The good news— people are catching on to the ketogenic diet! The bad news— many are going about it all wrong.
So you’re telling me I can eat cheeseburgers (minus the bun), bacon, peanut butter cheesecake and STILL lose weight?
Damn right you can! In fact, keto can be an easy sell because it’s 100% possible to shred weight by eating the foods you love. However, this is also where things can take a turn for the ugly.
When first starting keto, most use the ‘dirty’ keto approach.
What is ‘Dirty Keto?’
A properly formulated ketogenic diet consists of high fat, moderate protein and low carb intake. ‘Dirty keto’ uses the same macros formulation, but fails to account for healthy fats, adequate fiber, and consciously sourced protein.
‘Dirty Keto’ vs. ‘Clean Keto’
There are really two ways of going about the ketogenic diet, both will promote weight loss, but only one will lead to sustainable health and wellness.
‘Dirty Keto’
Eating a high fat diet consisting of unhealthy fats. Sure, you’ll lose weight, but you’ll also raise your triglycerides and likely promote illness.
‘Clean Keto’
Consuming a high fat diet consisting of healthy fats. Again, you’ll lose weight. In addition, you’ll also lower your triglycerides and undoubtedly promote overall health and wellness.
What is the #1 Reason You’re Going About Keto ALL Wrong?
There’s a good chance you’re eating ALL the wrong fats.
Let’s review the wrong fats— the unhealthy fats— the bad fats…
Unhealthy Fats (PUFA’s):
- Hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils (trans fats)
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Peanut oil
- Safflower oil
- Sesame oil
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Walnut oil
- Margarine or pseudo-butter spreads and sprays
- Vegetable shortening
Just a few things to note here. For the most part, the food industry has caught onto the fact that the general public is well aware of the adverse effects of trans fats or even hydrogenated oils. Therefore, marketing has wisened up. You won’t often see the words ‘trans fat’ or ‘hydrogenated oils’ listed within the ingredients. Instead, companies ruse us by labeling the oils directly. Keep in mind that the oils listed beneath ‘trans fats’ (canola, corn, cottonseed, etc.) are the top culprits of partial hydrogenation. They also happen to be the choice oils for most restaurants and processed food products.
Why?
Because they’re inexpensive to produce and maintain a lengthy shelf life.
Bottom line: Read your labels and limit eating out.
How about the right fats— the healthy fats— the good, dietary fats?
Healthy Fats (SFA’s):
- Beef tallow
- Pork lard
- Duck fat
- Cocoa butter
- Grass-fed whole butter
- Ghee butter
- Avocado or coconut mayo
- Coconut or MCT oil
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Avocado oil
- Hemp oil
- Fish oil
- Flaxseed oil (occasionally)
- Sustainably sourced palm kernel oil
Again, a few notes. When reaching for animal lard, be it butter, pork lard, beef/bison tallow or duck fat, quality is of utmost importance. Be sure to reach for ethically sourced, grass-fed, hormone-free brands such as Epic or Organic Valley. Take the same care in selecting choice oils— select organic, sustainably sourced products. Yes, you’ll pay more now, but you’ll save your future self some serious cash in medical bills.
Bottom line: Spend the money on quality and get in the kitchen.
What Does ‘Clean Keto’ Look Like?
In order to cash in on ALL the benefits (HULK-like energy, disease prevention, longevity, etc.) you’ve got to focus on clean ketogenic foods. Clean keto is about eating nutrient dense, whole foods. Period. Leafy greens, consciously sourced proteins, and unprocessed fats. It’s really that simple. And just in case it’s not that simple, I’ve created a free guidebook breaking down the best foods and supplements for a clean keto diet.
And one last thing to address. Perhaps the most important of all— and something I hear ALL the time…
How do you manage to consume 124g of fat each and every day? I mean I can’t just eat fat all by itself.
First, a quick note. It’s very important that you stay within your carb count on keto, but it’s not imperative that you hit your fat count (unless you’re not trying to lose weight). Fat serves like a lever. If you’re ravenous on keto— you’re probably not eating enough fat. Or, if your sugar cravings are through the roof than you may want to add in more fat in order to silence your sweet tooth.
If you’re struggling to “get your fat in” Here are a few ideas to help you on your way.
- Start your day with a bulletproof coffee
- Add extra olive oil to your salad
- Top off your burger patty with avocado mayo and unpasteurized cheese
- Select fatty protein sources such as Wagyu beef or Kurobuta pork
- Add extra grass-fed butter to your morning scramble
- Sauté veggies generously with ghee butter
- Cook up sausage in pork lard
- Drizzle hemp oil and hemp seeds over your avocado
- Fry pork lardons in avocado oil
- Make some keto fat bombs
- Try your hand at something new, like marrow bones
- Snack on unadulterated macadamia nuts or pecans
I hope this information helps you on your keto journey to success! If you have any additional questions or concerns I’d love to address them in the comments below. With much aloha.
xo, Katie
Whether you’re well-versed or brand spankin’ new to keto life and looking for some help, you should check out Katie’s coaching program. Coach Katie lives keto all day, errryday. She keeps up to date on the latest science, so you don’t have to. But more importantly, she addresses your specific goals to help you achieve ultimate success on your keto journey. And it’s always better to have someone in your corner, guiding you along. So if you’re ready for total life transformation and ultimate keto success, schedule your FREE initial keto consultation today!
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