Earlier quoted context omitted.
> low enough fat that your body isn't storing any Dietary fat is rarely stored. It is mostly either burnt (metabolic upregulation) or excreted. Excess glucose in the blood, however, is stored as fat, through a process known as de novo lipogenesis.
Right. My limited understanding of this--and keep in mind I'm just regurgitating what I've read from those who support this way of eating--is that novo lipogenesis is a very inefficient process, and that you'd have to overeat a significant amount of _simple_ sugars for basically months to store even just a pound of body fat. I think the idea with this eating plan is, if you are keeping fat low, you will fill up on st…
Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
431–440 of 478 posts
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#432Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#433Just eating less carbs has made me feel a lot better. I'm not too intense about it, but just being mindful of it makes me a lot less tired after meals.
Same here. I was pretty hardcore for several months and take a more relaxed stance now. It also helped me lose a few kilograms.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#434Earlier quoted context omitted.
One of the common side effects of Keto is Reduced Physical Performance. You guys must be unicorns or something..That's not a surpise because you definitely need to be "special" to restrict yourself from eating all day long LOL.
That's not accurate information unless you are referring to the initial phase of getting your body used to a new way of eating. Most people who keep it up report the exact opposite.
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 1 – Frequent Urination. ...
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 2 – Dizziness and Drowsiness. ...
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 3 – Low Blood Sugar. ...
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 4 – Cravings for Sugar. ...
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 5 – Constipation. ...
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 6 – Diarrhea. ...
KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 7 – Muscle Cramps.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#435Stop buying stuff. I was a compulsive spender. Never bought on credit mind but I’d blow my entire paycheque after bills on stuff like cameras, hifi, the latest Apple doodad, etc. I literally stopped buying anything not required for my day to day sustenance. No Netflix, started renting what I wanted to watch which forced me to be more picky with my expenditure and time. No more eating out except for special occasions.…
Our local library, connected to seemingly every other library in the country, provides me with every book and movie I've wanted for years. Such an amazing resource. Request it online, pick it up locally, usually within two days.
I recently rediscovered the public library. Took a bit of relearning when I realized, yeah, I get all these books for free!
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#436Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've been trying the opposite lately -- a high carb diet. I've mostly been modeling my eating style after Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" plan. He basically believes that humans are designed to eat starchy foods (potatoes, whole grains, etc), and that fats are bad (healthy fats -- like from avocados -- aren't necessarily unhealthy, but aren't great if you are trying to lose weight). So one of the core tenets of thi…
Wow, you're really "zagging" when science is "zigging", interesting to hear how that turns out for you, please keep us updated. I personally have gone from what you describe many years ago to paleo, then to keto and now to complete carnivory. Each step I feel better and shed more weight, think more clearly and have more energy. However modern science is also positing that there may be people who thrive on what would…
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#437Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's not accurate information unless you are referring to the initial phase of getting your body used to a new way of eating. Most people who keep it up report the exact opposite.
Cmon, just google it : keto side effects, this is what I've got: KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 1 – Frequent Urination. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 2 – Dizziness and Drowsiness. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 3 – Low Blood Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 4 – Cravings for Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 5 – Constipation. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 6 – Diarrhea. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 7 – Muscle Cramps.
1: This is not even a side effect, and it refers to the loss of water weight during the hours before entering ketosis, while the body is still burning glycogen stored in the liver (which is bound to water, which goes into the bloodstream and must be excreted).
2: This goes away after the first hours of ketosis and that's if you have never been in that metabolic state ever in life, otherwise there's none at all.
3: Not a side effect but the actual intended consequence, and a positive and healthy one.
4: Cravings go away. We actually crave more sugar the more we consume it, not the other way around. A period of 2 weeks without sugar, even in the context of a non-ketogenic diet, removes cravings.
7: That's due to a lack of electrolytes and not ketosis. People who attempt to switch often disregard electrolyte intake, which is obviously crucial. As urination is more frequent during the switch, electrolyte balance is harder to maintain. Adequate intake fixes this.
Try harder, please.
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#438Switched to a ketogenic diet with intermittent fasting 5 months ago. My sleep quality, mental clarity, ability to focus for long periods of time and mood swings have all improved dramatically. I am also shredding fat at a pretty good pace and apparently also gaining muscle (I lift every single day if I can).
I've been trying the opposite lately -- a high carb diet. I've mostly been modeling my eating style after Dr. McDougall's "Starch Solution" plan. He basically believes that humans are designed to eat starchy foods (potatoes, whole grains, etc), and that fats are bad (healthy fats -- like from avocados -- aren't necessarily unhealthy, but aren't great if you are trying to lose weight). So one of the core tenets of thi…
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#439Earlier quoted context omitted.
