugar and joined a blood sugar boot camp with Dr. Brian Mowell, an 8 week education on addressing blood sugar. Week 2 was the food topic and was introduced to Fat Fueled-I devoured this book and decided I was willing to give it a go. This version is a bit more restrictive-no dairy/cheese. I started there but then learned you could have dairy on keto! I was into the lifestyle even more! I started in October 2017 and just a few months, I have no plans on going back. I am focused on learning, learning and learning. Someday I hope to pay it forward but I need to learn how to walk before I can run.

(John B) #8

My wife had been trying to lose weight for years, and we’ve tried several different diets. I was not worried about my weight at the time, and I do all the cooking, so I would try my best to prepare food the way she wanted (for that specific diet). Eventually, I noticed I was starting to get bigger, and eventually was not thrilled with the way I was looking, but figured i was getting old and ‘that’s the way it goes.’ My wife found a LCHF diet on the Diet Doctors web site and suggested we try it. It seemed like something we could do together, and that was the trick. We both started to lose wight pretty quickly, and since we were both doing it, that made it a lot easier. I dropped 50 pounds in about 8 months, which brought me to my goal weight. But,. I continue to do the LCHF as now I’m used to it, and I don’t miss sweets hardly at all. Plus, I need to support my wife who still has a bit more to lose.

(Jenn Monaghan) #9

I saw Forks over Knives and Fat Sick and Nearly Dead on Netflix so my husband and I went plant based for 3 weeks. By the end of that, he was practically begging to go low carb instead so he could eat meat. And plant based “meatloaf” is really gross so I agreed too.

(Dameon Welch-Abernathy) #10

I’m sure if I said Keto or LCHF, I’d get less negative reactions than I do when I mention intermittent fasting.

(I want abs... olutely all the bacon) #11

Progression from 20 years on/off LC, then 2 years fasting following watching Michael Mosley’s Eat, Fast, and Live Longer, then adding egg fasting for a few years, then I saw a 2KetoDudes reference in an Egg Fast FB group before it was deleted, a few months of research, and it’s been health improvements since July 2016.

(Lorraine Piercy) #12

I seen a TV program Catalyst they did a story about about the coach of the Australian Cricket team going LC and during the program Low-carb Downunder was mentioned so I looked up the site and there were videos of Tim Noakes and others at a conference so I went about to find out more and started to change my lifestyle. Love the podcasts from ketodudes.

(Carolus Holman) #13

Here is my story. Carl Franklin Changed my Life 2X

#14

One of my friends sent me and everyone on his contact list a one word message “Keto” I was about 120kg at the time, but was 130kg a few months before.
Curious I threw keto into google. Stephanie person, jimmy moore quickly popped up. Immediately bought Jimmy’s cholesterol code and keto clarity ebooks and dove right into them. Found keto on reddit as well with numerous good stories there. 3 days into research I thought what the hell, nothing to lose but my life and I’m in bad shape as it is. (not diagnosed with type 2 but I was definitely on the way there)
Decided to start on the weekend in the safety of home, but nope did it on friday during work and that was hard at lunch but I survived and from there on out no cravings.

Now this is a familiar story on how weight loss happens
Dropped 5kg in the first week (water weight)
Was dropping 1-2kg a week for a few months
Then 1kg a week, then 500g a week, then plateau hits and a gradual weight gain and stabilisation at 95-96kg. Took 6 months for me to start timed 16/8 fasting which broke the back of the plateau and I’ve since done a 3 and 4 day fast. Still have about 10kg to lose

(Robert Laflamme) #15

I heard @carl mention his progress and the creation of the 2 ketodudes podcast on his .Net Rocks podcast. I enjoy Carl’s presentation style so started listening to the dudes. After listening to a dozen or so episodes over a week, decided it was time to try something different. Now, instead of getting prescriptions to help me die more slowly, I’m eating to help me live better.

#16

My wife casually mentions my fasts when discussing diet with friends and I internally cringe! Thinking “shoot, we almost had them convinced up to that point!!”.

I just pray the Julia Roberts of the group stops me and says “you had me at bacon” lol

(Gail P) #17

Almost two years ago, my husband and I were researching healthier diets and had already gone gluten free. At that time I was a diagnosed diabetic, with my A1c climbing ever higher. I was anxious not to have more meds, so when it got to 7, I was getting desperate. I was reading a copy of Wheat Belly: the 10 day detox the same weekend I watched Dr. Sarah Hallberg’s TED Talk - Reversing Type 2 diabetes starts with ignoring the guidelines. It all came together and I started LCHF right away. It was easier because my family was away. I went around to my favorite eateries and “said goodbye” to potatoes, rice, and corn.

I lost weight so fast the first two weeks it was a little alarming so I went back for more rice and corn, but it made me feel so bad I was back LCHF in two days. As I learned more, my WOE gradually became keto, and here I stay. I can’t imagine having a reason to change back to a carb-burner.

LCHF was entirely successful in lowering my A1c to the normal range, and also normalized other blood markers. The weight loss was a welcome side effect, and not even the best one. I’m not afraid of having to take insulin any more.

I am enjoying discovering all the websites and podcasts that teach me about living keto.

(Consensus is Politics) #18

Back in 2012, I heard Steve Gibson talk about ketogenesis on his podcast ‘SECURITYNOW!’

https://www.grc.com/health/lowcarb-podcasts.htm

To be honest, I thought it was probably just another fad diet, and Steve was just working out if it was legit or not. I didn’t pay much attention to it, thinking I already knew the answer.

It was nearly a year later when Steve mentioned how he was still doing low carb, and how his body changed. He had my attention now. I went back and listened to those podcasts again with new ears.

I decided to try it out for myself. Basically the only thing I knew about it for sure was that by restricting carbs, I’d begin to create ketones for fuel instead of sugar. I lost 10 pounds a week for three weeks. Was trying to keep carbs below 50 grams a day. This was before I was T2DM. I stuck with it for three months. Felt better. But I was really beginning to miss my pizza, etc. I gave up on it.

Then in Aug 2017 I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. At the time I didn’t even consider Keto. I just knew it was a progressive disease. Only got worse, never got better. The best I could hope for would be to stay the onset of neuropathy and not lose my feet.

After 6 weeks of what I call the official “ADA DIET” which is moderate carbs, low fat, moderate protein, I was not getting better. I decided to look into this diabetes disease for my self. I looked hard and deep. I quickly came to the conclusion that this diet that was advocated to me was asinine.

I went Keto. More than that I tried, and still try, to go zero carb. On Oct 17th I started, I was 245 pounds. By the 31st of that same month I was 205 pounds. Forty pounds in 14 days. I was very pleased. To top things off my BG tests were back into normal range again.

I can’t wait for my follow up in January for my next HBa1c Test. In August it was 11.7%. Looking at my numbers for the past few months, it should be under 5.5%, maybe even under 5%.