If I break the diet, how long will it take to get back into fat burning?

The secret to success is focusing on your goals. How much do you want to lose weight? Breaking your diet is not desirable, but it can happen, so don’t worry, get back on track and look to the future. It usually takes three to four days to get back to burning fat effectively again if you have gone off your diet.

Is Keto Diet a high protein diet?

The Keto Diet is better described as a low carbohydrate diet, not a high protein diet. During the Keto Diet daily protein intake is maintained to support lean muscle mass and general health.

Can supplements help me?

There are a number of natural supplements that we can prescribe that can assist your fat loss. Addressing dysbiosis and leaky gut is an essential starting point as it has negative effects on insulin signaling and has been associated with weight retention. Getting the food aspect of your program is always our first priority, but we may prescribe supplements during your program if needed. Always speak to us first before taking any new medicine (natural or otherwise) while on the program.

Is it OK to drink alcohol?

Alcohol is a form of refined sugar and is not recommended on the Keto program. It will know you out of ketosis, slow down your fat loss and increase your appetite so it is best to wait until you regain a healthy body weight before drinking again. If you must break your diet, keep alcohol to a bare minimum and choose white spirits with sugar-free mixers (e.g. soda water) as these beverages are lower in sugars.

I must have my regular coffee—will it stop me burning fat?

Coffee promotes the production of the hormone insulin, which works to “switch off” fat burning. However, for some people one cup a day sweetened with Stevia may be OK (always test using the keto stix. It is best to keep coffee as a reward or treat. If you drink more than one cup daily speak to us about reducing your intake as suddenly stopping may have negative effects such as headaches and mood changes.

I am still hungry. Is there anything I can do to control my appetite?

After one week on the Keto Diet, people generally have a reduced appetite and are eating enough fantastic, healthy food that they are not hungry. If you are continuously hungry then we need to review your food intake.

The best way to reduce excess appetite is to use food. Here are three proven tips to reduce your appetite:

• Have a protein-rich snack. Protein is extremely satisfying.
• Take a fibre supplement such as MetaFibre and drink plenty of water to fill you up.
• Eat your salad greens as an entrée. This will help you feel more satisfied and eat less during your meal.

I have reached my weight loss goals and am wondering where to go now?

After losing your excess fat you will be looking fantastic and feeling better than ever before! Taking care to maintain your new body is essential because it can be easy to drift back into old habits. We have an interim low GI ‘Wellness Program’ specifically designed to help you transition back to a more relaxed diet. It is designed to keep you on track and continue to inspire and educate you about you healthy food choices.

Aren’t too many eggs bad for you?

Despite being my personal favorite superfood the humble egg is the source of much negative scrutiny because of naturally occurring cholesterol. Eggs are an excellent, low cost source of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals. One study (Katz DL, et al. International Journal of Cardiology. 2005) has shown that regular egg consumption (2 eggs daily for 6 weeks) has no negative effects on blood cholesterol. Furthermore, eggs enriched with omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have positive cardiovascular benefits (such as increasing levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol). In fact three omega-3 enriched eggs provide approximately the same amount of omega-3 as one meal of fish.

Is the Keto Diet a “fad diet”?

Fad diets are typically considered to be the “latest craze” but low carbohydrate diets are by no means a new dietary practice. The amount of carbohydrate consumed through the majority of human history is considered to be quite low compared to modern standards. An increase in dietary carbohydrate and the introduction of simple sugars are implicated as risk factors in the development of many modern diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Is the Keto Diet safe?

There is a large body of scientific data supporting the use of low carbohydrate diets in disease management and fat loss. Contrary to popular criticism, low carbohydrate diets containing high levels of vegetables and fruit, and ample lean animal protein have no significant effect on kidney function, bone mineral loss, heart disease or bowel cancer. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that this type of eating may protect against all of these problems.

“There is a lack of scientific evidence for the criticisms commonly laid against very-low-carbohydrate diets.” – Jeff Volek PhD RD and Eric Westman MdMHS.