Cmon, just google it : keto side effects, this is what I've got: KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 1 – Frequent Urination. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 2 – Dizziness and Drowsiness. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 3 – Low Blood Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 4 – Cravings for Sugar. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 5 – Constipation. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 6 – Diarrhea. ... KETOSIS SIDE EFFECT 7 – Muscle Cramps.
I'm definitely looking forward to suffering side effects 5 and 6 at once. 1: This is not even a side effect, and it refers to the loss of water weight during the hours before entering ketosis, while the body is still burning glycogen stored in the liver (which is bound to water, which goes into the bloodstream and must be excreted). 2: This goes away after the first hours of ketosis and that's if you have never been…
Re: Ask HN: Is there a new habit you cultivated recently that is really paying off?
#440Earlier quoted context omitted.
This sounds dangerous. I am not on this diet and don't know anything about it but I second the recommendation to closely monitor your blood sugar levels because the science on that is clear. While I do the opposite (high fat low carb), I still monitor my blood sugar anyway, just for good measure (because I have too many people close to me with diabetes). If you are interested, here is the test kit I have: https://www…
Thanks for the helpful breakdown. I might have to give the blood sugar monitoring a shot. Just curious, in what way were you thinking it would be dangerous? I'm trying to find some good scholarly research articles, but I'm not sure what I should be searching for. I think kind of the "common knowledge" perspective is that high carb causes obesity and diabetes. But I'm wondering if there are other dangers beyond those…
The article you site is quite old, published 40 years ago in 1978. While I don't discount medical research based solely on age, there have been a substantial number of studies done over the last 5-10 years which have supported the higher fat diet, as long as those are healthy, natural fats.
I'm glad you brought up the Okinawans and the Adventists. That's a good point I would like to address. The Adventists consume a good variety of foods, and their website includes mentions of "legumes, dairy products, and healthy fats such as olive oil." It also includes fruits, vegetables, and yes, whole grains, while also avoiding processed foods and added sugars. So I wouldn't say they are necessarily low fat. With dairy, olive oil, etc, they are most likely moderate fat. The only real question here is the grains, which I will address next, along with the Okinawans.
It is my understanding that the human body has the ability to store glycogen in the muscles and the liver. The amounts vary per person, obviously, but a good ball park estimate is that the average person can store approximately 350-400 grams in their muscles and another 75 to 100 grams in their liver. At 4 kcal/gram this equates to ~1700-2000 Calories in storage capacity for the average human. Your body uses this as quick-access energy. However, when there is excess from consuming too many carbohydrates or other foods (like dense proteins that also get converted to glucose for storage), the extra remains in the blood, raising blood sugar. Think of it like a tank or a glass and once the tank is full, it overflows and spills everywhere because there is nowhere to store it. That's what you want to avoid - the excess sloshing around in your blood for extended periods of time.
So in the case of people like the Okinawans, I believe they are able to consume a majority of their calories as carbs because they do not consume enough quantity for it to be a problem and are physically active enough to not max out their body's storage tank. This is the same case in my mind for why people in rural China aren't overweight when they consume mostly grains like rice. They are physically active and work outside in things like rice paddies. And much of them are poor and simply cannot afford what is available to you and I in mass quantity for low cost. I could go to the store right now and get 2,000 calories of pure garbage for As far as the grains go, I don't see a real purpose to consume wheat. But there are very nutritious alternatives, such as steel cut oats. I consume those daily, in milk with raisins, flax seed, and crushed walnuts. That's a high carbohydrate breakfast (with high fat as well). My blood sugar spikes usually, but not too high to be problematic. Steel cut oats and hulled barley are extremely nutritious.
My suggestion is still to closely monitor your blood sugar. I still do. Sometimes I find that certain foods or combinations of foods spike me far higher than expected while others surprise me and don't move me that much. The glycogen storage also plays a factor. The more active you are, the more carbs you can probably consume, unless you are carefully monitoring volume of carbs. For example, in the summer if I am doing very laborious yark work in the extreme heat, there is basically nothing I can do afterwards to raise my blood sugar. After 2-3 hours out there working my ass off I can consume copious amounts of gatorade, juices, soda, anything - and my blood sugar won't budge and inch for the entire 2 hour window. Presumably because I have depleted enough of the glycogen storage through physical activity so that whatever isn't needed from the sugary fluids I am consuming goes straight into storage.