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All About the Ketogenic (Keto) Diet

Yum

November 7, 2018 By Laura Ligos, MBA, RD, CSSD 1 Comment

If I hear the word Keto one more time I’m throwing this computer out the window, grabbing a piece of fruit and going for a very LONG walk. I’m only kidding, but I have been hearing this word more and more and my new rule is that instead of getting frustrated I need to help people become educated. You can further your own education with regard to this diet by reading these Ketogenic Supplement Reviews. Educating you is one of my roles after all as a dietitian. I must keep the public informed of any health trends and fads and make sure you have the information needed to make the best decision for YOUR health. After digging into this topic, I realized I’m going to need more than 1 post to answer all the questions, so stay tuned for part 2!

keto diet

Whenever I hear something mentioned or asked about over and over again I realize that there is a need for people to be educated. In the past year, I can’t tell you how many people have asked what Keto is, if they should try it, or if it’s okay that they are doing it. I’ve held back a lot of huffs & puffs, eye rolls, and screams, so now it’s time to let it all out, in a civil manner of course.

Here’s the thing, if you are going ON something you are most certainly going to come OFF something, so keep that in mind. Before I get more heated on my thoughts, feelings, and opinions on Keto, let’s break down what keto is, who it is for, and then we’ll get into who it might NOT be for and why. Just like with anything that you are not familar with, it is always important to do your research, especially when it comes to your health. With the help of the internet, once you’ve got a basic understanding of keto and what it involves, there’s no harm in you checking out a few keto diet recipes to get you on the way to achieving a cleaner diet.

What is Keto?

Keto is a shortened word for “ketogenic”. The ketogenic (aka Keto) diet has become something of a fad lately. The ketogenic diet looks to promote the metabolic production of ketone bodies (aka ketones) from stored fat, this process is known as ketosis. The use of these ketones is meant to become the primary energy source over the body’s preferred energy source, carbohydrates.

If done correctly, the body will continue to break down ketones until a source of carbohydrate is introduced to the system. In order for someone to be in this ketogenic state, it normally takes 2-4 days with a consumption of less than ~50g of carbohydrate (very low amount). This number, however, is different for everyone depending on height, weight, sex, age, activity level, etc. Some active individuals will actually eat their carbohydrates around their exercise time so that the body remains in ketosis as long as possible. These same individuals also track their ketone levels and have the data to prove they are in ketosis. It’s not as easy as it appears.

The keto diet is mostly made up of proteins and fat, it consists of food such as meat, eggs, processed meats, nuts, seeds, oils/butter, sausage, cheese, fish, and some vegetables. The ketones do not come from food but rather endogenously from stored fat from said food. There is, however, a new wave of exogenous ketones that are coming to market. I’ve heard they taste like absolute garbage, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Is Keto a Fad Diet?

Yes. Plain and simple. As someone said on Instagram, Keto is the Atkins diet for Millenials. At least Keto does not promote strictly Atkins processed crap. However, it’s not far from it. If you want my thoughts on fad diets, check that out here.

Keto is a therapeutic diet that helped some people find good results and because of that was marketed as a diet for everyone to help them gain results as well. This is how things become fad diets. If it works for one person, it must work for everyone.

The Keto diet is low in carbs (usually below 50g/day) and is very similar to other fad diets like Atkins, South Beach, and even a low carb Paleo approach. It is, unfortunately, probably not the last we will see of it, it just might come around again in 10 years under a new name. If you see carbs being restricted, you can guarantee it’s some version of keto.

Why Keto?

Your body stores thousands of times more fat than carbohydrate in the body. So, in theory, it’d be great if we could just run on fat. However, the body prefers to run on carbohydrates. That’s not to say we all don’t burn fat as fuel, because on lower intensity, longer duration activities we do burn fat as fuel.

The thing is that the body is meant to use BOTH sources of fuel as energy as needed. The key is to not have an excess of either, but just enough for the body to be able to perform all its necessary functions. Those numbers are different for everyone.

Keto was meant to prevent epileptic seizures and is still used to do just that. It has also been shown to be helpful in some other conditions but it is, unfortunately, not the magic pill to health for all.

Who is Keto For?

