Afraid!!!! But determined...new to keto

[eowyn]

Hey,

I've been living in the keto pages for the past few days - referred by a few of the contributors from our Female Nutrition pages (thanks ladies).

I lost a fair amount of weight about 5 years back when I started lifting weights for the first time. Back then, I did some standard amounts of cardio (3 days a week, 30 to 45 minutes a session) along with 3 weight training sessions per week. I was eating more or less a 50/40/10 macro distribution and got myself down to about 145 lbs., at 5'9" and 17% BF - sorry, I'm a girl!

However, I put some weight back on and am now close to 160 - and have unsuccessfully been able to take it off! I've had my blood work done and even had a thyroid ultrasound, but nothing is wrong! So I doubled up my efforts: I am lifting weights 5 days a week, doing cardio twice a day 6 days a week and measuring out all of my meal components following basically the same macros as above.

this is what I *think* I know - I feel awful after "cheat days" and think I may be carb sensative - I bloat up and it takes days afterwards for me to feel like I was back where I started before the cheat day. My eyes get puffy, my energy is down for two or three days, and my system seems out of whack. That is what drew me to keto...

It would take out some of those nasty carbs that may be doing me so much harm. Of course, I'm also afraid of consuming all of those fat grams and just really blowing up like a balloon...

So, I guess what I'm wondering if there is any reason why I shouldn't try this? I realize there are some people here who have significant experience with keto and some of the pitfalls and such, so I am hoping for some insight before I endeavor into yet another diet.

I know I have to stay positive - and I really want this one to work, not just to lose weight, but to build muscle, maybe even compete! I have more goals than just looking good in a bikini, but I'll take that too!

thanks for your input and suggestions. Cheers to all!

[krismc]

Hi and welcome to keto. I have had some of the same problems. I was afraid of fat also due to the fact that I grew up in the fat free days. I haven't lost a ton of weight but I am down about 2 sizes and my bf has drop alot. I still want to lose about 10 lbs. My lifts are good and I am looking more cut than ever. Carb-ups are pretty bad b/c I feel so bad on carb days. I think 12 hour refeeds are the best way to go for myself.

[Rascals2010]

The only thing to be afraid of is how awesome you will look in that bikini in a few months when all your hard work and dieting has paid off! I did about a months worth of research about keto before beginning myself and I couldn't find hardly any negatives to it. I am in my first week and loving it. Good luck!

[eowyn]

Thanks for the encouragement. But here is one concern I have that I didn't express earlier: what about keto and kidney function? I mean, is all the protein being consumed a stress on the kidneys? Has anyone experienced any illness from this?

I have kidney failure in my family, although I have been completely healthy my whole life - I'm just not looking for trouble, ya know?!

Thanks again.

[Rascals2010]

I am not a doctor, if you are really that scared about doing it... don't do it. I would hate to see something happen to anyone. But I think there has been enough people on these forums and throughout the world that have done Keto and Atkins, which are somewhat the same and not had horrible results like what you speak of. If you really want to try it, but safely try it. Go get some blood work done, do the diet for say a month and go get some more done and see what becomes of it. I am not the authority around here at all but I know what its like to sit there and want to try something but not be sure about what its going to do to your body.

[Eileen]

Keto is a moderate protein diet. In fact, most body builders eat 1g or more of protein per pound of total weight. Keto-ers eat 1g per pound of lean mass.

In any case, it's not an issue. That whole thing about protein being bad for your kidneys doesn't exist. If it did, you'd see dialysis machines installed in every gym in the country, as gym rats keeled over with kidney disease.

The whole thing started because people with kidney disease can't eat huge amounts of protein. Some "experts" extrapolated that to mean high levels of dietery protein might give you kidney disease (even though there has never been a single case of this happening) and voila, instant urban myth.

In fact, the most recent studies on people with existing kidney disease show that they do better on moderate protein than low protein (though I suspect that "moderate protein" in that context is less than when a BB-er says it).

