I am sure you have been contemplating various “weight-loss strategies”. Trust that you are not alone.
As I Registered Dietitian, I believe in the least amount of restrictions to address the total body. Such as:
- weight loss,
- increased energy levels,
- reduced illness and inflammation,
- lower blood pressure, bad cholesterol and blood sugar
- increase good cholesterol,
- reversing pre-diabetes,
- and most importantly giving the body the nutrients it needs to keep it running at 100% everyday no matter our age!
This leads into the “Keto-Diet”. This dietary strategy, which is often used in a clinical setting to help improve seizure control in children with epilepsy, is the current HOT trend for weight loss and management of some chronic diseases such as Diabetes and Parkinson’s.
This month the theme is Keto and similar low-carb diets…
WHAT IS IT?
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that forces the body into a state of ketosis, where fat is burned for fuel instead of carbohydrates (preferred state for body). In the ‘Classic Keto diet’ this equates to about 80–90% fat, 5–15% protein and 5–10% carbohydrates. For weight loss, this diet is typically modified “to allow a more liberal consumption of protein” (20–30%) with the same carbohydrate restriction.
5%-10% breaks down to about 40-50 grams of carbs per day. That is about 3 slices of 80-90 calorie whole grain slices of bread. Hopefully its in perspective now.
THE MOST COMMON BENEFITS
- rapid weight loss and a
- decrease in hunger
YES! Finally, I can LOSE this weight. Right….
RISKS OF LOW-CARB/KETOGENIC DIETS:
- weight regain due to restriction
- severely limits food choices such as fruits, whole grains, and dairy products (despite the culture and popular belief, this is not a good restriction )
- limited meal plan options making long-term adherence difficult
- depletes carbohydrate stores in the liver and muscles stores and
- since these carbohydrate stores are bound tightly to water, you can expect the majority of weight lost during the first week of a ketogenic diet (or any low-carb diet) to be water weight
- individuals with any gastro-intestinal issues or on certain meds such as steriods should speak to doctor and likely refrain from a keto/low-carb diet
Nutritional ketosis is not the desired state of the body. When low-carb diets are followed long enough, the body will adapt and work to keep you going throughout the day. The first few days to weeks of following a low-carb diet expect very low energy, crankiness, headaches, light-headedness and foggy thinking.
Many think this is a normal phase of dieting. Well, it’s not!
KNOW IT’S NOT A QUICK FIX
As with any weight-loss plan, the goal is not just to lose weight but also to keep it off. Before you transition to a ketogenic way of eating, ask yourself whether you can make this a long-term lifestyle change and not just a quick fix that could lead to a cycle of yo-yo dieting.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Ask yourself, can you live the rest of your life on the equivalent of 3 slices of 80-90 calorie whole grain slices of bread everyday?
It really does not take these extreme measures to lose weight long-term, lower inflammation, lower blood sugar levels, improve triglycerides levels, etc. Now you must monitor LDL-Cholesterol levels.
As always, consult your doctor (only if trained in nutrition) or a registered dietitian (for sake of your own health, if not me seek someone licensed in nutrition!) before making any major dietary changes.