Forgive the hyperbole and inject the caveat “for me”. But man, I’ve tried em all. Anyone who knows me well understands my life-long contention with unwanted weight gain and some of the radical experiments it has led me into (for example: http://www.simplemamame.com/blog/the-keto-vegan-experiment/ ).
The past 6 years in particular I have tried a new diet every year. I have been able to draw a few conclusions about what works best for me and stay in pretty good shape. But every time I “cheated” I’d gain a bit back, and inevitably over the winter I’d go right back up to the 190s. If a diet isn’t sustainably successful, it can’t really be adapted to a lifestyle. I was getting increasingly frustrated as with each year I aged, I had to take more and more radical steps just to get back to where I want to be.
And then quarantine happened. Despite my best at-home-fitness efforts, boredom and irritability led me to eating and drinking more. Bam. Right back to 195. If you skimmed the article linked above, you’ll get the idea that I had ratcheted my diet down so strictly that there’s almost nothing left I could try cutting out. I had even tried reducing the portions to no lasting avail.
So what on Earth was I to do? It was around this time that my friend Mat gave me a book he insisted I read. I got around to it eventually and at times audibly scoffed at what it seemed to be suggesting. It’s an easy read – couple hundred pretty engaging pages. Whole point of this post: I highly recommend you read The Obesity Code too. Draw your own conclusions.
Quick, highly inadequate synopsis: I drew 2 conclusions from this book. 1.) Don’t eat sugar or carb-dense food (duh – I already knew that). 2.) It is WAY more import when you eat that what you eat (huh? – what choo talkin bout Willis?). Read the book for the why. It delves into the specifics of how the human body regulates weight gain and the role that insulin and insulin resistance play in this. For all the radical dieting I’d done I had never cared how often I was eating. I knew not to eat right before bed, but otherwise, I’m eating nothing but raw vegetables and nuts; why should it matter when I eat? I was probably eating 8 to 10 times a day in the form of very healthy snacks.
And so began the newest experiment. I gave it 8 weeks before I decided to share how incredibly successful it has been and my inclination that it is actually a sustainable lifestyle that won’t nearly kill me like my other diets have. I modeled after Mat and set my daily fasting window (the diet is actually called Intermittent Fasting) to 17 hours. I eat a moderate breakfast at 6am that now includes the previous forbidden items of more sugary fruits like oranges along with my nuts and nut butters. I tried skipping breakfast at one point, and I felt like it negatively effected my noon-time exercise. I then have a huge lunch at 1pm after my workout combining all the snacks I would have had throughout the day into a feast: salad, avocado, fruit, nuts, even the occasional bit of meat.
First off, it is hard not eating from 1 until bed time. It was very hard for the first week. My stomach screamed at me all afternoon and evening. It was brutal. But then, magically – just like the book says – the pain 100% went away, and the energy levels came back up. It’s a hard hill to climb, but it is so worth it. Why is it still hard if it no longer hurts? Easy: boredom. Best solution: stay busy. Drink black coffee, tea, bone broth, water (no artificial sweeteners), and find something to do.
Every other diet I’ve tried has maybe dipped me down to 180 for a day or two after weeks or months of suffering. I have been at or below 175 for the past 3 weeks with no suffering, and I am at least as strong and athletic as I’ve been over the course of the last decade. I honestly think I can keep this up for the foreseeable future. I will still take a “day off” here and there for parties or vacation, but they can be pretty easily offset by skipping a different meal and/or dropping a 24 hour fast in the middle of the week to compensate.
Read the book. If you decide to give it a try, go for at least 10 days before giving up. See if it works for you. I wouldn’t insist if I didn’t think this could really help a lot of people, particularly those who struggle like me. Let me know how it goes.
It has been over 6 weeks since its conclusion, and I am pleased to say that I have not gained back a single pound. This clearly speaks to the efficacy and sustainability of the lifestyle. I am equally pleased to note that my workouts returned to form immediately as well.
The important caveat on these statements though is that I did not return entirely to normal. In fact, I adopted and incorporated Keto foods and practices into my standard routine. I am very pleased with the result, enough so that I would recommend it to anyone actively seeking an optimally healthy lifestyle. I’m no expert, but it has definitely been working for me. That said, it still takes a great deal of will power and self-restraint to execute.
