Lazy Keto Diet For Weight Loss: What Is It And How Effective Is This Variant Of Ketogenic Diet?

The keto diet has been rising in popularity around the world. Celebrities like Huma Qureshi and Kim Kardashian have been rather vocal about the impact of this diet on their body. The high-fat, low carb diet that was created to help relieve symptoms of epileptic seizures, has been popularised as a quick weight loss solution for those looking to overcome a plateau in their health journey. The diet is basically a fat-rich diet that alters your body metabolism to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. Dieters who follow the keto diet derive over 70 per cent of their daily calories from fatty foods like ghee, egg yolk, avocado, cheese etc. But there are a number of different spins to a ketogenic diet that are now gaining popularity. These variations to the keto diet were born because the diet itself is incredibly difficult to follow, due to the extreme restriction on carbohydrate intake. Many health experts have often raised questions on the sustainability of this diet due to its limitations. A lot of them are also wary about the distribution of nutrients in the diet. Carbohydrate is an essential macronutrient required by our body for energy. However, in a ketogenic diet, you train your body to depend less on carbs and more on fats for energy. In absence of carb, the body starts burning fat molecules for energy, thereby burning excess fats. But, before embarking upon this diet, it is very essential to consult a certified nutritionist and dietician. 

Ketogenic diet followers are only allowed to consume 10 per cent or less of their daily calories from carbs like grains, breads etc. It takes some time and consistent efforts to follow the ketogenic diet. People experience a number of symptoms in the starting that make following ketogenic diet extremely difficult. This is why some people now follow cyclical keto diet, where they load up on carbohydrates on some days of the week, instead of going cold turkey all the days of the week. Now another variation of ketogenic diet called the lazy keto is also gaining traction. So what's lazy keto all about? Will it be as effective as the original ketogenic diet, in helping you lose weight? Let's find out!

Also Read: Does Ketogenic Diet Work? These 5 Celebrities Sure Think So!

^{Weight Loss: Lazy keto diet is a variant of ketogenic diet}

What Is Lazy Keto? How Does It Work?

Lazy keto diet is basically a low carb diet, wherein dieters just focus on reducing their carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams per day. It sounds very difficult, but dieters following the lazy keto don't have to count their calories or keep a track of the amounts of the rest of the two macronutrients, fats and proteins. This extremely low amount of daily carbohydrate intake is said to help the body achieve ketosis and stay in that state. Ketosis is the state where the body starts utilising fat for energy, in the place of glucose or carbs, as it normally happens. This diet has got a lot of people on board, as the idea of counting every single calorie consumed and monitoring the nutrition of every single bite can be quite taxing and sometimes, even practically impossible.

Also Read: Veg Keto Recipes: 6 Recipes for Perfect Indian Ketogenic Diet

While following lazy keto, it's important to eat whenever one is hungry and to keep your satiated. Dieters typically only consume keto-approved foods that are now abundantly available in the markets. The single most important goal of lazy keto diet is said to be to make sure the body stays in ketosis, to burn fat quicker.

^{Weight Loss: Lazy keto diet restricts carbs to under 20 gm per day}

Does The Lazy Keto Diet Lead To Weight Loss?

Now let's come to the most important aspect of the diet- does it give results? The lazy keto diet being extremely low in carbohydrates may actually work for you in the short term and lead to weight loss. But experts have argued that the lazy keto diet loses out to the original ketogenic diet, when it comes to sending your body into ketosis. This is because just restricting your carb intake may not be enough to jumpstart ketosis- you also need adequate amounts of healthy fats and proteins to burn fat. Moreover, the amount of protein and fats in your daily diet also needs to be carefully calibrated to ensure that once the body gets into ketosis, it remains so. This is where the lazy keto diet may fail, despite its obvious benefits of convenience.

Also Read: 7 Signs You Are Not Consuming Enough Carbohydrates

Whichever diet you follow for weight loss, it is important to remember that you should not do so at the expense of your long term health. Consult a certified nutritionist or a dietitian to help you with a scientific and balanced diet plan, before starting on any weight loss journey.

Some Of The Foods You Can Include In Your Lazy Keto Diet:

1. Meat and Poultry: Preferably of the lean kind as they are high in protein, but you can include red meat in small quantities too
2. Nuts and Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, flaxseeds, chia seeds, there are options galore. Make your own nutty trail-mix and munch on-the-go. Seeds are the new superfood, they are loaded with nutrients and easy to eat. You can sprinkle them on salads, smoothies and shakes
3. Fish: Fish is replete with omega-3 fatty acids that is good for brain. It is also a good source of protein. Protein helps keep you full and prevents the need to binge.
4. High-Fat Dairy: Do not refrain from dairy such as yogurt, high-fat milk, cheese and cream. Make sure you consult your dietician before including them in your diet.
5. Olive Oil: olive oil and other nutritious oils like olive oil, avocado oil and flaxseed oil are an excellent addition to this low-carb diet. Olive oil is a Mediterranean wonder that has captured the imagination of the fitness world for quite long.  
6. Low-Carb Veggies like spinach, broccoli and tomatoes are a good pick too
7. Fruits: Make sure your diet is replete with seasonal, juicy and colourful fruits.