Kourtney Kardashian is the latest celebrity to praise the weight-cutting results of the ketogenic diet.
The eldest Kardashian sister, who just turned 40 in April, revealed that she’s temporarily switching back to the high-fat, low-carb regimen on her blog Poosh.
“My body never looked better than when I did the keto diet two and half years ago, when I did it for two months,” she wrote.
“In my experience, I’ve found the best method to train my body to curb sugar cravings, burn fat, and kick-start weight loss is by sticking to a keto diet.”
“I’ve been treating myself lately and really want to get back on track, so I’ve committed myself to keto for the next month.”
For the uninitiated, the whole point of going keto is to knock your body’s metabolism into “ketosis,” a state in which fat is burned for energy instead of carbs. Here’s a quick explainer from Web MD:
When you eat less than 50 grams of carbs a day, your body eventually runs out of fuel (blood sugar) it can use quickly. This typically takes 3 to 4 days.
Then you’ll start to break down protein and fat for energy, which can make you lose weight. This is called ketosis. It’s important to note that the ketogenic diet is a short term diet that’s focused on weight loss rather than the pursuit of health benefits.
Kardashian actually first went keto to reduce her body’s mercury and lead levels as part of a “metal detox.” Too much tuna, maybe?
“My doctor actually put me on the keto diet a couple of years ago for a metal detox,” Kardashian continued. “He tested my muscles and found that I had high levels of mercury and lead in my system.”
“He let me know that one of the fastest ways to detox was to keep my body in a state of ketosis. I would check my blood sugar and ketone levels every morning to make sure I was on track.”
“It’s definitely a more restrictive eating plan, but I found that once I knew the ground rules, I was very strict and really stuck to it,” she added.
Kardashian also shared an outline of her keto meal plan. Though carnivorous treats like steak, bacon and pork chops are definitely allowed, her version is ultra-clean.
Per Poosh:
For breakfast, I’ll have my avocado smoothie. Since I’m not able to eat honey or dates while on keto, I’ll swap that for a couple drops of Stevia. I’ll still mix in my MCT oil, bone broth powder, and blue-green algae.
My go-to for lunch is usually a protein-based chef salad with turkey, a base of mixed greens, and egg whites.
For dinner, I keep my meals really clean and simple. I’ll usually eat chicken or salmon, and I love getting creative to substitute carbs. I make cauliflower rice or broccoli rice because even though they’re made entirely from shredded veggies, they kind of trick my brain and make me feel like I’m eating some carbs. I remember last time being able to eat a small amount of sweet potato once in a while
Like I mentioned earlier, I really try not to snack while on keto at all. If I find I really need something to keep me going throughout the day, I’ll have a green tea or some bone broth to give me a boost. I will also eat nuts like walnuts or pecans.
Fortunately, Kardashian is only eating this way to get a “summer kick-start” and plans to switch back to her regular lifestyle after the month is up.
Good thing, because a top cardiologist says that “no one should be doing” the keto diet long-term.
And if you don’t have Kardashian’s discipline, feel free to give the hassle-free “lazy keto” lifestyle a try.