Can You Do Keto Long Term?

There is some debate on whether or not people should do keto long term or not.  This has always confused me.  Firstly, many people do keto to regulate health issues.  If the health issues don’t go away, then they need to continue to eat a low-carb, high-fat diet, right?  In our case, Bill doesn’t have the luxury of just deciding to go back to carb loading whenever he wants to – at least without serious health implications. 

Secondly, one of the only things that everyone agrees on with keto is that if you stop eating this way, you are more than likely to gain the weight back.  So, of course you should do keto long-term. Like we always say, keto is a lifestyle, not a diet.  And, thirdly, they say there is a lack of research on the health effects of eating keto in the long-term.  Well, if people have been doing it since the 1920’s to help control health conditions, why is there little research?  Are they ok?  If they are, shouldn’t I be ok to do this too?

Reasons People Give For Not Doing Keto Long Term

Heart Problems

There is the idea that eating more fat-rich foods can lead to heart disease.  The underlying assumption here is that people on keto will eat highly processed meats and an abundance of saturated fats.  But even the experts with this view have to admit that, “when done correctly, there is evidence that following the keto diet may improve cardiovascular health” (www.Insider.com from March 26, 2019 article “7 Reasons You Shouldn’t Do the Keto Diet Long-Term.”). 

There is some research that shows a connection between heart rhythm problems (i.e. AFib) and a lack of carbs in your diet.  While there seems to be a relationship, they aren’t sure what that relationship is and there is no evidence that a lack of carbs causes AFib.  

Inability to Exercise

The Insider article says that athletes and people who do highly physical jobs may not find they can perform at their best if they are on keto.  Huh.  That’s weird.  Bill and I were very into weightlifting in our younger years and we ate what was called a “bodybuilder’s diet” which consisted of low carbs, no sugar, and lots of protein.  While this was certainly more towards an Atkin’s diet than keto, they were similar in that the carbs were taken down as much as possible. 

Now, some people do “carb load” to get a burst of energy before working out or doing something very physical.  I’m not sure that’s considered a nutritional exercise either. Besides the fact that this particular concern would affect about 1% of the population, it’s just not based in fact (in my humble opinion).

Digesting Fat on Keto Long Term

Inability to Digest Fat

Bile is essential in digesting fat.  People who don’t like keto say that if you don’t have a gall bladder, you can’t do the keto diet because you can’t produce enough bile to digest the fat.  This isn’t exactly the case.  Dr. Eric Berg talks about the production of bile on several of his YouTube videos.  According to Dr. Berg, bile is produced in your liver and your small intestines.  It is stored in your gall bladder. 

If this becomes an issue, you can certainly talk to a doctor about it, but many of us (including me) have done keto successfully without a gall bladder.  Also, the more fat adapted you become, the more efficient you become at digesting fat, so the less of an issue it is.

Leads to Vitamin Deficiencies, Poor Gut Health

If you do keto properly, most of the carbs you take in will be from vegetables – vegetables with high concentration of vitamins and minerals, such as Brussel sprouts, spinach, broccoli and fruits like berries.  These vegetables and berries will also provide you with fiber, which helps with gut health and issues such as constipation.  You should also be drinking lots of water, which also helps with digestion.  Honestly, we eat more vegetables now than we ever did before starting keto! That’s keto long term.

Is It About Will Power

The single most common thing I hear about doing keto long term is that it’s hard to stick to.  Wait, so that’s not “you shouldn’t,” that’s “you don’t have the will power.”  Keto is a lot of work.  There’s prepping and cooking and you can’t just go to McDonald’s and get a Big Mac Meal. 

The traditional way of eating healthy that is promoted by nutritionists is also a lot of work.  There’s prepping and cooking and you…wait, huh, it’s pretty much the same deal.  Strict keto is harder.  Going without any sweetener and tracking everything you eat is not easy. 

That’s why most of us ease into lazy keto as we learn and become fat adapted.  But keto of any kind is doable if you are motivated and find food you like.  One of the big advantages of a high-fat diet is that fat makes things taste good!

I’ll end with a quote from Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, aka Diet Doctor, who said, “If you eat in a way you enjoy, you can do it long term.”  Simple as that.  Mic drop.

Wendy