That’s a great question. I refer to Keto as a therapeutic diet, aka a diet meant to help with a certain condition. That said, there are people who keto is particularly good for. However, it depends. Here are a few areas that it has been known to be helpful for:

  • Epilepsy
  • Cancer
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Certain neurological &/or cardiovascular diseases
  • PCOS
  • Those without access to carbohydrates (i.e. out in the woods, trying to survive- think the military/special forces)
  • Long-distance runners (Ultra distances not performing at high intensity)
  • Incredibly Sedentary and/or obese individuals looking to lose weight for the long-term

The thing is that keto may not work for some of the above and may potentially work for some who are not listed above. It is a therapeutic diet that can be used as a tool to help one seek health. It is not the ONLY tool to help people achieve health, and that’s the most important message.

Who is Keto NOT For?

Most people.

For most people, this diet is no more than a fad diet. Those looking to lose weight on this diet may find that they have instant success. Why? Because when you cut out carbohydrates you tend to lose water weight. Some see instant success only to later see a plateau and worse, they gain weight once carbohydrates are added back to the diet.

The thing is, the diet itself is not bad overall, it does have some good points. However, cutting out almost all fruits and vegetables means fiber and vitamins/minerals from plant sources is at an all time low. I don’t know about you but I like fiber to fill me up and keep me regular if you know what I mean.

I also highly recommend against the following groups following keto:

  • Athletes (also read fellow Sports RD’s input here)
  • Those with for disordered eating (because it restricts a macronutrient)
  • Those with any hormonal issues
  • Children
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women
  • Those who experience digestive, hormonal, or other issues while on keto

Why? Because it takes WORK to be on a ketogenic diet and many are doing it wrong. Many are not fully in ketosis which then actually sabotages their attempt at the diet and throws their body for a loop. What do I mean by “not fully in ketosis”? I mean that you are going low carb but not low carb enough to actually be using ketones as fuel.

Should You Go Keto?

Not without talking to a healthcare professional who knows what they are talking about, end of story.

My Honest Opinion on Keto

I sometimes hold back on my true feelings on a diet as I don’t want to do more harm than good, however, I feel pretty strongly about this. The Keto diet is a THERAPEUTIC diet meant to be done for acute (aka short term) reasons for SOME people.

For a diet to be successful over the long haul for most people, it must be sustainable and complete. The Keto diet is not sustainable for most and not all that complete (i.e. very low carb, low in fiber, low in fruits/veggies). Can it work for some? Yes. Will it work for all? No.

If something sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. Be very suspicious of a diet that cuts out an entire macronutrient. Many say watch out for diets/fads that cut out whole food groups, but frankly, I’m FAR more concerned about a diet that cuts out an entire macronutrient. Use it as a tool for disease and certain conditions, and otherwise, move right along.

Let me hear from you! What other questions about Keto do you still have?

xoxo,

Sassy

ps. I’m going to most likely continue this conversation because I realize this is A LOT to take in and I want you to have as much information as possible. Stay Tuned.

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  1. Holiday Apple Cider Punch (Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic) - The Sassy Dietitian says:
    November 8, 2018 at 12:49 pm

    […] post is going to be a hard left from yesterday’s post, ha! But, my friends and I had a  wine night this past weekend and this Holiday Apple Cider Punch […]

    Reply

@thesassydietitian

We’ve made it over a week together and it feels We’ve made it over a week together and it feels like it’s always been this way.

Motherhood is a wild ride & it’s only getting started. I have never been so tired & simultaneously so fulfilled in my life. That’s not to say it’s not filled with tears, worries and doubts but what fun would it be if it were all sunshine and roses anyway?

Going into this all I have felt so supported by friends going through this with me BUT I felt so unsupported by the general public. It seems like we want to fear and shame moms because misery loves company, right?!

The focus quickly shifts from mom to baby (still shocked that I only have an appointment at 6 weeks even though my body went through the biggest event of its life) and there also seems to be this shift from joy to shame & guilt.

Here’s some of what I heard from people:

😕Sleep when baby sleeps. You’ll never sleep again.
😕Don’t let baby sleep in a car seat, or a bouncer, or anywhere but their crib EVER. 
😕You’ll never have time to shower again, enjoy it now. 
😕Cry it out is cruel and harmful to the baby. 
😕Get baby on a schedule/never put baby on a schedule.

These are all things I heard and that truly led me to believe I was going to lose all sense of who I was and my life as I knew it.

