So is everyone planning on doing LCHF ketogenic plan for life?

science
(linda) #1

Hi All-
I’ve been keto-adapted for 6 months with amazing symptom improvements and plan on continuing but I was wondering about the long haul. Some advocates on line promote their own stories and speak to being keto for10 plus years - and are selling coaching, cookbooks and food plan so I thought I ask you all your own thoughts about this.

(Kaiden) #2

I’m trying, honest I am. My original plan was 10 months, but to make the arduous shift from 40+ years of not being keto to being truly ketogenic, I had to convince myself, so several Youtubes and Podcasts later, here I am.

The problem with short-term keto, as I see it, is that keto is so good for everything that saying “I plan on stopping,” or worse, “I stopped,” feels like self-sabotage.

The only reason I say “I’m trying” instead of “I am” is that I’ve been feeling lots of burnout lately. I’m sure it will pass, but I’m not sure when.

(Allie) #3

Can’t see any reason to change it.

(Marta Loftfield) #4

Yep, plus fasting. Not a diet a way of life!

(Chris W) #5

I see no reason to go back to the SAD, this has worked for me for 6 months as well.
The links to all the common diseases ought to be enough on its own, and I have seen enough of that close to me to be scared. Also now that I understand both what life feels like and how to manage my energy intake in a constructive way I doubt it. I also nearly overnight felt 25 years younger, and now I feel better in many ways than I did then.

(TJ Borden) #6

Unlike other “diets”, I’ve found the longer I’m on keto, the easier it is to stay with it, and the less tempting carbage becomes. I’ve also found that the longer I’m on it, the easier it is to occasionally take a meal off (usually for social reasons) and jump back on without too much penalty.

I’m usually disappointed by how much I really don’t like food that I used to love.

(linda) #7

Sounds good!
Sometimes I forget the positives that resulted from the keto plan as time goes on–but it’s a good reminder to hear from you. I, too, look at foods differently - some items look almost poisonous after all I’ve learned.

(Doug) #8

Eating and drinking was my recreation for so long - many decades - that I have not gotten to the point of really saying, “Forever, period” yet. The overall trend is very good, and I hope to get to a point where I’ve lost enough weight and ‘fixed’ my metabolism where I’m okay for the rest of my life. Whether or not that includes going off-program, which I do quite a lot, is in question.

(Liz ) #9

Yes absolutely Keto for life. Keto plus fasting. The way my body works, this is the only option for me and i LOVE it!

(Joy) #10

Yes – unless data come along that suggest a better WOE. Currently at 2-1/2 years eating LCHF.

#11

I have been Keto since Dec 2012, so coming up six years. I love it and even though I ate carbs during my 900 km Camino last month, I am back to Keto. Barring any adverse health consequences I am here for the long haul.

(Robert C) #12

I would have to say no. While I love 80-15-5 keto (plus IF and EF) I have heard from several sources that seem reliable (for example Mark Sisson and Dr. Daniel Pompa) that taking into account our evolutionary history might be a good idea. We evolved doing winters in a keto/fasting mode and adapted well to that but, we also did summers eating at least some amount of fruit, carb rich vegetables, nuts etc which provided nutrient variety. Even though back then fruit was much smaller and less sweet, we didn’t ignore it. Killing animals was dangerous and difficult so when we had an alternative - we probably took it. We also (along with the animals) needed to fatten before the next winter came so we could get through it. One could argue that the summer fattening phase is what processed food/SAD is mimicking year round (which is why everyone is so fat - and only gets fatter). To me, that implies that the other extreme - year round keto + IF + EF might also have its problems too.
Just as Dr. Fung points out - you can build a resistance to more and more of almost anything. I have no idea what building a resistance to keto would look like - maybe mental burnout along with keto not seeming to work well anymore.
Dr. Daniel Pompa is a real fasting advocate with lots of good advice. He also advocates (his term) “diet variation” - his argument is that if you stay in ketosis continuously, your hormones will adapt and effectiveness will go way down. If you look up “pompa diet variation” on YouTube and watch his “Dr Dan Pompa Diet Variation” video - he’ll explain how ancient cultures were forced through dietary shifts due to seasons, famine, travel etc. His conjecture is that these greatly differing food environments forced continual hormonal change - and that it was good for us.
All of this made staying on keto forever (in my mind) to mean staying in winter forever. Of course, many people initially need the “tear down” keto provides (coming from processed food/SAD background) but eventually should probably move into a build then tear down then build… cycle. Something like summer with some extra carbs and extra exercise along with winter hibernation.

(Todd Allen) #13

Now that I’ve seen what a huge impact the right diet can have I’ll definiteIy not go back to eating carbage and doubt I’ll ever go back to high carb low fat. But I’ll continue experimenting and pursue whatever seems likely to work best for my goals of the moment. Currently that is on the low end of ketosis with protein a little on the high side along with various forms of fasting. Don’t want to predict/commit to where I’ll be diet wise 6 months from now.

(Mike W.) #14

Sugar is poison.

(Bunny) #15

Lifer here! I like the more realistic approaches to this rather than black & white thinking, and finger twisting about what to do? Even if you cannot handle LCHF with or without (light Ketosis) Ketones for fuel (long-term), you could oscillate in and out (or fasting methodologies?) if you are more prone to falling off the wagon? It is still more advantageous (long-term health) compared to being a perennial sugar\glucose burner?

(Gail P) #16

Yes, planning to stay with it. Hoping to stay current with the research, and doing more IF.
I’m at 2 years and counting.

(Vincent Hall) #17

This is my current thoughts as well Rob. I’m off keto, but still lowish carb. No junk food (never did a lot of that anyway) but a few more carbs of a weekend. A little fruit (I like fruit) but 1/2 a small banana, handfull of berries, ect. I may cycle keto for winter months, not decided yet. Depends on test results when I’ve finished with doctor visits and hopefully signed off healthy.
I only got into keto WOE around April 2017 after starting to drop bad carbs January of same year. Then found keto.
Aim was to lose viseral fat around stomach, it was/is my only issue I think unless tests reveal something more going on.
I’m rather highly strung it appears and I fear too long on keto for me elevates cortisol levels too high and for too long. Hence I’m feeling I need to take breaks from it.
\v/

(charlie3) #18

I hope I’m a keto lifer. Adopting the new foods was easy. I like them better than what I ate before. The headaches are logistics, time, and money, all of which can be improved. My only interest in keto at the start was a sensible response to metabolic illnesses. But the changes in hunger signals and how that makes it easier to skip meals and fast instead of calorie restrict for controling body fat is a huge and fascinating bonus. So much control over eating is powerful. I’m going to explore that. In return for tolerating a couple hours of mild hunger, because I skip breakfast, lunch and dinner are more rebust and satisfying. If I can easily skp three meals once a week then I really can eat hearty all week in return for one day of not eating. That is a fair exchange. This has been my pattern for over a month. So far so good.

(Dameon Welch-Abernathy) #19

Why did I ever exit the induction phase of Atkins 15 years ago?
Because that’s what this WOE is (basically) and I stuck with Atkins for a while.

That’s not to say I’m not going to indulge in some non-keto foods every now and again, but until I’ve undone more of the damage caused by decades of SAD, I’m going to keep these indulgences to a minimum.

#20

Yup. Well, 95 percent of the time.