Recently, Wendy wrote a blog of the top 10 keto myths. Once she finished the blog, we realized how much there was to say about each one! So, she decided to break each one down into its own blog. The next one on the list is that keto is a fad diet and I’m going to be handling this one.
FAD DIET
A fad diet is a way of eating that becomes popular for a short period of time. They are usually undertaken as a way of losing weight or improving your health. Some popular examples over the years have been things like the grapefruit diet, the soup diet, or even extreme cases like the cotton ball diet. Yes… they encouraged people to eat five cotton balls a day to cut down on hunger.
Some tell tale signs of a fad diet is it’s based on sketchy or zero science, they make exaggerated claims of weight loss or health benefits, and they don’t stand the test of time. There is also the common sense look at it because how could a cotton ball diet be a thing when we don’t eat cotton regularly.
KETO IS A FAD DIET?
Let’s break down the known markers we need to look at to determine if it’s a fad. The first thing I mentioned was the diet being based on sketchy or zero science. I will admit up front that limited research has been done on long term effects of keto, but the science behind ketones is solid and well documented. As keto has become a staple in many diets around the world the science is also growing and showing both the health benefits, the sustainability, and safety of living a keto diet.
Next, we have exaggerated claims of weight loss or health benefits. Of course, there are people out there trying to make a buck off keto saying you can lose 100 pounds in a month and change your life. Common sense here people. Keto has tremendous benefits to weight for some people. I lost 165 lbs in 11 months and Wendy lost 65 lbs in the same time frame. That’s not an exaggerated claim… that’s a fact. Real proponents of keto won’t blow smoke up your now skinnier derriere, they will simply show you actual proof.
DOES HISTORY SAY KETO IS A FAD DIET
To answer this third marker of a fad diet we need to go back in time. The first reference to a ketogenic diet took place in 1921 when endocrinologist Rollin Woodyatt noted that the production of ketones in the body brought on by a low carb diet helped stabilize seizures in those with epilepsy. In that same time frame Russel Wilder from the Mayo Clinic labelled this effective treatment the “keto diet.”
Doctors on this noticed other benefits to children such as increased endurance and weight loss. It’s noted that side effects from keto were very limited and seemed to subside after very little time with this new course of eating. The only reason this treatment was abandoned was due to the ease of giving these people drugs as opposed to a specialty diet.
SO… IS KETO A FAD DIET?
What we have found out is we have significant science around keto that continues to develop everyday. Exaggerated claims only come from those trying to hustle for the next payday. And keto has been around and tested since the 1920s. I think that makes it pretty clear to me that keto is the real deal that we will see continue to stand the test of time.
HOW DO WE COMBAT ALL OF THIS FAD DIET TALK
It’s very easy to combat this by not engaging in it. Find like minded people that want to help with keto. Hint… we love to help and talk everything keto. Those that want to disparage and disagree with your path can be told you agree to disagree. There are haters of keto out there for various reasons… jealousy, lack of understanding, or just not being able to embrace anything different.
It’s not on you to convert the masses. because it’s on you to embrace this change and become the best and healthiest version of yourself.
I’m going to put some siracha on a cotton ball now. Bill
