Many of us turn to the keto diet because we’ve heard that the famous low-carb plan kills appetite and turbocharges fat burn. For the most part, it delivers. But sometimes as we eat our keto fare, we find ourselves physically full yet still struggling with a strong urge to eat. We suddenly want a whole pound of bacon, a whole bag of nuts. Or we develop nagging cravings for high-carb chips, pizza, cookies. Either way, it can slow or halt progress. If you’re hungry on keto, what do you do? One top doc says a little intuition and an ordinary burger may be all it takes to block an overactive appetite for good.
Tro Kalayjian, DO, a host of the Low Carb MD podcast, says his strategy works so well, it has even helped food addicts like Amy Eiges, who lost 224 pounds. Amy now works with Dr. Kalayjian — who is known as Dr. Tro — helping others get healthy and feel great. “All the years I suffered, there was a fairly simple strategy that could’ve healed me,” she says. “I don’t like being in the spotlight, but I want to spread the word. I want anyone who can be helped by keto to know it’s out there for them.” Keep reading to see if it can work for you, plus recipes to help you get started.
Help for people who are hungry on keto
Like all keto proponents, Dr. Tro recommends decreasing intake of carbs in favor of foods rich in fat and protein. What does he do differently? He asks dieters to worry less about carb counts and numbers on the scale and instead listen to their bodies. “Each of us has certain foods that just light up our brains, and that includes low-carb foods. For some people it might be processed meat; for other, it might be dairy,” he says. “I personally can’t stop eating almonds once I start, in part because they remind me of the almond cookies I ate growing up. But my wife can eat three almonds and it’s no big deal for her. Everyone is different. This is about finding what’s right for you.”
The idea is to build an arsenal of foods that fill you up without lighting up your brain. If zero-carb sweeteners aren’t an issue for you, you can have them. Dr. Tro himself is a fan of keto ice cream. You don’t even have to give…