The keto diet is one of the biggest diet crazes of the last decade. Celebrities have expressed their love for keto, and research shows the diet offers weight loss and other health benefits. However, some nutrition experts say a true keto diet may be too strict and unsustainable for many people, so being a little lax on the rules—also known as “lazy keto“—can still bring benefits.
As an FYI, the ketogenic diet has traditionally been a therapeutic diet used for decades to treat epilepsy, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The aim is to enable the body to go from burning glucose provided by carbs to burning ketones, produced by fat, for energy. The process, known as ketosis, can speed up metabolism, stave off hunger, increase muscle mass and improve blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.
To get there, keto meals should be 70% to 80% fat, about 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates. “People assume you have to eat clean 24/7 with alcohol, fast food and processed ingredients completely cut from the diet to lose weight,” says Stephanie Laska, author of Dirty Lazy Keto. “For most of us, this just isn’t realistic. This impossible standard of perfection leads many people to feel ashamed when they hit the drive-thru, drink a beer or grab a quick, convenient snack. Not following the rules makes many people feel like a failure. They give up hope and simply quit.”
Laska says she lost 140 pounds on a higher-fat, moderate-protein, lower-carb diet. What made the weight loss sustainable was to “loosen up and break the rules,” leading her to create a more flexible version of keto.
“It’s a judgment-free way of eating that embraces fun ingredients and allows for real-life events to happen along the weight loss journey,” she says.
If trying keto has been on your agenda but you’ve been too intimidated by all the rules, it’s possible to benefit from a lazy version that’s more suitable to your lifestyle. Here’s how.
Related: What Is the Optavia Diet and What Can You Eat On It?
What Is ‘Lazy Keto’?
Experts are now realizing that you don’t have to be a keto purist to lose weight or reap the benefits. “You don’t have to follow keto perfectly to lose…