Why I Keto
- Sarah
- Mar 22, 2018
- 5 min read
Over the last few months since beginning keto, I have had a ton of questions and comments about how I am choosing to eat - both by people online and people in real life. I have had people telling me that this is “no way to live” and that there is “no way that is sustainable” and that “it can’t be healthy.” Meanwhile, most of these people have no control over their diet. They truly have no room to be mocking me or my choices, after all, they are MY choices. This post is meant to be a brief overview of the keto diet and then WHY I keto. I am not going to touch on the details of the diet, as far as how it works, etc. That’s a post for another day. But I get the confusion and the concern. I had the same confusion and concerns until I researched and really began to understand.
I also just want to say that I may use the words diet, lifestyle, and way of eating interchangeably throughout this post as well as many others. So many people think diet is a negative connotation, but it’s not! In reality, one of the definitions of diet is “the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.”
The “keto diet”, formally known as the ketogenic diet, was first introduced in the 1920s as a way to treat children who were experiencing seizures. This diet was less frequently used and ultimately abandoned with the introduction of anticonvulsants medications and therapies -- because why would we want to continue to deal with these conditions naturally? {eyeroll}
So, with the keto diet, you consume a very high percentage of fat, a moderate percentage of protein, and a very low percentage of carbohydrates. The goal is to deplete your body of its sugar (glucose) store in order for it to begin breaking down protein & fat for energy. This causes ketosis -- the metabolic state characterised by raised levels of ketone bodies in the body tissues. This should NOT be confused with diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a serious complication of diabetes and can result in death.
I got fat by eating the Standard American Diet, and I’m getting my health back by doing the method that is best for me. The keto diet does NOT work for everyone. It requires discipline and patience, and an understanding of how it works. You cannot just jump right in to it and be successful - though this is incredibly true with any new style of eating. I have tried many styles of eating -- I was a Beachbody coach, I did Atkins (which is keto-esque), I have done IIFYM, Trim Healthy Mama, etc. etc. etc.
These are the reasons why I keto. There are tons and tons more, which you can read about in the links at the end of my post.
ᴥ Weight Loss
This kind of seems like a no-brainer, but when people hear the words “high fat” they assume that they aren’t going to lose any weight. I have lost over 20 pounds since beginning this diet only 10 weeks ago. That is an AWESOME accomplishment in such a short period of time.
ᴥ Better Focus & Energy
Listen. Mom brain is a real thing and the brain fog is incredibly distracting. Keto can help improve memory, cognition, & clarity. I find that my brain sometimes is going too fast lately - as if that is a bad thing?
I also have this crazy thing called energy. Now, some people tout that they have so much energy they don’t know what to do with themselves. I get this reaction when I drink a ketone supplement, but on a daily basis, my energy is simply sustained throughout the day. No more carb crashes. No more sugar crashes. I’m not half asleep at my desk at 2:00 in the afternoon. I’m rarely asleep at 9:00 anymore.
ᴥ Prevent Heart Disease
I can’t tell you how many times I hear “oh man eating all of that fat cannot be good for your heart.” This is true, to a point. If you’re eating too much of the wrong cholesterol it can be detrimental to your heart health. That is why eating a combination of fats is essential. While on the keto diet, you aim to eat saturated and monounsaturated fats while trying to avoid trans & processed polyunsaturated fats.
I have a heart condition which causes palpitations as well as a murmur. I have noticed my palpitations are not as intense or as frequent. My cholesterol is great, according to my heart doctor. And I was okay’ed by their office to continue eating this way.
ᴥ Decreased Inflammation
I don’t understand the science behind this, but it is 100% accurate. I have bad knees, and, while they still grind pretty bad going up and down the steps, the pain isn’t as intense as it used to be. I also have chronic back pain & sciatica issues. I have noticed a decrease in that as well.
ᴥ Migraine-free {almost}
I want to say, I didn’t start keto to help my migraines but it has been a welcome side-effect. I have been suffering with migraines since I was a teenager. In my late-teens I was put on medication and was up to well-over the recommended amount for migraine prevention. When I got pregnant with my son, I quit taking the medication and didn’t go back on it until about a year after I had him. At that point, it wasn’t controlling my migraines. It was making them worse. So I quit taking them again and began looking at holistic approaches. Eventually my migraines began to dissipate and I began experiencing debilitating tension headaches on a regular basis (sometimes 3-4 days a week). These would occasionally turn into a migraine. I have noticed that this is much less frequent recently. I account this to the increase in magnesium I am consuming to make sure my electrolytes are in balance.
ᴥ Improved Gut Health
And of course, this last one has to cover all the grossness - so sorry not sorry. I used to feel like poo on a daily basis. I would have bad stomach pains, horrific gas (frequency & intensity), and and overall blah feeling. Since being keto adapted, I have gas very infrequently (and when I do it’s not foul smelling), I rarely have diarrhea, and next to no stomach pains (unless I eat too much).
Below are a few links that explain the science behind these benefits a little bit better. I do keto because I feel good doing keto, and I’m going to continue following this way of eating until someone finds out a way for us to eat 30000 carbs a day and not gain weight or feel like poop. It may not work for you, you may think it’s a fad, but that’s your opinion. You’re entitled to it just as I am entitled mine. Please stop criticizing people for the way they choose to eat and instead celebrate that they are taking the steps to have a healthier life.
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