A keto diet was a lot easier than I imagined (Image: Christopher Megrath)
Over the years, I’ve experimented with countless fad diets, but none have yielded lasting results and most were practically impossible to maintain, despite a few minor benefits here and there.
Many diet plans demand that individuals sacrifice their love for food in order to lose weight – a difficult commitment to uphold. However, one diet plan challenges this notion by promoting a high-fat intake.
In essence, all you need to do is eliminate carbohydrates from your diet and let your body handle the rest.
This is the ketogenic or ‘keto’ diet, which doesn’t require people to completely abandon their favourite meals – they simply need to envision their plates without carbs.
What is the keto diet?
Well, it begins with understanding that our bodies typically utilise glucose from carbohydrates as a primary energy source. When this source is depleted, the body resorts to using reserves from the liver and muscles.
After about three to four days, when these reserves are exhausted, the body then turns to stored fat, converting it into ketones through a process known as ketosis.
The time it takes to reach ketosis varies depending on an individual’s BMI. To sustain ketosis, it’s recommended to limit carbohydrate intake to approximately 20-50 grams per day.
On a 2,000-calorie diet, a typical keto diet will consist of 55-60% fat, 30-35% protein, and only 5-10% carbohydrates. In short, cut out the carbs and your body will burn the unwanted fat due to lack of other energy sources.
Foods to avoid on a keto diet
Watch out for the high carb counts hidden in your favourite tipples and treats. Naturally, you will want to drastically reduce the biggest offenders:
- White bread
- Rice
- Pasta
- Potatoes
Beer, not only brimming with carbs but also low on nutrients, should be sipped sparingly. Cocktails made with spirits like vodka, gin, and rum could be equally treacherous, their carb load mostly due to sweet mixers such as sugary sodas and fruit juices. And it’s not just alcohol that needs a second thought.
The sweet allure of honey and syrup may seem harmless but can derail your ketosis by spiking blood sugar levels. As they’re predominantly sugar, avoiding them won’t do harm.
The same caution goes for juices, fizzy drinks laden with sugar, and tempting confectioneries avoid these aisles during your weekly shop.
Salmon and cauliflower mashed potatoes (Image: Christopher Megrath)
And then there are sauces – a dollop of ketchup or a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce will take you out of ketosis. Be wary of such hidden sugars, as well as so-called “low fat foods” which often compensate for reduced fat with increased sugar content.
Remember, when embarking on a keto journey, refined carbs and sweetened goodies are the enemy. Be vigilant about checking food labels for carb and sugar content.
But before dismay sets in at the thought of all the tantalising foods you must forsake, fear not!
It is still possible to relish your meals while staying firmly in ketosis, thanks to various keto-friendly substitutes.
One of the biggest challenges I faced while following a diet was feeling unsatisfied with the food options. I craved something more indulgent than just salads.
Fortunately, I discovered some clever substitutes that allowed me to enjoy my favorite dishes while maintaining ketosis. Here are a few dinner-time swaps that worked for me:
- Rice – Cauliflower rice
- Mashed potatoes – Mashed cauliflower
- Spaghetti – Courgette
- Pasta – various vegetable substitutes
- Chips – butternut squash
- Tortilla – Lettuce leaf
Cauliflower was a game-changer. By blending it with spices, I could create a “rice” dish that paired well with any meal.
It was quick, effective, and had a similar consistency to couscous. I could even enjoy a Sunday roast with all the trimmings, including a generous serving of “mashed potato” made by blending and boiling cauliflower.
Courgette allowed me to reintroduce spaghetti bolognese to my menu. I’d simply slice it into thin strips using a mandolin or shred it lengthways on a cheese grater for a quicker option.
If I was feeling lazy, I could opt for pre-made vegetable pasta alternatives available at most supermarkets.
Butternut squash could be cut into wedges to make a tasty alternative to chips. I also used lettuce leaves to make burritos and tacos — a bit unconventional, but it worked!
To quench my thirst, I swapped sugary sodas for their zero-sugar equivalents or opted for water. When out at the pub, I could still indulge in a glass of red or dry white wine, which typically contained fewer than 5g of carbs per serving.
My keto diet menu
You can repackage your meals with new flavours and recipes every day. A few of my base meals on keto included:
Breakfast
- Scrambled eggs and avocado
- Fry-ups (without toast and beans)
- Omelette
-
Yoghurt
Lunch
- Salads
- Soups
- Chicken and cauliflower rice
Dinner
- Curry and cauliflower rice
- Courgette spaghetti bolognese
- Courgette carbonara
- Fish and cauliflower mashed potato/butternut squash wedges
- Stuffed peppers with cauliflower rice
- Fajitas with lettuce leaf
- Burritos with cauliflower rice
- Open burgers and butternut squash wedges
One month after keto
Before I delve into my experience, let me clarify that I’ve experimented with numerous diets, many of which I wouldn’t endorse. From the coffee diet that replaces snacks with a steaming cup of joe, to completely eliminating red meat and carbs, I’ve tried it all.
However, the keto diet was by far the most straightforward and gratifying endeavour I’ve undertaken. The most challenging aspect of any diet is dealing with constant hunger and dissatisfaction, which often leads to succumbing to temptation. But with the keto diet, it felt like I was eating all my usual favourites, from curries to tacos and fajitas.
The only downside was the limited options for sweet treats, but less of those is always better.
Meal planning wasn’t an intimidating chore as it often is with other diets. It simply involved deciding what to substitute each evening and getting on with it.
By the end of the month, I noticed my stomach had shrunk due to reduced bloating.
I no longer had to suck in my stomach to fit into certain outfits. The bloating had disappeared and my confidence soared.
I’ve always suffered from bloating even after the smallest snacks, so this was truly a transformative experience. I would recommend trying keto even if your only goal is to reduce bloating.
But there were additional benefits. Without making any conscious effort, I managed to shed 5lbs.
There was no rigorous workout routine or drastic diet reduction involved. By simply tweaking a few elements of my meals, the weight naturally dropped off with minimal effort.
I ate what I desired and still enjoyed the benefits.
However, the most significant change was not in the numbers on the scale but in my reflection in the mirror. The fat distribution around my body changed (or vanished), and suddenly I carried my weight more comfortably.
After one month, the changes weren’t dramatic enough for a before-and-after photo, but I could see and feel the difference, which is what truly counts.
The keto diet is one of the simplest diets available and far less risky than many others out there. It’s incredibly easy to follow and you won’t regret it.
You certainly won’t feel deprived when dinner time rolls around.
What the health experts say about keto
Speaking on behalf of the British Heart Foundation, senior dietitian Victoria Taylor highlighted the challenges of maintaining the trendy keto diet: “It’s quite difficult to have a balanced keto diet, especially when it comes to getting enough fruit and vegetables and fibre, and it also contains more saturated fat than is recommended. With fewer foods to choose from, the diet can get boring, and doesn’t always fit with eating with friends and family. All of this means it can be hard to stick to.”
She continued with cautionary advice regarding the diet’s researched effects, asserting: “With limited research into the keto diet for weight loss, and few long-term studies, we wouldn’t recommend it. There are other diets that limit carbs, but not as much as the keto diet (typically allowing 50-130g of carbs per day) which have been found to be safe and effective in the short term, for example for people with type 2 diabetes. Or you could try a Mediterranean-style diet, which has benefits for heart health.”