Raw fruits and vegetables are the way to go. I am now firmly against excluding fruit or carrots and other sweeter vegetables. An active person’s body is more than up to the task of staying ahead of these healthy carbs. I can eat incredible quantities guilt and consequence free. It is in fact nearly the opposite: the more raw plants – particularly green vegetables – I eat, the better I tend to feel and operate. It is certainly bland and boring, so I have been practicing various recipes to make these things palate-pleasing: http://www.simplemamame.com/recipes/spicy-apple-mango-salsa/http://www.simplemamame.com/recipes/simple-guac/http://www.simplemamame.com/recipes/sushi-hummus/
I gave up crackers, chips and bread. I could no longer justify these foods that are largely devoid of health benefits when it became clear that they were major contributors to my weight gain. It may not work for everyone, but I’m loving carrots as a universal dip-scoop and extra almonds, cashews and pistachios for crunch and salt. I also dropped the rice and beans. I one-to-one replaced them with riced cauliflower and baked veggies. I really haven’t missed it.
So it’s almost sounding like I’m still on Keto. The biggest take-away here though is how I fixed my exercise and energy levels: welcome back breakfast. I have concentrated the majority of my daily carb intake into the meal that fuels me for the rest of the day. I eat the carbs before I work out, so that I can use them to power my work outs. Every morning I have a huge bowl of oats, chia seeds and as much fresh fruit as I can pack into it. I can’t understate how much of a difference this makes for me. I didn’t have a true appreciation for what I could accomplish when properly fueled until it was taken away.
*I must begin with a disclaimer. Though I did consult a few professionals, I claim no expertise. I am neither advocating nor condemning this diet. I am only sharing my experience. Not trying to ruffle any feathers, constructive feedback is more than welcome.
Roasted Veggies
I am a healthy 34 year old father of two. Our 10 month old doesn’t sleep well, so neither of us is operating on optimal sleep. At 5’10’’, I weigh 190lb with about 7% body fat. I sit all day with my desk job, but I still manage daily exercise averaging over 1000 calories alternating endurance lifting and cardio followed by yoga. I’m also a competitive handball player. I classify myself as an athlete. I began eating mostly raw plants Vegan 2 years ago after seeing the “Forks Over Knives” documentary (we also love “What the Health” – both on Netflix). I lost more than 40lbs as a result. I’m quite pleased with this lifestyle. My energy levels are typically good, and I seldom crave sugar, meat or dairy. This diet by volume descending:
barley/quinoa/wild/brown rice and beans
spinach/kale/mixed greens
almond/cashew/pistachios
oats
avocados
carrots and hummus
other fruit
various pickles
I don’t use sweeteners of any kind. I drink water, black coffee, tea, and almond milk. I occasionally cheat with crackers, chips, beer and sushi. The only supplement I take is B12.
Cauliflower Rice
The advice of some friends, the fact that I’d gained a bit of weight recently – and of course another documentary: “The Magic Pill” – convinced me to give Vegan Keto a go. The same rules apply as standard Keto: minimize the net carbs (subtracting the dietary fiber); primarily consume healthy fats. I’m pretty open to trying things to improve my health. I’m a bit of a human guinea pig. I decided to go a full 10 days to give it a fair shake. I felt like I could adhere to the tight restrictions with only a few substitutions. With this as my guide https://www.ruled.me/comprehensive-guide-vegan-ketogenic-diet/, I implemented the following:
spinach/kale/mixed greens
roasted and steamed cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini and jalapeño
I allowed no cheats. I needed to boost my supplements – something I’m generally loathe to do – to mitigate some of the symptoms I experienced. I took an electrolytes mix, potassium/sodium/magnesium/zinc, vitamin B6, B12, C and D/D3.
Keto works incredibly well for weight loss. I haven’t lost this much this quickly since I had food poisoning and could barely eat for a week – over 10lbs in 10 days. This was despite eating as much or more than I was previously. Judging from my midsection and the reduction of a loop on my belt, I believe a good portion of this loss to be fat.
