Ketosis for obesity?

[DanielBishop]

My best mate back in Australia is very overweight. I'd say he's about 5'7" and aroud 250lbs.

He doesn't exercise except for very occasional walking to get around, but since he's got a car he doesn't even walk anymore. I guess he started getting overweight when he was about 13 or 14.... he's 20 now.

I tried to help him a few years back, and drew up a diet program and some exercise guidelines.... but not being able to monitor him every minute of every day, I wasn't always there to tell him "Ah, pork schnitzels aren't good." He did lose some weight, and got down to about 200lbs at best, I believe. But he'd eventually slack off on the exercise and the occasional treats became more than occasional.... and gradually he disregarded the diet and exercise plan altogether.

Since then, I've moved away to a different city.... so I couldn't really be his diet consultant from 500 miles away, and now I've moved to a different country and live some 11,000 miles away so there's not much hope of me being able to help him from here.

But I'll be going back for a vacation in December, and I was wondering about introducing him to a ketonic diet. I know he hasn't tried anything like that before, and the diet I came up with for him before.... was a low-fat, moderate-carb, moderate protein one (he doesn't lift weights so doesn't need heaps of protein).... with lots of vegetables and low-calorie foods.

Is it safe for an obese person to use a ketonic diet? My concern is.... while he's only 20, I can't imagine his cholesterol levels would be too safe as it is.... I think most of his weight problem is due to eating a lot of meat, which is mainly fried or cooked some other way that adds or keeps the fat. I don't know about his blood-pressure either, but I'm not sure if it's safe for him to be eating cream and bacon....

Although I think it's the only diet he'll be likely to stay on long enough to see results. And while I've never tried it, from what I hear.... ketonic diets work pretty fast. That's what he needs. He needs to see quick results or he won't stay on the program.

I've been best friends with this guy since we were 4 years old.... he's really funny, a damn good-looking guy and if he lost some weight, the chicks would just be hanging off him. I wanna help him.

 

[diamonddiceclay]

he might benefit from the atkins diet-let him try it

 

[KWKSLVR]

Your friend sounds like me. I'm 21, 5'11" and in June i weighed 283lbs, now i'm down to 220. I've been on the Atkins diet. I've lowered my cholesterol and blood pressure, increased my energy, yadda yadda. Buy him Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution Revised and Updated (its like 7 bucks in paper back) and tell him to give it 2 weeks. If he wants, have his doctor monitor his cholesterol. Usually, for the first 3 weeks - 2 months cholesterol will go up while your body adjusts to the diet changes and your insulin stablizes.

Just like the book says, give it 2 -3 weeks.

 

[gymtime]

I understand you wanting to help your friend, very admirable. But ultimately, he's going to have to do this on his own. You can do what you can to provide information and encouragement, but the first thing I would make clear to him if I were you is that this is something he will either do or not do. It will be entirely up to him.

I agree with KWKSLVR. I don't see a keto diet being dangerous for him, but I would make sure he had his cholesterol and blood pressure checked periodically while on it.

However, even though a keto diet will provide results for him sooner than most, one problem with them is that they are extremely difficult to stick to over time. If your buddy is prone to giving up on diets, then you might consider a different one.

But either way, at his height and weight, any diet you put him on will help him. In his case, I'd even say that it doesn't make much difference what KIND of diet you put him on. What he needs to focus on is staying with it for the long haul. This "I won't do it if I don't see quick results" thing simply is unacceptable for your friend. No diets work that way. Hell, nothing in life works that way!

I'd say your friend needs to change his attitude toward his health if he is to accomplish anything. He needs to focus on changing his life for which losing weight will be a part. Not simply going on a diet to lose weight. People who are five or ten pounds overweight can do that, not this guy. Anything less will end up in just one more frustrating diet for him. And I know whereof I speak. I wish you luck bro.

 

[KWKSLVR]

Well, i don't know about hard to stick to. At least it isn't for me. I've been on it for 4 months and absolutely love it.

Maybe thats just me??

 

[big calvin]

how much do u eat kwkslvr? cause i find when i limit my portions of meat(like the protein power diet) i get mad cravings and hunger even with fats. but when i eat atkins(big portions) i find it much more easier! even with the same caloires.

 

[DanielBishop]

Thanks, gymtime.

Yeah, I know he has to do it by himself. The thing is, I know him well enough to kinda read him without him saying anything. And while he never really expresses that he wants to lose weight, and doesn't say that he wishes he was thinner.... he keeps all that to himself, but I know it bothers him a lot. But because we don't have active vocal conversations about his weight, there's not really any opportunity to exchange information, ideas or opinions. I certainly doubt he'd ever ASK for my help, but when I offered, he was very quick and to accept and seemed very determined to begin with.

