For today’s blog post I’d like to cover some misunderstandings about the keto diet I frequently run in to with people who are considering going keto, and a few who are actually practicing it. Keep in mind that these are my own personal opinion and shouldn’t be taken as the word from the Keto gods. Also, as certain as I feel about these points, do remember that everybody is different and every body is different. What that means is that this is from my experience living a ketogenic lifestyle but that may not be directly applicable to you. As always, you’re running the great experiment of your life and you should try these things out for yourself, keeping what works for you, discarding what doesn’t. So now, in no particular order, the misconceptions.
!. I’ll do keto for a week to lose fat quickly and then I’ll go back to my old diet. Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way. While you’ll experience some rapid weight loss in the beginning, it’ll be mostly water weight. So after your week is up, and you go back on a carb rich diet, you’ll just start retaining water again and you’ll gain almost all of it back. And even if you do keep it off, it’s only water weight, which doesn’t do you any good if you’re trying to lose fat. Plus, it’ll take you more then a week to become keto adapted.
2. I’m not sure if I can get rid of carbs altogether like that/I don’t know if I can go vegetable free. While the Keto diet is a very low carb diet, it isn’t necessarily a no carb diet. I say necessarily because there is a version of the keto diet known as the carnivore diet that is carb/vegetable free. However, it isn’t necessary to go the carb free route to live a ketogenic lifestyle. You just need to keep it under 50g total carbs, and aim to keep it below 20g of net carbs (Total carbs-fiber). What carbs you choose is up to you, just keep in mind that some carb sources will blow right through your 50g, and even if they don’t they’ll put you well over 20g net carbs.
3. I can eat unlimited amounts of fat without consequence. While the ketogenic diet is high fat, it isn’t unlimited fat. You do have to keep in mind that if you frequently take in more fat calories then your body needs, it can still be deposited as fat in your body. You want to keep a caloric deficit going (how much is up to you) so that your body will be forced to burn through your stored fat to make up the difference.
4. As long as the food is ketogenic I can safely eat it during a fast. Negative. Taking in calories over a very small threshold (for me it’s 35) will break a fast. Now if you are eating within the guidelines of a ketogenic diet you’ll mimic some of the benefits of fasting, but the only way to get all the benefits of fasting is to fast. Also, on a side note, there really aren’t “ketogenic foods”. There are foods that meet the guidelines of a ketogenic diet, but the ratios of macronutrients are what keep you in ketosis. There isn’t a food that will put you in ketosis automatically.
5. I’m interested in trying keto but I don’t think the rest of my family will want to. Oddly enough, you can still do keto even if nobody else in your house/apartment wants to do it with you. Now I do get that it will be easier if everyone in the house is doing it. You won’t have access to the tempting foods the others will be allowed to eat. But you’re an adult, If you really want to try the ketogenic diet but nobody else at home wants to, then decide you will and stick with it. I live in a house with two other people, one of whom loves cooking and baking. Is it annoying sometimes to come home to a house that wreaks of fresh-baked bread? You bet. But then I do my weekly weigh in and I see my progress and the bread just isn’t as distracting anymore.
6. I don’t know if I can do a ketogenic diet since you can’t cheat on it. If you go into any diet with the intention of cheating on it you’ve probably picked the wrong diet. Having said that, you don’t have to be keto every day for the rest of your life. You’re an adult, make adult decisions. I enjoy my monthly day off from keto. It’s one day out of a month so while it slows my progress a bit, it doesn’t outweigh the other 29 or 30 days of being keto. We’re heading into the holiday season so I’m already planning on using my day off for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And I intend to enjoy them guilt free. Afterwards I’ll get right back to it with a good fast for a day or two and then back to meeting the keto guidelines.
There are more misconceptions out there. Perhaps I’ll cover more soon. But these are the ones I hear the most. Again, this is all my opinion as someone who has lived a ketogenic lifestyle for three quarters of a year now. It isn’t scientific fact. If you have a different perspective I’d love to hear from you in the comments. If you have any questions, leave those in the comments, too. This wraps up today’s post. Hope you have a great day.
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