BY MICHELLE BORTHWICK
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve likely heard about the keto diet, often touted by celebrities for its quick weight loss benefits. Here are the basics: The keto diet is a high-fat, very-low-carbohydrate regimen that can help you shed weight and fat rapidly. It may also reverse diabetes, lower blood pressure, reduce joint pain and inflammation, and address a variety of other health conditions. But a common question is, how will eating high-fat foods help me lose weight? And is it healthy to reduce carbs?
If you’re curious about keto, read on.
What Exactly Is the Keto Diet?
There are many versions of the keto diet circulating in tabloids and online, but I advocate for pure keto, which limits carbs to less than 40 grams per day (the equivalent of one muffin!), with the remaining calories coming mostly from healthy fats and proteins. When you switch to a high-fat, low-carb diet, your body quickly starts burning fat for fuel rather than carbs, putting you into a state of ketosis. To put this in perspective, the average American consumes over 300 grams of carbs per day, mostly from processed foods and grains like soda, pizza, French fries, desserts, baked goods, and sugar. Unfortunately, this has become the norm in our society, leading to overweight, sickness, and fatigue. The good news is that keto offers amazing alternative foods that substitute for the carbs you might crave, all while promoting health!
So, what does keto look like on your plate? Think eggs for breakfast with sausage or bacon and avocado, a salad with protein, cheese, and veggies for lunch, and fried chicken with creamy Alfredo zoodles or steak with veggies for dinner. What you won’t find is fruit, cereal, bread, pasta, beans, or potatoes. You might be thinking you can’t live without these foods, but there is a way, and after you’ve lost weight, there are healthy ways to transition to an ongoing low-carb diet that allows for up to 100 carbs a day.
Why Are Carbs Bad for You?
Carbs are often seen as “evil” because they offer little nutritional benefit and contribute to weight gain and high blood sugar. While we believe we need carbs to “fuel” us, this is only true if we aren’t following keto. We don’t need carbs at the levels we typically consume them. Like anything else, there are good carbs and bad carbs. In moderation, carbs aren’t bad for you and do offer nutritional benefits, but it’s important to choose the right type of carbs to eat daily.
Is Keto Good for You?
Extensive research shows that keto results in weight loss, improves various health risk factors, and helps with appetite control. Unfortunately, we live in a world where cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and pasta for dinner are easy go-to meals. If this seems overwhelming, there are ways to enjoy the weight-loss benefits of the keto diet without fully committing to it.
You can still keep your carbs low and fats high but focus on healthy fats from sources like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, salmon, nuts, nut butters and cheese/dairy products, etc. This approach means consuming less unhealthy saturated fat and more beneficial ingredients like berries, beans, sweet potatoes, and veggies. This way of eating may be easier to stick to long-term, and/or an effective way to start your weight loss journey. It ensures you won’t miss out on the health benefits of fiber-rich foods, keeping your gut, heart, and brain healthy and happy!
Want to Try a Modified Keto Diet?
I encourage you to book a free 30-minute private coaching session with me at Ketoiseasycoach.com. Let’s discuss what your personal modified keto plan (and plate) might look like. I’ve seen numerous success stories with my coaching clients, from reversing pre-diabetes to getting off blood pressure medication and significant weight loss of 50-100 pounds. The fact that Keto is science-based, a health-first diet, with weight loss as a significant benefit matters. It’s been proven repeatedly that keto works and it can work for you too.
Let’s talk.
About Michelle Borthwick (known more widely as Michelle Keto), is the foremost
expert in living the Keto lifestyle and the go-to coach for Keto women. She loves
the CA lifestyle and spends time between San Diego and Palm Desert. Her 1:1
coaching, and group programs have helped hundreds of women from 25 states.
and 4 countries lose over 8,000 pounds while eating foods they love. This
foodie’s motto, and business name, is “Keto is Easy” and she’s one of the few
Keto leaders who promote full customization for long term success. For a
complimentary 30-minute coaching call, please schedule at:
ketoiseasycoach.com or email questions to ketoiseasy@gmail.com
