How long should you be on Keto?

[edgab2020]

I have read somethings about Keto, and a lot of people have said because you need to keep balanced you cannot live the rest of your life on a Keto diet. You need to keep a balance between things.

So how long should you be on a Keto diet and also what are some diets that would be recommended to switch to?

[edgab2020]

Posted in wrong section sorry.

[Josh81]

some mod here, fitnessman was on it for years

[Peter-1]

i couldnt see why you couldnt stay on it for the rest of your life,Eileen on here is on it over ten years as far as i know.

[and86]

i couldnt see why you couldnt stay on it for the rest of your life,Eileen on here is on it over ten years as far as i know.

This!

[ra2commando]

i couldnt see why you couldnt stay on it for the rest of your life.

Just so long as it doesn't cause the rest of your life to be shorter =)
J/k, I like low carb, tho not necessarily keto.

IMO as soon as you start to plateau due to slowing of metabolism and can't calories too much, that the time to stop

[Peter-1]

Just so long as it doesn't cause the rest of your life to be shorter =)
J/k, I like low carb, tho not necessarily keto.

IMO as soon as you start to plateau due to slowing of metabolism and can't calories too much, that the time to stop

why would it cause the rest of my life to be shorter?

you can plateau with any diet,i feel much healther on keto,i was on it for 11 weeks when i took a 2 week break,back on it since last monday and consider this a better way of life,well for me anyway.

[rexio83]

I've been on it for 9 months now, seeing as how great my body has responded to it I feel this will be a lifestyle for me, I don't mean I 'll stay in keto for the rest of my life, but all the carbs that I consume are accounted for. When I was researching the topic before I started I came across a few studies that supported ketogenic diet to be safe, and actually may extend your life (as long as you don't have any medical issues) i.e.. Diabetes.

[GymRat1991]

you can keep at it until you reach your goals. yanno, anywhere from weeks to years.

[GymRat1991]

btw its used for some forms of epilepsy and those peopel stay on it their whole lives. so there sholdnt be anythin wrong with staying on it for as long as you want.

[greesemuunkie]

I have to say that I have heard keto is not a long-term diet. When I did keto last time my kidneys started messing up. I was weak. My work performance was horrible. I was light headed, tired and moody. Maybe some of use just need carbohydrates. I think we can be on a low low low carb diet and be healthy but keto--with all those fats? not so much. My cholesterol was through the roof--I almost got disqualified for Aviation.

[kwebbers]

I have to say that I have heard keto is not a long-term diet. When I did keto last time my kidneys started messing up. I was weak. My work performance was horrible. I was light headed, tired and moody. Maybe some of use just need carbohydrates. I think we can be on a low low low carb diet and be healthy but keto--with all those fats? not so much. My cholesterol was through the roof--I almost got disqualified for Aviation.

how long were you into keto when you were experiencing those symptoms? maybe you weren't fat adapted quite yet? I personally never experienced the "fogginess" that many people explain except for maybe a couple days 2 weeks into keto

[SP1966]

I have to say that I have heard keto is not a long-term diet. When I did keto last time my kidneys started messing up. I was weak. My work performance was horrible. I was light headed, tired and moody. Maybe some of use just need carbohydrates. I think we can be on a low low low carb diet and be healthy but keto--with all those fats? not so much. My cholesterol was through the roof--I almost got disqualified for Aviation.

how long were you into keto when you were experiencing those symptoms? maybe you weren't fat adapted quite yet? I personally never experienced the "fogginess" that many people explain except for maybe a couple days 2 weeks into keto

What she ^^^ said. If you were to stay on Keto for months, not weeks all the so called problems with it go away as you become adjusted to using fat for your primary energy source. Keto is NOT unhealthy, and in fact is how we evolved to eat, its good for you!

[Wtf?]

It's the strict Atkins Induction phase type of Keto that you can't do longterm..which consists of 20g of carbs a day from greens and cheese. That's why there are "phases".

