Every time there's a new diet craze going around, there's always going to be the skeptics, finding the holes in the logic of it all. Consider me one of those skeptics because I think this whole Keto thing is a bunch of baloney. But let's start from the beginning 'cause there's a lot of you out there who don't know even know what Keto is.
The Ketogenic Diet focuses on eating fats, like peanut butter, cheese, etc. And a whole lot of it. It states that 80% of your nutritional make-up should come from fats, while 20% should come from protein. And if you're asking yourself 'where do carbs come into play?', the answer is they don't. Well, you can have carbs that can't really be classified as 'carbs,' like fruits. But make sure it's not a heavy carb like bananas. Oh! And yams too!
Confused yet? You should be. But the question really is why do people go the Keto route?
Since all you're eating are fats, your body takes energy from ketones (fat that's stored in the body) instead of from glucose, which comes from carbs. This allows the body to burn the bad kind of fat more rapidly. Can you see why this diet is so popular with bodybuilders?
You're probably thinking "yeah this sounds great! Where do I sign up?" Not so fast, sparky. On paper, Keto sounds like a gold mine but once you get deeper into it, you'll see why I'm saying Keto is actually pretty bad for you.
1. It can lead to organ damage
Since the Ketogenic diet requires a lot of fat intake, it does not allow for a lot of fibre to be present. This makes your blood sugar levels drastically drop, and as a result so does your insulin levels. This creates extraordinary amount of stress on the pancreas to produce insulin. Remember without insulin, you'd constantly be starving as it controls how fast you use the energy from food. Read more about it here.
2. Your calories have to be strictly monitored
Let's be honest, who really tracks their calories? Anyone who says they are is probably a bodybuilder or a liar (same thing). But seriously, I do not believe tracking your calories is the best way to stay on top of your fitness, mostly because it enforces this idea that you should focus on how much of a food you're putting in your body, instead of the nutritional value. Complete waste of time. Instead focus on the macronutrients like protein, fats, and carbs.
Also looking solely on the calories makes food less enjoyable. Who the hell would want that? Food is meant to be enjoyed, not calculated. Definitely eat healthy, but don't be obsessed with tracking every single calorie. That is a one way ticket to binge eating. And that's NOT what we're going for over here.
3. Extreme Fatigue
The keto diet has probably the worst energy ROI compared to other diets. For starters, since there are no carbs going in, the body is lacking vital vitamins & minerals that help to give it energy to push through the day. Your functional fitness training is going to suffer so much because of this since you need energy to perform full-body workouts every day. Also any lovers of HIIT? Well, since you're on Keto, say goodbye to that. As HIIT requires a lot of energy, with Keto you won't be able to last 2 rounds. Or you'll be so tired afterwards, you won't be able to do anything else afterwards.
4. The Body HATES Extreme Changes
Every time the body goes through an extreme change, there will be some pretty bad side effects. With the case of Keto, some side effects are constipation, headache, cramps, diarrhea and halitosis. The other ones I can deal with, but bad breath?! Nah, it's not worth the risk.
All these happen because it's the body's response to lower than normal potassium levels thanks to the low insulin levels caused by the Keto diet.
Yes, Keto has been shown to burn fat and get those ripped 6 pack abs, but what if that's not your goals? What if your goal is to live a functional life with a sustainable nutrition & workout plan? Then the Keto diet is not for you because it's not mean to last for the long run.
Don't climb aboard the hype train. Choose what's best for you.
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