What I wish people had said instead were:

🥰Your heart will grow bigger than you could imagine.
🥰You’ll cry the happiest tears you’ve ever cried.
🥰You’ll feel like a giant hole was filled that you didn’t even know was there.
🥰You won’t feel guilty about cleaning your house, it just won’t matter anymore.
🥰Babies pooping will make you laugh so hard you will feel like a kid again.
🥰You will have time to eat and shower and you don’t have to neglect yourself.

We need to do a better job of building each other up, supporting one another and our decisions while refraining from offering unsolicited advice and opinions. 

So for all you future mamas and new mamas out there, I see you, I’m proud of you and I cannot wait to share our stories with one another and the world.

Let’s stop fear mongering (just like the diet world) and start building one another up.

Xoxo,
Sassy & lil sassy man
🌈Some things truly are worth the wait. It’s b 🌈Some things truly are worth the wait. It’s been a long year of loss, unknowns and worry but it’s all been worth it to get to meet my lil man🥰
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Now time to introduce this sassy human who is already so well loved to the world...
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Introducing 

💙 Connor James Ligos 💙
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After an almost 24 hour labor, Connor joined us over a week past his due date on 2/12/21 at a whopping 9lb2oz & 22.5 inches long with a full head of hair and lungs to scream hello to us with.
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We are so in love already and cannot wait to share him with the world. Thank you for all the love and support from friends and family and to all those that helped us in the hospital. Holy cow labor & delivery teams are truly magical and I cannot imagine doing it without all of their support.
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Now back to snuggling this human of mine and trying not to cry at every last thing he does 🥰 
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Mom, Dad & Bode are all doing well!
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#babyboy #pregnancyafterloss #rainbowbaby #birthdayboy #birthannouncement
I get it, we all eat so we all then want to talk t I get it, we all eat so we all then want to talk to others about what worked for us. That's great!
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What's not great is when we push our nutrition and eating behaviors onto others ESPECIALLY when we are not qualified to do so.
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So often when people meet me for the first time they are worried to eat around me and/or buy groceries around me. My friends can attest I am not judgemental around food and will gladly eat that cake, queso dip or sip on that glass of wine right alongside of you. I am not the food police and do not offer unsolicited nutrition advice unless it's a client who is paying for my help OR on Instagram and other social media platforms where my goal is to educate.
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Why do I share this? 
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Because I see far too many people diving down diet rabbit holes, finding success & then claiming to be nutrition experts purely because something worked for them. 
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I've also seen this alot being pregnant, everyone wants to tell you what worked for them. IF you use that stipulation of "this worked for me" then fine, share away but if you start doleing out advice please pause, take a breath and think about NOT doing it.
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People are OVERWHELMED by diet culture and some so badly want to change but YOUR way is not the only way and it most likely is not what will work for your friend/coworker/cousin/neighbor so please, stop trying to be an expert in something you aren't.
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Got it!?! 
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Ok, carry on.
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xoxo,
Sassy
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#nutrition #nutritiontips #nutritionist #dietitianapproved #rdapproved #rdchat #dietitiansofinstagram #dietitian #dietitiansofig #albanyny #albanynutrition #albanynutrition
Your nutrition does NOT need to be all or nothing. Your nutrition does NOT need to be all or nothing. I'm not saying you have to find perfect balance (does that even exist?) but I am saying that we shouldn't feel like either we have to eat perfectly or that we might as well give up.
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Instead we should look to the grey area in between for our nutrition guidance. 
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What do I mean?
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I mean that we need to realize that we can still eat cookies but we probably should throw some veggies in there. 
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We can have a glass or 2 of wine but we should probably also drink some water. 
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We can take rest days but we should also find ways to move our bodies regularly.
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And the list goes on.
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It's not about all or nothing it's about doing something daily to help your health and nutrition without it feeling like a set of rules or a free for all.
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How do we find that grey area in between?
👉🏻 stop hopping on and off fad diets
👉🏻listen and trust your self, not your coworkers and cousins 
👉🏻focus on the simple things (ie drinking water instead of worrying about supplements)
👉🏻work to remove guilt and shame around food & body
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Where do you currently fall Right now?!
🤪 all
👍🏻in between 
🙅🏻‍♀️ nothing 
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Xoxo,
Sassy
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#dietitian #dietitiansofig #dietitiansofinstagram #nutrition #nutritionist #nutritiontips #thesassydietitian #rdchat #realtalk

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