A lot of people do "Low carb" for life once the weight loss is gone and they are just staying away from bread and stupid sh*t..they are not actually in ketosis 24/7.

[greesemuunkie]

What she ^^^ said. If you were to stay on Keto for months, not weeks all the so called problems with it go away as you become adjusted to using fat for your primary energy source. Keto is NOT unhealthy, and in fact is how we evolved to eat, its good for you!

I was in complete ketosis, I was doing keto for 2 months. I actually was peeing high levels of ketones according to my UA I took for the Army. Some bodies are not meant to be without carbohydrates. We are all different and I don't consider a life without carbs a lifestyle. We need them. It's science.

[kwebbers]

I was in complete ketosis, I was doing keto for 2 months. I actually was peeing high levels of ketones according to my UA I took for the Army. Some bodies are not meant to be without carbohydrates. We are all different and I don't consider a life without carbs a lifestyle. We need them. It's science.

If you are going to bring science into it, I think it would prove that we DONT actually need carbs but I do agree with you that the "lifestyle" is definitely not for everyone

[dustinshumate45]

isn't ketosis dangerous?

Being in ketosis by following a low carbohydrate diet is NOT dangerous. The human body was designed to use ketones very efficiently as fuel in the absence of glucose. However, the word ketosis is often confused with a similar word, ketoacidosis.

Ketoacidosis is a dangerous condition for diabetics, and the main element is ACID not ketones. The blood pH becomes dangerously acidic because of an extremely high blood SUGAR level (the diabetic has no insulin, or doesn't respond to insulin .... so blood sugar rises ... ketones are produced by the body to provide the fuel necessary for life, since the cells can't use the sugar). It's the high blood sugar, and the acid condition that is so dangerous. Ketones just happen to be a part of the picture, and are a RESULT of the condition, not the CAUSE. Diabetics can safely follow a ketogenic diet to lose fat weight ... but they must be closely monitored by their health care provider, and blood sugars need to be kept low, and stable.

[greesemuunkie]

isn't ketosis dangerous?

Being in ketosis by following a low carbohydrate diet is NOT dangerous. The human body was designed to use ketones very efficiently as fuel in the absence of glucose. However, the word ketosis is often confused with a similar word, ketoacidosis.

Ketoacidosis is a dangerous condition for diabetics, and the main element is ACID not ketones. The blood pH becomes dangerously acidic because of an extremely high blood SUGAR level (the diabetic has no insulin, or doesn't respond to insulin .... so blood sugar rises ... ketones are produced by the body to provide the fuel necessary for life, since the cells can't use the sugar). It's the high blood sugar, and the acid condition that is so dangerous. Ketones just happen to be a part of the picture, and are a RESULT of the condition, not the CAUSE. Diabetics can safely follow a ketogenic diet to lose fat weight ... but they must be closely monitored by their health care provider, and blood sugars need to be kept low, and stable.

We all reply based on personal experiences. While I read over and over how people on this forum live off keto diets, I cannot. I was miserable for those two months. My run time on my pt test did improve, but I went from lifting 20-25lb dumbbells to maybe 10 lb dumbbells. I had no enery, I was exhausted, tired and had a horrible immune system. When I went back on carbs, I felt so much better. Like I said, every one is different.
It is also science that states the brain functions off of carbohydrates. Not fats. Only when in growing do people use fats to support brain function. That's why people who are on keto are usually more forgetful, sluggish, etc. Based on personal experience and the research I have done in my spare time.
I just know that although I am doing keto, I definitely wouldn't live this way forever.

[dustinshumate45]

there was a recent study in which a very low carbohydrate ‘ketogenic’ diet was tested in individuals with ‘mild cognitive impairment’ (reduced brain function associated with ageing but not severe enough to be classified as dementia) [1]. Half of the group in this study were randomised to eat the ketogenic diet, the other half ate a diet rich in carbohydrate. The study lasted 6 weeks.