Vegan Keto is incredibly restrictive and comparatively expensive. The list of acceptable foods is pretty short: http://meatfreeketo.com/ultimate-vegan-keto-shopping-list/. You need to check every label for net carbs, and meal prep is a must. A Vegan can find the pretzels or salad or fruit at a party – no such luck when you’re also Keto. I’ve often joked that I could live a month on less than $10 of rice and beans. Producing comparable calories from the Vegan Keto alternatives is easily four times as costly. A number of the suggested items are also not commonly found in stores.
Fat Bomb Ingredients
Keto Flu is very real. I have run marathon distance, given up drinking for the better part of a year, and I have gone a week plus without solid food for various reasons before. Years ago when I gave up meat, dairy and added sugar, it maybe took a week for me to adjust. But that was mostly just resetting my taste buds. It was nothing like this. The first two days on Vegan Keto were easily as difficult as any of the above. I suffered immense carb withdrawal. No matter how much I ate, my body screamed at me that I was starving. It felt like my stomach was trying to gnaw its way through me. I experienced cramps in many of my larger muscle groups. I had so little energy I barely wanted to move. And my head was so foggy it felt like I was drunk. These symptoms diminished significantly after the first two days. But, most of them remained present at some level all the way through day 10.
Mental clarity did seem to improve. The slightly drunken feeling that remained with me throughout actually began to transform itself into a focused awareness. It did feel rather akin to that odd sensation of being able to relax and concentrate more fully on a skill game like darts or billiards at the bar after just one or two drinks. Whether or not this is placebo is open to debate. A more concrete notion though is the general prevention of mental lapses resulting from carb-related energy crashes.
Admittedly, my carb-laded Vegan diet generated a bit of an energy roller coaster. I am accustomed to jittery high points and significant brain-fog low points. I typically mitigate the latter with caffeine. Keto on the other hand was pure consistency. My energy was at a muted buzz the whole time. I was probably more productive at work anyways when I was at a steady 30-40% as opposed to a see-sawing 90-10%.
Green Foods
Keto is not for the faint of heart or the faint of butt. I was warned by nutritionists and nurses that Keto causes constipation. I kept my fiber very high, so for the most part, I did not have this issue. But I was fraught with inconsistency. Between the radical change to my routine and needing to eat more food more frequently, I could not maintain a typically rhythm. Some of the things I tried also gave me diarrhea. The diet as a whole was not easy on the stomach. I had frequent mild stomach aches or indigestion that I don’t usually deal with.
My workouts were compromised. This aspect improved the least as days went by. With generally low energy to begin with, it took way more will power than normal to begin exercise. I felt like I had no reserves, so it took significant will power to maintain a workout for 60 plus minutes. During cardio intervals, I could not hold zone 4 for even half the duration I normally can. Muscle cramps were a huge problem in Body Pump. My hamstrings and quadriceps locked up in the latter portions of long squat tracks. I failed out of routines I never fail when attempting the same weights I always use. Some of these cramps lingered for days, compounding with successive workouts. I always stretch and frequently do yoga, neither eliminated this issue. Nor could I seem to generate adrenaline or testosterone to tap into the “fire” that often takes my lifts over the top. On day 7 I tried a double workout. I hit the wall so hard I had to sleep immediately and skip my daily on day 8. There’s no way I could play in a handball tournament under these conditions.
I felt a net loss in my overall quality of life. Some friends told me Keto made them feel angry all the time. I have been referring to Vegan Keto as “the sad diet”. I am an optimist by nature and generally find fun in most aspects of my life. The same muted buzz of energy was reflecting in my mood. Fun things were less fun. I was uncharacteristically apathetic. Friends noted my dour pallor. The same applied to eating. The food is not satisfying. I love my home-made guacamole, but it’s so hollow eating it with celery instead of chips. Roasted veggies are delicious but unfulfilling without a starch. I choked down the fat bombs to keep going, but the chia seeds pudding I made was so unpalatable I tossed it. I am used to eating and exercise being mood elevators. On this diet they were not. I was unenthusiastic, my stomach hurt, my throat was sore and I got acne.
Fat Bombs
Is this really the healthiest option? Here’s where I need (the most) help. Keto proponents trump its benefits as compared to a normal Western diet. There’s no doubt that Keto will radically improve the health of anyone consuming processed foods and added sugars, and I can personally attest to its effectiveness for weight loss – but at what cost?
