There are different types of keto diets, and lazy keto is one that is very popular. It’s not just for lazy people, despite the name. It’s designed to make keto easier for people to follow and stay on track. The big difference is that you only track your carb intake to ensure you stay under the 20 – 50 grams a day to stay in ketosis. You don’t have to track your calories, protein and fat levels. Just track the carbs. Because of this, you don’t have to be as conscious of the quality of food you are eating. So, you can have some processed meats and sweets made with sugar alcohols, as long as they don’t contain too many carbs.
Learning to Do Keto
Learning to do keto is difficult at best. I remember when we first started, we did tons of research. We read articles, we watched documentaries, and it still seemed overwhelming. Bill and I are both people who enjoy learning new things, so if we found it daunting, others probably do too. Lazy keto offers an option of just tracking one macro, instead of the three and calories. It does seem a lot easier to do.
Why Do Lazy Keto?
One of the big criticisms of the keto diet is that it may not be sustainable in the long term. I get it. We are on keto because Bill has to be for health reasons. But, if it was simply a choice, it would be more difficult to stay on the straight and narrow. With lazy keto, you can incorporate sweeteners, which means satisfying that craving for a sweet treat while staying in ketosis.
It’s also nice to be able to incorporate some processed foods, like pepperoni, into your diet. Not only is it a delicious snack, it is also quick and easy. Road trips and vacations are easier with lazy keto because you can pick up a snack pack of pepperoni and cheese at the service station and keep on going. You don’t need to pack a cooler of keto-friendly foods from home.
The Benefits
Just like any kind of keto diet, the ultimate goal is to get your body into ketosis and keep it there. When you are in ketosis, there are many health benefits. Many people start keto to burn fat and lose weight. If you get into ketosis, this will happen. Keto keeps your blood sugars steady and stable. It keeps you feeling full for longer, so you generally eat less. This also helps with weight loss.
Why Not Do Lazy Keto?
So, you can eat some processed foods and eat desserts that use sweeteners. Sounds great – what’s the downside? Well, When you take in sugar alcohols (i.e. sweeteners) your body burns that first. This means that your body is not working as efficiently as it does when you are doing strict keto. This can be more problematic as time goes on and your body adjusts to keto.
If you start to stall in your weight loss, this may be why. Also, if you are doing keto for a health condition, lazy keto may not give you the same benefits to regulate it as strict keto will. Lazy keto may increase the length of the dreaded keto flu. And, if you aren’t watching your calorie intake, it can be easy to take in too many calories. That is going to affect your ability to lose weight.
Eat Your Veggies
Maybe it’s my upbringing – hearing my mother’s voice telling me to eat my vegetables – but I think getting the vitamins and nutrients from real food is important. There are many vegetables you can eat on keto, and they offer so many benefits. With lazy keto, you don’t have that focus on the quality of food you are eating.
In the standard American diet (which is similar in Canada), people do not focus on getting their nutrients and vitamins. They eat what they want, when they want. Lazy keto kind of reminds me of that mentality. While you do restrict carbs, as long as you stay under that set amount, you can eat whatever you want. That’s not a recipe for good health.
My Final Thoughts
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not judging. We often slide into the realm of lazy keto when life gets hectic. And, it’s better than eating ice cream and sugary cereals. But, if you’re not careful, your body will rebel and you won’t enjoy all the keto benefits you work hard to achieve. There is also no research that I know of that is specifically on lazy keto. So, stay aware, go to your annual doctor check up, and stay healthy my friends.
Wendy
