- This feature writing is entirely off my own personal viewpoint, perspective and thought(s) and may, subject to varying context(s) – introduce its own terminology(s) and/or themes readers may not readily be familiar with. Hence timely readership is well appreciated.
- This is an archived post which may or may not have undergone further editing for readership accessibility.
A typical debate – Idealist VS Pragmatist.
- Me – “I don’t see it as “adapting”, I call it “understanding”.
- Them – “Huh? what are you talking about? Isn’t it just a matter of discipline, willpower patience and all that? Wouldn’t I need less of all this salt and stuff overtime if I’ve simply been on Keto for five / ten months? Your body ADAPTS to it!”
- Me – “…Well, sure – willpower and all of those things do play a role. Lacking any one of them of course would hardly incentivises yourself to change at all.”
- Them – “…So it’s still adapting then is it? All forum posts says so! Guess what? I’ve seen a video about it too! ADMIT it – you’re wrong, baseless and without enough evidence to support your hypothesis!”
- Me – “Sure thing. Evidences exist. But they are all anecdotal accounts which may or may not relate to how your own physiology ‘understands’ and ‘interprets’ it. “Adapting” simply assumes you are living based on an infinite resource to replace what you are lacking through time and time again.”
- Them – “LOL! What have you been smoking?”
- Me – “If you believe you are indeed ‘Keto-Adapted’ – then do you actually feel stronger without first admitting what needs to be continuously addressed overtime? If adaptation exists then you wouldn’t feel the need to take in any precautionary measures, eg. bone broths, extra magnesiums, vitamins, supplementations to cover any inadequacies – just for you to keep yourself alive.
- Them / bottom end response – “I don’t get it. You’re still saying it’s adapting anyway.”
I have to admit; the first time I practised the Ketogenic Diet – I have been the former gullible victim over easily believing something that I am hopeful to achieve any or all of those positive sort of incredible claims we see amongst forum posts. Muscle gains, lack of hunger, weight loss “benefits” and/or “results” – whatever you call it. I simply hoped for all of these to occur. Thinking about them one night after another.
I have been subscribing and believing to an external belief, indoctrination, dogma or in this case – wishful thoughts and hope. Or perhaps simply rather – an opinion based of someone else’s hope, too. Is it truly that simple?
No.
Because “Adaptation” implies there are infinite leverages available – at compensating all losses. Whilst fulfilling metabolic / caloric expenditure.
“Adaptation” is a belief over what you have been told and preached what to do in order to believe to hopefully feel such mentioned conditions of being in “Ketosis”. Or benefits. Or pros. Yet also – “Cons” from having reached those conditions.
Hence this begs the question – whether “Adaptation” as an infinitely-malleable, metabolic concept alone is actually “conducive.” or “supportive”?
At best – unlikely conducive (very) long term.
Why? Because “Adaptations” assumes that perpetual needs are secondary. Adaptations assumes that something else shall “make do” for the time being.
Everything pretty much requires or depend on something else to operate. These are what I call “perpetual needs”. Without petrol, your car wouldn’t spark the plug. Can your car, therefore – “adapts” without petrol? I don’t think so. Petrol; therefore – is (just one of many) perpetual need/s for your car to keep “going”. Yet alone even just to start it up.
People may argue that alternative forms of energy exist, and they are correct. From charging your phone with a piece of fruit (fructose), batteries off from table sugar, or running your PC on potatoes. However, is it efficient?
“Ketosis” – according to Pedestrian Expectation.
A superman. You’re inevitably bound to witness the following claims:
- You’d feel invincible and ready for that next workout just starting from skulling that Bulletproof coffee first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Next – you’re told that soon you will be able to squat, bench and dead lift, whatever exercises – up to some percentages higher than what you’re used to; because suddenly your muscle has now “adapted” to have access to unlimited energy.
- And then next – you’re led to believe that you can go “miles for miles” exercising on an empty stomach. And not eat anything over and over again. And you don’t even feel hungry. At all. Zip. No hunger. No cravings.
- You begin to notice forum posts preaching some forecasted claims. “By this xth of week you should not be needing supplements!”.
Much of these do speak some truth, but rarely in perfect tangent/unison. If ketones provides so called “unlimited” amounts of energy, then why or how come I don’t feel it as I truly have an “unlimited” sense of energy despite months and months of eating fat and not touched a single grain of rice? How come some people DO not reach “ketosis” in the same believably manner?
….So why are we being told to “be sure to add up to 5 grams of sodium, this much potassium, etc, etc” as a daily regiment Shouldn’t all these maintenance ritual be all removed / redundant once we are “correctly adapted” anyway?
So what should exist, then in place of “Ketogenic Adaptations”? Well quite simply – self-compensations.
Conclusion
In light to all of the above; does this mean any Ketogenic intervention is immediately therefore a no go for all and every physiology? Of course not. Low Carbohydrate in general, remains plausible nutritional intervention. But an intervention it remains nonetheless ~ that however months and years that elapses ~ you must do your own diligence at your own, not someone else’s ~ reality checks.
Adaptation thus is an illusion of an infinite confidence.
Live and reconcile towards your very own interpretation of what “Ketosis” means to you Not someone else’s. Not even me. Because nothing and no-one else is as authentic as your own biological convictions.
AW.