I keep getting asked my opinion about the keto diet, so I thought I’d share my thoughts. If you’ve ever worked with me or follow my content, you probably already know that my philosophy comes from a holistic approach, which means I NEVER follow diet “hypes” and I LOVE doing tons of research to give not only myself, but you VALID feedback. Here are 3 reasons why I think the Keto Diet is a waste of your PRECIOUS time:
Yes, you may lose a ton of weight in the first few weeks maybe even longer, but when you cut carbs and/or make ANY drastic change to your diet, you will see weight related results. But where are the long-term studies that prove this diet plan yields results for over 10 years? It’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to hasten weight loss by using simple diet short cuts, i.e. “just stop eating carbs and you’ll lose weight.” It’s not that simple. For long term results, you need to have a complete diet plan that integrates all the essential nutrients your body needs to promote healthy muscle tissue and low body fat.
I can already hear the Keto advocates retorting, “ It’s not just about cutting carbs.” Which brings me to my second point:
The premise of the keto diet is that it forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbs contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and used for fuel. However, if little carbs remains in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source creating an elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, which you’ve probably heard referred to as ketosis. The classic ketogenic diet contains a 4:1 ratio by weight of fat to combined protein and carbohydrate and promotes excluding high carbohydrate foods such as starchy fruits and vegetables, bread, pasta, grains, and sugar, while increasing the consumption of foods high in fat such as nuts, cream, and butter.
Ok, I agree certain breads and sugar should be eliminated from your diet, period. But vegetables and fruit?! Having a nutrition background, I’ve never heard anything more ABSURD!
However, it is music to most people’s ears, because what they hear is, “you can eat all the bacon and butter you want, but fruit is your enemy.”
Um, this is so CONVENIENTLY MISLEADING!
It’s no wonder why so many are praising the misconception and why so many get it WRONG. In order for your body to achieve ketosis, you need to constantly and consistently be aiming for that 4:1 ratio with the RIGHT types of fats, proteins and carbs. It is actually a very intricate equation that needs specific planning. Trust me, you’re not doing that!
Going along with the last point, keto diet blogs and/or articles tend to name off the foods you should eat and the ones you should avoid. They don’t really give an outline of your daily needs and/or explain how to get the nutrients you start missing once you stop eating fruit, for example–I mean, SERIOUSLY?! (insert hand on face emoji here). So most people end up creating diet habits that are not only deficient in essential daily nutrients, they are NOT sustainable long term.
In theory, the keto diet makes sense for weight loss if followed properly, but for lasting results, it’s really just creating a space for bad diet habits. No one can avoid carbs forever. Once you start eating them again or once your body can’t use the excess fat your consuming for energy, you will put the weight back on and then some. So although you may like the immediate results, in the big picture of your life, this diet is just a WASTE of TIME!
Disclaimer
Although my blog topics can be very beneficial to your overall health, they are not intended for the purpose of providing medical advice. All content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of published information on or through my website, blog, e-mails, programs and services. However, the information may inadvertently contain inaccuracies or typographical errors. Every effort has been made to present you with the most accurate, up-to-date information, but because the nature of diet, fitness and health research is constantly evolving, we cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of our content.
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