Sunday, November 1, 2015

The Issues With Keto Diets

Ketogenic diets have been around for a long time and have been "branded" under other names, but ultimately the aim of them is to create a state of ketosis whereby your body becomes very effective at running on a high fat diet. 

Some high fat diets aren't actually a "ketogenic" diet because they aren't set-up to induce ketosis, but they can still work when used properly.

There are times when I myself will prescribe this sort of diet to one of my online clients if I feel its the right fit. I don't want you to think I am against or anti high fat/low carb diets. I'm not if its the right choice for the individual at that precise moment. 

However, I do find that there are many potential issues with this sort of diet particularly when looking at the common misconceptions which I've seen repeat themselves with clients.

Here are the 3 most common . . .

1 - Calories still count 

There are those who think if they are following a ketogenic diet that calories don't matter anymore because the environment they have created allows for ALL calories to be utilised as energy. NOT TRUE! Your calorie intake still matters even if your in ketosis and you'll never be able to bypass the laws of thermodynamics!! 

2 - Looking flat 

One issue I've noticed many times with a ketogenic approach to dieting is the lack of fullness in the muscle belly. You can quickly look very depleted and it can in my eyes really have a negative impact on the overall look of your physique when this happens. 

3 - Carb sensitivity 

Lots of people will say they follow a low carb/ketogenic diet because they can't handle carbs, however I often feel they create this false environment where they force their body to become sensitive to carbohydrates. COUNTLESS times I've helped people over time "train" their body to utilise carbohydrates effectively. I've also had clients who've been on low carb diets for so long it has taken a long period of time to "fix" them and enable them to start using carbohydrates properly once again. 

I'm VERY much on the side of having plenty of essential fatty acids in your diet, its critical that you do. They are fantastic for multiple reasons which I'll cover in a separate email. However, to reduce/drop carbohydrates so aggressively and go onto a Keto diet is something I don't feel most need to do.

Yes, sometimes its the best option but I do feel that there is often a better balance to be found so that the individual can benefit from all aspects of different nutrients. - Neil Hill

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