Here comes summer… a keto diet can give you kick start you need for post-lockdown weight loss

We’ve been given the roadmap and now that we have a bit more freedom, how are you feeling about coming out of hibernation? Getting out of the gardening clothes and facing the world again? Excited? Or are you starting to regret all the home baking and that extra glass of wine on a Sunday night…

If you want to lose some weight to feel good this summer, there’s no time to lose and the keto diet could be your first step!

Lose weight fast – the healthy way

A good kick start to your weight loss is just that – only a start! I always insist that my clients think about the longer-term changes to their eating patterns and lifestyle. Short term diets DON’T WORK!! However, if you keep that firmly in mind, it can really help to do a healthy, strict keto diet to get you in the zone… You usually feel way feeling better in a matter of days. It will focus your mind as it’s different to just cutting down, you have to cut some foods out – including lots of healthy ones – just for a while though!

3 things you need to succeed with the keto diet

1. Be really committed to it for at least a week

2. Get prepared and be strict for that first week

3. Have an exit plan to a more diverse diet to achieve your weight loss goal

In a nutshell (yes, some nuts are ok on the keto diet 😉) it’s a diet consisting mostly of low carb vegetables, proteins and healthy fats. You have to avoid higher carb veg (carrots, parsnips, sweetcorn and others) and fruit; all starchy food (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta etc), sugars and alcohol. But there are some special low carb recipes like this yummy low carb bread which you can make. Or browse low carb products – they’ll help you feel you’re eating ‘normally’!

What are ketone bodies?

Ketone bodies (‘ketones’ for short) are an alternative source of fuel, made from stored fat in the body.  This happens when glucose from the diet and our short-term store of carbohydrate (glycogen) are depleted. Ketones are particularly important for the brain, which uses a lot of energy but cannot use free fats as energy…. You know that light-headed feeling when you haven’t eaten for ages? Your brain is looking for glucose and if it’s not there you need ketones!

What’s good about the keto diet?

It’s a way of forcing the body to use more of its stored body fat as fuel and will result in weight loss, as long as you are consuming less calories than your body is using in energy.  A big advantage is that after the initial few days you won’t crave carbs and probably won’t even feel hungry if you stick to the diet properly. People often also experience a sense of heightened energy and even elation when doing the keto diet properly.

What are the difficulties with the keto diet?

I really don’t recommend the keto diet if you are doing more than about half an hour’s moderate intensity exercise a day. You need BOTH main sources of fuel (glucose and fat) to be able to exercise most efficiently. If you try to exercise at an intense level when your glucose levels are very low, your muscles will soon start to feel heavy and you may feel dizzy and unwell – not a good idea!

Often people don’t plan to come off the keto diet; they either ‘fall off the wagon’ at a social event or just give in to temptation and give the body a hefty dose of carbs that it hasn’t been used to.

What happens next is that the body stops making ketones and sends out hormones to give you the message to eat lots of carbs to refill your glycogen store. In other words you get cravings, big time! Glycogen is about 75% water so refilling this store causes the body weight to jump up a few pounds overnight – alarming to people who are frequently weighing themselves. So, instead of this, a proper plan is needed to gradually reintroduce carbs and achieve the weight loss you want. It will be slower, but you’ll be able to eat a wider variety of food and use your experience from the keto diet to keep consuming a really good amount of vegetables… And that, I truly believe, is the key to weight loss!

A personalised keto diet plan online just for you

Until I can see clients face-to-face again (as things stand from June 9^th 🤞) I’m offering consultations by phone, Zoom or Skype to get you started (or re-started) on a plan. I’m using a new app which is excellent for logging your food and exercise. It’s really easy to use and has a huge database of familiar products you will find in the supermarkets. I’ve also uploaded some of my own recipes which I’ll send you. You’ll get a detailed report of your intake, including macro- and micronutrients, and I’ll help you adjust to the right eating plan for your lifestyle and preferred food tastes.

BOOK ONLINE NOW

I have some special offers on low carb products like Atkin’s coconut bars (think no-sugar Bounty bar!) and high protein, mini-pack biscuits to help you stick to the keto diet and not feel deprived!

Call me for more details on 087 2287543 or email anna@eatwise.ie