Lazy Keto: Does This Weight Loss Method Work?

Lazy keto is a less restrictive and more straightforward version of the keto diet. Unlike the traditional keto diet, which requires meticulous tracking of macronutrients, lazy keto only requires restricting carbohydrate intake to 10% or less of daily calories, which is typically around 20-50 grams per day. This approach means that individuals do not need to track their fat and protein intake. The goal of both keto diets is to help the body enter ketosis, a metabolic state where fat is burned for energy instead of carbohydrates. However, due to variations in fat and protein consumption, the lazy keto diet may achieve a different level of ketosis, resulting in slower weight loss or fewer health benefits.

What is lazy keto?

Lazy keto is a less restrictive and more straightforward version of the traditional keto diet. Unlike the strict macronutrient ratios of the standard keto diet, which requires careful tracking of calories, carbs, fat, and protein, lazy keto focuses primarily on restricting carbohydrate intake to 10% or less of your daily calories. This typically amounts to 20-50 grams of carbs per day.

The traditional keto diet aims to induce a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. While this is also the goal of lazy keto, it is difficult to guarantee that ketosis will be achieved due to the lack of tracking of fat and protein intake.

Lazy keto is often used for weight loss and is designed to be easy to follow. It is more sustainable and less time-consuming than the traditional keto diet, making it an attractive option for those who want a less rigid eating plan. However, the flexibility of lazy keto means that results may vary, with slower weight loss and fewer health benefits than the standard keto diet.

The lazy keto diet encourages the consumption of keto-friendly, whole foods such as healthy fats, protein sources, low-carb vegetables, and low-sugar fruits. High-carb foods like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and sugary snacks should be avoided or limited.

What are the benefits?

Lazy keto is a less strict version of the ketogenic (keto) diet, which involves eating no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. Unlike the original keto diet, you don't have to count calories, fat, or protein. The primary benefit of lazy keto is that it helps with weight loss, but there are several other advantages to this approach.

Benefits of Lazy Keto

Weight Loss

Lazy keto is a low-carb diet that can help with rapid weight loss. By restricting your carbohydrate intake, you can enter a metabolic state called ketosis, where your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This can lead to reduced fat storage and increased utilisation of fat for fuel, resulting in weight loss.

Informed Decisions

The lazy keto diet teaches you about carbohydrates and how to identify nutrient-dense options. Research suggests that being aware of what you eat can help you make healthier choices in your daily life.

Blood Sugar Control

Some evidence indicates that the keto diet may help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Controlling high blood sugar is essential to reducing the risk of eye, heart, and kidney diseases.

Suppresses Food Cravings

The keto diet may help control your appetite and reduce food cravings. You may feel more satisfied after meals and snacks, making it easier to avoid unhealthy foods.

Simplicity and Sustainability

Lazy keto is less restrictive and easier to follow than the traditional keto diet, making it more sustainable for many people. It only requires tracking carb intake, which can be more manageable for those who find the strict keto diet too tedious or challenging to maintain.

Medically Beneficial

The keto diet was initially developed as medical nutrition therapy for epilepsy, and research shows it may also be beneficial for other medical conditions, including some brain tumours.

Improved Energy Levels

Many people who follow the keto diet report increased energy levels and mental clarity when in ketosis.

Drawbacks of Lazy Keto

It is important to note that lazy keto may not be suitable for everyone and has some potential disadvantages. These include the risk of nutritional deficiencies, varying results due to its flexibility, and individual differences in how the body reacts to the diet. Additionally, not achieving ketosis may reduce the effectiveness of weight loss and potential health benefits.

What are the drawbacks?

Lazy keto is a less strict version of the ketogenic (keto) diet, which involves eating a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet. While it may be easier to follow than the traditional keto diet, there are several drawbacks to the lazy keto diet:

May not lead to ketosis:

One of the goals of the keto diet is to reach a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. However, with lazy keto, you may not reach ketosis because you are not strictly tracking your fat and protein intake. To reach ketosis, you need to monitor not only your carb intake but also your protein and fat intake. Eating too much protein can prevent ketosis.

