Eating low carb is fine, too. However, the one thing you’re losing out on is becoming keto-adapted, which happens only if you stay in keto and for more than 6 weeks. A lot of people report adaptation really begins to occur around week 8-9. I’m about to start week 11. What a difference!
The weight loss isn’t occurring faster – or at least, it’s too early to say. But there is absolutely no carb craving, no food temptation, very little hunger (I do get hungry occasionally – so I eat, my big problem is now eating enough for the first time in my life – is this how thin people live? If so, it’s fantastic). People around me can munch away at cookies and muffins and I barely notice.
Because my brain is working differently regarding food. I sleep better because no hunger. I exercise more because I seem to have a constant source of energy. The memory of eating more carbs is so dim.
No headaches, no reflux, more energy, and the ability to do IF (I can skip meals easily and I don’t have to worry about “will there be something keto to eat?” because if there isn’t, I just wait until I’m home. I actually have plenty of mental energy to focus on other issues than weight loss (always a problem for me – for decades, actually). No psoriasis! Blood pressure is normal, off meds. All medications working better at lower dosages (and I’m off everything but my statin, which will go next).
So it’s not just a puritan approach. Read Phinney and Vosek. There are physiological shifts that occur when you stay keto for 6-10 weeks. Your brain adapts fully to burning ketones for fuel, your body adapts fully to burning its own fat for fuel (if you’re running a calorie deficit).
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=132598293
