Welcome back to the Keto Files, a series where you can find some new foods to try out to spice up your quarantine or helpful tips to start on your keto journey.
Keto started out as a treatment for epilepsy victims in the 1920s but has become a popular diet leading to potentially huge weight loss.
There are a few different styles of keto. Traditional keto diets stick to a strict regimen of counting calories, proteins, fats and consuming very little (less than 10 grams) carbs, while a version of the diet christened lazy (or dirty) keto focuses only on limiting carbs to 20-50 grams per day and ignoring the other nutrient counts.
However, the goals of both diets are the same: reaching ketosis. This is a metabolic state where your body burns fat as its primary source of fuel. It is the point where appetite and cravings are greatly reduced, and weight loss occurs rapidly.
Yet, lazy keto is not as easy as it sounds and can present some health risks if not properly monitored. If too much protein is consumed instead of fat then ketosis is not achievable. Depending on the quality of food eaten, some practitioners of the diet may not get enough vital nutrients and become perpetually hungry and tired.
Keto can produce some dramatic results but it is challenging and requires a considerable amount of discipline and research to do properly.
I have quite a bit of experience with this diet as I’ve tried a lazy keto cycle (30 days) around five times throughout the years with varying success. Sometimes I might make it to the end and then go right back to my old habits or quit on week two.
For whatever reason, this time I have been on the diet for seven weeks straight and feel really good about it. I do a bit of counting and try to stick to natural foods of high quality.
It took me a really long time to stick with this diet and get a rotation of meals and foods that satisfied me. Everyone that tries this diet will have different tastes and methods.
Though it certainly couldn’t hurt to talk to a doctor and gauge what nutrient counts are right for you.
In general, just from my readings on it and conversations with others who have been on the diet, it is a good idea to start with a cycle or two of lazy keto to get used to the routine and then see how you feel.
If you are in ketosis and are losing weight, then you’re on the right track. If you aren’t getting the results you want or desire to go further into the process, then it’s time to start reading those labels and being stricter on what you eat.
Some people will need to count out every single fat, protein, carb and calorie they inhale, while others can just eat anything low in carbs and scrape by. It is different for everybody and I can list some available options and ideas, but it is up to the dieter to put it all together.
You will probably have to try the diet a few times to figure out what works, and that’s ok. It’s a massive lifestyle change and that doesn’t happen instantly, but it is worth giving your all for.
Henry Wolski
Contributing Writer