It's not a matter of me presenting him all these diets and him saying "Will it deliver fast results? No? Forget it!" to each one.... I've never done that. I don't ever work with diets that someone else has come up with, out of a book or whatever.... I know the fundamentals of healthy eating and exercise, so I just come up with something that's practical for him, based on the food that's available, exercise that is possible etc etc.... I've done the same to help my dad lose weight.

The reason I thought of a keto diet is because my mate has a real taste for fattening things, and that's his main problem. I think if he could eat all the meat he wanted, fried.... he wouldn't have a problem sticking to it until he lost some weight. It would probably be easier for him to eat cheese and bacon all day, than lots of salad and vegetables.

I might buy him the Atkins program for his birthday or something. He can try it out....

As well as the fact that I think he's missing out on a lot of life's joys (namely women, dating and sex) I'm worried that he won't be around as long as he should be. His health is a concern to me, even though he's only 20.

Thanks to those who replied.

 

[gymtime]

You're a good friend bro. And your intuitions about your friend are dead on. He doesn't talk about it openly because he's embarrassed. And if I could venture a guess having never met either of you, this guy wants to change more than anything. I know. I've been there. He's lucky to have a guy like you around who knows his shit. I say go for the Atkins, see how it goes.

If I could offer one more piece of advice for your friend, tell him that now is the best possible time for him to start changing his diet. At 20, he can make changes in a shorter period of time. Changes that will be ten times harder in his later 20s, and damn near impossible after that if he continues the road he's on now. He has youth going for him now, tell him to take advantage of that. Again, good luck! I'd be interested to hear how it goes.

 

[KWKSLVR]

Your a good friend to have Daniel, i hope he realizes it.

Calvin - Here's a "typical" day for me"

Breakfast: 4 scrammbled eggs, 4 peices of bacon, or 2 sausage patties + i Liter of water.

Lunch: Atkins Bar, or, if i have time. Tuna w/ pork rinds (what i call the "keto" version of tuna and crackers). 2 1/2 cups of roman lettuce and 6 green olives, olive oil as dressing + 1 Liter of water.

Dinner: Steak/Pork/or Chicken (broiled), mayo as the dipping sause, another salad, 1/2 cup of at least 1 type of vegtable + 1 Liter of water.

Snack: Atkins or Carb Solutions Bar + 1 Liter of water.

I try to drink as much water as possible and stay as hydrated as i can. I think thats a big key.

If i had a calorie counter handy, i'd give you some numbers. Gotta be at least 2000/day.

 

[InNeedOfMotivation]

Daniel why cant you ne my friend ! =]

my friends just mope their skinny arses around the house eating pizza chineese and fish and chips...

meanwhile im sucking down tins of tuna and boiled eggs.

Ive been on the keto diet for 3 days now, drink about 15 bottles of water per day, it seems easier to drink than before.

Still need to pick up some flax seed oil and some protien bars, as well as actually buying the atkins book =]
Also gotta join that damn gym =/ (so hard when youve never been to one before)

but at least im getting there i suppose, eating properly to start.

Quit smoking for a good 4 months now too.

killing all my vices i am, smokes, soft drink (was at least 2 litres / day), fast food.

All i have left is this computer and the hope that one day i will find a lovley gal

Anyway im 19, 6"2', about... 210 pounds (both my housemates weigh 145, and my housemates wife (thats also my housemate) weighs 99 pounds !!!)

Anyway, the hardest thing is definatly being around others that eat VERY badly, so much pressure and weakness to just join them (smokes too), very hard to walk into a room with a tin of tuna&bottle of water while they are munching down steaming hot chicken & bbq sauce pizzas & skulling coke.

what pisses me off so bad is that they are major skinny arses, and im a fat fool =[

ohh well, 3 days its been, plan to go on this for as long as it takes. to tell you the truth... i dont care if it takes 5 years off my life eating like this... life without love is like missing the main part of it all, being so lonley is so painfull... ive been fat all my life and ive never had a GF T.T

Although atkins says there is no problem with colhesterol because when carbs < 10 fat is fuel and not storage (where cholesterol goes into blood)

But enough of my sob story, your friend is in need of help, and even if he pushes you away you must help him.

Have a really deep meaningfull talk with him, about life, his live, life in general, dont worry about the Why's and the who's, just discuss the facts. Life is limited by time, and although he is young, time is running out. he should be having the greatest time of his life right now (as i should =[)

You know i fear the summer...
no baggy clothes to hide in
hot girls in bikini's walking by laughing
fear of socalising
fear of being seen
fear of being judged
hatred of yourself
no self confidence
no self esteem
depression

=/

fuck it, take 10 years off my life and ill still want to do this so bad.
but time heals bad thoughts, and memories.

you need constant reminders, hang pictures of hot girls up on his walls, even pictures of super cut men.

And get rid of whats ruining his life. (someone take away this computer from me)

God bless friends like you Daniel.