TCM Reader Poll: Have You Tried The Keto Diet?

Have you tried the keto diet? Or does the word alone make you want to throw a bucket of avocados at the person who mentioned it? (Just kidding, we'd never waste healthy fats like that).

Like veganism and CrossFit, the ketogenic diet is the latest trend to develop a cult-like following of deeply enthusiastic devotees. The idea behind keto is to severely limit carbs and load up on healthy fats as a way to propel your system into ketosis: a state in which your body burns fat like woah -- learn more about the benefits here. But as with any health trend, there is a lot of mainstream hype - and it can overshadow the reality that no diet is one-size-fits-all.

For some, going keto is an effective way to manage cravings, trim down, reduce inflammation, and increase energy and vitality. The keto diet even holds promise as a disease preventing lifestyle. For others, the diet poses a challenging endeavor without much reward.

Can't decide whether or not keto is right for you? We took to Instagram to explore how you're really feeling about the keto diet trend. Learn all about a ketogenic diet here, and enjoy exploring below...

Increased energy, decreased social life.

Increased mental clarity and appetite control.

I love it. It’s effective and there’s many creative ideas to make healthy clean snacks if you snack.

I found it very effective. But, when I went off, because I lived a little, I gained my weight back! With interest, compounded daily. I cannot risk going Keto again.Destroyed my hormones!

Excellent opportunity to burden your kidneys.

Gave me the worst Keto flu. I was deprived of energy and by the end of Week 1 - I felt bad for my body to deprive it of all good nutrients found in fruits, milk, veggies etc.

Amazing!! It’s my lifestyle now. Best thing I’ve ever done diet wise.

I liked it and didn't miss carbs (much), but apparently, I'm sensitive to a lot of the food Keto depends on like dairy and coconut. So, back to low carb.

Watching the effectiveness of Keto on a friend, I decided to go low carb (not complete Keto, I have some reservations on it), and I think it’s been wonderful.

It was amazing until I got pregnant and I needed ALL the carbs!

Effective quick noticeable results.

It’s actually quite simple and easy to stay on track!

Too slimy. I felt like everything I was allowed to eat was slimy. Couldn’t handle it. Eating felt like a burden. I’d rather eat intuitively. 

Gained weight, hurt thyroid, made me feel miserable. Keto is NOT a miracle diet for everyone, and I wish that was more clear. It’s such a fad right now. (I tried it 6 years ago, before everyone was doing it, and decided then that it was a terrible idea for most. I’ve seen it clinically too; it is ineffective in most cases.)

Cyclical ketosis works best for me - and helped me drop baby weight and deal with brain fog - love love love it.

I was smelly and crabby, I do well with low carb but Keto throws me out of whack!

Yes, I have ... I am autoimmune and when I did Keto it made me feel soooooo much better.

Ugh, I miss bread.

It’s unnatural ... I prefer the paleo diet. Yet I don’t like to use the word “diet” as I believe that everything in moderation is best/healthiest for the body.

5 years ago I worked with a doctor to transition to a Keto diet to keep inflammation markers in my blood labs down. It improved dramatically, I lost weight and had more energy. I personally love the diet, and while it’s not for everyone, its certainly effective for those who need it! I will say, if it’s done just for weight loss...probably not going to work in the long run!

Zero cravings and hunger, weight loss best ever and energy through the roof!

Great for lowering inflammation and treating my stage 4 Endometriosis - keto is a life choice.

I hadn’t tolerated gluten or cow dairy in years but I did keto for 3 months and healed my gut. Now I can eat everything.

I’m a dietitian and have used personally and with patients with huge success in terms of weight loss, neurological health and cognitive function!

It depends on what type of Keto. True Keto (with no veggies) taxes micronutrients and is not sustainable or healthy, imo. Keto more on the paleo tip is healthier and easier to maintain. Keto/paleo helped me get pregnant after years of infertility - it was really more eating whole foods and no sugar. It is great for infertility and auto-immune disorders; though it’s not good during pregnancy.

Increased mental clarity and controlled appetite!! love a little and choose a designated cheat day every couple of weeks! it’s all about 80/20!Blood sugar went too low.

Completely destroyed my hormones, moody all the time, became super angry, but did I lose weight heck yes. Will I ever go back, no! Never again.

I dropped 12% body fat after two and a half months of tracking my macros per Keto standards and working out 3-5 times a week. It’s an intense lifestyle filled with social sacrifices (until you get the hang out of it). And the Keto flu is very much real. I hope this helps a few of y’all.

Felt terrible, mentally and physically. Once I stopped, I gained back what I lose and then some almost instantly...not worth it.

It cured my sweet tooth impact my body for longer fast but after several months my blood sugar skyrocketed in spite of incredibly low weight carbohydrates. Go figure. I did 23 and me and found out I have a JV team Tatian that causes blood sugar spikes because of saturated.

Life changer: mental clarity, increased energy, hunger satiation and a decrease in my anxiety.

Keto can be effective in weight loss for those who can make a long-term lifestyle out of it.. .not necessarily because of anything magical about ketone bodies but because it overall enables you to eat in a calorie deficit while diminishing hunger and cravings. It also helps with insulin resistance which many people who struggle with their weight have. I’ve personally tried it and found it difficult to sustain, opting for a balanced dietary plan instead!

I changed my life with Keto—healthy hormones, healthy mindset, healthy relationship with food, all with healthy, whole, real foods.

No diet/eating lifestyle works for all humans. For example, I’m Keto but not everyone can thrive off a Keto diet. Black-or-white and all-or-nothing scenarios are seldom universally true. Some people turn their eating habits into a religion. Moderation and listen to your intuition.

What's your experience with Keto? We'd love to hear about it in the comments below!

The post TCM Reader Poll: Have You Tried The Keto Diet? appeared first on The Chalkboard.

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