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What is “Lazy Keto”?
The most important factor in achieving success on a classic keto diet is your ability to respect its main principles to activate nutritional ketosis.
The standard keto diet prescribes a daily macronutrient intake of 75% fat, 25% protein, and 5% carbohydrates.
Eating this way will make your liver use fat to produce ketones that become your main energy source. You’ll burn stored fat and lose weight.
The main reason people fail on a diet regimen is their inability to stick to it, often caused by frustrating nutrient calculations.
Is there an easier way to adopt the keto diet?
Sometimes Lazy is a Good Thing
The word lazy clearly has negative connotations and implies a lack of energy, productivity, and a sedentary lifestyle. However, combining lazy with keto actually has a positive meaning for many people adopting the keto diet.
I like to think of of Lazy Keto as a more relaxed lifestyle approach.
It means less tracking of macronutrients (macros) that can be time-consuming, frustrating, and off-putting. If it’s possible to make keto easier to follow then that’s a bonus!
“Lazy Keto” means you simply count carbs and stay under the daily carb limit.
Establish a Daily Carb Maximum
A strict keto diet means that carbohydrates will constitute 5% of your daily caloric intake. For example, if you consume 2,000 calories per day, that would translate into 25-50 grams of carbs.
Keep in mind that keto carbs are typically counted as net carbs.
Net carbs are calculated by subtracting grams of fiber from the total of carb grams.
The majority of people who adopt a lazy keto diet stick to 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrates each day.
Lazy Keto is Not “Dirty Keto”
While lazy keto means following fewer rules, don’t confuse it with “Dirty Keto.” Dirty keto is an eating pattern that allows processed junk food and fast foods.
If you’re following a proper lazy keto diet plan, you’ll be eating only nutritious low-carb foods.
Lazy Keto vs Standard Keto
Lazy keto is a form of the keto diet that doesn’t require you to micromanage your macros. It’s becoming popular among the keto curious, as well as some firm believers in the ketogenic diet.
Lazy keto is often defined as eating less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day without calculating calories or monitoring protein and fat.
This sounds ideal for those that don’t want to keep track of each mouthful of food they consume, but it is improbable that it will activate ketosis.
It’s not as simple as eliminating carbohydrates almost entirely to induce fat burning. Carbs are the most immediate source of energy for your body. Your body will require another energy source if you don’t consume carbs.
If you aren’t careful, protein can become a source of glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. Because protein can promote the production of insulin, eating too much of it can force the body to utilize glucose rather than ketones, sending the individual out of ketosis.
It’s also possible that the individual will feel hungry if macronutrients are out of balance and timing of meals is lax.
Fat is very filling since it’s calorie-dense and it’s digested more slowly than other macronutrients. If protein and carbohydrate intake are not restricted, a ketogenic dieter may not enter ketosis and may only feel miserable and hungry.
If the body isn’t burning fat or carbohydrates as fuel, it’s left without an energy source. The most crucial element of a keto diet is its fat-burning state, which is hampered if it isn’t done correctly.
If you don’t get enough fat and aren’t in ketosis because you consume too much protein, your body may be starved of energy. Make sure you get lots of healthy fats every day.
Lazy Keto and Ketosis
The traditional keto diet is designed to get your body into a state of nutritional ketosis.
You can eat too much protein when you are on the lazy keto diet since you aren’t precisely tracking the quantities of protein and fat you consume, preventing you from entering ketosis.
Since you’re not counting calories, you may not be in the deficit you need to see quick weight-loss results.
Even if you don’t trigger ketosis, weight loss will still occur since you are still limiting your daily carb intake.
A good rule of thumb is to simply use your palm to eyeball a sufficient amount of protein.
Carbs are Still Vital on the Lazy Keto Diet
Carbohydrates include a wide range of nutritious foods, including fruits and vegetables, lentils, whole grains, beans, and dairy.
Lazy keto restricts many nutritious food categories including legumes, starchy vegetables, fruits, and grains. Be sure that you eat carbohydrates that are rich in nutrients. Otherwise, you may not meet your nutritional requirements.
What Can You Eat on Lazy Keto?
A lazy keto diet restricts carbohydrate-rich foods. We’ve shortlisted some foods to get you started on Lazy Keto:
Vegetable and Fruits
- artichokes
- bell peppers
- broccoli
- cabbage
- celery
- cucumber
- eggplant
- green beans
- leafy greens
- mushrooms
- onions
- radishes
- zucchini
- avocados
- berries
- cherries
- olives
- pickles
Protein
- eggs
- seafood
- meat and poultry
- tofu
- peas
Fats
- nuts
- peanut butter and other nut butter (unsweetened)
- seeds: chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower
- oils: avocado, coconut oil, flax, olive
- butter
- Greek yogurt (plain)
- cheese: cottage, feta, goat, parmesan, ricotta
Beverages
- chicken or beef broth
- coffee, black or with dairy and/or sweetener (low-carb)
- diet soft drinks
- tea
- water
Is Lazy Keto Right For You?
If you’re concerned that precise counting of macronutrients throughout the day will be annoying, lazy keto may be for you.
For those who have never attempted a low carb or keto diet before or are simply starting out, this can be somewhat easier.
It can be daunting to stick with a typical ketogenic diet since it necessitates a lot of preparation, so concentrating on one macronutrient at a time – carbohydrates – is more manageable.
It may mean you don’t activate ketosis but you should still lose weight. If you need help deciding the best plan for you, email eat@thekelliekitchen.com for some guidance.
Keto Accountability Program
21 day Keto & Fasting Jump Start Program
If you’re new to low carb and fasting you may need someone like me to hold you accountable. I have a one on one program. Click on this link for The Kellie Kitchen Keto Accountability Coaching Program.
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The DIY Keto WorkBook
However, if you’re a “Do It Yourself” kind of person I have created a workbook to take you through the 21 day Jump Start Journey.
Click HERE find the 21 day Keto Guide Workbook on Amazon…
You can find the downloadable Keto workbook version at a discount here…
MEDICAL AND NUTRITION DISCLAIMER…Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nutritional break downs are done using a commercial nutrition calculator. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctorbefore starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers, this should never be construed as medical advice.