Overview
Chances are, you’ve heard a lot of buzz about the ketogenic (or keto) diet. This high-fat, low-carb approach to eating has become extremely popular in recent years for helping with everything from weight loss to cognition. So is it worth the hype?
Like any diet, keto is great for some people and not-so-great for others. Genetics, family history, personal health goals, and so many other factors tie into what type of diet will work for an individual. The one-size-fits-all approach to diet has led way too many people down the wrong path.
Today, I’m excited to chat with Gary Taubes all about the keto diet, it’s complexities and benefits, and who might want to consider it. If you’re not familiar, the keto diet is essentially 70% fat, with very little carbohydrates and moderate protein. This is a major shift from the low-fat craze, and though it was originally used as a therapeutic diet for epilepsy decades ago, many other health benefits have been discovered since.
The calories in, calories out model of health hasn’t been serving us. Not all calories are created equal; healthy fats can be much more nutritive than non-fat refined carbs. One of the biggest failings of that energy-balance approach to eating is that it doesn’t take hormones into account—and hormones have a massive impact on our weight and our health.
Gary and I talk about the problem with viewing weight loss as a math problem and why keto is a good example of stepping away from that pattern. We also talk about customizing keto to fit your individual needs. You might be surprised it doesn’t have to be meat-heavy, plus we discuss what kinds of issues some people might run into that signal keto isn’t right for them. Diet is not black and white. I hope you’ll tune in to learn more about keto and if it’s right for you.
