If you haven’t figured it out, Keto diets (short for ketogenic) is the floral pattern of trendy diets to follow right now. You can’t escape a Facebook ad taunting its amazing benefits or your local Costco book section of Keto diet cookbooks galore.
But honestly, Keto is not new. In fact it’s older than the infamous 1970’s Atkins diet by roughly 50 years!
What is the basis of a ketogenic diet: Ultra low carb, moderate protein and high fat. No phases like a South Beach plan. You jump right in with the goal to pee on a stick to show you have ketones in your urine. (Sorry a cheap, dollar store pregnancy test won’t work. You need specialty ketone urine strips just in case you were wondering. I wish I could make this stuff up.) To oversimplify this process, ketones are the byproduct of fat being broken down for energy. Once this is established you are said to be in ketosis. The use of fat for energy versus carbs (carbs being the bodies preferred and number 1 source for energy) results in weight loss.
Ding, Ding, Ding.
Did you say weight loss?? Breaking down of fat? Good bye muffin top??
To clarify, I didn’t say adios muffin top, but yes weight loss.
For years and years, dietitians have been bombarded in our traditional schooling that ketones are bad! They rob your brain of necessary energy. Make you sick.
In fact, there is definitely some truth in that. On a regular basis at the hospital I see patients in the ICU with DKA; diabetic ketoacidosis. A pretty serious condition.
What’s this dietitians take on the whole Keto phenomenon?
Well, for starters I’m more open minded to the thought of using a Ketogenic diet for some conditions related to extreme anxiety, depression and chronic pain including migraines that do not seem to be relieved by traditional medicine. The ketogenic diet was initially and is still used in children with epilepsy. For parents of young children suffering from seizures on the regular, this is huge.
However, Keto diet and weight loss. I’m not convinced it’s the right choice for weight loss.
WHY?
Longevity!
I can’t tell you how many patients and clients I’ve seen in my 20 year career as a health care professional who’ve told me they lost 50 pounds on Atkins, gained it all back and are now sitting in front of me.
Looking for yet another way to lose weight.
Not jack up their metabolism.
Be able to eat a piece of their kid’s birthday cake.
Have more than a few, fresh spring strawberries.
Enjoy a margarita on a hot summer’s night. Ahhh, margaritas!!
Plus honestly and not to sound offensive, but Americans like to jack up a good food thing and take the healthiness out of great cuisine. We only know Greek food as flaming cheese, street meat and heavy nut and honey desserts, Mexican as cheap, fast and bottomless chips and Chinese as MSG laden saucy dishes with an overabundance of refined white rice and deep fried meat. Little of which you’ll find among the villages and towns in Greece, Mexico or China.
Keto cuisine, American style is very similar. Again I’ve seen too many clients and patients think they have a free pass to the closest fast food joint to grab a triple, cheeseburger without the bun and think they’re eating healthy. Or load up on bacon and eggs, avoiding the side order of pancakes or toast and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.
That’s not keto. Ok, that continued way of eating may put you in ketosis, result in some weight loss but it’s also the making of a heart attack on a stick. Sorry, that’s not gonna happen under this RD’s advice. I’ve seen too much in the hospital setting to ever approve that way of eating.
That’s why I became a Misfit. I was so done with all the latest, greatest, hyped up answers to weight loss that EVERYONE can benefit from. And I was done with the carbohydrate shame. Carbs aren’t bad. OK, some are horrific but you understand what I’m saying.
Honestly, many diets work when followed but that doesn’t mean they’re right for you.
If you feel you need to make 2 meals for dinner or that eating out with friends is too complicated that it’s easier to just not go, that’s not sustainable unless you like feeling frustrated and lonely.
That’s why I’ve created The Misfit Method.
A 4 week program that delves into what YOU want to achieve with your health and weight loss goals, provides a sustainable approach that removes the struggle that often comes with trendy diets and has so much love and accountability in it that it’ll make it almost impossible NOT to achieve your goal.
Sound like something you’re interested in?? Sign up below for more details and a special offer that’s only going to last the month of May!
Misfit Hugs, Kim
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