Potential nutritional deficiencies:

Lazy keto restricts several nutrient-rich food groups, including fruits, starchy vegetables, grains, and legumes. This restriction may make it difficult to obtain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, leading to nutritional deficiencies. It is important to ensure you are consuming a well-balanced diet with a variety of nutrient-rich foods.

Lack of long-term research:

There is a lack of long-term research specifically on the lazy keto diet. While some studies have been conducted on similar diets, such as the classic ketogenic diet and modified Atkins diet, the long-term effects of lazy keto are unclear. There are concerns that this diet may negatively impact heart health over time, despite any weight loss achieved.

Potential weight-loss plateau:

While lazy keto may lead to initial weight loss, your metabolism slows down as you lose weight. This can cause a weight-loss plateau, where you need to restrict your carb intake further to continue losing weight, which may become unsustainable.

Potential side effects:

In the short term, the keto diet can lead to symptoms such as nausea, headaches, lightheadedness, constipation, and reduced tolerance for exercise. Additionally, the "keto flu" is a risk associated with a slowed metabolism, which includes constipation, fatigue, and insomnia until you adapt to the diet.

Individual differences:

Every person's body reacts differently to diets, so lazy keto may not work as effectively for everyone. It is important to listen to your body and adjust your diet accordingly. Consulting with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian is crucial before starting any new diet, especially if you have a health condition or are taking medication.

What foods can you eat?

Lazy keto is a less restrictive version of the traditional keto diet. It is a straightforward diet that only requires people to restrict their intake of carbohydrates.

Meat and Poultry

Beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and deli meat.

Fish and Shellfish

Salmon, trout, tuna, shrimp, lobster, and crab.

Eggs

Fried, scrambled, hard-boiled, and most other types of eggs.

Nuts and Seeds

Peanuts, tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts), and nut and seed butters.

Dairy

Full-fat dairy products like butter, cream, Greek yoghurt, and most cheeses.

Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, cucumbers, and onions.

Fruits

Small portions of berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Other fruits like bananas, mangoes, grapes, apples, oranges, and melons should be limited.

Healthy Fats and Oils

Avocados, healthy oils (like olive oil, avocado oil, flaxseed oil, and nut oils), and unsweetened beverages like water, coffee, and tea.

Pulses and Legumes

Pulses like garbanzo beans, lentils, peas, kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. However, dried beans, lentils, and peas should be limited.

Whole Grains

Whole grains like bread, rice, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, and quinoa. However, foods like white pasta, white bread, and white rice should be avoided.

Sweet Treats

A small portion of fresh blueberries with unsweetened Greek yoghurt can be a good dessert option.

What foods should you avoid?

The lazy keto diet is a less strict version of the ketogenic (keto) diet, which involves eating no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. It is a simple and straightforward version of the keto diet, which can be used for weight loss.

Dairy

Milk and yoghurt.

Fruits

Apples, bananas, mangoes, oranges, melons, and other high-carb fruits.

Grains

Bread, breakfast cereals, crackers, pasta, white rice, and brown rice.

Legumes

Dried beans, lentils, and peas.

Starchy Vegetables

Corn, peas, and potatoes.

Sugary Drinks

Energy drinks, juice and fruit drinks, soda, and sports drinks.

Sweets

Cake, candy, cookies, ice cream, and desserts.

Packaged and Processed Foods

• Packaged breakfast cereals, especially those containing refined grains or high amounts of added sugars.
• Snack bars and chocolate.
• Ready-made meals that are high in carbohydrates or added sugars.
• Sauces, marinades, and dressings with a high sugar content.

Other Foods to Limit or Avoid

• Sweetened yoghurt
• Flavoured yoghurts
• Refined carbohydrates and foods with added sugars, such as white pasta, bread, and rice.

Frequently asked questions