The one thing I would say is that keto is a naturally duiretic diet, so make sure you drink plenty of water. Dehydration will hurt your kidneys more than protein.

[eowyn]

Eileen and Rascals 2010!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am enlightened once more - I didn't know protein and kidney disease was an urban myth! One that survives, obviously.

And it is true that I can take this slow and steady to see how I feel and react to it. Yes, it is a completely different train of thought from the diets of moderate macros, but there is something about it that makes sense. And there is just so much information in the forums for me to go through - I am encouraged and feeling like I'm ready for a change.

Thank you both again for your informative and well thought feedback. It has made the difference!

Cheers!

[joker22]

I just started a keto diet three days ago. I do have a log going for any thats interested.
But i started searching for kidney problems after i talked to my inlaws last night. They said not to be in ketosis for more then 4 days or will cause kidney issues. If the protein intake is the issues for kidneys then yea, myth. I have been taking protein shakes and intaking on and off my bodyweight in protein while lifting for at least 10 years. Never had a issue.
I had a doctor also tell me to never take any supplements expecially protein shakes that they are bad for you. I said really? how about the 4 burgers from mcdonalds it looks like u eat a day? needless to say i found a different doctor.

[RU4A69]

However, I put some weight back on and am now close to 160 - and have unsuccessfully been able to take it off! I've had my blood work done and even had a thyroid ultrasound, but nothing is wrong! So I doubled up my efforts: I am lifting weights 5 days a week, doing cardio twice a day 6 days a week and measuring out all of my meal components following basically the same macros as above.

l!

Overtraining is not the answer, keto is.

I'm pretty sure you'll stop worrying about eating tons of fat when you notice how damn good you feel doing it. The great thing about keto is: even if you don't get 6 pack abs you WILL feel great-but you HAVE to keep the fat intake high or else you will feel like CRAP.

[stewaat]

I'll just say this...I gave this idea a slim to none chance of working but I've been on it 1.5 months and I've gone from 217-203 and my body looks better than ever. I'll admit I've had terrible carb ups as well for the mostpart and I even had a week off of lifting in there due to recovering from a surgery.

I've cut down my cardio, I've been more satisfied after eating, during the week I have no desire to eat baked goods (I had terrible cravings before...when I carb up I ate them...however last carb up I had none...going to keep it that way as well...I don't really even want them)...I can't really say anything bad about how I feel during the past 7 weeks.

[Eileen]

But i started searching for kidney problems after i talked to my inlaws last night. They said not to be in ketosis for more then 4 days or will cause kidney issues. If the protein intake is the issues for kidneys then yea, myth. I have been taking protein shakes and intaking on and off my bodyweight in protein while lifting for at least 10 years. Never had a issue.
I had a doctor also tell me to never take any supplements expecially protein shakes that they are bad for you. I said really? how about the 4 burgers from mcdonalds it looks like u eat a day? needless to say i found a different doctor.

I really really wish that people would do some research before they start spouting off.
Yes, they really are talking crap.

For a start off, keto is a MODERATE protein diet. Most bodybuilders who come to keto have to wrap their head around not shoving in the huge amounts of protein they are used to. BB-ers as a group eat a huge amount of protein, and you'll notice that no-one is setting up dialysis units in your neighbourhood gym.

This whole thing started because some people with kidney disease can't handle a lot of protein. From this, doctors speculated that perhaps eating a lot of protein might give kidney disease to healthy people? In spite of the fact that there is not a single study, or even a single CASE of a healthy person getting kidney disease from eating protein, the belief persists. In fact, in a recent study, they found that people with existing kidney disease did better on a moderate protein diet than on a low protein one.

As for the four days of ketosis causing kidney disease, I've been doing keto for over seven years now, and my kidneys are fine thank you. Epileptic children are often put on very strict keto diets (with no carb-ups) for years at a time to help them control seizures. They are not dying of kidney disease either.