While this approach will reduce your carb intake and might lead to increased ketosis and weight loss, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. “You may be cheating yourself of important nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, and fibers) that play crucial roles in metabolic, neurological, and hormonal balance,” says Brownlow.
She also emphasizes that “There’s extensive clinical and scientific support for the benefits of ketogenic approaches in patient populations with neurological and metabolic disorders. If you’re considering a ketogenic diet for this reason, keep in mind that food is much more than mere fuel for our cells; it provides important information for all biochemical reactions in living organisms. In order to optimize your ketogenic approach, you should consider a well-formulated ketogenic diet that includes key micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.”
Moral of the story: Lazy keto is not about getting lazy with what you eat.
If you find yourself opting for fast-food burger patties in fear of over-consuming carbohydrates from fibrous vegetables and plant foods, that’s a red flag. It’s important not to sacrifice overall diet quality for the sake of hitting your carbohydrate targets.
It’s also worth noting that a lazy keto approach also may end up just being a very low carbohydrate diet, which isn’t always a ketogenic diet. Technically, you are following a keto diet if you are in ketosis. This means that your liver got the cue that glucose and insulin levels are low, and fat metabolism is revved up to the point that ketones are now being produced.