The researchers found that those eating the ketogenic diet, compared to the other group, saw significant improvement in their ‘verbal memory’ (memory of words and other abstractions involving language). Also, generally speaking, the higher their ketone levels, the better their verbal memory tended to be. The suggestion here is that ketones provide ready fuel for the brain, and may enhance ‘cognitive function’.

Aside from memory improvement, those in the ketogenic diet also saw significant benefits in terms of weight loss and waist circumference reduction, as well as reductions in fasting blood glucose and insulin levels. Taken as a whole, these results suggest that carbohydrate restriction sufficient to induce ketosis offers, in the short term at least, significant advantages for both body and brain.


science aside the first week of keto caused me to be tired and forgetful and everything you said but after the first week my energy sky rocketed i have a better mental focus and i feel great and when i ate carbs i always felt full and sluggish so from my experience and what i have read low carb diets are great for long term overall health the only problem is the limitation of the food you can eat but if you learn how to cook a little bit this is easy to overcome. just my input

[BennettC]

I plan to, it's a much healthier way to live. You don't need carbs. Our ancestors survived this way for over two million years, meat and fat are the foods the gave us larger brains and got here in the first place.

[Sprtclmbr]

We all reply based on personal experiences. While I read over and over how people on this forum live off keto diets, I cannot. I was miserable for those two months. My run time on my pt test did improve, but I went from lifting 20-25lb dumbbells to maybe 10 lb dumbbells. I had no enery, I was exhausted, tired and had a horrible immune system. When I went back on carbs, I felt so much better. Like I said, every one is different.
It is also science that states the brain functions off of carbohydrates. Not fats. Only when in growing do people use fats to support brain function. That's why people who are on keto are usually more forgetful, sluggish, etc. Based on personal experience and the research I have done in my spare time.
I just know that although I am doing keto, I definitely wouldn't live this way forever.

I'm not trying to be rude or start an argument at all. Please don't misunderstand. But it sounds like, from the symptoms you have described yourself as having experienced, that your doing something wrong. Generally speaking that particular symptom set is indicative of deficiencies in one or more of the following; magnesium, sodium, potassium, or water. I would investigate that first. With regard to everyone being different, that is true to an extent, but at the biological level, ie what we can or cannot use as fuel or what fuel the brain runs better on, we are actually pretty much all the same. The exception being hunter gatherer societies near the arctic. In which case they actually get something like 70 percent of their calories from fat and almost zero from carbs. Basically the extreme opposite of what you're suggesting. From an evolutionary stand point high carb diets in general and sugar specifically are unnatural for lack of a better term. I would imagine that if you experimented with the aforementioned items you would have a better experience. I've been on keto for three years. I had these same issues when I started out. I made the same arguments. Like maybe it just wasn't for me. Fortunately I had someone guide me. I got honest with myself and got in control. Result: I'm thirty pounds lighter, performing at a consistently higher level, and an stronger than I've ever been. I'm climbing harder stuff than I ever have. Even the connective tissue in my hands and shoulders, which is the weak link in most climbers, are stronger . My guess is that you need to look at those things I mentioned and make sure youre staying in keto. The sticks don't work after a couple of weeks on a keto diet. So You may be slipping in and out for some reason. I did. The culprit was barbeque sauce. Lol. Also, if you look into brain function, you'll see that they actually put children and adults with epilepsy on ketogenic diets. Why? Your brain runs better on Ketones than carbs. For this reason, Many experience a type of clarity or euphoria while in ketosis. Anyway, good luck. And don't get discouraged and miss out on a great thing. Remember, if you argue for your limitations, they'll be yours.

[helocat]

I am planning on hitting my weight goals then to start to carb cycle once a week. This will help me stay on the Keto path but also put some carbs back into my diet overall. I do miss beer.

[Coachjlr]

i couldnt see why you couldnt stay on it for the rest of your life,Eileen on here is on it over ten years as far as i know.

