Everyone wants to kick off the new year looking and feeling their best — and with the help of the keto diet, you can. Whether you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight or simply eat healthier, going ketogenic can help you reach your goals. Plus, plenty of everyday people and celebrities tout the benefits of the meal plan.
Besides making you wonder if the keto diet could help you, you’re probably left wondering what exactly it is in the first place. Wonder no more! In the first episode of Us Weekly’s newest podcast, “KETO-M-G,” our correspondent Jackie Miranne explores the basics of the diet with SlimFast dietitian and wellness consultant Maryann Walsh.
For years, U.S. agencies had typically recommended that you get around 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, and about 20 percent each of fat and protein. But on the keto diet, explains Walsh, the dietary recommendation is to consume approximately 75 percent of your daily calories from fat sources, 15 to 25 percent from protein and 5 to 10 percent from carbohydrates.
The registered dietitian breaks down the scientific processes that happen in the body when it goes into ketosis, which is the point of the ketogenic diet. But she examines the practical benefits without medical jargon (hint: it involves a whole lot of fat stores being burned off), so it’s easier to tell if the diet is right for you.
Besides the aesthetic benefits lots of stars — including Vanessa Hudgens, Jenna Jameson, Kourtney Kardashian (she recently went back on it) and Jersey Shore’s Vinny Guadagnino — say they get, some say eating a high-fat, low-carb, moderate-protein diet helps them feel more energetic and mentally clear too.
Another fun fact: The keto diet has been around for decades, but in the past, it was used more in medical and therapeutic cases. Halle Berry, for instance, has been eating in a keto-based way for years partially to help control her type 1 diabetes. “She kind of already was doing the ketogenic diet before it was trendy and that is because of her diabetes,” her trainer Peter Lee Thomas told Us in 2018. “That was fascinating for me to discover … So when we looked into it, she and I both were perplexed that she was already doing that and she was already in ketosis.”
Health and wellness could be around the corner for you too! Listen up to the plan’s basics on episode 1 so you can make an informed decision on whether or not the keto lifestyle is a fit for you.
“KETO-M-G” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio and Stitcher.
