Why the Ketogenic Diet Probably Isn’t What You’re Looking For

If you’re a keto-fanatic, keep going with it. Don’t let me stand in the way of your results.  

First let's talk about what ketosis is. When the body is starved of carbohydrates that can be used for fuel (grain, fruit, sugar, cereal, pasta, and even beans) the body will go into ketosis. In this state the body will burn fats efficiently. And it will also produce ketones, which some claim help improve brain function. Ketones can also cause major problems if their concentration gets too high. It's a bit complicated, and there are plenty of strong opinions around it. A simple way to think of it is: strict Atkins diet that is rather unforgiving of slip ups - it can take anywhere from two to seven days to get back into ketosis.

There is one major consideration that you need to bear in mind if this is the life you want to live: is the ketogenic diet the forever answer?

For a few people, it is the forever answer (notably, those with epilepsy). For most people, cake on their birthday and being able to eat fruits are sorely missed. Not to mention having to say no to EVERY delicious carbohydrate in existence. And have you heard of keto constipation? Go ahead, learn about it.

Here’s my beef with keto:

1. It’s a diet

2. It’s a diet that targets “this one little trick”

1. Diets have two switches, On and Off. When you’re On, it’s go time. You’re focused and relentless. But when you’re Off, you pay no mind to the consequences of food choices and actions, or worse yet you create guilt, shame, or other negative feelings because of your “failure.”
   A diet needs to be lifelong, and should probably be named after yourself. I’m on the Andrew Diet. It has chicken wings, pizza, green smoothies, and plenty of vegetables. And no guilt. And I’m on it for LIFE. No On, no Off.
   
   
2. When products and lifestyles are marketed trying to exploit a “body hack” or “this little unknown trick” they are saying this: This is a magic pill that will solve all your problems. It’s like trying to jump to the results without putting in the work to get there. It happens when people play the lottery. They want the result of wealth, without the knowledge on how to acquire and manage it. What happens when they win it? In most cases, it disappears.
   You seek weight loss and a better figure, but you’re looking for the fastest way to get there. I get it, you’re time crunched, and looking for something that seems doable. A set of rules to follow gives you structure, and Jan from HR had success with it so it must be legit. Short term thinking always leads to short term results.
   
   

Carbohydrates aren’t going anywhere. You can run from them, but you won’t be able to hide forever. For now you might have some self imposed rules keeping them at bay. What happens when those rules start to chafe, or you want to relax and try “dirty keto” or have a “cheat meal?” Have you actually learned how to manage your cravings, how to have less than ideal foods in moderation? What happens when a new fad diet comes onto the scene? Did you actually improve at eating healthy for the long term?

What I see most often is that people get really good at following certain rules, and when they stop following those particular rules, they are lost, and end up right back where they started. I’d encourage you to take the road less traveled, the one that spans a lifetime. Aim to create sustainable habits and understand that once you lose the weight, you still need to work to maintain that new physique. And you’ll need all the tools you learned on the way there (and then some!) in order to fight the hardest battle of all: healthy weight maintenance.

Andrew Biernat
Author, Speaker, Coach