New, easier keto works wonders
Duke University M.D. reveals the
‘lazy keto’ breakthrough that makes the plan easier and more effective— and how FIRST’s cookbook can help speed fat loss by 900% even as you enjoy summertime favorites!
It’s no secret that the keto diet is a fast way to speed off excess pounds—millions of women report enormous weight loss and rave about the delicious meals that got them there. But for every woman who easily zipped off the pounds, there are a handful of others who struggled, unable to maintain the restrictive plan for long. The problem: Traditional keto limits dieters to just 20 grams of carbohydrates a day—that’s less than one apple
(25 grams) or even a medium sweet potato (27 grams). And who wants to count their carbohydrates all day?
The good news: There’s an easier, less-restrictive way to get the benefits of keto—without all the counting and deprivation. Called “lazy keto,” this food formula scales back on starch and sugar in the standard American diet while pumping up the non-starchy veggies and healthy fats, such as meat, heavy cream and cheese, aiming to keep carbs at about 50 grams per day. “Lazy keto is what I teach my patients,” asserts Eric Westman, M.D.,
founder of the Duke Keto Medicine Clinic at Duke University in North Carolina. “It’s a way to make keto doable long-term, which is the real key to reaching an optimal weight.”
Why following a “lazy” approach is foolproof: “When you keep carbs low and eat real foods, everything else tends to fall in place. As carb intake comes down, blood sugar naturally drops and your body needs a new energy source. It starts turning fat from fat cells into compounds called ketones that become your fuel,” Dr. Westman explains. Indeed, findings at Bethel University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, show keto speeds fat loss by 900%. Plus, studies show that ketones slash appetite, so you end up automatically eating fewer calories as metabolism spikes. “In 24 to 48 hours, hunger is significantly reduced for people using my approach because ketones are appetite suppressants,” adds Dr. Westman. “It’s unbelievable what a difference you can make just by changing your food.”
A less-restrictive keto plan also targets belly fat. The reason? When you don’t have to count every carb, dieting becomes more relaxed, which drives down the production of the stress hormone cortisol. And loosening up on the carb restrictions has a similar impact, asserts weight-loss and nutrition expert Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of The A-List Diet. “Studies show that cutting too many carbohydrates can put the body into starvation mode, which increases the production of stress hormones, making it harder to burn fat and lose weight,” he explains. “But loosening up the reins a bit lowers cortisol production.” In fact, research shows that
“You can make a huge difference just by changing
up your food”
—Eric Westman, M.D.
women who follow a relaxed keto diet shed three times more belly fat than other dieters.
Speedy slimming is just the first of many benefits! This relaxed approach delivers all of the advantages of the keto diet, says Dr. Westman. Studies show the eating plan lowers artery-harming triglycerides by 300%, balances cholesterol levels and improves memory by 62%. Plus, increasing your intake of healthy fats has been proven to soothe arthritis pain, stimulate hair growth and supercharge energy.
Getting started couldn’t be easier or more delicious! The chefs in FIRST’s test kitchen have developed a variety of delicious, low-carb recipes to make it easier than ever to enjoy summer barbecue season and succeed. We’ve even done the math for you—just look for the blue bubbles throughout the cookbook for at-a-glance net carb counts, then mix-and-match recipes on your way to slimming success!