While we’re planning our summer days around ice cream breaks, Kourtney Kardashian is going back to a notoriously strict diet. According to a recent post on her lifestyle website Poosh, she first tried the keto diet two and a half years ago, and felt that it really clicked for her. Fast forward to now, and she says that after “treating myself lately,” she wants to go back on the diet for the next month.
In her post, Kardashian describes the keto diet as high-fat, high-protein, and low-carb. The basic idea behind keto is to “trick” your body into burning fat instead of carbohydrates. Your body’s preferred source of energy is glucose, which we get from breaking down carbohydrates. That includes things like bread, fruit, potatoes, pasta, and candy. But if you deprive your body of those carbohydrate fuels, either by fasting completely for short periods of time, or only eating small amounts of carbs, your body goes into a state called ketosis, when it’s breaking down fat into a fuel called ketones.
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The keto diet originated in the 1920s as a way to treat epilepsy, so a lot of experts see it as more of a medical treatment than a pattern for eating.
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If this sounds very similar to previously famous low-carb diets like 2000s celebrity-favorite Atkins diet, you’d be right! The main difference, Vox reports, is that the keto diet calls for your diet to be 80 percent fats, 15 percent protein, and 5 percent carbs — making it a much higher fat content than other low-carb diets.
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So, what do people on keto eat?
According to Kardashian’s Poosh post, her day starts with an avocado smoothie. Turns out avocados are the darlings of the keto world:
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For lunch, she has a chef salad with turkey, greens, and egg whites — eggs being another crucial keto go-to:
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In fact, there’s such a thing as a keto egg fast, where you basically only eat eggs, cheese, and butter. (PSA: Do not attempt this without first seeking medical advice.)
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Another classic keto move: no-bun burgers.
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Although not everyone is convinced:
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A lot of “keto” foods don’t sound like diet foods…
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The high-fat content makes it seem suspiciously easy:
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Seriously, this is a diet?
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But does it work? Well, some people swear by it (after the first two weeks anyway!).
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There is strong research to show that it can work for people with epilepsy.
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However, there’s a chance that the high-fat content can be bad for your heart, according to a recent study. Outside of the academic realm, some people report that they personally didn’t do so well on it.
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So if you want to try it, make sure you speak to your doctor first.
The other drawback: as your body adjusts to a lower carb intake, you might get so-called keto flu, which involves light-headedness, fatigue, and dizziness.
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Kardashian isn’t the only celebrity fan, though. Halle Berry also thinks keto is neat-o. But again, not everyone is on board.
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For some, it’s too much effort.
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As Kardashian notes in her post, you should always check in with a medical expert before trying any new diet. All power to her, but we’ll be taking our burgers with a bun this summer!