Good reply

[Josee28]

I'm not trying to be rude or start an argument at all. Please don't misunderstand. But it sounds like, from the symptoms you have described yourself as having experienced, that your doing something wrong. Generally speaking that particular symptom set is indicative of deficiencies in one or more of the following; magnesium, sodium, potassium, or water. I would investigate that first. With regard to everyone being different, that is true to an extent, but at the biological level, ie what we can or cannot use as fuel or what fuel the brain runs better on, we are actually pretty much all the same. The exception being hunter gatherer societies near the arctic. In which case they actually get something like 70 percent of their calories from fat and almost zero from carbs. Basically the extreme opposite of what you're suggesting. From an evolutionary stand point high carb diets in general and sugar specifically are unnatural for lack of a better term. I would imagine that if you experimented with the aforementioned items you would have a better experience. I've been on keto for three years. I had these same issues when I started out. I made the same arguments. Like maybe it just wasn't for me. Fortunately I had someone guide me. I got honest with myself and got in control. Result: I'm thirty pounds lighter, performing at a consistently higher level, and an stronger than I've ever been. I'm climbing harder stuff than I ever have. Even the connective tissue in my hands and shoulders, which is the weak link in most climbers, are stronger . My guess is that you need to look at those things I mentioned and make sure youre staying in keto. The sticks don't work after a couple of weeks on a keto diet. So You may be slipping in and out for some reason. I did. The culprit was barbeque sauce. Lol. Also, if you look into brain function, you'll see that they actually put children and adults with epilepsy on ketogenic diets. Why? Your brain runs better on Ketones than carbs. For this reason, Many experience a type of clarity or euphoria while in ketosis. Anyway, good luck. And don't get discouraged and miss out on a great thing. Remember, if you argue for your limitations, they'll be yours.

I have been on keto for 4 months. I could not lose any weight. I am on 1200-1400 calories and I follow my macros. I am 5.8 and my weight is 168. I need to loose weight because I have a thin bones and mostly my weight is fat). Sometimes I lose 2-3- pounds but immediately gain them back. I don’t have any health issues. I am vegetarian , but I eat eggs and fish. Any ideas what the problem can’t be? I am in ketosis I check it every day. The other question is about potassium, magnesium and sodium. How to figure out the right amount and to overdose it? I feel like I need it because my pulse sometimes too high for me -84 . ( usually its 68)I do yoga almost every day. Why I am not losing any weight? Thank you !

[netster]

So I'm 11 days in. I've dropped nearly 3kgs in weight since starting. I train mainly weightlifting, minimal cardio and have seen nil effects so far in terms of lifting capacity. Looks wise -- well I've never looked better. Skin is much healthier, fat disappearing from all over the place.

Dexa Scan due on day 14, will be interesting to see what this shows.
Bloods due on day 14 also.
Urinalysis showed I entered Ketosis, with a positive reading on day 3, and a ++ reading on day 5. My U/A is still showing positive for ketones (++), but was in +++ on day 8.
BSL / BGL: Stable. Averaging under 5.
Sleep. According to the fitbit, I have less restless nights, and definitely a longer sleep.
Sex Drive: Increased.
Fluids: Initially passing lots of urine (first four days). Increased fluid intake.
Nil problems with constipation.
Tracking everything using myfitness pal. Macros: 80% FAT, 20% Protein, 5% Carbs. I achieve this pretty much every day.
I still have a "foggy" feeling in terms of memory & concentration.

All in all, I'm going well and feel good.

Plan is, see how everything holds up from the blood tests and then perhaps use IF (Intermittent Fasting) and Keto to manage my weight. From what I've researched so far, Keto is a way of life for many, but for me I'd like to introduce it and then use IF for a couple of days a week, then hit keto again.

[KetoCarol]

i couldnt see why you couldnt stay on it for the rest of your life,Eileen on here is on it over ten years as far as i know.

I second this^