Low carb, no carb, keto. However you want to label it, removing carbohydrates is all the rage right now. But before you forego fruit, pastries, breads, and, you know, all the other good things in life, it’s wise to first ask the question: is the keto diet right for me?

We’re here to break down the good, bad, and ugly of the ketogenic diet to help you make an informed decision for your health. 

Candidates for the Keto Diet

Are you an avid athlete? Then keto could be a good fit for you! It’s been said that eliminating carbs can help high-performing athletes feel leaner and experience more energy, making it a good short-term option.

The keto diet is also excellent for some people with medical disorders like epilepsy, as keto has been shown to minimize symptoms. It could also be a good short-term fix for other medical issues, but it’s always best to consult with your doctor before making a major change to your diet. 

Due to some dangers to important hormone functions that we’ll discuss below, the keto diet might benefit men more than women. 

Dangers of the Keto Diet

Sure—the keto diet could help you lose weight (at first), feel lean, and even help some medical issues, but eliminating an entire food group like carbohydrates over a long period of time can have detrimental effects.  

Long-term restriction of carbohydrates and calories can lower your metabolic rate and negatively affect your hormone levels, which is especially dangerous for women. And while restricting your calories will bring short-term results, over time it will cause your metabolic rate to plummet. Once that happens you will see your weight loss plateau and you’ll have to further restrict your calories to continue losing weight, which lowers your metabolic rate even more. This is an extremely unhealthy way to live, not to mention incredibly frustrating! 

Cutting out carbs altogether typically leads to a lower intake of calories overall, but it also deprives your body of vital nutrients, while leaving your energy levels low and your cravings high.

Why You Need the FASTer Way

What if we told you that you could experience some of the benefits of the keto diet without completing depriving your body of carbs? In the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, we practice strategic carb cycling, which allows you to deplete your body’s glycogen, our primary source of fuel. When the glycogen is gone, the body must use its next-favorite energy source—fat!

Carb cycling has several benefits, like:

• Increased fat loss

• Higher energy levels

• Better body composition

• Improved insulin levels

“I have done low carb, whole30, and the keto diet and was not able to maintain that type of lifestyle without feeling like I was missing something in life. Two weeks in and I already feel more energized and truly believe this is going to be a lifestyle I will be able to maintain for years to come. I cant wait to reach the end of 6 weeks to see the results.” -Jamie Ellis

When you pair carb cycling with Intermittent Fasting, whole-food nutrition, macro tracking, and effective exercise, your body will turn into a literal fat-burning machine! That’s the transforming power of the FASTer Way to Fat Loss. 

The next round of the FASTer Way starts soon, and we’d love to have you give it a try.