A raw plants Vegan diet accomplishes the same thing. Why are the oranges I love to eat every day excluded from one? I often make a fantastic raw apple/mango salsa and a spicy rutabaga/bean chili. Both are nutrient dense and healthy, but they’re far too carb heavy for Keto. Thus far I have seen more studies showing evidence of the health benefits of raw plants. My research has not been exhaustive. Do comparative studies exist between these two alternatives?
One aspect I can speak to is supplements. Again, I’m no expert. I am not a fan of supplements though. In my opinion, a huge industry exists around profiting on the generation of very expensive urine. If you’re not getting everything your body needs from the food you eat, does that not speak to a problem with your diet? It is not my intention to condemn this. I’m just observing how good I feel just eating plants vs a lifestyle requiring a lot of hoop jumping: https://shop.perfectketo.com/. Here’s a list of recommended supplements and procedures for a Keto Vegan – many of which I had to take to stay hydrated, alleviate my sore throat and effectively exercise:
Take a vegan DHA+EPA supplement.
Eat natto (fermented soy) or green leafy vegetables like kale to get enough Vitamin K2.
Supplement with a vegan form of vitamin D3.
Properly prepare any seeds and nuts that you eat. Soaking and sprouting (when possible) help deactivate mineral-binding proteins that impair mineral absorption.
Maximize iron absorption by having vitamin-C-rich foods.
Keep your thyroid in good shape by eating iodine-rich food like seaweed and increasing selenium intake.
Supplement with B vitamins, especially vitamin B-12.
Eat some fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and natto to improve digestion and vitamin and mineral absorption.
Take a zinc supplement like Zinc Balance If you are experiencing symptoms like dry skin or getting sick with a sore throat more often than usual.
Supplement with one, two, or all three of the compounds taurine, carnosine, and creatine. Each one boosts health in a variety of ways.
If your diet isn’t meeting your iron needs, then supplement with a heme-iron supplement.
Consider adding oysters, clams, and other non-sentient bivalves to your diet. These literally brainless creatures are filled with so much B-12 and zinc that you could probably cover your needs by eating them just once a week.
Some common threads emerged as I spoke with nutritionists, personal trainers and nurses: Listen to your body. Eliminating entire food groups can be dangerous. If you continue to feel off and need to take supplements to fix problems, you’re probably not feeding yourself properly. An under-addressed aspect of this discussion is the incredible complexity of the microbiome that is the human digestive tract and its inhabitant gut bacteria. There is increasing evidence that these tiny denizens keeping us healthy need a diversity of insoluble fiber from plant matter to function. Some of the digestive issues I experienced on the diet may speak to this. I’d also like to see some long-term wellness studies of Keto practitioners particularly as it relates to gut health.
Can I draw any conclusions? It would be disingenuous to make sweeping claims from my experiment – I was largely unsupervised, and 10 days might not be long enough. I can only report what I felt. I did appreciate the consistent energy and alertness. I observed it ticking up ever so slightly as the days went by. So perhaps if I held out a whole month, my quality of life may reach acceptable levels. And if you want to lose weight, this is the most effective diet I’ve seen.
The crippling of my exercise was a deal-breaker though. At this point in my life I’m not willing to accept muscle or athleticism loss in favor of weight control. The general damper on my mood, physical discomfort and side-effects were also depressing. And I don’t know that I’m willing to regulate my diet this strictly on an on-going basis. Ketosis only works if your body is forced to fuel off fats, so you really can’t cheat. I’m guessing it’s a bit different when you’re consuming animal products, but I remain of the opinion that this is not optimal for health. Trying to live Keto Vegan would suck a lot of the joy out of my life. Only half joking, I would actually recommend it for violent felons – stay healthy while suppressing aggression, lowering energy and preventing mood swings. I’d offer my chia seed pudding, but that could be cruel and unusual punishment.
Where to go from here? I’m open to future experiments, but for now I’m going back to raw Vegan. It now seems apparent that the weight gain I’d recently seen on this diet was a result of my increased carb intake. So fruit and root vegetables are back on the table, but I plan to reduce my dependence on grains. I will try to find the balance that allows me to maintain my wellness and activity level without requiring supplements or breaking the bank.
